If you've been trying to lose weight, you may have stumbled upon the popular keto diet. Many of its followers don't know that this diet was developed by doctors in the 1920s to help manage seizures in children with epilepsy.
The original keto diet was very restrictive, with followers dividing their total caloric intake in this way:
- 70% from fat
- 25% from protein
- 5% from carbohydrate
You may be lured by the promise of quick weight loss on the keto diet, but you should know what you're getting into before you begin this — or any — diet.
Odds are that anyone you know who claims to be on the keto diet isn't following it precisely. They’re more likely than not just following a low-carb or high-protein diet.
Here's the good, the bad and the ugly about the keto diet.
The good
It can be fun. If you start the keto diet, you may find you're able to eat large amounts of high-fat foods such as bacon, cream and butter.
You may lose weight quickly. Because you're not eating carbs, your body will begin to use energy from stored fat in your body.
You may break bad habits. If your diet was carb heavy before, you may find you return to a more moderate carb level after you end the keto diet.
The bad
You may feel sick. During the first two to four weeks of the keto diet, you may experience something called the keto flu. Your body may develop flu-like symptoms as it burns the last of the available sugar and transitions to burning fat.
The weight you lost is just water. Although you may feel an initial excitement about losing weight quickly, it’s most likely just water weight from the glucose your liver stores in your cells.
You're creating an unhealthy relationship with food. Restrictive diets like the keto diet create a cycle of restriction and overconsumption. When you finally allow yourself to consume the forbidden foods, you're likely to overeat — and gain weight.
You'll probably get constipated. Higher-fat, lower-fiber diets can cause constipation, which adds more discomfort to an already difficult-to-follow eating plan.
It's not sustainable. Highly restrictive diets — unless medically necessary — are not realistic for most people for the long term. Eventually you'll probably find it too hard to follow.
The ugly
You could be putting your health at risk. The keto diet is high in fat, including more harmful saturated fat. Studies have shown that if you eat a diet high in saturated fat, your risk for heart attack is four times higher than if you ate the recommended amount of saturated fat each day. That amount is between seven to 10% of your total calories.
You may develop nutritional deficiencies. When you cut out entire food groups, you miss out on important nutrients essential to your health.
You're going to gain back the weight. Since you’re just losing water weight, the weight will come right back as soon as you start eating carbs again.
A common-sense approach to weight loss
If you want to lose weight, good old moderation is best. That means eating fatty or sugary foods sparingly and getting most of your calories from protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This diet is easier to stick with over the long haul because it doesn't make certain food groups "bad." In fact, it gives you permission to enjoy all foods in a healthy way.