The ketogenic diet is popular: it is followed by actresses Vanessa Hudgens, Alicia Vikander and Halle Berry. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that celebrity endorsements have conflicted with evidence-based medicine. Find out why the keto diet is not the healthiest way to lose weight.
Where did the ketogenic diet come from?
The ketogenic diet isn't exactly a fad: it was invented back in the 1920s to treat seizures. It was a humane substitute for fasting, which remained the only medicine for epilepsy in those years. It is true that in 1938 an anticonvulsant appeared, so now the keto diet is mainly used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
Presumably, the ketogenic diet would remain an exotic method in the arsenal of neurologists. But in the 1970s, American cardiologist Robert Atkins read a paper that found that this diet helped people lose weight. Based on this data, the enterprising doctor created his own nutrition system and wrote several books about it.
Atkins nutrition system turned out to be simple, understandable and even led to fast results. It was Hollywood stars and other public figures who quickly made the ketogenic diet popular.
How does the keto diet work?
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, low-fat diet. A standard ketogenic diet contains 70% fat, 20% protein and 10% carbohydrates, but the number of calories you can get from a "ketogenic diet" remains standard: 2000 kcal per day.
In a ketogenic diet, carbohydrates are only 20-50 g. For our body, which is designed to get most of its energy from carbohydrates, this is too little. Therefore, while on a ketogenic diet, the body begins to burn glycogen - the "reserve" of carbohydrates in the liver.
When the glycogen reserves run out (and this already happens on the 2nd-4th day of such a diet), the body switches to fat reserves. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are formed, from which energy can be obtained - hence the name of the diet.
What are the problems with the keto diet?
Evolution "rewarded" us with the ability to store fat just to get us through tough times. We're just not designed to eat fat long-term. If you suddenly cut out carbs and "load" on fat with protein, you can "get" serious health problems over time.
causes obesity
Apparently - how, since the ketogenic diet has been proven to help with weight loss? This is true - but the problem is that the lost weight soon returns.
In short, in this situation there is a "yo-yo effect". After each cycle of an extremely low-carb diet, the body learns to better extract energy from food. When a person who has lost weight on a poorly conceived ketogenic diet starts eating high-carbohydrate foods again, the weight comes back very quickly, althoughThe food portion remains the same.
If a person still tries to lose weight with a diet, the body responds by increasing appetite, so after finishing, the poor person begins to overeat - and "gets" obesity.
disrupts digestion
Cereal products are important sources of carbohydrates: cereals, pasta and bread. But in these products, in addition to carbohydrates, there is another important component: fiber. Soluble fiber is "fed" by the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, while insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation. People who don't get enough fiber from the ketogenic diet are more likely to suffer from digestive problems.
causes lack of nutrition
The main problem with all low-carb diets is that people start eating less vegetables and fruits - they are also sweet. But vegetables and fruits are the main source of vitamins.
Studies of the ketogenic diet in children with epilepsy have shown that patients who follow it are not getting the nutrients they need for good health. In this situation, children with epilepsy are prescribed vitamins in capsules. But healthy adults who decide to lose weight usually do not even think about such a risk.
My heart hurts
Excess fatty foods are in principle harmful to the cardiovascular system. This increases the synthesis of cholesterol - the main material of atherosclerotic plaques, which "likes" to clog blood vessels, causing a heart attack or stroke.
But low-carb (including ketogenic) diets have their own problem: it turns out that such a meal plan can disrupt the heart's rhythm, causing deadly atrial fibrillation. So it's no surprise that a poorly conceived ketogenic diet increases the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
Causes gall bladder problems
Excess fatty foods can provoke gall bladder disease. It works like this: if there is excess cholesterol in the body, the liver starts to "throw" it into the gallbladder. There it sometimes begins to crystallize, forming gallstones.
May cause ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that commonly occurs in people with diabetes. However, science knows of at least one case where the keto diet caused ketoacidosis in a healthy breastfeeding woman.
Contraindicated in people with pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a pancreatic disease in which you cannot eat more than 20 grams of fat per day. Excess fat on a keto diet can lead to flare-ups.
Nutritionists do not recommend following a low-carb diet for those who exercise a lot or play professional sports.
Keto diet in athletes leads not only to the loss of a certain amount of adipose tissue, but also wastes muscles, because in conditions of aerobic and mixed training, the body simply does not have time to get the required amount of fat oxidation. energy and is forced to destroy its own proteins.
Of course, this also affects well-being - the athlete becomes weaker, endurance and speed-strength indicators fall.
What is the difference between a keto diet and a good weight loss program?
The keto diet does not take into account people's actual energy needs. As a result, a person who follows it often not only reduces the intake of carbohydrates from food - he also dramatically reduces the total calorie content of the diet. All this leads to a "yo-yo effect" and the person gains weight once they return to a normal diet. In addition, the ketogenic diet is often unbalanced - as a result, the person does not get the necessary nutrients and causes health problems.
Competent weight loss programs aim not only to lose weight, but also to maintain this effect in the future. The only way to avoid the yo-yo effect is through programs based on healthy eating principles.
A diet that allows you to lose weight should be:
- diverse - so that a person fully receives not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also vitamins, trace elements and fiber;
- Delicious - to avoid the "temptation" of fast food and comfort food;
- Sufficiently nutritious - so that there is enough strength and energy for mental work, sports and other joys of life;
- Should not contain excess or deficit of calories.
A good weight loss program does not work without improving your general lifestyle and does not provide quick results. But on such programs, weight loss occurs smoothly, the result is maintained for a long time, and health only gets stronger.