Because it promotes rapid weight loss, the ketogenic diet is one of the most popular trends. It is commonly known as the “keto diet” and promises dramatic results in a very short time. Our goal is to provide a different source of information to assist you in achieving your overall these keto tacos health objectives. Each time we update our perspectives change in response to new research findings. The scientific community is learning new things almost every day about human bodies and how food, exercise and light affect the length of life.
However, there is contradicting evidence that the keto diet can be effective in reducing obesity, helping athletes or maintaining a healthy weight. Some experts also have concerns about the sustainability and long-term effects of this diet on the heart. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the ketogenic diet.
Pros
The keto diet requires your body to burn stored fat, fats and other fats for energy instead of sugar (sugar). This process, known as ketosis, can lead to a decrease in body weight.
Quick Weight Loss
The keto diet, which is very low in carbohydrate and high in fat, triggers metabolic changes within your body. Your body temporarily loses water by storing carbohydrates and your body’s overall weight decreases. This balances out after a week or so.
- The keto diet may lead to rapid weight loss within the first few weeks or months.
- Appetite reduction/satiety, and altered hunger hormones
- Increased fat utilization and decreased fat storage
Increased fat-burning efficiency
An increase in thermic effect and calorie consumption is required to convert protein to fuel and glucose to fat.
The keto diet may be a better option than the very low-calorie diet doctors recommend to patients to lose weight before they undergo weight loss surgery. The keto diet group saw a significant reduction in body mass (BMI) and significantly shorter hospital stays after surgery. Only 2.8% of the patients had to stay longer than 3 days, compared with 10.8% for the very low-calorie group.
Although weight loss will likely occur quickly on a keto diet the main question is whether weight maintenance and long-term weight reduction can be maintained. No matter what weight loss method is used, anyone who reverts to old eating habits will gain weight. One study that examined weight loss maintenance using the keto diet found that two cycles of the diet were successfully combined with a Mediterranean-style maintenance diet plan.
Boosts Happiness
Numerous studies have shown that the keto diet is an effective way to lose weight. This is because keto meals increase satiety, which is the feeling of fullness and satisfaction. This benefit could be due to:
High-fat foods promote hunger. The keto diet does not recommend eating fiber-rich foods. However, you will feel fuller for longer periods of time if you eat other foods recommended by the plan. High-fat foods can provide a satisfying taste and mouthfeel that can help you eat less.
It takes protein longer to digest and consume. This allows you to feel fuller for longer periods of time after eating.
The keto diet could have a positive effect on hunger hormones. One study showed that increased levels of ketone bodies (a byproduct ketosis) can lower ghrelin, which in turn helps suppress appetite, perceived hunger, as well as the desire to eat.
Lower Abdominal Fat
Many people embark on diets to lose weight in hopes of losing weight around the abdomen. We can’t control where our fat loss takes place. There is evidence to suggest that the keto diet may be preferentially targeted at abdominal fat.
In Nutrition and Metabolism, a study looked at how diets low in fat and high-carbohydrate diets impact body composition. For short-term body fat loss and weight gain, very low carbohydrate diets were more effective than low-fat diets. The researchers also concluded that fat loss was more concentrated in the trunk.
Increased athletic performance
A review of ketogenic diets examined if athletic performance could be improved using the low-carbohydrate-high-fat eating program. Research suggests that keto diets can be beneficial for athletes.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce body fat
- In weight-sensitive sports, maintain muscle mass
It appears that endurance athletes can adapt to keto diets, and burn more fat than their low-carb, high-fat counterparts. Similar muscle glycogen and tissue repair rates have been observed in keto athletes as well as those who eat a higher-carb diet. Some endurance athletes may see a significant advantage in consuming more fat and allowing for a faster rate of glycogen return.
Additional studies showed elite male gymnasts who followed a keto diet had high strength and significantly decreased body fat and weight. A combination of resistance training and keto diets may help athletes maintain muscle mass and burn fat.
Improved Health Markers
Certain health markers have been shown to improve with a ketogenic diet. One study examined the long-term effects on obese patients of a ketogenic diet. The study authors found that patients experienced a decrease in body weight, lower BMI and lower LDL cholesterol after following the diet for 24 weeks.
It is unclear if everyone who follows a ketogenic diet will experience the same benefits. There are many variations in the way people eat and what they eat, including the type of fat.
The Effective Management of Medical Conditions
For decades, the keto diet was used in combination with other medical treatments to treat epilepsy in children. The evidence is overwhelming in support of the keto diet as a treatment for those who are not responding to medications.