We will be exploring the question is the keto diet safe in this article. This is a big question that many experts have brought forward simply because of the low carb high-fat requirements.
In the past high fat intake was considered a great way to an early heart attack but as more and more studies have been completed this thinking has changed and it pays to take a goods look into this if you are thinking of starting a Keto Diet.
Ketosis is a process that must be understood to make any kind of decision on weather it will be good or bad for a person so let’s take a look at this process.
Contents
What is Ketosis.
ketosis is a process of breaking down fat and turning it into energy. In a normal diet, the body will break down carbohydrates such as pasta, grains, starch, fruits, and vegetables into glucose which the body then burns for energy.
When the body has too many carbs to burn as energy it turns into fat and is stored.
This process can happen due to many different reasons, for example:
- Age: As the body ages it tends to burn calories much slower than in younger years.
- Lifestyles: As we become less active and more sedimentary we will require fewer carbs to burn for energy
- Overeating: With today’s choices of so many carb-filled foods that taste awesome we tend to overeat and thus we have excess fat build-up.
By putting the body in Ketoses you will then be burning fat as energy instead of carbohydrates, thus your body starts burning fat and you can then use this process to lose weight.
This process is achieved by removing virtually all carbs thus driving the body into Ketosis. By doing this we accelerate the fat burning process and weight loss then begins.
Now that we understand how ketosis works let’s take a look at the effects this can have on the body.
What to expect from a diet using Ketosis
If a person is thinking about starting this or any other weight loss program it pays to enter with as much knowledge as possible.
There have been many studies involving this diet and the finding are interesting.
The best way to figure out if this diet is safe is to look at what these studies have determined so let’s take a look.
Increased Energy
The first thing that happens when going on this program is what is called “The keto flu” In other words the body feels off and sluggish and your energy levels will be low as you adjust to Ketosis.
This usually lasts for anywhere from one to two weeks as the body adjusts then the process is reversed.
Energy levels not only increase but people experience even higher energy levels than before they started this program and their energy level will be steady and consistent because you will not be experiencing sugar highs or sugar crashes.
Bad breath
Elevated Keytones in the body tend to create what is called “acetone breath” This is a fruity-smelling breath that can not be taken care of by brushing alone.
Many people have found they like the smell and those who do not have used sugar-free gum. This is only a temporary situation that lasts around a couple of weeks.
High Keytone blood levels
These levels are nothing to worry about in themselves but when these levels are elevated they tend to lower blood sugar levels and this will need to be monitored if dealing with diabetes or pre-diabetes. it would be wise to work with your doctor if this describes your situation.
Increased ability to stay focused
Many people have reported that once they get through the first two weeks of this program they start experiencing the ability to focus much better than previously.
Doctors are prescribing this diet to people who are dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases and studies are ongoing as to the long term effects might be obtained. Stay tuned on this.
A decrease in exercise stamina
The first few weeks the body changes and as ketosis starts happening the body loses glycogen stores in our muscles. People see a slow down in their ability to maintain there pre-diet levels of exercise but this is only temporary.
Something worth noting is many athletes find after going on the Keto diet they have better results with this than preloading carbs before a performance.
Changes can cause digestive issues
People have reported diarrhea and constipation the first few weeks after switching to low carb high-fat foods and this makes sense as the body needs time to change from one type of nutrient like carbs to another like high fat.
This will pass and is only temporary.
Reduction in appetite
This is a major selling point in this diet as studies claim that not only do Keytones reduce the appetite, the lack of carbs plays the same roll so you get a double whammy and we all know less appetite means less intake of food which of course means weight loss!
People have reported experiencing insomnia
Just like many of the other symptoms when starting this diet this will be temporary and usually clears up within two to three weeks.
melatonin can help but it is advised to consult your doctor before treating this symptom as it is natural for the body to become restless as these changes occur.
Our View
After reviewing medical studies and weighing the good versus the bad when using this program we have to give this one a huge thumbs up.
While there are some things to be concerned about especially if you are dealing with disease, the general results point to this diet not only being safe to use but the health benefits are huge!
As always what works for one person may not work for another when dealing with health issues, but the overall consensus is this diet works and is good for you.
Thanks for checking out our article and happy dieting!
My own personal experience with keto dieting explained.
I didn’t exactly try the most traditional way of doing the keto diet, but in my case, what I did was, I cut sugar consumption and made sure to go to sleep hungry.
I also increase the amount of healthy fats I ate. This combination of ways of losing weight did trigger my body at times to enter a ketogenic state and this did indeed help me lose weight. Although in my personal experience, having a cheat day is important because for me personally, maintaining a ketogenic lifestyle was extremely difficult.