Is The Keto Diet Right For You?
With the rise of fitness trends in recent years, the keto diet can be considered all the rage, with some people using it as a foolproof weight loss tool, and others questioning the keto diet and doubting its safety.
Today we’re going to talk about the keto diet and see if it’s right for us by understanding its effects on the body.
The keto diet is characterized by high fat, low carbohydrates, and moderate amounts of protein. It was first used in 1921 to treat childhood epilepsy, and it has only been since the 1960s that the keto diet has been used to treat obesity and has been proven to be a very effective dietary therapy by subsequent clinical studies. So, how does it differ from our normal diet and what mechanism does it use to lose weight?
Nutritional Structure of the Keto Diet
The proportions of the three main nutrients in the keto diet are 20% to 27% protein, 70% to 75% fat, and 3% to 5% carbohydrates.
In other words, the fat content is relatively high and the carbohydrate content is relatively low. If your daily energy intake is 2,000 kcal, the amount of carbohydrate needed in the keto diet that day is 2,000 kcal * 5%/4 kcal/g = 25 grams, and the amount of fat needed is 2,000 kcal * 75%/9 kcal/g = 166.7 grams. The amount of protein needed is This calculation is more theoretical, but the actual situation varies depending on each person’s metabolism.
Principles of the Keto Diet
Use carbohydrates first as the main and most immediate energy substance. When there is no new food to fill it, i.e. when carbohydrates are consumed, the body turns to fat to produce heat, and fat is consumed to produce ketone bodies; secondly, protein is used to provide energy to the body by producing glucose through glucose metabolism, but too little protein can affect growth and development, reduce resistance, and lead to malnutrition and even growth retardation. We’d better not let the body consume protein easily, because it may lead to malnutrition and even growth retardation.
In summary, the order of consumption of the three major nutrients in the body is: sugar > fat > protein.
The principle of the keto diet is to simulate the body’s starvation process when the body’s carbohydrate supply is insufficient so that the metabolism of lipolysis increases, which in turn increases the production of ketone bodies, which is how the name “keto” was derived.
The main mechanisms of weight loss due to a long-term keto diet are summarized below. In a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein it, the body’s carbohydrate intake is reduced, the body is forced into a simulated starvation state, and body fat is broken down in large amounts to provide energy, producing large amounts of ketone bodies in the process.
Possible Side Effects
For fat intolerant individuals, the high fat in a keto diet can produce not only immediate symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. People with special body types can produce too many ketone bodies in the body on a keto diet, exceeding the body’s metabolic capacity and acidifying the blood step by step, leading to hyperketonemia.
A prolonged low carbohydrate intake will lead to low glucose concentration in the blood, the most prominent symptom of which is hypoglycemia, and the brain needs glucose to supply energy. Glucose deficiency will confuse brain thinking and hypoglycemia will also cause adverse reactions such as dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, increased heart rate, and increased hunger.
Since fruits and vegetables are also high in carbohydrates and rich in vitamins, limiting the intake of such foods will often result in insufficient dietary fiber intake, causing constipation, and may also lead to vitamin deficiencies, such as B vitamins and vitamin C.
Some weight loss may be seen in a short period on a keto diet. However, it does carry some health risks and should be done under professional guidance. It also has specific requirements for its suitability. Obese patients who do not particularly need to lose fat can achieve a normal weight loss diet by lowering the standard of the keto diet, which will also be effective.
In conclusion, at this stage, there is evidence to support the short-term weight loss effects of it, especially in terms of visceral fat reduction. However, some studies have also shown that after one year, there is no significant difference in the effects of a keto diet compared to a traditional weight loss diet. Those who want to try it still need to weigh the best diet for their situation.
Are You Suitable For Keto Diet?
Not everyone is a good candidate for a keto diet. In addition to some specific diseases that are recommended for treatment with it, for those who are fat loss, the current tentative indications for a keto diet for fat loss are simple obesity, age >18 years, normal liver and kidney function, and BMI ≥28, which means that you must meet at least the above criteria.
Patients with digestive disorders such as a history of pancreatitis, active gallbladder disease, impaired liver function, or impaired fat digestion are not suitable for it, nor are patients with urinary tract stones, impaired kidney function, renal insufficiency, or other kidney diseases, pregnant or lactating women, infected individuals or patients with very poor health status.
Final Conclusion
The keto diet is indeed very effective for weight loss and it is not impossible to try it, but do not make a hasty decision. This more extreme diet requires the advice of a doctor and a diet plan tailored to your specific situation under your doctor’s guidance.
You also need to monitor your health during this process so that various metabolic indicators of your body are not detected and have serious consequences. This process also requires monitoring one’s body condition to avoid serious consequences if various metabolic indicators of the body are not detected.