Is It Possible to Be Long-term Ketogenic?
In recent years, more and more people have realized that eating more staple food is unhealthy because the main ingredient of staple food is starch, which is sugar. Excessive intake of sugar will lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other problems. As more and more people try low-carb diets, more and more people question low-carb diets. Many people believe that low-carb diets can only be implemented in the short term, not the long term, and there will be dangers in the long run. When any new thing appears, there will be such a voice, which is normal. So, can you be long-term ketogenic?
Is it Possible to Be Long-term Ketogenic?
Because of the low-carb ketogenic diet, it has only really become popular in the past few years. So far, there is no research on long-term low-carb keto diets. However, whether long-term low-carb ketogenic is healthy or not, we can feel it ourselves, and we can also go for physical examinations all the time to test our indicators. I believe that the data will explain everything.
There are many reasons for not being able to produce low-carbon ketones for a long time, let’s analyze them one by one.
Does the Brain Need 130g of Carbohydrates Per Day?
The most common and ignorant claim is that the brain needs carbohydrates or it will be dumb. In the animal world, animals such as tigers and lions are at their hungriest when they are hunting. At this time, their eyes are sharpest, their movements are also very fast, and their thinking is also very careful. There is no difference between us humans and animals.
Generally, people who have experienced fasting know that the hungrier we will be, the more awake we will be because ketone bodies can supply energy to the brain. When the sugar is used up, we may temporarily feel that the brain is unresponsive, because the brain is not used to ketones for energy. When the brain learns to use ketones for energy, you will become more awake.
How did Our Ancestors Come Here?
Human beings have a history of more than 4 million years, and agriculture began more than 10,000 years ago. Before the agricultural society, our ancestors did not consume other carbohydrates except for some fruits (very sour). The ancestors were in a state of ketosis in most cases and were not poisoned to death.
Will Long-term Ketogenic Lead to Nutritional Imbalance?
The ketogenic diet is easily misunderstood as a restrictive diet. The correct ketogenic diet is very nutritious. We recommend eating lots of veggies, meat, and good fats, which are very nutrient-dense food sources, just limiting the number of carbs, lots of sugar, and processed foods that don’t have much nutritional value on their own.
From high-carb water to a low-carb diet, the body changes from a “water storage state” to a “water loss” state, which will take away some minerals. As long as we add enough sodium, magnesium, potassium, and a lot of vegetables, there will be no minerals. The problem of material loss. Therefore, normally speaking, scientific ketogenic will not cause nutritional imbalance.
Will Long-term Ketogenic Damage the Kidneys and Liver?
This problem is also a concern for many people. First of all, ketogenic protein is not a large amount of protein, but an appropriate amount of protein below 30%. Again, for people with normal kidney function, even if there is too much protein, there may not be a problem, but for people with kidney function problems, it is not recommended to consume too much protein.
Some people worry about whether it will hurt the liver. Fructose and alcohol are the ones that hurt the liver. If the ketogenic fat is not too much, most of the fat will be metabolized into chylomicrons in the intestine and directly supply energy to the cells. If you occasionally have too much fat, it doesn’t necessarily hurt your liver. As long as you don’t drink alcohol or eat sugar, your liver will become healthier.
Are Some People Not Suitable For the Keto Diet?
I think some people should not lose weight. They are not suitable for any weight loss methods, only fasting and high-intensity strength training. If they don’t enjoy hunger and exercise, they may gain weight at any time, why? Because the basal metabolism is very low.
Many people are ketogenic, and they think that if they are ketogenic, they will eat meat casually. This kind of mentality is not suitable for them. Of course, if your intake does not exceed the standard, there is no problem. After all, a ketogenic diet is easier to control appetite than a high-carb diet.
People who think they are not suitable for the keto diet, know how much they eat, and maybe you are suitable for dieting. I hope you understand the difference between ketogenic fasting and long-term dieting.
Conclusion
Can I be ketogenic for a long time? The answer is yes, but there are some conditions. You must understand what scientific ketogenic is, and learn to judge and adjust by yourself according to the changes in your body. Although there are short-term side effects, the long-term safety of the ketogenic diet has been questioned. However, we now have evidence that long-term ketogenic is safe.
Most people insist on ketogenic because they enjoy the state of nutritional ketosis, sober mind, concentrated attention, no sleepiness, and emotional stability. I think mental workers like this state. If you don’t have such a need, just try to avoid the intake of refined carbohydrates, and do more exercise to consume the intake of carbohydrates. There is no need to be high in fat, just pay attention to the intake of some healthy fats.