Is the Ketogenic Diet Right for You?

The ketogenic diet has been around for nearly a century, but it’s become ubiquitous in recent years. This diet’s popularity can be traced back to the 1920s, when it was used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. 

Over the years, various popular diets, including the Atkins Diet, have incorporated keto’s distinctive approach. But before you try the ketogenic diet for yourself, it is important to understand how it works to gauge whether keto is the right course for you.

Before diving into the keto diet itself, here’s a quick primer on how the human body gets energy. 

We derive energy from glucose (or blood sugar), much of which comes from carbohydrates. When we drastically reduce our carb intake, our body starts to look for an alternative fuel source and begins breaking down fat into a usable energy source called “ketones.” Once ketone levels become elevated, your body goes into a state of “ketosis,” using fat instead of carbs to generate energy. 

In order to reach a state of ketosis, your daily diet must consist of 80% fats, 15% proteins, and only about 5% carbs. In practice, this means plenty of meats, eggs, cheeses, fish, nuts, butter, seeds, and vegetables rich in fiber. Because the keto diet restricts carbohydrates, it becomes imperative to consume only good fats that allow your body to derive energy.

Keto has taken off in the last decade, thanks to the accelerated weight loss brought on by this very low-carb diet. Short-term followers of keto (within the first 2-6 months) notice more weight loss than the standard high-carb, low-fat diet. 

The ketogenic diet is considered quite restrictive in its food choices, making it difficult to sustain long-term. It requires strict adherence to the diet too, so if you’re not consuming the right high-quality fats or occasionally over-indulging in protein or carbs, the body falls out of ketosis, and the diet stops working. 

Besides weight loss, the ketogenic diet has also emerged as a way to manage Type 2 diabetes. Diabetics struggle with regulating their blood sugar levels and carbs cause an increase in this blood glucose. 

The straightforward solution? Reducing the intake of carbs helps manage blood sugar levels. It’s no surprise that people with diabetes lean towards carb-free, keto-friendly diets to help manage their condition. 

While keto does accelerate weight loss, it is not recommended for patients with kidney disease since the diet could worsen their condition. Since the diet relies heavily on red meats and fatty foods, it can also cause bad breath, nausea, constipation, and sleep problems. It’s important to remember that any substantial changes to your diet should be discussed with your physician first.