Why NOT to do the Keto Diet
The Ketogenic Diet (also called Keto diet) is designed to put your body in ketosis-a state where your body switches from using glucose as energy to using ketone bodies, which come from body fat. The diet was originally designed to be administered under the supervision of Doctors and Registered Dietitians to treat epilepsy in children.
The point of a keto diet is to force your body to deplete its glucose and glycogen stores so it will have to use body fat as a fuel source, essentially forcing your body into starvation. However, it is not easy to get an adult body into ketosis and a true ‘keto diet’ is not all that palatable. The diet involves eating a lot of rich, heavy foods with little variety. You’re only allowed 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrates per day meaning a single banana or apple could get you past your carb limit. Although too much glucose isn’t good for you, you need some just to allow your cells to function normally.
But the real problem isn’t going over your carb limit, it’s the protein. A keto diet limits your protein intake because if you’re eating too much protein you’re breaking that down into carbs. When your body runs out of carbs it will then begin to breakdown muscle to make energy. This creates circulating ketone bodies in your blood making your blood too acidic and forcing your body to draw calcium from your bones to act as a buffer.
The high fat content of the diet can also lead to developing cardiovascular disease and without the fiber from whole grains and fruits, you’re also likely to miss the fiber you need to maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Although you may lose weight on this diet, most people gain the weight back (and then some) when they go off the diet. So it may just be easier to have a well-balanced diet and utilize portion control.