5 Benefits and Side Effects of A Keto Diet

Keto diet is gaining popularity among people who want to lose weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Often, people who have previously tried this nutrition plan or want to learn more about it come to consult a nutritionist. Today we will tell you what keto diet is, what are the benefits and side effects of the keto diet.

What is a keto diet?

Keto-diet is based on the use of proteins and fats, where the former make up 1/3 of the diet, and the latter 2/3. Carbohydrates are entirely excluded. Only the use of green leafy vegetables with a low glycemic index in an amount of not more than 20-50 g per day (meaning not the weight of vegetables, but the number of carbohydrates in them) is allowed. Besides, for the prevention of constipation in the absence of plant fibre, it is allowed to add a little powdered pharmaceutical fibre to food.

The main goal of such a nutrition system is to start the process of ketosis. It is the breakdown of lipids from the fat layer and their use as the primary source of energy. You should also try the best keto supplements to ease your ketosis in the beginning.

Benefits of the keto diet are:

1. fast and effective loss of excess weight and preservation of muscle mass;
2. comfort (lack of hunger);
3. long-term effect;
4. high-quality sleep;
5. higher energy levels.

Fast and effective weight loss and muscle preservation

Keto diet is based on the use of fats for the energy supply of the body. It is them, not the muscles, that burn. This process also gives you high energy and good quality of sleep. There are also many positive reviews about the keto diet and heart health.

Comfort (lack of hunger)

We all know perfectly that the most robust appetite comes precisely during the diet. A keto diet virtually eliminates the sense of hunger. We note that a feeling of hunger can occur, but it is barely noticeable and occurs 6-7 hours after eating. Compared to "carbohydrate" nutrition, it is difficult to call it hunger.

On this diet, jumps in blood sugar and insulin are excluded, the secretion of the hormone of hunger is significantly reduced. At the same time, high-calorie fat and protein foods give a feeling of satiety. Due to these reasons, a person does not experience a brutal appetite and loses weight with pleasure.

Long-term effect

Some opponents of the keto diet suggest that any beneficial effects are only temporary. There is no universally accepted definition of "successful weight loss retention" after a diet. Still, the formula proposed by Wing and Hill in 2001, which defines it as "a person who intentionally lost at least 10% of his weight and retained it for at least one year", is traditionally used.

Studies have shown that two short periods of a ketogenic diet, separated by more extended periods of maintaining the Mediterranean diet, have led to successful long-term weight loss and the elimination of health risk factors without the effect of weight recovery. There are known results in the keto diet for cancer symptoms relief and keto diet for epilepsy treatment.

The fact is that most diets for the body are like a roller coaster – constant stress. When there are few nutrients, metabolic processes slow down; when there is a lot - the body does not cope with processing and utilizes the excess in fat reserves. A keto-diet excludes such an effect since a person does not starve.

Side effects of keto diet

1. imbalance (rejection of entire groups of products);
2. a high amount of limitations.

Imbalance

Keto diet excludes the use of vegetables (saving a small number of greens). It directs to a decrease in the number of trace elements, vitamins, and fibre. Possibly it is the most critical disadvantage of this food practice. However, without this, it doesn't work. When vegetables, especially "sugary" ones, enter your body, glucose will be formed, and ketosis will not happen.

But panic is certainly not worth it.

To neutralize the loss of fibre and prevent digestive dysfunctions, we recommend consuming no more than 50 g of carbs from green vegetables and, in fact, a small measure of pharm fibre.

Levelling the lack of trace elements is not complicated: you need to determine the number of vital trace elements, buy them separately at the pharmacy, eat, and enjoy life.

A high amount of limitations

There are limitations to all diets. However, before choosing a keto diet, you should learn once and for all - you can't get carbohydrates. A disaster from a single candy will not happen on a low-carb type of diet. But on a ketosis diet, it is strictly forbidden. In the second case, ketosis does not occur, and the kilograms of fat you eat will be stored rather than being spent on energy supply.

It is the difference that should be considered first of all before choosing a diet.

Conclusion

Whatever decision you make, remember that the ideal way to lose weight is to switch to the right balanced diet, observe the norms of daily caloric intake, regular physical activity, following a transparent regime of the day, and to give up bad habits, including eating habits.

Good luck with weight correction!

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We are looking forward to your opinion in the comments on whether you have tried the keto diet at least once. What were the results?

About the author

Tell us your story

Would you like to write for nichemarket just like Richard has? Find out how to submit a guest post and when you're ready, you can contact us.

Are you looking to promote your business?

South African food and catering businesses can create your free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online. 

Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign up form and follow the instructions. If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles.

• How to create a nichemarketer profile
• How to create a nichemarket business listing

Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is the restaurant business.

• Trending Foodie Hashtags to add some Flavour to your posts
• Why Dunkin Donuts & Baskin Robbins Failed In South Africa
• How To Expand Your Restaurant Outreach by Using Social Media
• Add A Booking Service To Your Google Knowledge Graph
• How to Make a Creative Logo for Your Food Business
• Keto Questions: What to Ask Your Waiter

Tags: Diet, Guest Post