What You Need to Know About Keto Dieting

About Keto Dieting

Developed by Mayo Clinic doctors in the 1920s to treat epilepsy in children, the ketogenic diet cuts out all carbohydrates, including fruit (a medium banana has 27 grams of carbs), and restricts most vegetables to leafy greens (such as kale, Swiss chard, spinach), avocados, tomatoes, mushrooms and cauliflower. You can have berries, however, which contain a small amount of carbs. A ketogenic diet requires you to eat high levels of fat, typically about 70 percent of your calories.

A ketogenic diet may also improve your gut microbiota. One study found that the KD increased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and decreased metabolites associated with inflammation, compared to the standard American diet. [69]

Although the ketogenic diet may help you lose weight, it’s not known if it’s safe for long-term use. During rapid weight loss, your resting metabolic rate drops, which can cause hunger to increase and energy expenditure to decrease, making it difficult to sustain long-term weight loss. [70]

Another concern is that the ketogenic diet tends to be high in saturated fat, which raises your risk of heart disease. A recent study found that consuming low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets like the ketogenic diet was associated with an increased risk of death. It’s important to talk to your doctor before beginning this diet.