Category Archives: Diet And Food

Eating a healthy, balanced dietis an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best.

This means eatinga wide varietyof foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

This page covers healthy eating advice for people who dont have specific dietary requirements as a result of having a condition like diabetes.

The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to:

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from the 5 main food groups.

Mostpeople in the UKeat and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fishor fibre.

Read more about understanding calories and cutting down on calories.

The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under the age of 2 because they have different nutritional needs.

Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

Fruit and vegetables area vital source of vitamins and minerals, and should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day.

It's recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.

There's evidence that people whoeat at least5 portions a day have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Eating5 portions is not as hard as it sounds. Just 1 apple, banana, pear or similar-sized fruit is 1 portion (80g) each.

A slice of pineapple or melon is 1 portion. Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables is another portion.

Having a sliced bananawith your morning cereal is an easy way to get 1 portion.Swap your mid-morning biscuit for a tangerine, and add a side salad to your lunch.

Have a portion of vegetableswith dinner, and snack on fresh fruitwith natural plain yoghurt in the eveningto reach your 5 A Day.

Read more about what counts towards your 5 A Day.

Starchy foods should make upjust overa third of everything you eat. This means your meals should be based on these foods.

Potatoes with the skins onarea great source of fibre and vitamins. For example, when having boiled potatoes or a jacket potato, eat the skin too.

Choose wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta and brown, wholemeal or higher fibre whitebread.

They contain more fibre, and usually more vitamins and minerals, than white varieties.

Read more aboutstarchy foods.

Milk and dairy foods such as cheese and yoghurt are good sources of protein.Theyalso contain calcium, which helps keep your bones healthy.

To enjoy the health benefits of dairy without eating too much fat, use semi-skimmed, 1% fat or skimmedmilk, as well as lower-fat hard cheeses or cottage cheese, and lower-fat, lower-sugar yoghurt.

Unsweetened calcium-fortified dairy alternatives like soya milks, soya yoghurts and soya cheeses also count as part of this food group and can make good alternatives to dairy products.

Read more aboutmilk and dairy foods.

These foods are all good sources of protein, which is essential for the body to grow and repair itself. They're also good sources of a range of vitamins and minerals.

Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc and Bvitamins. It's also one of the main sources of vitamin B12.

Try to eat lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry whenever possible to cut down on fat. Always cook meat thoroughly.

Read more about meat.

Fishis another important source of protein, and contains many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, including1 portion of oily fish.

You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned, but remember that cannedand smoked fish can oftenbe high in salt.

Eggs and pulses(including beans, nuts and seeds) are also great sources of protein.

Nuts are high in fibre and agood alternative to snacks high in saturated fat, but they do still contain high levels of fat, so eat them in moderation.

Read more abouteggs and pulses and beans.

Some fat in the diet is essential, but should be limited to small amounts.

It's important to get most of your fat from unsaturated oils and spreads. Swapping to unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol.

Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay.

Read more about why you need to cut down on saturated fat and sugarin your diet, which foodsthey occur in,and how to make healthier choicesin 8 tips for healthy eating.

Most adults in England are overweight or obese. Check whether you're a healthy weight using the BMI calculator.

If you need to lose weight, you can use the NHS weight loss plan. It's a free 12-week diet and exercise plan to help you lose weight and develop healthier habits.

The plan, which has been downloaded more than 2 million times, is designed to help you lose weight safely and keep it off.

Page last reviewed: 11/02/2019Next review due: 11/02/2022

See original here:
Eat well - NHS

Its news to literally no one that diets dont work.

We know that food restriction is correlated with a panoply of negative outcomes: anxiety, body dissatisfaction, inability to focus, and, yes, chronic hunger. I would argue that anyone who has been on a diet could tell you that they dont work, but weve long willfully ignored the results (both as individuals and as a culture) because why exactly? There are a few answers to this question, but Id like to focus on the fact that diets serve other purposes less tangible than a radically different body, and more emotional and social. Id like to share four roles that dieting serves for people who are dieting, with a focus on how it interacts with feminine gender socialization:

Dieting is very good at getting our every waking thought/breath/impulse to focus completely on it. When youre restricting you are deep in the mindset that every bite, every step, every decision you make is either making or breaking you. A cookie or carrot is what stands between you and having a terrible day. When your fate is tied up in every single bite of food, how can you not become utterly consumed? You are being utterly consumed, girl!

Disassociation is something women have learned how to do really well as weve spent hundreds of years navigating our systematic dehumanization. I grew up watching the women in my family disassociate like pros from their dissatisfying marriages, from disrespectful children, from the fact that they had maybe never had an orgasm. Dieting is a socially sanctioned method of mentally high-tailing out of whatever is going on and keeping you entirely in your head, laser-focused on your next bite, your scale, your plate.

Women have been taught that we can talk about how much we hate our body as a way of bonding with other women. Think of that scene in Mean Girls where the popular girls come home from school, stand in front of a mirror and begin a chorus of criticism. Not to be that feminist, but its pretty clearly an example of patriarchal sabotage.

Women are socialized into communicating in a very limited way with other women. Were allowed to talk about a few safe topics that keep us stuck in a sense that we are alone (not the real topics that women face and that unite us like: sexual assault, sadness, sexual frustration, trauma, abortion). In recollecting what women-strangers talk to me about, I would say it boils down to the following: the weather, children (if she has some), maybe housework or our favorite new coffee beverage, maybe where we got our outfit, and dieting. Of all that is available, talking about dieting is actually quite intimate in comparison to, say, discussing the weather. I do honestly believe that when women start talking to me about how food is evil or how bad they look, theyre trying to communicate to me that they want to be friends. Of course, undercutting yourself is not the best basis for intimacy building, but we work with what were socialized to work with unless were introduced to different methods!

Dieting is pretty much universally socially acceptable in our culture. Dieting is considered part of self-improvement and discipline, two of the most important things in our culture. Our culture loves it when we take complete ownership of our fate and pretend that all problems are individual problems that can be solved by individual efforts (not collective change). Dieting is an individual behavior that is supposed to solve a cultural problem - fatphobia. It is hard to stand out - some people dont get to choose whether they stand out or not (like Im a fat brown lady who lives in an affluent white coastal city. I dont get to choose if I stand out.), but some people undertake dieting as a way to fit in.

There are plenty of social rewards to be had by just jumping on the restriction bandwagon. Others verbally encourage people on diets, offering compliments for skipped meals or salad consumption. If youre a fat person, you get accolades for trying to fix your body. These rewards are also internal and psychological. There can be both the negative emotions that come with dieting as well as the positive emotions that come with being able to separate oneself from non-compliant fat people (e.g. Well, yes, Im fat but at least Im trying!). This is a manifestation of internalized self-loathing that is then projected outward.

Its important to understand the multiple dimensions of why people adopt dieting behavior. Its also important to keep talking about and enacting fat activist and fat positive methods as an intervention. Keep feministing!

Read the original:
Take The Cake: Diets Don't Work (But They Do Give People ...

Mark Twain once said a little starvation can really do more for the average sick man than can the best medicines and the best doctors.

There may be something to Twains belief, as we increasingly hear that skipping meals or even fasting is good for us.

Celebrities like Hugh Jackman, Beyonc and Benedict Cumberbatch swear by fasting diets, while BBC science presenter Dr Michael Mosley created a sensation in 2012 when he devised his 5:2 diet.

Fasting diets come in various forms.

The 5:2 diet allows you to eat normally five days a week and restrict calorie intake to a quarter (500 to 600 calories) on two days.

Alternate-day fasting is one day of fasting, one day normal eating.

Theres also time-restricted fasting, or eating only during certain hours of the day, like the so-called Warrior Diet, which involves minimal calorie intake for 20 hours a day, and eating normally only between 6pm and 10pm.

Weight loss seems to be the main one.

A 2018 study by the UKs University of Surrey found that one group doing time-restricted fasting lost on average more than twice as much body fat as those in a control group that ate meals as normal.

The American Heart Association also stated in 2017 that there was evidence that both alternate-day fasting and periodic fasting may be effective for weight loss, although there are no data that indicate whether the weight loss can be sustained long term.

Dr Mosley argues that not only does fasting lead to weight loss, but also cellular repair and improved brain function.

Accredited practising dietitian Kate Gudorf says fasting appears to produce weight loss as does any form of calorie restriction.

Some studies have found that fasting can reduce fasting glucose levels, HDL (bad) cholesterol, body-mass index, triglycerides (fats in blood) and some inflammatory markers, she says.

The question is, are these outcomes a testament to fasting diets, or because weight loss is produced, which feeds into these other benefits? At the moment we lack good data on fasting diets, says Ms Gudorf, of the Dietitians Association of Australia.

She recommends instead simply eating a healthier diet, with more vegetables and fruit, meaning both fewer calories and meeting nutritional needs.

Weight loss is not always a good indication of diet quality its much easier to eat fewer calories if you simply eat a healthy diet, and nutritionally you would be meeting all your needs.

Basically Australians are not eating very well and getting about a third of their energy from junk food.

Source: The 5:2 Diet Book, by Kate Harrison

Written by Mike Bruce

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Do fasting diets work?

Are low carb diets safe to follow? There is a lot of conflicting information, so lets examine some of available research to answer this question.

Walk into any supermarket, not just Whole Foods, and youll see in the racks at the checkout aisle more than a couple of low-carb-geared magazines. These range from from Paleo publications to other natural health titles.

More and more people are starting to realize that fat isnt the enemy. Dietary fat is not why heart disease and strokes and obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise. Nope. The macronutrient culprit responsible for many diseases is carbohydrates, especially high-glycemic carbohydrates.

High glycemic carbohydrates quickly convert into sugar. They do so almost immediately upon making contact with saliva. Even a piece of wheat bread gets broken down into simple sugar quite quickly. How this metabolic process is responsible for a wide range of inflammatory-rooted diseases is a topic for another article. But heres a brief primer.

Your cells receive sugar via the hormone, insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas. When the cells are full of sugar, and cannot accept any more, the excess sugar gets stored as body fat. Excess body fat can cause inflammatory disorders.

Its easy to see why low carb diets have become more popular. All it takes is the initial consciousness about the danger of eating excess high-glycemic carbohydrates, some willpower, as well as satisfying recipes.

So are low carb diets safe to follow? That really shouldnt be the question . The question should be is it safe NOT to follow a low carb diet?

There are a lot of misconceptions about low carb diets. But consider that a search on the U.S. National Library of Medicine (under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health) website, aka Pubmed.com for low carbohydrate diets yields over 6000 studies.

Before reviewing what a few of those studies say about the safety of low carb diets. Lets get back to the question: Is it safe to follow a low carb diet? To answer, we need to get a few thingsout of the way first.

Low carb diets can indeed be unhealthy. But so can any diet. A low carb diet can be unhealthy if the fats and proteins eaten in the carbohydrates place are toxic. Eating unspoiled, all-natural fats and lean, high-quality protein is essential to eating a safe low-carb diet.

That means that you cant eat anything with trans fats. That means no packaged pastries that have hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils. These are used to extend the shelf-life of cakes, cookies, pastries and the like. Trans fats can lead to heart disease. Other examples of spoiled fats include cooking with seed- and vegetable oil, such as corn, most Canola oils, sunflower, cottonseed, soybean, etc. These fats are highly inflammatory and can easily spoil once exposed to cooking heat.

Eating a lot of factory-farmed meat is another example of not eating a safe low-carb diet. Factory farmed meat can also cause a smorgasbord of inflammatory diseases. The pork industry still has a long way to go until most pork products can be deemed safe to eat for a low-carb diet. Opt for wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and eggs and wild game and organ meats.

And now, lets talk about carbs.

One may argue when looking at the question, Are low carb diets safe? is that it depends on the amount of restriction on carbohydrates. Is it safe to follow a low carb diet if you eat just a tiny bit of pasta, a portion of rice, a sliver of cake, a shot glass worth of orange juice, a kernel of corn, and a handful of chips?

No. Even if the examples of carbs, above, totalled just 50 grams of carbs, which is towards the low-end of a low-carb diet, the type of carbs matters very much. The healthiest carbs to eat on a low-carb diet are the same type of carbs everyone should be eating. And those are low-starch vegetables and a small amount of fruit. Think spinach, broccoli, kale, chard and other nutrient-dense veggies. Limit fruit intake to a handful of organic berries and one whole piece of other low-sugar fruit such as a green apple.

But lets now take a look at some of those studies proving that low-carb diets are beneficial for health.

A study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology concluded that a variation of a low-carb diet (a specific type of ketone diet) improved physical performance and cognitive function in rats, and its energy-sparing properties suggest that it may help to treat a range of human conditions with metabolic abnormalities.

This study, published in Nutrients concluded A diet that is reduced in carbohydrates may optimize improvements in other type 2 diabetes risk factors, including insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. The researchers also said, However, these findings are in contrast to current guidelines for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in adults which recommends a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

Does the research answer the question, Are low carb diets safe?

One might say that the above study was several years old, before the recent surge in popularity of low-carb diets began in earnest. However, this study was published in August of 2016.

Another study, this one published in Digestion, concluded, Diets low in carbohydrates favor a healthy gut microbiome and improve glucose tolerance, in people with type 2 diabetes.

So not only are low-carb diets good for your external belly, theyre also good for your gut.

These are just a few of the hundreds of studies proving that low-carb diets are safe. Perhaps one day, federal government guidelines will encourage low-carbohydrate diets as a way to defeat the ever-rising obesity and diabetes epidemic.

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Are low carb diets safe to follow? | All Natural Ideas

WW Freestyle Program Review: Its no accident that WW (formerly, Weight Watchers) Wellness that Works is the number one name in weight loss. In fact, it was recognized again this year as the Best Weight Loss Diet by U.S. News.

But exactly how does WW work, how much weight can you lose, and how does the new Freestyle program work? Lets see what we can we learn from all of the reviews and ratings online by examining the following:

Got 2 minutes? The video above is a great overview of WW, a lifestyle, not a diet,learn more.

WW isnt just a diet, and for decades their weight loss plan has evolved and taken millions of women and men on a journey of positive, lasting change.

In fact, they challenge you to,move more, eat well, connect with others, celebrate victories, overcome challenges, and reach what you never thought was possible

Wow, thats really inspiring, did Oprah say that?

OK, apparently everyone is losing weight, I get it. But, how does WW work?

WW is based on a science-backed SmartPoints system that assigns every food and beverage a points value based on nutrition. Foods that have more saturated fats, sugar, and empty calories get assigned higher point values while foods high in protein and good carbs have lower point values. No food is off-limits, but youll have to limit portion sizes make good food choices.

Each day you have a certain number of points called, SmartPoints, to spend on food, which helps to teach you good eating habits. For example, grilled salmon with asparagus will cost you zero SmartPoints, while a cheeseburger is going to cost you 12 points! See where were going with this?

*View their featured promotion (above) or all WW coupons

WWs new Freestyle program adds more flexibility andhealthy foods that cost zero points. This encourages you to eat more fruits, veggies, and lean protein, while skipping foods high in sugar and bad carbs. Freestyle also lets you rollover unused points to other days (think travel and vacations) when you need them more.

Most diets end in failure because they are based on food restriction which tends to make your cravings for unhealthy foods even stronger. The philosophy of Weight Watchers is to teach you good eating habits so that you enjoy sustainable long-term weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.

*Changes made in the new Freestyle program are a bit controversial, which we discuss in the reasons for negative Weight Watchers reviews below.

*Related: WW Points list: See the 99 most tracked foods

While all WW FreeStyle plans include Digital (formerly Weight Watchers Online Plus), you may want to consider adding the personal interaction and motivation that you get by adding Studio (formerly Meetings) or Personal Coaching. Heres what each of the WW plans offer:

Really, which plan you choose is a personal preference. Although studies suggest that adding meetings increases the success rate, you shouldnt feel that meetings are required, especially if they dont fit into your busy schedule!

The WW app is central to their entire program, as its what youll use to track your points, and access their resources such as WW Connect. (formerly Weight Watchers Connect)

WW Connect is their social network consisting of thousands of other women and men who are using WW to reach their weight loss goals. It helps to provide you with support and motivation, two crucial factors in successful weight loss. You can access Connect right from your phone to share photos, recipes, weight loss updates, posts, and more.

Heres how the WW app works:

The app looks a little different on Android / Samsung, but basically the same.

In order to determine whether WW really works, lets look at ratings and reviews from users and experts to determine a success rate.

Because there are no published WW success rates. However, WeightWatchers.com emphasizes the fact that most participants lose at least one pound a week if they stick to program requirements. , but do they really?

For a better measure of success rate, lets look at Weight Watchers satisfaction ratings from hundreds of (honest) customer ratings on ConsumerReports.com:

The best source of honest WW customer ratings is ConsumerAffairs.com, so lets look at how 1050 users rated WW: (Updated 1/02/19)

Assuming that 4+ stars means that WW (no longer Weight Watchers) worked, we can assume an 80% success rate based on 1050 user ratings.

These customer ratings are consistent with a2017 Lancet study of WW efficacy which concluded that long-term participants lost over twice as much weight than individuals who sought short-term intervention and self-help weight loss solutions. These participants committed to the program for at least a year and were also able to maintain their new weights more effectively.

It should also be noted that WW success stories focus on one thing: WW as a permanent solution for long-term change. Many dieters are able to keep their new weights because of conscious lifestyle modifications; most stay with the program for months and even years, going on to become WW mentors and personal coaches.

From this perspective, WW is highly successful; usually working for those who are receptive to its principles and commit to long-term healthy lifestyle choices.

The goal of WW is to lose weight at a sustainable pace of about 2 pounds per week or 6-8 pounds per month. Depending on your starting weight you could lose more in your first month as your body reacts to your healthier food choices and fewer bad carbs.

You should also note that weekly weight loss can fluctuate, so the monthly weight loss total is most significant. Now, lets look at how the experts rate WW.

Lets look at how WW rates compared to other diets. Heres how a panel of weight loss experts ratedWW in several key categories: (2018 U.S. News)

In the important,Easiest to Followcategory, (rated #2)experts stated that,

Weight Watchers outperformed most of the other ranked diets on this measure. Why? Youll get enough to eat, you dont have to eliminate any favorites and theres a strong emphasis on emotional support, which tends to lead to a higher success rate

For their rating in the all-important,Long-Term Weight Losscategory, (rated #1) they also added,

Thanks to WW (Weight Watchers) emphasis on a balanced diet with no restrictions, experts named WW No. 1 in this category. They also appreciated the programs support system, which helps dieters keep the pounds off.

To support the claim that WW does work, lets look at more expert ratings from professionals and credible authorities.

WW (Weight Watchers) is one of the most well-researched weight loss programs available. And, yes, it works. Brunilda Nazario, MD

That sounds pretty promising coming from a doctor! Heres what the American Journal of Medicine found in their study, specifically noting the effectiveness of adding WW Studio:

In summary, this study found that participants in a community-based, intensive behavioral counseling program demonstrated significantly greater weight loss at 6 months compared with participants in a self-help condition

These findings suggest that the WW program is effective in promoting significant weight loss incommunity-based settings and is a viable referral choice for clinicians patients diagnosed with obesity.

*Credible Study:A study by Indiana Universityconcluded that in a study of 225 obese adults with pre-diabetes, those who used WW (formerly Weight Watchers) lost significantly more weight (and more improvements in their health)than a control group of people who attempted to lose weight on their own. Although no actual success rate was published, the results seem to affirm that WW works.

*WebMD says: When asked if WW works, WebMD reported that, Overall, (Weight Watchers) is an excellent, easy to follow program because it does the work for you great for people with high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and even heart disease.

In conclusion I would say that when followed properly, WW does work and results in significant weight loss, especially if you add meetings with WW Studio, and use the app.

OK, an impressive majority of customers and experts agree that WW works, so lets talk about why it works. Theres usually a very significant emotional component involved in eating. For this reason, a DIY approach to weight loss usually ends in failure, because in a sense youre fighting yourself. (thats a battle you cant win!)

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded on the principle that a great personal addiction or struggle requires an attention shift away from the self to a higher power with the support and fellowship of others.

I believe that adopting a healthy lifestyle can be a similar struggle, and requires some degree of support from others.WW offers WW Connect as a supportive app-based social network to their members, as well as optional in-person weekly meetings for fellowship, connection, and accountability.

Those who embrace the social component to the WW program enjoy a much higher success rate, and I believe that is the secret sauce of why WW works.

Honest customer reviews are probably even more important than how doctors and weight loss experts review WW.

Consumer Reports: Its worth noting that WW is the top-rated commercial diet with Consumer Reports readers, earning an impressive 74/100 score, and an excellent score in 4 out of 6 categories.

Now, lets take a look at customer reviews from ConsumerAffairs.com and examine common complaints and positive praise for the diet:

Theres a lot to like about WW, and plenty of testimonials out there, but lets look at why WW didnt work for a lot of people. When people complain or want to write a negative review, they often do so at ConsumerAffairs.com. Lets look at the nearly 1000 reviews and 500 ratings to see what customers complained about:

So, how is it that the #1 rated commercial diet gets so many online complaints? Here are the top 5 complaints we found in negative WW reviews:

OK, there are lots of good reviews and testimonials out there too, so lets try to be fair and balanced like Fox News (um, right!?) So, heres what customers like best about WW:

Well said, Meredith, and a healthy lifestyle with better food choices is the core of the WW plan.

Personally, I think its inspiring to know that thousands of others are facing the same challenge that I am. Thats why real testimonials can be motivational to watch. Such is the case with the testimonials from actual members that are posted on weightwatchers.com. Heres an inspiring video testimonial of a women who made a lifestyle change with WW:

More video testimonials on their sitehere

WW Wellness that Works, isnt a miracle pill or a weekend cleanse, its a lifestyle. Its more than just losing 10 pounds for a wedding, and asks you to challenge yourself to live a healthier lifestyle. Thats why its rated the #1 commercial diet, and has helped millions of men and women reach their weight loss goals and live a healthier life without giving up the foods they love!

*View todays featured promotion (above) or all WW coupons

Have you tried WW Freestyle? Rate this diet and let us know if it worked for you:

Continue reading here:
Weight Watchers Reviews | How WW Works. Does It? 2019

Fact Checked

This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information.

With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by our trained editorial staff. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to medically peer-reviewed studies.

Our team includes licensed nutritionists and dietitians, certified health education specialists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers and corrective exercise specialists. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased.

The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.

By Jillian Levy, CHHC

December 14, 2018

Starting in the 1970s, when the Atkins Diet book was first published, low-carb diets have caught the attention of many people trying to lose weight and improve their health. The ketogenic diet (KD), which is both very low in carbohydrates and also very high in fats, has become one of the most talked-about diets in the past several years. With its rise in popularity, its no surprise that the keto diet has recently been the focus of dozens of research studies.

Based on what we know from the available research, is the keto diet safe? The evidence is clear that the KD can reliably help to treat obesity and improve insulin resistance, but the long-term impact of the KD on cardiovascular risk factors, liver disease and glucose tolerance is more controversial. Experts agree that genetics seem to play a role in how different people respond to the KD, meaning some may be more likely to thrive on very low-carb diets, while others are more susceptible to developing side effects.

Below well cover the pros and cons of the keto diet in terms of safety, and discuss tips for reducing the chances that the KD will lead to adverse effects.

What makes the the ketogenic diet unique among low-carb diets is that its characterized by a drastic reduction in carbohydrates (usually less than 3050 grams per day, depending on individual goals) and also a significant increase in fats, as opposed to protein. The goal of the KD is to enter the metabolic state of ketosis, which happens after a few days of strict carbohydrate restriction.

Eating very-low carb depletes glucose reserves (glycogen stored in the liver and skeletal muscle), which means that glucose is no longer sufficient to provide the body with enough energy and another fuel source must be used instead.

This is where dietary fats come into play: depleted glucose reserves leads to the production of ketone bodies that are used as an alternative energy source, especially by the central nervous system, including the brain which has high energy demands. In order to get enough fat and limit carbs, the keto diet includes plenty of foods like meats, eggs, oils, cheeses, fish, nuts, butter, seeds and fibrous vegetables.

Does the keto diet really work when it comes to improving health?

Is the ketogenic diet safe long-term? No one is exactly sure. Most studies have looked at the KDs effects in humans when the diet is followed for up to one to two years or less.

Longer-term studies conducted on animals have shown the KD may be associated with some adverse events. For example, in rodent studies, some will develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (defined as liver damage that is not due to excess consumption of alcohol, viral or autoimmune causes, and iron overload) and insulin resistance when put on the keto diet long-term. Other studies suggest that some individuals may be predisposed to heart-related problems if they eat a very high-fat diet for an extended period of time.

That being said, the keto diet has been shown to be beneficial in many studies, especially among obese men and women. Research shows that the KD can safely help treat conditions including:

Is keto safe for life? In other words,how long is it safe to be in ketosis? As mentioned above, research tells us thatthe keto diet seems to be safest when followed for about 26 months, or up to about two years or so when the individual is being monitored by a doctor.

Some animal studies have found that the KD can contribute to triglyceride accumulation and markers of liver inflammation, possibly because of the higher protein and fat content of the diet compared to other commonly recommended diets (such as the DASH diet or Mediterranean diet for example). (8)

Researchers believe that genetics likely plays a role here, making some people more susceptible to liver problems when following low-carb, high-fat diets. Is the keto diet bad for your kidneys? According to an article released by Harvard Medical School, Patients with kidney disease need to be cautious because this diet could worsen their condition.

Is the keto diet safe for diabetics? Most research shows that yes, it is. However, even though the KD can help reduce insulin resistance while someone adheres to the diets principles and strictly limits their carb intake, these positive effects may be short-lasting. Results from some animal studies show that insulin resistence/glucose intolerance may potentially be increased once carbs are reintroduced back into the diet.

However, other studies show the opposite to be true, especially among severely obese adults. Researchers, therefore, state that the effects of the keto diet on glucose homeostasis remains controversial and depends on the presence of type 2 diabetes before starting the diet, as well as genetic factors.

What are the side effects of the ketogenic diet? Its not uncommon for people beginning the keto diet to experience keto flu symptoms, which can include: irritability, cravings, menstruation issues in women, constipation, fatigue, headaches and poor exercise performance. These side effects are due to the body going through major metabolic shifts and essentially withdrawing from carbs and sugar.

In most cases, keto flu symptoms resolve within a few weeks, or even days, especially if someone eats plenty of whole foods, stays moderately active (such as by walking, but not doing high intensity exercise to begin) and gets enough sleep.

Its not totally clear whether weight loss achieved on the keto diet can be maintained by most adults once the diet ends, both because the diet can be hard to follow and due to the body adapting metabolically. Long-term studies conducted on animals show that weight loss tends to level off after about six months on the diet, and sometimes may start to creep back up.

The keto diet is not intended to be followed long-term, which means that individuals need to find another way to maintain a healthy caloric intake, such as by practicing carb-cycling or keto-cycling.

Read the original post:
Is the Keto Diet Safe? 4 Potential Dangers to Be Aware Of ...

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet) has become very popular lately because of its potential to help with weight loss, eliminate cravings, and improve mental clarity. Everyone from Mark Sisson to Dr. Mercola to Dave Asprey is singing its praises, and some people claim it can even cure cancer.

It is one of the topics I always get lots of questions about because there are many different ways of doing it. Yes, it is possible to do it healthfully and yes, it is possible to turn it into another fad diet while eating a lot of unhealthy foods. (No, you cannot eat only bacon and be healthy!)

In this post, I will cover the science behind the ketogenic diet and the best way to do it.

Broadly speaking, a ketogenic diet is a diet that is sufficiently a) high in fat and b) low in carbohydrates and proteins to force the body to rely on fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. Originally it was used in the 1920s to treat severe cases of epilepsy in children, though now many people use variations of it for other outcomes.

A ketogenic diet puts the body in a state of ketosis, where the primary fuel for the body is a broken down product of fat called ketone bodies. Ketosis can occur through reduction of carbohydrates in the diet or through fasting (or through taking an external ketone-producing product). It is the liver that produces ketone bodies by breaking down fatty acids, either from body fat or the fat that we eat.

This is in contrast to the bodys fuel source when not in ketosis: carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into glucose.

It is important to note that there is a difference between burning dietary fat for fuel and getting the body to utilize stored fat. More on that later.

This is an interesting question and there are hundreds of opinions about the best answer.

A typical low carbohydrate diet may simply focus on limiting carbohydrate with liberal amounts of other foods, without a specific emphasis on fats. It is easy to be eating mostly meats and any other non-carbohydrate foods for a low carbohydrate diet, and not get into ketosis.

So whats different? The ketogenic diet goes a step further and limits protein as well in order to achieve ketosis. According to Dr. Daniel Pompa, a ketogenic diet is comprised of:

In short, it is critical to use liberal amount of fat and limit protein and carbohydrate intake in order to achieve ketosis.

Consider a 135-pound woman who has about 25% body fat and 100 lb of lean mass. If she follows a 2,000 calorie diet, she would be eating between 145 179 grams of fat, 50 grams of protein, and between 50 124 grams of carbohydrates (depending on her activity level). She would need to keep her carbohydrates under 50 grams a day in order to keto-adapt (for her body to adapt to using fat as the primary fuel).

Also note that this model is not a bacon-only type diet and should include copious amounts of non-starchy vegetables for fiber and micronutrients.

Ideally, a keto diet should be assembled with whole and nutritious foods that do not cause inflammation. This means that the 5-10% of the carbohydrates would be from vegetables, nuts, and seeds rather than another source of starch.

On a keto-type diet, the plate should consist of mostly non-starchy vegetables, a reasonable portion of meat (about 3 ounces), and a liberal amount of good fats. The fats can be nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados, avocado oil, pastured lard or bacon, grass-fed butter, MCT oil, or a condiment like a healthy mayo made from these.

Once a person is keto-adapted, the appetite is often regulated. Rather than feeling deprived, it is natural to feel less hungry overall and naturally inclined to go without eating for 12 hours overnight. This form of extended fasting may provide some added health benefits as well.

Not only have ketogenic diets been successfully used as a treatment for epilepsy for nearly a century, but it also has many potential health benefits even healthy people can use.

As Mark Sisson puts it, doing aketo reset restores our factory settings, which is our flexibility to alternate between different types of fuels and stored fats for energy, depending on whats available. This flexibility has allowed humans to thrive for millions of years because hunter-gatherers didnt always have access to constant abundance and variety of foods that we have today.

As it turns out, this flexibility is actually important for health. The biochemical pathways that ketogenic diets turn on have anti-aging effects and can even eradicate many modern diseases.

In fact, research showsketogenic diets provide health benefits by:

When done correctly, the ketogenic diet may help:

When we switch from burning glucose to burning ketones for energy, the blood sugar and insulin fluctuate much less than when we rely on carbohydrates for energy. The liver can constantly supply just enough glucose in the blood to keep the brain going.

Stabilizing blood sugar has many health benefits, including:

If you monitor your fasting blood glucose in the morning when you are in ketosis (more on how and why to do that in a bit), be aware you may experience elevated morning blood sugar due to a surge of cortisol and adrenaline. This is known as the dawn phenomenon and should decline to healthy levels during the day and improve over time.

According to Chris Kresser, post-meal blood sugar is the best time to detect blood sugar problems. In addition, one should never rely on one single test to diagnose a health issue.

Its true ketone bodies can suppress appetite by acting on the hypothalamus in the brain. In addition, the stabilized blood sugar can help reduce hunger and food cravings. Lastly, high-fat meals can stimulate a hormone that increase satiety in the gut.

As a result, many people on ketogenic diets find that they are much less hungry and no longer craving the high-carbohydrate foods they used to love. They can even skip meals or fast for days and wont really be bothered by the hunger. (Imagine!)

In many ways, the ketogenic diet is very good for the brain. Users report that it helps improve cognitive function, slows down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and may even protect from such diseases.

Here are some of the ways ketosis benefits the brain:

Because the brain is the most energy-demanding organ in the body, it is extremely sensitive to the fluctuation of available fuels. People who regularly go through blood sugar rollercoasters often experience brain-based symptoms of low blood sugar, such as anxiety and fatigue when blood sugar dips low.

Being in ketosis can help prevent this from happening. For many women, stabilizing blood sugar has a mood-stabilizing effect.

According to Psychology Today, several studies suggest that ketogenic diets can help stabilize mental illnesses, sometimes even more powerfully than medications. Ketogenic diets reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression in rats and mice, while many small clinical studies demonstrate that ketogenic diet can help stabilize schizophrenia.

In my own experience, I find that I am highly productive, calm and focused when in a state of ketosis (as measured by blood ketone and breath acetone levels).

Before the discovery of neuroplasticity, scientists believed that a damaged brain cannot regenerate. However, by improving mitochondria health, reducing inflammation, and stimulating cellular cleanup, ketogenic diets can help a damaged brain repair itself. Thus, the ketogenic diet is almost a miracle for many brain diseases that were thought of as incurable.

Studies are emerging that ketogenic diets (in conjunction with other treatments) can either reverse progressive brain disorders or help repair the damage. These include traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons.The Wahls Protocol also utilizes this benefit of the ketogenic diet to help repair neurological damage from multiple sclerosis.

Want to slow down the clock? The keto diet might be the one to try.

Ketosis, similarly to fasting or caloric restriction, turns on a group of genes called Sirtuins. When scientists activate Sirtuins in animals, they found that these animals live longer. In addition, Sirtuins can help keep you lean and energetic during the day and sleeping well at night. More research is needed to know if this effect is the same in humans, but evidence seems strong that spending some time in ketosis is beneficial.

Oxidation is what causes steel to rust and apples to turn brown when they are exposed to air. Inside our bodies, oxidation helps our immune cells kill off germs and makes us tired at the end of the day. However, excess oxidation can cause aging and DNA damage.

By reducing blood sugar, ketosis significantly reduces the oxidative stress in the body. Glucose is an oxidizing sugar because an exposed oxygen of glucose can attack other molecules and damage them. These damaged proteins are called advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

People with high blood sugar will have a lot of AGEs and therefore age faster.

In addition, studies show ketosis turns on antioxidant genes and increases levels of cellular antioxidants like glutathione.

Ketosis and fasting also activates an anti-aging cellular cleanup process called autophagy (auto = self, phagy = eat). Autophagy is when a cell eats its own defective parts in order to recycle nutrients and keep the different parts functioning like new. In addition, autophagy can protect against neurodegenerative diseases, viral and bacteria infections, and cancers.

Everyone has emerging cancer cells, but the cells can only develop into full-blown cancers if the body fails to kill off them off. DNA damage, inflammation, poor cellular cleanup, high blood sugar, and inability of the immune system to kill emerging cancer cells together lead to cancers. Proponents claim that ketogenic diets may help prevent cancers by addressing all of these aspects.

Ketogenic diets reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, stimulate cellular cleanup, reduce blood sugar, and stimulate the cancer-killing immune responses. In addition, ketogenic diets capitalize on the fact that cancer cells cannot feed on ketones.

Healthy cells have the choice to rely on glucose or other fuels and whether to use the mitochondria. In contrast, according to the 1931 Nobel Laureate Otto Warburg, cancer cells lack the ability to use ketones for energy. They can only generate energy by burning glucose and glutamine for energy.

Since the state of ketosis forces cells to rely on ketones and to use the mitochondria for energy, ketosis feeds healthy cells while starving cancer cells. This especially seems to be true against some of the most deadly and incurable cancers. Researchers like Dr. Dom DAgostino are also researching the role of ketosis and fasting in improving the outcomes and reducing the side effects of existing cancer treatments.

A ketogenic diet has many health benefits. However, it is possible to make mistakes that can hinder them from achieving their goals.

These include:

Its not a good idea to include a lot of dairy in a ketogenic diet because the protein in dairy can deactivate Sirtuin, the anti-aging pathway, and create an insulin spike. While butter and ghee (from quality pastured sources) generally dont cause this effect, high-fat cheeses and heavy creams do. In addition, dairy products can be inflammatory for many people.

If you tolerate dairy then enjoy some in your diet, but dont rely on a liberal amount of cheeses or heavy cream as a source of fat. I personally believe that raw, pastured, and organic dairy is best, but limit it in my diet.

Being in a ketogenic diet is muscle-sparing, so you need much less protein than you would if you rely on carbohydrates or proteins for energy.

Amino acids can be converted into sugar and burned as energy. In addition, high intake of protein can turn off the anti-aging and anti-cancer processes in our cells, so it is best to only eat just enough protein on a ketogenic diet.

Eating very little or no carbohydrates can starve your good gut bacteria. This cant be good for health!

Studies have shown that food composition influences the gut bacteria much more than any probiotic supplements. It is therefore very important to feed your gut bacteria while you are on a ketogenic diet.

Resistant starches can be included as part of a ketogenic diet or as a supplement because it has minimal effects on blood sugar, so it doesnt disrupt the state of ketosis. Resistant starches not only feed good bacteria in the gut but can also get fermented into substances that are beneficial for health. (Read this post to learn more about the health benefits of resistant starches and how to use them.)

Vegetables also contain a lot of fiber that can feed the gut bacteria and provide an important source of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. In my opinion, it is absolutely vital to eat a wide variety of non-starchy vegetables on a keto diet to protect gut bacteria!

Many health benefits of the ketogenic diet mentioned above are as a result of activating our survival genes. To reap full health benefits from the ketogenic diet, it is important that you dont tell your body that there is an abundant of foods.

According to Dr. Daniel Pompa, it is also important to be in a caloric deficit if one goes on a ketogenic diet to treat neurological diseases or cancers.

If your goal is weight loss, it is still important to be in a caloric deficit as simply cutting carbohydrates alone wont be enough for fat loss.

As Mark Sisson says, always be asking yourself if you really are hungry for the next bite.

Salt gets a bad rep as unhealthy, but it provides a very important mineral. Being in ketosis causes the body to excrete more salt, so it is important to ensure that to eat extra salt and mineral supplements as necessary.

As mentioned above, not getting enough fiber from vegetables can starve gut bacteria. The keto diet is not a meat, egg, and cheese diet, though many treat it this way. Most of us arent getting enough vegetables anyway and this can be an easy trap to fall into on a keto diet.

Remember, though, that this is not about deprivation. Rather, it is about finding the sweet spot where you feel good and without excessive hunger or craving. Everybody is different, so it will be important to experiment in order to find your sweet spot.

Most people, including Mark Sisson himself, do better when they always include some natural sources of carbohydrates (e.g., lots of vegetables) and occasionally add starchy carbohydrates to their diet.

The good news is, it is not necessary to stay on a ketogenic diet at all times to reap this benefit. Our ancestors went through fast and feast cycles and the body is designed for flexibility. We may be able to reduce cancer risk, prolong life, improve brain function, and benefit from ketosis otherwise by being in ketosis or fasting a few days a week.

In general, men tend to do better on a long term ketogenic diet than women do. From my own research and experimentation, women can follow a keto diet, but with some adaptions. Most women will do well with a cyclical ketogenic diet when they stay on ketogenic diet most of the time and eat starchy carbohydrates occasionally to spike calories and carbs.

Dr. Daniel Pompa recommends at least one feast day a week for women where carbohydrates and calories are both increased, as well as up to seven days once a month with increased carbs (often during the menstrual cycle).

Ketogenic diets are not for everyone. There are some people who should be very careful with the ketogenic diet, or at least should not do it without medical supervision. While I understand not many mainstream doctors will be well versed in the ketogenic diet, there are online services that can pair you with a primary care doctor who understands keto in detail.

Type 1 diabetics are dependent on insulin injections to manage their blood sugar and are at risk for ketoacidosis, which as a life-threatening condition where there is dangerously high levels of ketones much higher than a healthy person in ketosis can actually achieve in their blood.

ApoE stands for Apolipoprotein E, which is a protein that transports fats and cholesterol in the body. There are three variants of this gene: E2, E3, and E4. Everyone has two copies, so you can have any combination of these variants.

People with two copies of the E4 variant (ApoE4/E4) often dont respond well to saturated fats. These people will have very high cholesterol and it tends to run in their families. These are a small subset of the population that have to be careful with the ketogenic diet.

If you have these genes (heres one way to test for them), be sure to monitor your blood lipids if you were to go on a ketogenic diet. In addition, focus on monounsaturated fats such as those found in avocados or olives rather than saturated fats or MCT oil.

For anyone else, it is a good idea to monitor your blood tests when you start out with a ketogenic diet.

This is a controversial one as many doctors believe that the baby needs carbohydrates to develop, and many moms need carbohydrates in order to produce milk. However, dietician Lily Nichols believes that a healthy ketogenic diet is safe for pregnant women and that it is easier to get into ketosis during pregnancy.

Perhaps the best approach is to listen to your body, because every pregnancy is different. If you choose to get on a ketogenic diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding, be sure to consult your healthcare practitioner to ensure that you do it safely.

Being in ketosis and fasting can turn on the survival genes in the body and causes the body to attempt to conserve energy. For some women, this can cause irregular cycles and infertility.

A ketogenic diet may help with infertility due to polycystic ovarian syndrome because it is partly caused by insulin resistance. However, the ketogenic diet can make irregular cycles and infertility worse for women who struggle with it from other causes, including stress and over-exercise.

Lifting heavy things and high-intensity exercises utilizes mainly carbohydrates. Many strength trainees and athletes will find that their performance drop significantly when they are on a ketogenic diet.

If you have been keto-adapted for years, your body can eventually adapt to generate the carbohydrates you need to fuel these activities. However, if you are relatively new to ketosis and need to perform athletically, then perhaps going full ketosis may not be such a good idea.

If youve determined the ketogenic diet might be for you, I recommend this podcast with Mark Sisson for a great introduction. His bookThe Keto Reset Diet explains the benefits and cautions in detail, as well as exactly how to get started.

Another easy way to start planning a ketogenic diet is to use Real Plans. Not only can this meal planning app filter recipes to avoid most any food allergy, it also can generate a keto-friendly meal plan and shopping list.

Unless youve already been eating a paleo or primal diet and are somewhat keto-adapted (burning ketones for fuel), it is a good idea reset the body in order to regain the metabolic flexibility to go into ketosis or even stay in ketosis despite eating some carbohydrates.Intermittent fasting is one efficient way to do this. During a water fast, ketosis can occur in days instead of weeks or months and often sustains for a while after the fast.

Being in ketosis has many health benefits but also some potential side effects. In order to maximize the health benefits, you should:

It is entirely possible to follow a low-carbohydrate diet or keto diet and not be in ketosis. When Ive personally experimented with ketosis, I used various methods of testing to make sure my ketone levels and blood glucose levels were within healthy ranges:

I used the Keto Mojo meter(and blood glucose strips) which tests both blood ketone levels and blood glucose levels. More on this soon in an upcoming post about fasting, but I testing fasting morning glucose and post-meal glucose at one hour. I also tested fasted morning ketones and evening ketones.

Another way to test the bodys response to nutritional ketosis is through breath acetone levels. This essentially shows how much of the ketones are being utilized by the body. I used a Levl meter (use the codewellnessmama at this link for $25 off) to test breath acetone levels. This device is more pricey but does not require strips so it can be used more often. I used it to test my response to certain foods or exercises and to see if they pulled me out of ketosis.

The keto diet is not the Atkins diet, or an all-meat diet, or anything close. A healthy version should include an abundance of non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats from various sources.

The more I learn, the more I am convinced that variation is one of the biggest factors in health. The ketogenic diet can be a useful tool, but in my opinion it should be cycled and should include occasional days with extra carbohydrates from good sources.

I most often experiment with keto in the winter when food would have traditionally been more scarce and carbohydrates harder to find. During these times, the majority of my plate is still mostly green vegetables and I make a very conscious effort to consume a wide variety of vegetables.

From testing, I personally enter ketosis much more efficiently when fasting and will be sharing my experiences on this soon.

Have you tried a ketogenic diet? Whats your experience? Please share in the comments below.

Sources

Link:
Ketogenic Diet Benefits (& How to Do It Right) | Wellness Mama

Every diet designed to help you live a healthier and better life each has their own specific rules and promised outcomes. One diet that has constantly been gaining popularity, with several people backing its credibility, is the Ketogenic (Keto) Diet.

Keto Diet focuses on eating low to no carb meals to force your body into a state of ketosis.

Ketosis is when ketone molecules, which come from your bodys stored fat, are released and build up in your bloodstream.

In the absence of blood sugar that come from carbohydrates, the cells in your body would turn to using the ketone bodies to create and generate energy.

Youre usually able to get into ketosis within two to four days.

Because the body uses up the stored fat instead of blood sugar to generate energy, there are several benefits tied to practicing the Keto diet such as:

Aside from these benefits, Keto diet promises quicker and severe weight loss. Because the body adapts to using stored fat as energy sources, fat loss from abdominal cavity takes place.

Being under the Ketogenic diet need supervision and maintenance.

Maintaining your body in ketosis (learn more about it here) state can be helped in three ways:

One misconception tied to the Keto diet is that you can eat a high amount of protein intake, meaning steaks and roasted chicken.

However, your body can break down the protein you put into your system and turn it into fuel, putting aside the stored fat you want your body to burn.

You must keep a balanced diet of less protein and more healthy fats so your body will use up the fats and ketones to generate energy.

You cant eat bread if you want to go keto!

Observing the Keto diet doesnt necessarily mean that you have to give up your carbs entirely. Most things I have read, suggest trying to stick to 20 grams of carbs per day if you want to reach and maintain ketosis.

You can have a low-carb keto diet, where you keep track of all your carb intake. If you eat carbs, you must take a very high intake of healthy fats along with it.

However, it would be a challenge to eat and monitor your carb intake once you successfully achieve ketosis.

There are several do-it-yourself testing products that are made to assess your ketone levels. Pretty much like a pregnancy test stick, ketone levels can be tested using urine sticks, breath meter, and blood extraction.

Many Native Americans live their lives in a permanent state of ketosis and their population did not drop due to it.

So I guess it is safe to say that Ketogenic diet is safe to practice for a very long time.

Keto therapy is also used for children with epilepsy and is known to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures.

Many of these children stay under the Keto diet for as long as 12 years.

So aside from its physical benefit outcomes, it also has a genuine effect on people with this serious illness.

A recent study also showed and proved that staying under the Ketogenic diet for 10 years is safe and healthy. The study proved that there are no cardiovascular risks that are tied up with people who undergo the Keto diet.

These people were watched for 10 years and were sent to medical assessments to observe and evaluate the possible effects on their body and overall health.

There are some people who are not fit to observe and practice the Keto diet, such as people who have diabetes or are acidic and alcoholics.

The risk of having a diet that has high-protein and low carb can also affect people who suffer from osteoporosis, have kidney problems, and people who generally have high cholesterol.

These people could potentially have major health complications. Anyone who undergoes the Keto diet must keep being observant with the effects it has on their bodies and emotional states.

However, there are no known health complications that are brought about by Ketogenic diet, but some doctors caution that more research needs to be done before knowing for sure.

Keto is on the strictest end of the low carb diet plans, and thats because you pretty much eliminate sugar, and keep your carbs to around 20 grams per day.

There are some other low carb diets out there that work well too, and arent quite as strict as keto.

The Atkins plan has some less strict options that you can follow now, and the South Beach Diet is another decent alternative (see how it compares to keto here).

If youre wanting to keep maximum fat burning results, though, then the ketogenic is the best diet I have tried. Thats in terms of the amount of weight you can lose in a very short amount of time.

There are a lot of different reviews out there, but if you browse the Reddit forums at all, you can find some pretty incredible success stories. These are great to see some of the results that people have achieved, but also to help get you motivated!

Before you throw out everything in your pantry that has sugar and high carb content and start filling your freezer with nothing else but high-fat foods and protein, you might want to do a test run if the Ketogenic diet is the right diet for you.

As with other diets, Keto also has its distinct set of disadvantages, making it a less than ideal option for people who have certain health issues.

*You should consult with your physician first before starting your journey with the Ketogenic diet as it can be counterproductive in terms of boosting your overall health and wellness, and you want to make sure that you are healthy enough for an extremely low-carb diet, like keto.

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Is the Ketogenic Diet Safe Long Term? Potential Dangers to ...

Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated and supervised fashion to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases, such as diabetes. A restricted diet is often used by those who are overweight or obese, sometimes in combination with physical exercise, to reduce body weight. Some people follow a diet to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle). Diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight and improve health.

Diets to promote weight loss can be categorized as: low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, very low calorie and more recently flexible dieting.[1] A meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found no difference between low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, and low-fat diets, with a 24 kilogram weight loss over 1218 months in all studies.[1] At two years, all calorie-reduced diet types cause equal weight loss irrespective of the macronutrients emphasized.[2] In general, the most effective diet is any which reduces calorie consumption.[3]

A study published in American Psychologist found that short-term dieting involving "severe restriction of calorie intake" does not lead to "sustained improvements in weight and health for the majority of individuals".[4] Other studies have found that the average individual maintains some weight loss after dieting.[5] Weight loss by dieting, while of benefit to those classified as unhealthy, may slightly increase the mortality rate for individuals who are otherwise healthy.[6][7][8]

The first popular diet was "Banting", named after William Banting. In his 1863 pamphlet, Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public, he outlined the details of a particular low-carbohydrate, low-calorie diet that had led to his own dramatic weight loss.[9]

One of the first dietitians was the English doctor George Cheyne. He himself was tremendously overweight and would constantly eat large quantities of rich food and drink. He began a meatless diet, taking only milk and vegetables, and soon regained his health. He began publicly recommending his diet for everyone suffering from obesity. In 1724, he wrote An Essay of Health and Long Life, in which he advises exercise and fresh air and avoiding luxury foods.[10]

The Scottish military surgeon, John Rollo, published Notes of a Diabetic Case in 1797. It described the benefits of a meat diet for those suffering from diabetes, basing this recommendation on Matthew Dobson's discovery of glycosuria in diabetes mellitus.[11] By means of Dobson's testing procedure (for glucose in the urine) Rollo worked out a diet that had success for what is now called type 2 diabetes.[12]

The first popular diet was "Banting", named after the English undertaker William Banting. In 1863, he wrote a booklet called Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public, which contained the particular plan for the diet he had successfully followed. His own diet was four meals per day, consisting of meat, greens, fruits, and dry wine. The emphasis was on avoiding sugar, sweet foods, starch, beer, milk and butter. Bantings pamphlet was popular for years to come, and would be used as a model for modern diets.[13] The pamphlet's popularity was such that the question "Do you bant?" referred to his method, and eventually to dieting in general.[14] His booklet remains in print as of 2007.[9][15][16]

The first weight-loss book to promote calorie counting, and the first weight-loss book to become a bestseller, was the 1918 Diet and Health: With Key to the Calories by American physician and columnist Lulu Hunt Peters.[17]

Low-fat diets involve the reduction of the percentage of fat in one's diet. Calorie consumption is reduced because less fat is consumed. Diets of this type include NCEP Step I and II. A meta-analysis of 16 trials of 212months' duration found that low-fat diets (without intentional restriction of caloric intake) resulted in average weight loss of 3.2kg (7.1lb) over habitual eating.[1]

Low-carbohydrate diets are relatively high in protein and fats. Low-carbohydrate diets are sometimes ketogenic (i.e., they restrict carbohydrate intake sufficiently to cause ketosis).

Low-calorie diets usually produce an energy deficit of 5001,000 calories per day, which can result in a 0.5 to 1 kilogram (1.1 to 2.2 pounds) weight loss per week. One of the most commonly used low-calorie diets is Weight Watchers. The National Institutes of Health reviewed 34 randomized controlled trials to determine the effectiveness of low-calorie diets. They found that these diets lowered total body mass by 8% in the short term, over 312 months.[1] Women doing low-calorie diets should have at least 1,000 calories per day and men should have approximately 1,200 calories per day. These caloric intake values vary depending on additional factors, such as age and weight.[1]

Very low calorie diets provide 200800 calories per day, maintaining protein intake but limiting calories from both fat and carbohydrates. They subject the body to starvation and produce an average loss of 1.52.5kg (3.35.5lb) per week. "2-4-6-8", a popular diet of this variety, follows a four-day cycle in which only 200 calories are consumed the first day, 400 the second day, 600 the third day, 800 the fourth day, and then totally fasting, after which the cycle repeats. These diets are not recommended for general use as they are associated with adverse side effects such as loss of lean muscle mass, increased risks of gout, and electrolyte imbalances. People attempting these diets must be monitored closely by a physician to prevent complications.[1]

Detox diets are promoted with unsubstantiated claims that they can eliminate "toxins" from the human body. Many of these diets use herbs or celery and other juicy low-calorie vegetables.

Religious prescription may be a factor in motivating people to adopt a specific restrictive diet.[18] For example, the Biblical Book of Daniel (1:2-20, and 10:2-3) refers to a 10- or 21-day avoidance of foods (Daniel Fast) declared unclean by God in the laws of Moses.[18][19] In modern versions of the Daniel Fast, food choices may be limited to whole grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds and oil. The Daniel Fast resembles the vegan diet in that it excludes foods of animal origin.[19] The passages strongly suggest that the Daniel Fast will promote good health and mental performance.[18]

Fasting is practiced in various religions. Examples include Lent in Christianity; Yom Kippur, Tisha B'av, Fast of Esther, Tzom Gedalia, the Seventeenth of Tamuz, and the Tenth of Tevet in Judaism.[20] Muslims refrain from eating during the hours of daytime for one month, Ramadan, every year.

Details of fasting practices differ. Eastern Orthodox Christians fast during specified fasting seasons of the year, which include not only the better-known Great Lent, but also fasts on every Wednesday and Friday (except on special holidays), together with extended fasting periods before Christmas (the Nativity Fast), after Easter (the Apostles Fast) and in early August (the Dormition Fast). Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) generally fast for 24 hours on the first Sunday of each month. Like Muslims, they refrain from all drinking and eating unless they are children or are physically unable to fast. Fasting is also a feature of ascetic traditions in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Mahayana traditions that follow the Brahma's Net Sutra may recommend that the laity fast "during the six days of fasting each month and the three months of fasting each year" [Brahma's Net Sutra, minor precept 30]. Members of the Baha'i Faith observe a Nineteen Day Fast from sunrise to sunset during March each year.

Weight loss diets that manipulate the proportion of macronutrients (low-fat, low-carbohydrate, etc.) have been shown to be no more effective than diets that maintain a typical mix of foods with smaller portions and perhaps some substitutions (e.g. low-fat milk, or less salad dressing).[21] Extreme diets may, in some cases, lead to malnutrition.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a set of recommendations about a healthy diet written for policy makers, nutrition scientists, and dieticians and other clinicians, produced by the US Department of Agriculture, in concert with the US Department of Health and Human Services and quintannually-revised. The current guidelines are written for the period 2015 - 2020 and were used to produce the MyPlate recommendations on a healthy diet for the general public.

One of the most important things to take into consideration when either trying to lose or put on weight is output versus input. It is important to know the amount of energy your body is using every day, so that your intake fits the needs of one's personal weight goal. Someone wanting to lose weight would want a smaller energy intake than what they put out. There is increasing research-based evidence that low-fat vegetarian diets consistently lead to healthy weight loss and management, a decrease in diabetic symptoms[22] as well as improved cardiac health.[23]

When the body is expending more energy than it is consuming (e.g. when exercising), the body's cells rely on internally stored energy sources, such as complex carbohydrates and fats, for energy. The first source to which the body turns is glycogen (by glycogenolysis). Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate, 65% of which is stored in skeletal muscles and the remainder in the liver (totaling about 2,000 kcal in the whole body). It is created from the excess of ingested macronutrients, mainly carbohydrates. When glycogen is nearly depleted, the body begins lipolysis, the mobilization and catabolism of fat stores for energy. In this process, fats, obtained from adipose tissue, or fat cells, are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, which can be used to generate energy.[24] The primary by-products of metabolism are carbon dioxide and water; carbon dioxide is expelled through the respiratory system.

Some weight loss groups aim to make money, others work as charities. The former include Weight Watchers and Peertrainer. The latter include Overeaters Anonymous and groups run by local organizations.

These organizations' customs and practices differ widely. Some groups are modelled on twelve-step programs, while others are quite informal. Some groups advocate certain prepared foods or special menus, while others train dieters to make healthy choices from restaurant menus and while grocery-shopping and cooking.

A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that dieters who kept a daily food diary (or diet journal), lost twice as much weight as those who did not keep a food log, suggesting that if you record your eating, you would be more aware of what you eat and, therefore you wouldn't eat as many calories.[25]

A 2009 review found that existing limited evidence suggested that encouraging water consumption and substituting energy-free beverages for energy-containing beverages (i.e., reducing caloric intake) may facilitate weight management. A 2009 article found that drinking 500ml of water prior to meals for a 12-week period resulted in increased long-term weight reduction. (References given in main article.)

Fasting is when there is a long time interval between the meals. In dieting, fasting is not recommended, instead, having small portions of food after small intervals is encouraged. Lengthy fasting can also be dangerous due to the risk of malnutrition and should be carried out only under medical supervision. During prolonged fasting or very low calorie diets the reduction of blood glucose, the preferred energy source of the brain, causes the body to deplete its glycogen stores. Once glycogen is depleted the body begins to fuel the brain using ketones, while also metabolizing body protein (including but not limited to skeletal muscle) to be used to synthesize sugars for use as energy by the rest of the body. Most experts believe that a prolonged fast can lead to muscle wasting, although some dispute this. The use of short-term fasting, or various forms of intermittent fasting have been used as a form of dieting to circumvent this issue.

While there are studies that show the health and medical benefits of weight loss, a study in 2005 of around 3000 Finns over an 18-year period showed that weight loss from dieting can result in increased mortality, while those who maintained their weight fared the best.[6][8][26] Similar conclusion is drawn by other studies,[6][27] and although other studies suggest that intentional weight loss has a small benefit for individuals classified as unhealthy, it is associated with slightly increased mortality for healthy individuals and the slightly overweight but not obese.[7] This may reflect the loss of subcutaneous fat and beneficial mass from organs and muscle in addition to visceral fat when there is a sudden and dramatic weight loss.[8]

Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets perform similarly in the long term as weight maintenance depends on calorie intake, not macronutrient ration.[28]

"The glycemic index (GI) factor is a ranking of foods based on their overall effect on blood sugar levels. The diet based around this research is called the Low GI diet. Low glycemic index foods, such as lentils, provide a slower, more consistent source of glucose to the bloodstream, thereby stimulating less insulin release than high glycemic index foods, such as white bread."[29][30]

The glycemic load is "the mathematical product of the glycemic index and the carbohydrate amount".[31]

In a randomized controlled trial that compared four diets that varied in carbohydrate amount and glycemic index found complicated results:[32]

Diets 2 and 3 lost the most weight and fat mass; however, low density lipoprotein fell in Diet 2 and rose in Diet 3. Thus the authors concluded that the high-carbohydrate, low-glycemic index diet was the most favorable.

A meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that low glycemic index or low glycemic load diets led to more weight loss and better lipid profiles. However, the Cochrane Collaboration grouped low glycemic index and low glycemic load diets together and did not try to separate the effects of the load versus the index.[33]

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Dieting - Wikipedia

Lemme start with a disclaimer.

I am no nutritionist. I just love the ketogenic diet. So, whatever I am stating is purely based on the research I have done.

When I started with the keto diet I was surprised that so many fruits are being taken out of the list. I really could not understand, why?

I am a fruit lover and relish just any kind of fruits. So it was hard for me to omit a certain bunch.

I love oranges and watermelons so I know how hard it was for me to give it up.

Fruits are definitely good while you are on a regular diet for the nutritional values.

But many fruits contain fructose in high amount andFructose is a BIG NO for keto.

The high fructose level in fruits gets metabolized in the liver which in turn turns into fat. This fat deposits around the abdomen (which is really hard to get off).

So the fruits which contain a high amount of fructose or sucrose leads to high carb diet and hence omitted from keto list.

So check out the fruits which you can happily gulp down while in a keto.

Blackberries are reasonably low in carbohydrates. It contains only 4.9 grams of carbs per 100 gms.

Not only it is tasty but I like the blackberries more for its medicinal values.

Blackberries lower the blood glucose level and hence leads to a better cholesterol profile. It also provides the antimicrobial and antidiabetic effect.

Blackberries also reduce inflammation. This is where your stomach and waist starts to shrink ( Keto effect ) So,happily include it in a keto diet.

I love this fruit.

Really delicious and full of nutrients. And what I like most about it is, instead of being sweet and juicy, this fruit is quite low in carbs.

The loveliest part of strawberries is that I can make several keto desserts with it. Especially strawberry dipped in chocolate. Just too yummy for a keto diet.

You know, strawberries even protect our health with the bio-active compounds. It also improves our blood sugar levels.

Strawberry contains only 5.7 grams of carb per 100 gm.

Should I start with its carb content? Its only 1.8 grams of carbs for per 100 gm of avocado.

They are just amazing.

It is so delicious and can be combined with any type of keto salads.

It provides with many essential fats that are just perfect for a keto diet.

This fruit also comes with a large number of vitamins and minerals and improves our cardiovascular health.

Have you checked the keto recipes? You will find coconut in ample recipes. Whether its coconut milk or coconut creamed bars. Oh, I just love these bars. In fact, I like almost all the keto desserts.

There are other coconut items too like:

They are very useful in making low carb snacks as they themselves contain only 6.25 carbs per 100 gm.

Coconut contains a fairly large amount of medium chain triglycerides which are used by the body to produce instant energy.

Can you believe it that olives have only 1 gm of carbs for per 100 gm?

Yes, olive is one of the best low carb fruits available.

Not only it contains a high amount of good fat (You know how much fat is necessary for keto diet) but it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

I love to put a good amount of olive pieces on my keto pizza.

Oh forgot to add that olives improve our bone health too. Yes, it is a win-win from every angle.

Lemons are just so common to use in any of the dishes. Not only it brings the tangy taste but lemons are loaded with hell amount of benefits too.

100 gms of lemon gives only 6 gm of carbs.

This tasty fruit has the highest amount of antioxidants and serves 5.4 grams of carbs per 100 gm of it.

I love to mix the raspberries with some buttercream. It tastes amazing and serves as a quick keto dessert.

This is a fruit which can be a bit tough to consume raw. It is sour.

So you can half dry it in the sun with sprinkles of salt over it.

But the benefits are innumerable.

Gooseberries are well known for its positive effect on skin and hair.

It also contains anticancer properties.

I can tell you about the endless benefits of this fruit but when it comes to keto then it is carb and sugar content that matters.

Gooseberries serve 5.9 grams of carbs per 100 gm. Quite reasonable.

Tomatoes and fruits? Well yes, it is.

Now tomato is a fruit which you can put in any recipes to bring the tangy taste. So when you are mixing it with other vegetables then our mind holds a perception that tomato is also a vegetable.

Even the tomato sauces are widely used.

Tomatoes also contain micronutrients and vitamins which improve our health condition.

It serves only 2.7 grams of carbs per 100 gm of it.

Starfruit is a delicious tropical fruit which is rich in vitamin C.

I love its crunchy yet juicy pulp.

It also carries a small amount of minerals and electrolytes. And yes starfruit is rich in antioxidants too.

It serves 4.2 of net carbs per 100 g

Lime and lemon are often confused with each other.

The difference between them is that lime has a higher concentration of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

It provides a net carb of 8.2 g per 100 g.

Though the carb content is a bit higher, limes keep your arteries cleaner and thus aids in better blood flow.

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11 Fruits can you Eat Safely in a Ketogenic Diet - Cool ...