Home Keto Diet Keto Diet 101 Is Keto Safe? [7 Myths About Keto Being Dangerous That Arent True]
The Keto diet (aka Ketogenic diet) has been getting a ton of press as an amazing weight-loss diet. But is Keto safe to do? Are there any dangers of Keto dieting?
Thats why weve written this post. To clear up all the myths surrounding the Keto diet
First, were going to discuss the most common myths around the dangers of Keto, plus explain why theyre not true. (Based on solid evidence, of course.)
Then well go over two important topics:
Bottom Line:
A ketogenic diet is safe, but there are healthy and unhealthy ways to do it.
Note: we are not doctors or nutritionists and the information provided in this article is based on our research and designed to help you educate yourself on the Keto diet. And now for our medical disclaimer:
Note that information contained in this article (and website) is not intended to and shall not convey or recommend any medical or nutritional advice or course of action. Any diet, health, or nutritional program you undertake should be discussed with your doctor or other licensed medical professionals. All opinions expressed in this article are based solely on personal experiences and research. We are NOT licensed doctors, dietitians, or nutritionists.
You might have seen these myths mentioned in articles online that doesnt mean theyre true, though.
TRUTH: If you eat a ketogenic diet in a healthy way, then it becomes a highly nutritious diet.
Technically, you could eat a variety of non-nutritious foods in order to reach nutritional ketosis. Just like you can eat pizza and be a vegetarian.
The main requirements for getting into ketosis are:
Eating this way causes your body to start burning fats for fuel instead of sugars.
And yes, you could do this by eating only mayo, beef patties, and margarine, which could definitely lead to severe nutritional deficiencies.
But this isnt the only way (or even a recommended way) of doing Keto.
Instead, you can eat on a healthy ketogenic diet plenty of:
Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, M.D. recommends a Keto diet that includes plenty of low-carb veggies. On a keto diet, vegetables with less than 5 net carbs may be eaten relatively freely have them with butter and other sauces! It is hard to over-eat spinach, zucchini, lettuce, asparagus and kale on a keto diet.
He adds, On a keto diet, vegetables with less than 5 net carbs may be eaten relatively freely have them with butter and other sauces! It is hard to over-eat spinach, zucchini, lettuce, asparagus and kale on a keto diet.
Bottom Line:
A ketogenic diet packed with low carb vegetables, grass-fed beef, pastured pork, fish, shellfish, organ meats, healthy fats, and berries can be highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
TRUTH: If youre not a Type 1 diabetic (or late-stage Type 2), ketoacidosis is not something you should be worried about.
According to Registered Nurse, Tammy Shifflett, RN, For people with Type 1 Diabetes, you probably have heard of their diabetic emergency, diabetic ketoacidosis, also referred to as DKA. This can be life threatening condition for people with Type 1 diabetes and Certified Diabetes Educators spend many hours teaching preventive care for DKA. This condition should not be confused with nutritional ketosis, the fat burning state reached when following the Ketogenic diet. The two conditions are quite different.
In reality, you cant go into ketoacidosis if your body is producing insulin normally.
You have a hormonal feedback loop which prevents this happening.
Check out this video for the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis:
Now that youve had a short introduction, lets crunch some numbers
For Nutritional Ketosis: Your ketone levels are usually between 0.5 to 6 mmol/L.
Your Feedback Loop Is Triggered:If your blood ketone levels go above 6 mmol/L.
Ketoacidosis Occurs:If your blood ketone levels go above 20 mmol/L.
As you can see, theres a vast difference between mild ketosis (the level most folks aim for when using a Keto diet for weight loss and often you dont even need 0.5 mmol/L) and ketoacidosis.
And your body prevents you from ever reaching ketoacidosis, thanks to that feedback loop.
If your blood ketone levels go above 6 mmol/L, your body releases insulin.
And this has a few knock-on effects
Your fat cells stop releasing fatty acids, which are the thing your body uses to make ketones.
Your liver starts producing ketones much more slowly.
Your body moves ketones out of your bloodstream and theyre excreted in your urine.
All of this has one consequence to bring your ketone levels back to a healthy range.
So, as long as your body produces insulin normally, theres no need to be afraid youll get ketoacidosis! If you want to read more about this and what ketoacidosis is and whether you should be testing for it, then check out our detailed article here.
Bottom Line:
Nutritional ketosis and ketoacidosis are very different. And as long as your body produces insulin normally (i.e., youre not a type 1 diabetic or late stage type 2 diabetic), then your body has built into feedback loops to prevent ketoacidosis from occurring.
TRUTH: If you take care to drink enough water and get enough electrolytes, you wont be dehydrated.
Theres an easy way to avoid dehydration on the keto diet
Drink more water!
But theres more to it than that
Youll also need to replenish your electrolytes since youll flush a lot of them out along with water weight when you first go keto.
Pharmacist and Certified Health CoachDr. Christina Tarantola, PharmD, CHC, describes the effect this can have on someone new to Keto. As a person goes into ketosis, it is likely that he or she might experience the keto flu, because the body is not yet adapted to the lower amount of carbs present in the bloodstream. Electrolyte shifts may cause some of the symptoms associated with the keto flu, so, having a plan to supplement with magnesium, potassium, and plenty of water can ameliorate any unpleasant feelings.
So make sure you get plenty of sodium, potassium, and magnesium in your diet, whether thats through foods like leafy greens, broccoli, and salmon or by taking supplements.And drink plenty of teas, soups and broths, and water.
Bottom Line:
You will need to drink more water and ensure you replenish your electrolytes on Keto.
TRUTH: In fact, the Keto diet could reduce your risk of heart disease.
Although some folks think eating a high fat keto diet will increase your risk of heart disease
The opposite is often true!
Provided youre eating a healthy low carb diet which is full of good fats, of course.
A 2003 study conducted by Hussein M. Dashti, M.D., PhD, et al, concluded, The administration of a ketogenic diet for a relatively long period is safe and favorably modi?es the risk factors of heart disease in obese patients.
There are a few ways keto reduces your risk of heart disease
A study investigating the long-term effects of a Ketogenic diet followed 83 patients and found a significant decrease in the level of triglycerides (you can read more here).
That same study also found the participants levels of LDLs (aka bad cholesterol) decreased significantly.
Another study which followed 63 patients found that their levels of HDLs (aka good heart-healthy cholesterol) significantly increased, thanks to the healthy fats the diet provided (check it out here).
Bottom Line:
Despite conventional fears of high fat diets, theres significant research showing that a low carb and high fat diet can be beneficial to your health.
TRUTH: Going Keto doesnt mean you lose muscle mass there are bodybuilders who follow the keto diet.
Some people find they lose muscle while losing fat on the diet
But thats true for every weight loss diet!
And if you add some strength training to your exercise routine, you can combat this.
There are also suggestions that a strict keto diet can actually preserve muscle mass.
Bottom Line:
Keto, like other weight-loss regimes, can make it hard for you to retain your muscle mass while losing fat. So make sure to add a strength-training component to your diet. Learn how to customize your keto diet here.
TRUTH: Theres no scientific evidence for high-fat diets causing gallstones although low-fat diets have been linked to gallstone formation.
The conventional belief is that a high-fat diet causes gallstones. But science actually points the other direction suggesting that a low-fat diet is actually more likely to cause gallstones to form.
You see
If you eat a very low-fat diet, then all that bile that your body produces (in order to digest fats) sits unused in your gallbladder. And this could then lead to gallstones forming.
Several studies point to this hypothesis:
Bottom Line:
Eating a low fat diet has been linked to gallstone formation when using a low-calorie diet to lose weight. While theres no definitive answer to what causes gallstones, the suggestions that Keto could cause gallstones dont make scientific sense.
TRUTH: Following a ketogenic diet doesnt cause HPA Axis Dysfunction (which is still often called adrenal fatigue) but if you already have adrenal fatigue, you might struggle with the Keto diet.
HPA Axis Dysfunction is likely caused by being in a chronic state of stress.
Whether thats mental and emotional stress from work/relationships/life or physical stress from over-exercising or eating too few calories.Stress disturbs your bodys hormone balance which has a bunch of negative knock-on effects.
According to Dr. Tommy Wood, M.D., PhD., Much of the data used to support the idea that the ketogenic diet causes thyroid/adrenal issues come from studies where people are in a calorie deficit. If youre on a ketogenic diet and eating enough calories, then this problem often goes away.
So make sure to keep nourishing your body instead of using keto as a crash diet to lose weight.
Bottom Line:
While a low carb diet has been linked to HPA Axis Dysfunction (adrenal fatigue) in the past, its much more likely that prolonged calorie restriction and continuous stress are the main causes. However, if you already have HPA axis dysfunction, then a low carb diet could be an additional stress on your body that is best avoided. Heal first, and then give Keto a try to lose extra weight.
A lot of the potential negative side effects of Ketogenic diets are caused by three things
and these are mistakes you could make no matter which diet you choose to go on!
Thats why we suggest you follow the tips below and enjoy your Keto diet and lifestyle.
Supplement with a greens powder if necessary!
Eat fermented foods like kimchi and coconut yogurt and kefir. Take probiotics as well to boost your friendly gut bacteria.
But also remember to get enough prebiotic fiber (from vegetables) to ensure your friendly gut bacteria flourishes instead of dies off!
Most people on a ketogenic diet may need to supplement with additional prebiotic fiber to ensure they get enough fiber (since most Keto folks dont eat enough veggies for fear of getting too many carbs).
If its within your budget, then go for grass-fed beef, pastured pork, free-range chicken, and organic produce.
Food quality does make a difference to your health.
Hydrogenated cooking fats high in omega-3s like sunflower oil, soybean oil, and canola oil can cause long-term inflammation.
Thats why its better to stick with fats like coconut oil, olive oil, tallow, lard, and ghee.
While diet sodas and sugar-free chocolate bars fall within the ketogenic macros framework, they are still not healthy for you.
Make long-term health your goal and youll see not only short-term weight loss but also a decrease in health problems down the road.
Food isnt just macros (carbs, protein, and fat). Food is designed to provide you with calories for energy but also vitamins and minerals to ensure your entire body functions like a well-oiled machine.
So dont just eat chicken breast with butter! Add other nutrient-dense foods into your diet, like:
This will help you get over the keto flu as well as avoid feeling tired and getting dehydrated.
Original post:
Is Keto Safe? [7 Myths About Keto Being Dangerous That ...
