Keto is a diet that’s based on very low fat, high protein, and sugar.
The recommendations from the NHS say that people should try to cut down their dietary fat intake to below 20g, with any extra cuts aiming for a ten percent reduction.
The idea behind keto is to eat as little saturated fat as possible, to encourage a healthy heart.
If you are concerned that you may harm your health in one way or another after losing weight by eating keto, it may not be wise to continue with it, even if you are still enjoying the change in diet.
Maggie Firth, a registered dietitian, advises moderation with keto.
She suggests that people should focus on keeping their overall carbohydrate intake within the ranges recommended by the NHS.
“The NHS recommends a daily total of 6g of carbohydrates – two-thirds of this coming from whole grains.
“Healthy people eating a high carb diet should look to modify their diet if it is too high in carbohydrates.”
People with Type 2 diabetes should make sure to aim for 25 per cent of their carbs to come from healthy sources such as fresh fruit and vegetables, Firth notes.
John Graham, a registered dietitian, says that people with a pre-existing health condition should not follow the keto diet.
For instance, for people with fibromyalgia, they should consult their doctor before embarking on a keto diet that involves more dietary fat.
Firth says that the chances of developing pre-existing medical conditions related to this diet is very high.
“People with underlying conditions like diabetes should not be tempted to try a keto diet. In the long run they could develop issues like pancreatitis or congestive heart failure.”
Graham explains that, considering that this diet is based on very low fat, that people should be very careful not to overdo it.
“Too many carbs, with little or no protein, could lead to an elevated sugar level which can lead to insulin resistance, liver and intestinal problems, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and even death.”
He points out that, because keto does not contain any fiber and is very high in fat, people could absorb even less of their normal protein intakes if they go on this diet.
“Keto diets are not recommended to pregnant women as they risk developing gestational diabetes because they are lacking in protein.”
Graham warns against making plans like this based only on the calories they have in there right now.
“You will be eating more calories than you need to sustain yourself.”
He recommends putting the diet on a long-term, no-calorie diet program that will help with the weight loss.