The keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is promoted everywhere, whether on social media, in cookbooks, or in meal plans.
As a dietitian, I’ve met several patients who wanted to try this diet. So I looked into the issue and investigated the diet’s pros and cons.
I discovered that the keto diet was originally developed in the 1920s as a potential treatment for epilepsy. It is still used for this condition, particularly in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Today, the ketogenic diet is also being studied for other health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.
However, the results are not always conclusive, because of the high intake of fats that can trigger other conditions. I am particularly thinking of cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases.
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What are the benefits of the keto diet?
A significant reduction in carbohydrates
I remind you that the goal of this diet is to induce a metabolic state called ketosis. That is, the body burns fat rather than carbohydrates to produce energy.
The benefits would be weight loss, less fatigue, and a reduction in inflammatory state for people suffering from chronic inflammatory disease.
One of the first principles of the keto diet is therefore the drastic reduction of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are a large family that includes starchy foods, sugary products, pulses, and dairy products high in lactose. Maybe you’re already thinking that there won’t be much left on your plate?
In fact, it’s not about removing them completely from the diet, but about limiting them in quantity. Some people talk about 5 to 10% of their daily carbohydrate intake (that is between 25 and 50 g of carbohydrates per day for a person consuming 2000 kcal, for example).
I find that reducing overall carbohydrates to shift toward a diet richer in vegetables, fruits, and protein is very interesting.
Indeed, this diet has the advantage of offering a whole, healthy diet by limiting added sugars and processed foods. People who have turned to this type of diet have experienced weight loss, as shown by this study.
Rapid weight loss
The ketogenic diet leads to rapid and noticeable weight loss, as well as favorable changes in biomarkers, such as a reduction in serum hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Some research also examines the positive influence of a ketogenic diet on the gut microbiota.
But you may be wondering what you’ll swap your cereal-and-milk breakfast for? I asked myself that question looking at my bread, jam, and orange this morning…
On the keto diet, breakfast might look, for example, like a nice ham omelet. Or a chia pudding with lots of berries, which are low in carbs.
Or savory waffles made with a low-carb flour: coconut, almond, lupin.
The ketogenic diet therefore scores very well in terms of healthy eating, by favoring whole foods and reducing carbohydrates.
Be careful, this is not about eliminating them completely, nor about reducing them to less than 5% of your needs. Indeed, the brain is glucose-dependent, which means it functions only on the glucose from our diet.
What are the drawbacks of the keto diet?
A very restrictive diet that’s hard to maintain
As you’ve probably gathered, the ketogenic diet is a very restrictive diet that can be difficult to follow in the long term.
This is, in my opinion, the most significant downside. Initially, it can create the impression of rapid weight loss (but it’s mostly just water).
As soon as you return to a more conventional diet, you often regain weight with extra pounds added as well.
This diet must therefore be followed for life if you want to retain the benefits. It also requires careful medical monitoring to avoid any deficiencies.
A possible increase in cholesterol
Some studies also show a significant increase in cholesterol in certain patients, with a fat intake that has become too high. This could therefore promote cardiovascular disease.
Indeed, the second principle of the ketogenic diet is to increase the consumption of healthy fats. These include the unsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts and seeds, as well as monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and coconut oil.
You can also consume saturated fats, like those found in dairy products and meat, but in moderation.
For this diet, but also as part of a balanced diet, it is important to limit the consumption of trans fats. These are often present in processed foods and fried foods.
In terms of fat, we therefore favor “good fats” on your plate almost without moderation!
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My opinion before starting a keto diet
💡 Properly assess dietary and social constraints
This diet is tempting, it’s true, especially if you want to lose weight quickly. However, it is a very restrictive diet and socially limiting. It requires constantly checking what you can eat and calculating carbohydrate intake. It also means finding recipes to adapt your everyday diet.
💡 Get support
If you are truly motivated, get support from your doctor or your dietitian-nutritionist, who can order a blood test. This will help ensure you don’t start out with deficiencies and that your cholesterol levels are well balanced.
