The ketogenic diet has come to a massive increase in popularity over the past couple years – but why?
A keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that many experts claim can assist in weight loss, fat loss, and general improvements to health.
From bodybuilders to soccer moms – the keto diet is changing the face of weight loss and the fat industry. For years, we’ve been told that fat is the enemy – and that the more you eat the more you have.
Research has shown the opposite. In many cases, when the keto diet is performed correctly, fat will actually start to decrease.
Learn more about the keto diet and discover five ways it can benefit you.
1. Better Body Composition
We’re all looking for an effective way to promote weight loss and fat loss – especially if it lets us eat the food we like. Calorie-restricting diets can be very effective, but many people struggle with the decreased calories.
The most popular reason why anyone will engage in a dietary change is to lose weight and burn fat. Research has not only shown that a low-carb diet can be effective in promoting weight loss, but also very effective in burning more fat throughout the day.
2. Brain Health and Fuel
Much of the internal systems utilize blood glucose as energy to run – but when carbohydrates are not ingested, how would they function?
Our bodies are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. When carbohydrates are not present, the internal system will look to other sources of fuel – namely ketones(from stored fats). Eating a diet high in fat will provide your body with a great source of dietary ketones to help fuel to brain.
Many experts believe that ketosis’ main purpose is to ensure that we always have a reserved source of fuel, especially when carbohydrates aren’t immediately present.
Some studies have even shown that a keto diet can promote concentration and alertness.
3. Help With Type 2 Diabetes
For many people, diabetes is an everyday challenge of monitoring blood glucose levels. When glucose falls too low, you ingest rapid forms of carbs. When glucose is too high, you may need to take insulin.
This everyday challenge may lead users to look for an alternative. A high-fat keto diet has not only been shown to assist with the management of type 2 diabetes but has also been shown to lower blood glucose levels.
This can be very beneficial for the management of diabetes, but it’s important to pay close attention to your medication doses and talk to your doctor prior to major dietary changes.
4. Promote Skin Health and Reduce Acne
Acne accumulation is largely the result of a poor diet. If your diet includes a lot of processed, sugary foods, they negatively affect your beneficial gut bacteria and also cause your blood sugar to go up.
In contrast, a low-carb keto diet has been shown to be very beneficial in promoting healthy skin, nails, and even hair due to its higher intakes of B-Vitamins and lack of processed sugars.
5. Reduce Risk of Cancer
The leading causes of mortality in North America are heart disease and cancer, both of which are highly correlated to poor diets with high intakes of processed foods. This is why researchers are constantly looking for ways to promote a healthy diet.
A low-carb diet has stood the test of time and has now been shown to be a very effective tool in assisting in cancer treatment – so much so that researchers are now looking into it as an effective addition to chemotherapy.
Is the Keto Diet Right for You?
There are a host of benefits to the keto diet. It’s important to understand, however, that everything should be consumed in moderation. Just because you’re allowed a high amount of fat doesn’t mean that you should start eating out at your favorite rib spot every night.
Eat clean, whole foods and watch the weight shed off and health implications slide away.