What dietitians want you to know about the keto diet (2024)

FAQs

What dietitians want you to know about the keto diet? ›

The answer is a firm “no,” according to Syeda Farid, MS, RD, LDN, registered dietitian at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. Keto, like so many other seemingly too-good-to-be-true approaches to fast weight loss, is not sustainable for most people and can even have detrimental effects on your health.

The answer is a firm “no,” according to Syeda Farid, MS, RD, LDN, registered dietitian at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. Keto, like so many other seemingly too-good-to-be-true approaches to fast weight loss, is not sustainable for most people and can even have detrimental effects on your health.

Eating high fat low carb foods is the principal of a Keto diet. Followers of this diet may consume a variety of animal proteins, dairy, vegetables, other plant-based foods, and fats and oils.

In keto diets, where carbs are extremely limited, the body instead draws its energy from dietary fat and the body's fat storage, which produces ketone bodies. Those ketone bodies then can be measured in the blood to see if ketosis —the act of the body burning up fat instead of carbs —has been achieved.

Keto diet risks

Top of the list: it's high in saturated fat. McManus recommends that you keep saturated fats to no more than 7% of your daily calories because of the link to heart disease. And indeed, the keto diet is associated with an increase in "bad" LDL cholesterol, which is also linked to heart disease.

You need to limit your consumption of high-carb foods like: - Grains: Rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, etc. - Starchy Vegetables: Potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, cassava, artichoke, etc. - Refined Carbs: Bread, pasta, pastries, tortilla, sandwich, etc.

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils ( 6 ). It's also important to moderate your protein consumption.

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

Three cons

Giving up whole grains, beans, fruits and many veggies can cause nutrient deficiencies and constipation. Common short-term side effects include fatigue, headache, brain fog and upset stomach, aka “keto flu.” Long-term health risks include kidney stones, osteoporosis and liver disease.

What is the main rule of keto? ›

The basic rules of keto are eating few carbohydrates and emphasizing fat with a moderate intake of protein.

The primary goal of the keto diet is to place the body into a state called ketosis where metabolism burns fat instead of carbs for fuel. To achieve this, someone following the keto diet consumes no more than 50 grams of carbs per day, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

While we have solid evidence establishing the effectiveness of the keto diet for weight loss in the short-term, the long-term efficacy and health implications are not yet known. Without a long-term solution in place, the likelihood of returning to pre-keto eating habits and regaining lost weight is high."

However, a new study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology suggests that a “keto-like” diet may be associated with higher blood levels of “bad” cholesterol and a twofold heightened risk of cardiovascular events such as chest pain ( ...

The keto diet could cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease. Strict diets like keto could also cause social isolation or disordered eating. Keto is not safe for those with any conditions involving their pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder.

The keto diet could cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease. Strict diets like keto could also cause social isolation or disordered eating. Keto is not safe for those with any conditions involving their pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder.

"In addition to weight loss, the ketogenic diet has also shown positive short-term changes in insulin sensitivity, increased ['good'] cholesterol and decreased triglycerides [the most common type of body fat.]" There are, therefore, some people who might benefit from keto.

The Best Carb to Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals. Answer: Whole grains, says Susie. Yes, that is an entire food category, but foods like brown rice, oatmeal and quinoa are too good to choose just one. Whole grains are grains that contain the entire grain: bran, germ and endosperm.

Gulotta recommends staying on keto for six months max before reintroducing more carbs to your diet. And Scott Keatley, RDN, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy in New York City, agrees: “The science hasn't gotten to the point where I would be comfortable recommending it as a forever diet,” he says.