In this video, Cheryl Stebbins, RDN, LDN will review the popular Ketogenic or “Keto” diet. If you are considering trying the Keto diet or another new weight loss diet we recommend discussing it with one of our medical providers or your primary care physician.
The Keto Diet By Cheryl Stebbins, RDN, LDN
Ask the Dietitian Series: The Keto Diet
Hi I'm Cheryl Stebbins and I'm one of the dietitians here at Figure Weight Loss. Today I wanted to discuss the ketogenic diet. Most people have heard of it, some people have tried it, and a few people actually know what it is. I thought we would go through the ins and outs of the diet and pros and cons of it. So what is the keto diet? Well it's a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet. A lot of times people think that it's a high protein diet, but it's actually a high fat diet. So typically the percentages of of your macronutrients are going to be 70 fat, 25 protein and 5 is going to be carbohydrates. So that 5 roughly estimates to about 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day which is pretty low carb.
What is Ketosis The idea of the ketogenic diet is to put the body into ketosis and ketosis is a metabolic state where the body uses fat for energy instead of glucose which comes from carbohydrates used for energy. The typical signs to know if you are in ketosis are increased thirst, dry mouth, you're going to have keto breath which is kind of the sweet breath. Initially you will have fatigue, but then most people start feeling a lot more energy after a little while and then you'll have decreased appetite.
This is a very limited diet. The foods that you can include are meats, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, low carb vegetables, and high fat foods like avocados, butter, heavy creams, and oils. There's some foods that you can have on a limited basis such as carrots or artichokes, pumpkin, and then there's many foods that you need to eliminate from the ketogenic diet. Anything that is basically high carbs — so grains, most dairy products, beans, peas, high carb vegetables such as potatoes and corn, and pretty much all fruits. You also want to limit or eliminate artificial sweeteners such as Splenda and you want to also limit any sugar alcohol such as xylitol. Those can inhibit your weight loss as well.
So to make this a healthy diet, if you choose to do this diet, you definitely want to avoid processed foods and fried foods. You do want to include vegetables in your diet and eat those throughout the day. This is not a eat bacon all day kind of diet. So you can make this a healthy diet if you choose to.
Pros and Cons If you choose to go on a ketogenic diet and then decide that you want to go off a ketogenic diet, you need to do that very carefully. Most people that go off a ketogenic diet may have lost a ton of weight initially, and when they go off they put the weight back on, sometimes even more. So you have to add those carbs in very gradually, and you're likely to have a lot more carb cravings once you do start adding those carbs back in. So you do need to be careful with that as well.
So let's talk about the pros and cons of the ketogenic diet. So the pros: you can get have fast weight loss, it can improve your blood sugar so for type 2 diabetes that can be a benefit. It can reduce epilepsy seizures in some children, can also improve IVF symptoms.
So the cons to the ketogenic diet: rapid weight gain once you go off the diet, it's difficulty to maintain as a lifestyle, lacks scientific research to support the long-term effects of a ketogenic diet. The keto flu which can last for a couple of weeks which is headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, can be difficult to focus, irritability, difficulty sleeping. So that's sometimes hard for people to even get through that initial keto flu period. Other side effects are constipation because of the lack of fiber from your whole grains and vegetables and fruits. You can get low blood sugar on this diet as well. You can get leg cramps, indigestion, so gout. So there's definitely some conditions that this diet is not a good idea for you to do. You also have to watch your vitamin and mineral intake because you're on such a limited diet. And then it does require the testing to make sure that you are in ketosis. So there's a lot of of obstacles if you want to do this diet, but many people do find that it is a good lifestyle for them. Other people find that it's not. So you have to determine what's going to be the best benefit for you. If you're considering this diet I recommend you come in and you discuss it with us — the dietitians or our providers in our office here at Figure Weight Loss. We can help you decide what's the best course of action to get you on to a healthier you. Thank you.
Our Board Certified Physicians can assist you with making any dietary change, one that will have a positive impact on your overall health. Weight Loss is not “one size fits all.” We can help you find the best routine, that will work for you and your lifestyle!
