Let's understand the benefits and risks of keto diet 15^th February 2021

Over the last few years, we have seen an increasing number of people making various lifestyle changes. People are exploring different diet options like intermittent fasting, keto, veganism, low-fat diet, etc. Today we will look at the keto diet and its benefits and risks.

The ketogenic diet is an extremely low-carb diet with a high fat intake. It aids in faster weight loss and has thus, become a favourite in recent times. Keto drastically reduces carbohydrates and replaces them with fat. This dramatic reduction of carbs puts the body in a metabolic state known as ketosis. During ketosis, the body's tendency to burn fat for energy increases rapidly, promoting faster weight loss.

Now, let's look at the benefits of a ketogenic diet.

1. Reduced appetite:
Binge eating is a concerning habit that contributes to weight gain. Studies show that people who concentrate on protein and fat intake eat fewer calories than those who intake carbs. Low carb eating helps you with reducing food cravings.

2. Abdominal fat loss:
It's a piece of common knowledge that abdominal fat or more commonly known as tummy fat, is the most rigid kind of fat. Keto is effective in reducing abdominal fat and getting into a perfect shape.

3. Increased level of good cholesterol:
High-density lipoprotein is commonly known as "good" cholesterol. A keto diet improves HDL cholesterol. It further helps lower total cholesterol and bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Lower cholesterol levels mean a reduced risk of heart attacks and improved immunity. These are just a few of the many benefits that keto provides. However, since Keto is instrumental in faster weight loss, it also comes with its own set of risks and disadvantages. Let's look at a few of those.

4. Muscle loss:
Protein is the key ingredient in gaining muscle. However, it is heavily dependent on carbohydrates for muscle development. Depriving your body of carbohydrates means that the protein is incapable of building the muscles. Which therefore results in significant muscle loss.

5. Kidney stress:
A high meat intake makes urine acidic, which increases calcium and uric acid levels. This is a potential cause of kidney stones and other health problems.

6. Dehydration and Discomfort:
Your brain is heavily dependent on glucose provided by carbohydrates for energy. In a ketogenic diet, the brain depends more on ketones. And the kidneys release electrolytes when insulin levels fall. These drastic changes in bodily functions can cause various symptoms such as constipation, nausea, headache, fatigue, etc.

These are some of the benefits and risks of following a keto diet. Although there are ways to research various kinds of diet trends. It is best to visit a dietician who can give you a detailed diet chart that is suitable for your lifestyle and body type.

Adapting to a new diet can come with various challenges and frequent visits to your dietician's office. While you are working on modifying your lifestyle, it is the wisest move to look up the best health insurance in India. By choosing the best health insurance in India, you safeguard yourself against unnecessary medical expenditure during medical emergencies.

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