Popular and controversial diet
7 benefits of the keto diet that have nothing to do with losing weight
Along with Mediterranean and Dutch diets, ketogenic (or keto) diets are among the most popular in the world . High in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates, this type of diet has sufficient evidence to prove its efficiency to lose weight quickly, although the most respected specialists argue that it is difficult to maintain it over time (which is why they group it within the so-called yo-yo diets ) and warn about their risks.
“This is a quest for magic. No extreme or unorthodox eating pattern can be adopted as a lifestyle. Therefore, sooner or later, it will be abandoned. In other words, the diet will be broken along with the spell. And so it will appear, with its pompous and captivating entry of illusions, the regain of the lost weight ", Dr. Mónica Katz tells Clarín , who adds:" Although it is true that they facilitate weight loss, they have multiple negative effects on health. Given that humans have only three available fuel options -carbohydrates, proteins and fats- to compensate for the decrease in carbohydrates, the contribution of proteins and especially fats is increased ”.
However, even so, according to different studies, the ketogenic diet can have other effects on health, which are not necessarily related to weight loss . These claim that it has healing properties for brain conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases and epilepsy. And it also has a powerful impact on endorphin levels and mood.
But, let us start at the beginning.
What is a ketogenic diet?
“In essence, it is a diet that causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Most cells prefer to use blood sugar, which comes from carbohydrates, as the body's main source of energy. In the absence of circulating blood sugar from food, we begin to break down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies (the process is called ketosis). Once you reach ketosis, most cells use ketone bodies for energy until we start eating carbohydrates again. The switch, from using circulating glucose to breaking down stored fat for energy, generally occurs over two to four days of eating less than 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.Keep in mind that this is a highly individualized process, and some people need a more restricted diet to start producing enough ketones ”, explains Dr. Marcelo Campos, professor at the Harvard University School of Medicine,in an article published in Harvard Health Publications in mid-2017.
Additional benefits
As Dr. María Vaccarezza, specialist in pediatric neurology at the Italian Hospital, explains to Clarín, the ketogenic diet has been used for years in the treatment of epilepsy. "Epilepsy affects 1 in 100 children and 30% do not respond favorably to drugs, so they can resort to the ketogenic diet that improves their seizures and cognitive functions," says Vaccarezza.
“The ketogenic diet is a treatment used to help control seizures in children with intractable epilepsy. This diet has been around since the early 1920s, but its use declined with the development of many appropriate drugs to treat seizures. Since the nineties its use has been increasing thanks to an emblematic case in the United States of a boy named Charlie, who was cured of his epilepsy thanks to the ketogenic diet ”, adds the specialist.
So let's take a look at other likely health benefits of following this at least controversial diet:
1- It can have healing effects on the brain
"High-fat ketogenic diets have healing properties for brain conditions like neurodegenerative diseases and epilepsy," cardiologist Dr. Luiza Petre told Insider. And he added that consistent fat intake from a keto diet will also have a powerful impact on endorphin levels and mood.
2- It can be used as a treatment protocol for diabetes
"More and more evidence supports the use of the ketogenic diet as a treatment protocol for diabetes," said Monica Auslander Moreno, a nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition. “A ketogenic diet dramatically reduces carbohydrate intake and therefore the need for so much insulin. As a result, it can calm the body's insulin response. "
3- It can help regulate hunger and control desire
According to the New York Times , eating foods with a high glycemic index, including most processed carbohydrates, can cause a dramatic rise and fall in blood sugar levels, which can stimulate hunger.
Since the keto diet is low in carbohydrates, "following it can stabilize blood sugar levels and therefore suppress your appetite."
Know more about keto diet : https://bit.ly/keto-diet-video-page
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