There are various diets like Keto Diet, Paleo Diet, etc…. that help you achieve your physical fitness-related goals, a lot of them simply being fancy diets. The effectiveness of such diets is not supported by evidence, dietitians and nutritionists don’t recommend them, and claim that they can provide exceptional results within a short period of time.
Two diets that have risen in popularity over the past few years are the keto and paleo diets. The question you’re probably having right now is this: are they just fads? Do they really work? Are they healthy?
Keep reading to find out! In this article, we’ll explore what these diets are and their advantages/disadvantages.
Keto Diet
The keto diet is the short name for the ketogenic diet. It requires you to severely cut your carb consumption and increase your fat consumption so that your body’s fat loss is accelerated. The breakdown of each of these macronutrients looks something like this under the keto diet:
● Carbohydrates: 5%
● Protein: 20%
● Fats: 75%
The exact amount of each of these nutrients depends on several factors, including your gender, age, resting metabolic rate, daily energy demands, and health conditions.
Advantages
● The first advantage of the keto diet is for those who want to rapidly lose weight in the short term (but not necessarily in the long term). The diet helps you achieve this goal as it can cause a lot of weight loss within just the first 2-3 months.
● Within the first 4-5 days of starting your diet, your body will use up all of its reserves of carbohydrates. Because of this, your blood sugar and insulin levels will fall. This can help you alleviate symptoms of diabetes.
Disadvantages
● The main problem with the keto diet is that it is unsustainable. You will experience rapid weight loss in the first few months, which will not only fall in the next few months but also cause harm to your body. Hence, the benefits of the diet are only short-term.
● It may also cause severe dehydration. This is because carbohydrates hold on to water in your body. So, when you cut down the carbs you consume, all the water in your body is released, resulting in dehydration. If you don’t closely monitor your water intake, dehydration may even be fatal. ● If you’re eating more fat than proteins, you may also face the problem of decreased muscle mass and metabolism, making you regain much of the weight you lost. This is one of the reasons why the keto diet only provides a short-term benefit.
● Under the keto diet, your body may produce and store a large number of ketone bodies. This may lead to a condition known as ketoacidosis, which causes kidney, liver, and heart disease.
● You may also develop a severe nutrient deficiency, such as a deficiency in potassium, as a result of reducing your carb intake.
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