Keto Diet - Benefits of the keto diet over low fat diets

 Keto Diet - Benefits of the keto diet over low fat diets

Keto diets are very effective for reducing body weight. It has positive health effects, independent of weight loss, including reducing risks for type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. An effective keto diet can be achieved without calorie restriction. 

A review of nine randomized controlled trials compared low-carb diets with traditional low-fat or average fat diets. The participants on the low-carb diet lost more weight, had greater improvement in cholesterol levels, and had higher rates of compliance than those on the lower-fat diet. 

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Studies Showing the Benefits of the Keto Diet

A recent meta-study of nine randomized controlled trials comparing low-carbohydrate diets to low-fat diets showed that the groups consuming a low-carbohydrate diet had more weight loss. A study conducted at The Ohio State University found that low- carb diets resulted in greater weight loss than those of higher carbohydrate intake. These findings were consistent across all studies of ketogenic diets conducted by this university. 

Studies show that low-carb, ketogenic diets are able to achieve strong weight loss over an extended period. An Australian study showed that obese people were able to lose, on average, 15 kg over a period of a year. This was 3 kg more than the low-fat diet used in the study achieved. 

In order to get into ketosis, you generally need to restrict carbohydrates. In the Australian study, the daily percentage of calories from carbohydrate was 40%. If this is too low for you, a maximum of around 50% can be used. To get an idea of what 50% carbs looks like, take a look at a few of our low-carb recipes. Also, there is a handy free online calculator to help you work out your daily carbohydrate limit based on your activity level and target number of calories. 

The ketogenic diet has also been shown to be effective in instances of neurological disorders. A case report published in 2016 shares the story of a three-year-old girl who was suffering from seizures on a daily basis until she was placed on a ketogenic diet. After achieving significant weight loss, she no longer suffers from the seizures. 

Maintaining Muscle on the Keto Diet 

Despite this level of weight loss, ketogenic diets are shown to provide an ability for maintaining lean muscle mass. It has been suggested that this is due to appetite suppression, or at least a lessened desire, for protein-rich foods by the dieter. The idea being if you’re not consuming carbohydrate-rich foods, there is no need for the body to fulfill any requirement for amino acids which are necessary for building proteins. 

It also leaves you feeling full for longer. This means you are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods, meaning your diet is more likely to be low in saturated fats and high in fibre. This helps you meet your daily nutritional requirements much easier than diets with higher amounts of carbohydrates or fat. 

What makes the process of keto so good for weight loss? Three factors contribute to this effect. First, it reduces hunger, since fat releases satiety chemicals to the brain. Second, it increases the release of Cpt1 into your blood stream. Growth hormone production is also stimulated by this hormone, which encourages fat breakdown for energy use. Third, keto causes massive mitochondrial biogenesis . A 2013 study found that “this intervention resulted in significant increases in skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity.”