Baltimore News Journal

The keto diet is a big trend right now, so it should come as no surprise that there is lots of information going around this diet, both true and untrue. Here is the truth about this diet, its health consequences, and its capacity for weight loss.

Myth 1: You Can Eat Whatever You Want On A Keto Diet, As Long As You Avoid Carbs

If you think that you’ll lose weight on a diet of bacon, you can forget it. Some fats are much better than others. It matters what kind of fat you consume. The keto diet does allow you to eat delicious foods like bacon, but trying to subsist on a diet largely composed of fatty meats is unlikely to result in health or weight loss. 

There are plenty of vegetables, healthy nuts, and other foods that must be part of a well-balanced keto diet. 

Myth 2: The Keto Diet Causes Ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body gets too little insulin and ketone levels are very high, resulting in this life-threatening complication of diabetes. 

This is not what should happen when you are on a responsible keto diet. Your body does go through a substantial physical change, but it is known as ketosis. During ketosis, your body uses fat instead of glucose for fuel. When your body has insufficient dietary fat, it pulls fat from your body, resulting in weight loss.

Myth 3: Cheating Is Okay

In most diets, a little bit of cheating is okay and may even be encouraged. Many diets recommend that you indulge in a little bit of chocolate cake at the end of a very strenuous dieting day to reward yourself and encourage you to keep on with the diet. 

This is not true of the keto diet. Cheating while on the keto diet can throw you off ketosis. Your body will use the carbohydrates you introduce instead of fat, and you will have to go through the whole process of ketosis again. Once you commit to the keto diet, you must remain committed.

Myth 4: A Low-carb Diet Worked For My Friend; It Should Work For Me

Everybody has different carb needs. Some people are able to lose weight on a less strict low-carb diet, while other people may need a very strict low carb diet for it to be successful. Most followers of low carb diets eat between 20 and 50 g of carbohydrates every day. 

Many people began on the lower end of that spectrum to initiate ketosis as quickly as possible, while other people start out right at the upper end and maintain that the entire time successfully. If you want the fastest possible success from your low-carb diet, it is best to begin on the lower level of carbohydrates and a strenuous exercise routine to induce ketosis as quickly as possible. Only begin a rigorous diet and exercise routine with your doctor’s approval.

Myth 5: You Can’t Eat Fruits And Veggies On The Keto Diet

Only butter, meat, and oil are completely free of carbs, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have vegetables in your diet. After all, you are allowed a certain number of carbohydrates in your diet. These are much better spent on vegetables than on a bagel. Vegetables that are high in fiber are especially important to avoid a common side effect of the keto diet: constipation. 

Non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, cucumbers, and low-carb fruits like berries, strawberries, and blueberries are allowed on the keto diet.

Get Started With A Great Keto Diet Today

A keto diet doesn’t have to be intimidating or dramatically different from the diet that you are accustomed to, but the results for weight loss can be dramatic. Learn how to start keto diets today.