Tag Archives: Ketogenic Diet

Questions & Answers

The Downsides To The Ketogenic Diet

Let’s talk about high fat, high protein diets, and their impact on the gut.

In the last year or so, I’ve been concerned about the stool test results I see from clients following a ketogenic diet. These diets are very low in carbs, including resistant starches.
My concerns are now being validated in the scientific literature.

When you’re on a ketogenic diet, the weight comes off but, you’re cutting back on carbs, including the healthy ones. Now, a lot of experts in the field, including dieticians, nutritionists, and naturopaths are raising concerns about the decrease in carbohydrate intake.

Carbs are essential for your overall health and your gut. If you restrict carb intake for an extended period, the gut can suffer significantly. Studies are demonstrating that people who cut their carb intake have lower levels of beneficial bacteria. They also have smaller amounts of short-chain fatty acids, which in turn reduces the amount of antioxidants available to protect cells from DNA damage.

Further readings:

Losing weight on a ketogenic diet may also mean that your aging has accelerated.
There is no doubt people who eat more protein and more fat are prone to more rapid aging than people who eat a balanced diet. Looking slim now might come at a considerable cost when you’re 60. You could end up looking ten years older.Be careful with the ketogenic diet. Consider the long-term consequences of reducing your intake of healthy carbohydrates.

You shouldn’t cut as many carbs out of your diet as you possibly can, thinking that keto is a weight-loss nirvana. The ketogenic diet may help some people in the short-term, but eventually, you’ve got to come back to ground zero and start eating a normal diet again. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to click on the link below in the description box fo my full report.

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Questions & Answers

What is The Impact Of The Ketogenic Diet On Heart And Brain Health?

Before you go on any diet, its important to understand the pros and cons. That includes knowing the impact of ketogenic or high-protein diets on the risk of heart disease and stroke.

There are people out there who advocate a healthy variant of the ketogenic diet, but the diet is still high in fat, high in animal protein, and low in resistant starch. A lot of different foods are missing from the ketogenic diet. I’m particularly concerned about the lack of starchy vegetables in that kind of diet.

The European Journal of Nutrition published a study that demonstrated a dramatic increase in trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a toxic compound produced in the gut by a specific bacteria called Hungatella. Hungatella produces higher amounts of TMAO in the presence of a high-protein diet. TMAO is associated with a 62% increased risk of heart disease.

Further readings:

This study was focused on the paleo rather than the ketogenic diet. But I’m pretty sure that the findings would be the same for the keto diet.

Restricting resistant starch and eating lots of dietary fat and protein alters the gut microbiome. This alteration can trigger different disease processes in humans.

Don’t stay on the ketogenic or paleo diet for the long-term. If you want to keep off weight permanently, focus on lifestyle, stress, sleep, and a generally healthy diet, rather than a fad like paleo or keto.

The ketogenic diet will stabilize your blood sugars and reduce body fat, but I’d hate to see what the arteries are going to be like in the brain and around the heart if you stay on that diet for a long time.

Remember, my concerns don’t refer to the keto or paleo type diets that also include fruit and resistant starch. I think those foods should never have been taken out in the first place.

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