You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz around ketosis at the mo… but what is it?
Essentially, ketosis is a normal metabolic process that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough glucose to make energy, and it starts to rely on fat sources instead.
But, you can actually force your body into “ketosis” by eating an incredibly high-fat, low-carb diet (we’re talking super low-carb) – AKA the “ketogenic diet”.
Should you jump on the keto bandwagon?
One of the most popular reasons people decide to try keto is for weight loss. Due to eating a diet so high in fat (around 75 per cent of your diet comes from fats), you will certainly find yourself satiated. One study actually found that men on a ketogenic diet lost an average of 5 kilos over a month because they could consume fewer calories without feeling hungry.
On the flip side however, another study compared a keto diet to a non-keto diet and found that both were equally effective for weight loss. Interestingly, those participants who trialled the ketogenic diet were more moody and lethargic and the study concluded that, “The use of ketogenic diets for weight loss is not warranted.” Might not be too flash now, huh?
So, what’s our stance?
At IQS, we pride ourselves on not being restrictive so you can still enjoy life while steering clear of sugar (you can even eat cake!). In contrast, a ketogenic diet is incredibly restrictive, requiring you to cut out almost all carbs including vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
IQS expert and nutritionist, Raj Barker, says she wouldn’t recommend ketosis. “The body needs and thrives off a balance of fat, carbs and protein. To restrict two of these characteristics, limits a bountiful variety of foods.”
It’s also not so great for your hormones…
Ketosis can actually be detrimental to your health due to the restriction of nutrient-dense foods which are integral to your body functioning properly. Not only can consuming a lack of fibre lead to health conditions (hello, constipation), but cutting out carbohydrates can also put a lot of stress on your hormones.
Holistic dietitian, Natalie Bourke, explains that while ketosis can be used as a good therapeutic intervention for people with neurological conditions, for most people, the negative effects of this diet outweigh the positives. “In the ketogenic diet, there is an absence of adequate levels of prebiotics (which feed your good gut bacteria) and subsequently, this can negatively impact your gut health and therefore your overall health. It also has the potential of downregulating thyroid hormone production, and can negatively affect fertility and period health. It can also cause difficulty sleeping and has a negative impact on adrenal fatigue, which can ironically end up leading to weight gain and fatigue.” Phew, that’s a lot of bad stuff!
…or your breath.
As if avoiding bread wasn’t bad enough, many people who have reached “ketosis” report that they have bad, fruity smelling breath. This is actually common to many low-carb diets, so the if you want to stay smelling minty fresh, don’t be so restrictive!
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