By Michelle Baker
As an RD to be, I often get asked all sorts of
questions about the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet seems like the trendiest
fad since deeming kale the supreme superfood of the planet. Thankfully, we now
know that, in fact, you don’t have to
add kale to your smoothies to be considered healthy. And, similarly, following
a ketogenic diet is not necessarily the epitome of health either. Que good ole’
apples, sweet potatoes, banana muffins, and all the other delicious
carbohydrates on this planet that are certainly more nutritious than ketones!
So what is the ketogenic diet and why has it gained
so much popularity?
To begin, people following a ketogenic diet aim to
achieve ketosis. In laymen’s words, ketosis occurs when someone consumes a very
low carbohydrate diet so that the body does not have enough glucose to supply
the metabolic processes that create energy. Some people attain ketosis when
consuming 50 grams of carbs a day, but most accomplish this feat only by
consuming 20-25 grams of carbs per day. That is the equivalent of a large apple
and maybe a zucchini a day. In terms
of macronutrients, ketosis usually requires one to consume a very high fat,
moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate spread.
To give you an idea of what it takes to achieve
ketosis, I created a “simple,” sample meal plan. I use quotations around simple
because keto meals can be quite complicated, requiring many expensive oils,
meats, and supplements, and can be very inconvenient as well.
Breakfast
|
Lunch
|
Dinner
|
Snacks
|
3
fried eggs cooked in avocado oil
2
slices full-fat bacon
½
avocado
Sauteed
spinach w/ coconut oil
(11g
CHO)
|
6oz
baked chicken breast
2
cups lettuce
1
TBSP olive oil
Smoothie
w/ frozen zucchini, spinach, MCT oil, brain octane, and ½ an avocado
(7g
CHO)
|
4oz
grass fed beef
Cauliflower
rice w/ ghee butter
Eggplant
& squash roasted in w/e oil you haven’t already used that day
(8g
CHO)
|
Nuts
& seeds (avoid peanuts)
Spoonfuls
of almond and coconut butters
Bulletproof
coffee/drinks
Beef
jerky
Raw
veggies
Seaweed
chips
Other
unimaginable concoctions one has to create to avoid carbs like the plague
|
What deliciously, nutritious foods can you not eat if trying to achieve ketosis you
may ask? Well, you would have to avoid basically all fruit, legumes like
lentils, peanuts and peas, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, green
beans and corn, all grain products, all dairy, and almost everything that comes
in a package. While many people can be happy on this diet and may learn to
create delicious carbohydrate-free muffins, breads, and, well, everything else,
is it really worth all this effort? Is this sort of meal plan truly “healthier”
than a balanced one that includes all food groups?
Numerous health claims have fueled the fire about
the ketogenic diet. Many foodies and bloggers alike endorse this diet as a
miracle or cure-all solution. Indeed, this dietary pattern renders benefits for
certain groups of people with unique dietary and/or disease states such as
epilepsy and Alzheimer’s, but it is hardly a “miracle” diet.
The first health claim revolves around metabolic
health. One of the most common reflections of poor metabolic health these days,
insulin resistance, occurs when receptors on your cells become less sensitive
to insulin. This prevents glucose from entering cells that need it, and leas to
higher levels in your blood. In simple terms it works like this; because people
with insulin resistance already have a surplus of glucose circulating in their
blood, they rarely need to break down fat stores to use for energy. They
already have enough glucose to in their blood to fuel their needs. Thus, if
they severely limit their carbohydrate intake, they will be forced to break
down their fat, and consequently create ketones to use as fuel instead. Ketosis
advocates propose that this is a metabolic advantage because it takes more
energy to break down fat and create ketones. However, scientific research does
not necessarily show this, and even exclaims that the difference is so minute
that it does not truly make a difference.
Furthermore, ketosis is commonly promoted as a way
to lose weight. Similar to the mechanism discussed above, ketosis may lead to
weight loss because it regularly taps into fat stores to create energy.
Normally, the body only delves into these fat stores when it burns through
glucose and glycogen stores, which doesn’t happen very often. However, weight
loss may occur simply because people must remove an entire food group from
their diet. People may accidentally consume less calories because they
literally have less options, and/or because they simply feel fuller from all
the fat they are consuming, as it is normally more satiating. Overall, research
is inconclusive at best about whether ketosis is any better at inducing weight
loss than consuming a balanced, high fiber diet full of lean proteins, healthy
fats, and complex carbohydrates with a side of exercise. This latter type of
eating and exercising is hardly a miracle, and maybe less glamorous, but it is
backed by research and also allows
you to enjoy your favorite pumpkin bread, overnight oatmeal, and even ice cream
sundaes!
Thirdly, ketosis fanatics claim that it may elicit
exercise performance benefits. Traditionally, exercisers have been encouraged
to consume higher amounts of carbohydrates. Studies show that consuming large
amounts of carbohydrates prolongs time to fatigue in endurance exercise, and
may also help improve strength in exercisers desiring to build muscle. Without
a doubt, carbohydrates supply more fuel for the body at high intensities of
exercise like sprinting, jumping, and even during some endurance races if the
exerciser is using substantial effort. On the other hand, fat supplies more
fuel during low intensity exercise, such as walking, slow jogging, and yoga or
stretching. Thus, even if the body accomplishes keto-adaptation, elite
exercisers or people exercising above 60-70% of their maximum intensity, may
require energy faster than the rate at which they can obtain it from fat.
Meaning, carbohydrates are, indeed, quite necessary for intense exercise. Sure,
one may be able to use more fat as energy during regular, less intense
exercise, but they probably won’t get that half marathon PR any time soon.
So all this rave about ketones because it may
improve metabolic health, weight loss and physical performance? Seriously? Many
other, less rigid, less time-consuming, and enjoyable methods can achieve these
outcomes as well. However, while research is inconclusive about the benefits of
a ketogenic diet on those three facets, it is slightly more sound for neurologic
disorders and some other diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,
Polycystic ovarian syndrome, certain cancers, and, potentially, brain
disorders.
The overarching theme of the research and studies is
that it is unsettled whether the ketogenic diet is truly more beneficial than
overall balanced, healthy eating patterns, especially in the long-term.
Consuming only 20-50 grams of carbohydrates a day is very challenging, and,
frankly, unnecessary. While many people could certainly benefit from consuming
less high-sugar, refined carbohydrates such as soda, crackers and packaged
cookies, etc., there is no need to eliminate an entire macronutrient. Whole
grains, starchy vegetables, fruits and various other carbs are nutritious fuel
for our body that do not need demonization.
Now, while I hardly endorse this type of diet, I was
curious about experimenting with it myself. I wanted to see if I saw magical
unicorns or felt the euphoria keto-fanatics rave about. Thus, after a week of
careful meal planning, budgeting, and eating a bountiful amount of carbs, I
began this so-called miracle diet. Here is what I learned, discovered and
thought along the way.
- Purchasing keto-friendly foods is EXPENSIVE. Nuts and seeds, avocados and coconuts have carbs in them!? I feel like I’ve been living a lie my whole life.
- I’m full, but not necessarily satisfied.
- Consuming 20g of carbs a day is nearly impossible. Society has engrained in us that nuts, seeds, and non-starchy vegetables are carb-less, but, lone behold, they have carbs. Actually, ¼ a cup of mixed nuts has about 5-8 grams of carbs. That equals ¼ - ½ the amount of carbs for an entire day.
- These smoothies are…interesting. They’d be a lot better with a banana. For sureAlso, I feel like I’m eating the bottom of the ocean right now.
- Why can’t I just eat some sweet potatoes right now?
- You’re telling me four slices of bacon is really more “healthy” than lentils or black beans? I’m not buying it.
- I don’t think I’ve lost any weight. All my clothes fit the same. And I’m not running any faster. I think I’m running slower because I can’t figure out what to eat before my workouts!!!
- WHY DID I DO THIS?
- This diet is super inconvenient. I have to plan all my meals out perfectly. I am super limited for quick snacks, and on-the-go meals. Even if this diet is possible, it hardly seems sustainable for a busy, spontaneous, and/or normal eater.
- I can’t magically fly and I didn’t start reading minds or heal anyone’s cancer. AKA: this is, in fact, not a miracle diet.
As you may notice, I did not encounter any unicorns,
nor did I feel euphoric. However, I did feel somewhat “bigheaded,” simply
because I was following this trendy diet that is embellished to symbolize
“perfect” health. Truthfully, I didn’t think it would be all that hard to
follow this diet, but I quickly realized achieving ketosis is very difficult,
very time and mind consuming, and ultimately, not sustainable for my lifestyle.
Maybe you or the next person can thrive on an abundance of avocados, healthy
oils, nut butters, and meats, but I prefer to eat these food alongside complex
carbs like bananas, sweet potatoes, seedy breads, and gooey, homemade cookies.
And you can too! Ketosis does not, in fact, equal health, even if it is
sensationalized to try. One thing is for sure, I will never go a week without
sweet potatoes or apples ever again😊
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