The keto diet may be harmful to heart health

The keto diet requires increased intake of fat and protein, including saturated fat, which can cause heart attacks and strokes.

The keto diet emphasizes fat, protein, and carbohydrates, then uses a backup system called ketosis to force the liver to use fat for energy. To maintain weight loss, people get only 10% of their carbs and more than 70% of their calories from fat. That means the diet severely restricts many food groups, including grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, many dairy products, and even some nuts that contain carbohydrates. People must consume large amounts of full-fat dairy and fatty meats.

Many people want to lose weight quickly, so they choose to follow the keto diet, completely cutting out carbs and controlling their portions appropriately. This diet can be effective in the short term, but often backfires in the long term.

When the body enters the metabolic state of ketosis, people often experience side effects such as feeling sleepy, dry mouth or unwell. These symptoms will disappear as the body adapts to this state.

Therefore, keto is an attractive diet for many people because they can eat a lot of delicious, fatty foods such as cheese, bacon, steak, fatty meat. These foods also contribute to stimulating the body to burn stored fat for fuel.

However, the keto diet is not good for the cardiovascular system, and is even classified as an unhealthy diet by the American Heart Association. The reason is that this diet restricts food groups that are considered necessary for humans, while also encouraging people to eat saturated fats, which are not recommended.

In addition, the body needs glucose or carbohydrates as its main source of energy to function properly; not every cell in the body can use fat for energy. Even when the keto diet is optimally managed, participants still do not get enough healthy phytochemicals and fiber from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, this diet is harmful to the liver and kidneys.

A meal high in red meat and low in starch on the keto diet. Photo: Freepik — A meal high in red meat and low in starch on the keto diet. Photo: *Freepik*

Scientists have since linked this diet to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, people on the keto diet have higher blood cholesterol levels, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, when people don’t eat enough non-starchy vegetables, it can lead to inadequate fiber intake, which increases the risk of various cancers. At the same time, the body’s ability to control cholesterol is also affected.

Many people want to eat keto to lose weight quickly, says nutritionist Maya Feller. They believe that the A1C, which measures average blood sugar, will drop, which can be beneficial for people with prediabetes or diabetes. But the keto diet also raises LDL (also known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association has not yet conducted scientific studies to definitively determine the long-term effects of the keto diet. However, because the diet does not adhere to general heart health guidelines, it is not recommended for the general population, or you should consult your doctor before using it.

Chile (According to National Geographic )

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