The Dangers of a Keto Diet

Keto diets may be an effective way to lose weight quickly, but they’re also dangerous. Overdoing keto can cause long-term health complications including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

One of the key risks of a keto diet is becoming deficient in key minerals like calcium and potassium that promote bone health, such as those who take blood pressure medications or who have type 2 diabetes. This could be particularly problematic if individuals who follow such a plan take medications intended to lower their blood pressure or have type 2 diabetes themselves.

Fats

Fats are essential nutrients that supply our body with energy and help regulate many internal processes. Too little or too much of any type of fat may be detrimental to health.

Saturated and unsaturated fats are two main categories of lipids. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and do not contain double bonds between carbon atoms in their chains, while unsaturated lipids do contain these double bonds and so they are typically classified as unsaturated fats.

Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds between carbon atoms in their chain and are generally considered heart-healthy. Sources of unsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocados and nuts.

Meat

If you are following a keto diet, it is important to be aware of the dangers associated with meat consumption. Red and processed meat can contain high amounts of saturated fat which is associated with heart disease.

Ideally, when eating meat on a keto diet, aim for fresh cuts of meat rather than processed ones; processed ones contain additional sugars and preservatives that increase carb intake.

Vegetables

Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals; however, on a keto diet they must be carefully chosen and consumed in moderation.

One reason is that vegetables contain many carbohydrates that could potentially kick you out of ketosis.

If you’re new to keto dieting, make sure you know which vegetables are permissible so you can plan your meals and ensure you’re receiving all of the required nutrients. This will ensure optimal performance on this lifestyle diet!

Nuts

Nuts make an ideal addition to the keto diet as they’re high in fat while low in carbohydrates and rich in nutrients and dietary fiber.

Though all nuts may seem equal, some contain more carbs than others which makes them less suitable for keto diet.

Some nuts, such as hazelnuts and macadamias, offer low net carb counts for keto dieters; others, like walnuts and pecans, can contain more carbs.

Eggs

Eggs are an integral component of the keto diet, providing essential dietary benefits such as fats, proteins and essential vitamins and minerals.

Eggs can help keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout the day, but beware of eating too many eggs at once.

The American Heart Association suggests consuming one whole egg daily and additional egg whites as needed for added protein intake.

On a keto diet, people tend to consume 30 eggs in one sitting; this may be dangerous if your macronutrient ratio or caloric intake are off.

Dairy

Dairy products are one of the most beloved keto foods and, when consumed in moderation, can provide many healthful benefits – keeping you feeling full while providing important vitamins such as protein.

Milk contains nutritious fats that support weight loss and cardiovascular wellness, but too much dairy could trigger an insulin surge or reduce ketone production and thus prevent your weight loss progress from being advanced further.

Additionally, individuals sensitive to lactose or the proteins in milk have difficulty digesting it properly, leading to abdominal discomfort, bloating and loose stools – known as lactose intolerance.

Oils

Although consuming oils on a keto diet might seem beneficial, their consumption can actually cause more harm than good. They’re highly inflammatory and destabilizing if your diet lacks omega-3s from fish or other sources.

These oils contain polyunsaturated fatty acids which may contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress, raising the risk of cancer and other diseases. For optimal health outcomes it is wise to select fats with higher monounsaturated fatty acid content such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil and low omega-6 fatty acid content such as coconut oil.