Most nutritionists would not recommend the keto diet, but the eating plan has some good takeaways.
Reducing processed foods is always a good thing, and limiting carbohydrates can help people deal with conditions such as diabetes.
Make sure you choose high quality fats and proteins to compensate for the lack of carbohydrates.
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The keto diet is not for everyone. In fact, the high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating pattern is considered by US News & World Report to be one of the worst diets year after year.
“As a dietitian, keto is not the best diet we would recommend for someone trying to improve their overall health,” Alyssa Pike, RD, nutrition communications manager for the International Food Information Council, told Insider.
Critics say the keto diet is too restrictive, “nutritious” and has no evidence of how it can affect long-term health. On the other hand, some anecdotal evidence suggests that diet may help people to cope with diabetes.
Read more: Keto is good for controlling blood sugar, but a low-fat vegan diet is better for weight loss, the study finds
Although the keto dietary principle of eating mostly fats and eating almost no carbohydrates – a way of forcing the body into ketosis, a condition where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose – can be too extreme for most people feel, some aspects of the diet may be applied in more moderate ways.
On top of that, we can all benefit from choosing higher quality carbohydrates, Gabby Landsverk previously wrote for Insider.
Insider talked to nutritionists about how to incorporate keto-like eating patterns without going into everything.
Start by cutting out processed foods and added sugar
Nutritionist Wendy Bazilian said the first step to starting any diet is to cut out processed foods.
“In a keto-style eating pattern – as in reality – I would limit the ultra-processed foods, bakery, ‘indulgent’ carbohydrates (donuts, cookies, cake), study added sugars and focus on limiting them,” Bazilian said. said. , author of ‘Eat Clean, Stay Lean’, wrote in an email to Insider.
Eliminating sugar drinks is another way to reduce unnecessary carbohydrates, Bazalian said. It contains the sweetener you might normally add to coffee or tea – even one tablespoon of honey adds almost 20 grams of carbohydrates a day which is allowed in some keto guidelines.
Read more: Eating processed foods can increase the risk of early death from heart disease by 58%, the study finds
If it works for you to get rid of sweets, the next step is to get rid of bread. The keto diet will also prescribe that you should not eat whole grains, but other carbohydrate eating patterns may allow you to eat something like quinoa or farro.
You can eat fruit and still maintain a low-carbohydrate diet
The true keto diet involves not eating fruits, most vegetables, grains, potatoes, sweets or any carbohydrate-rich foods, Pike told Insider. But so many constraints can be difficult to keep up with in the long run.
Bazilian said although she would like to encourage someone who is keto-curious to be ‘selective’ about what fruits and vegetables they eat, she would not recommend eliminating them altogether.
“I think it’s possible to relax with keto, but I know there are a lot of people who would suggest otherwise,” Bazilian said. “But it’s also not really keto if there are still a lot of carbohydrates in the mixture.”
Strawberries and blueberries contain little sugar and many antioxidants, and tomatoes and olives can act as a salty snack that contains relatively few carbohydrates. Just make sure you do not eat so many fruits and vegetables that you blow past your carbohydrate limits – most keto eating plans contain 20 to 50 grams per day.
Read more: According to nutritionists, there are 6 benefits of science-supported blueberries
Photo by Cathy Scola / Getty Images
Eat more healthy fats and do not forget about plant proteins
Since the keto diet consists mostly of fats and proteins, it is possible to eat keto and become less healthy. Low carbohydrate diets where people rely on saturated fat and cholesterol have been linked to a higher risk for some diseases.
If you do consume a certain macronutrient, such as carbohydrates, it is important to make sure you eat high-quality foods from the remaining groups, Bazilian said.
Read more: An early advocate for keto says the diet has gone ‘too far’ and we need to stop demonizing carbohydrates
Make sure your fat intake includes heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory foods such as avocados, nuts, olive oil and flaxseed.
Many people trying the keto diet increase their intake of animal proteins, Pike told Insider. But eating two or more servings of meat a week is associated with a higher risk.
heart disease .
Adding a plant-based protein, such as pea protein powder, can help maintain lean muscle mass without letting bad cholesterol levels get out of hand.
If you like the way you feel, try some keto goals
If you cut down on carbohydrates and eat more healthy fats and proteins, you can work towards stricter keto guidelines.
“There are a few different distributions of macronutrients that you can follow if you have the keto diet, but one common distribution is to eat 5% of your total calories from carbohydrates, 20% protein and 75% fat,” Pike said. . said and added that such a low amount of carbohydrates does not meet most people’s nutritional needs.
Read more: A nutritionist has been on a diet and still gaining weight all his life. Then he tried the keto diet and ‘it was like a switch being turned on’.
Bazilian said she recommends that her clients assess how they feel during the first month of a diet – not only physically but also mentally. And if you are looking for weight loss or to control blood sugar levels, you need to keep an eye on the criteria from the start to see if you get results.
