The keto diet has become popular, with many hoping it can improve their health by following this low-carb, high-fat regimen. Unfortunately, recent research suggests it may increase bad cholesterol levels and raise heart disease risk.
Though fat can clog your arteries, its development depends on much more than diet alone; certain genes make certain people more susceptible to heart disease development than others.
What is a Keto Diet?
The keto diet, or high fat/low carb diet, has become popular with celebrities such as Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian and LeBron James. Though some cardiologists may oppose its implementation, others endorse its practice; key to understanding whether your chosen fats will actually promote heart health or pose potential risks is understanding which types are included within a keto diet; some can actually be detrimental.
Concerns over the Keto Diet are usually related to its high fat intake, which could raise cholesterol levels. But most of this fat comes from healthy sources like nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil – giving a low cholesterol diet without losing out nutritionally is possible!
Keto Diets are rich in protein. Common protein sources include meat and dairy; however, to get optimal health benefits from both sources it’s essential that they come from grass-fed sources without hormones or antibiotics used during production. Also, try to limit dairy intake as its saturated fats can significantly raise your cholesterol levels.
Another aspect to keep in mind when following a Keto Diet is its potential to cause nutritional deficiencies. Fiber, an integral part of good digestive health, may be scarce on this diet; therefore it is wise to include foods rich in fiber like leafy vegetables, legumes and whole grains into your daily meal plans for optimal digestive health.
Keto diets may also contain too much sodium, increasing your blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is crucial that you closely monitor how much salt you’re consuming while limiting processed food products in your diet.
Though some evidence indicates the Keto Diet may help improve heart health, it is wise to consult a cardiologist prior to beginning this diet. Furthermore, it should include low-glycemic fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and moderate amounts of healthy fats such as nuts, olive oil or avocados for maximum benefits.
Why is the Keto Diet so popular?
The keto diet has quickly become one of the most sought-after diets because it offers fast weight loss. This may have other health advantages as well, such as improved cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure; however, keto tends to be high in fats and sugars which could harm heart health in other ways.
The aim of a keto diet is to limit carb intake so that the body uses fat as fuel instead. This can be accomplished by restricting it to less than 20 grams a day and eating majority of calories from fat (75% and 20% from protein respectively). In addition, fruit and vegetable consumption must remain within moderate limits on this diet plan.
One drawback of the keto diet is its high saturated fat intake, which can increase LDL cholesterol levels and raise heart disease risk. Furthermore, keto does not distinguish between lean proteins and those rich in saturated fat sources like meat, butter, palm oil, lard or cocoa butter.
Another drawback of the keto diet is its potential to lead to nutritional deficiencies. For instance, this diet typically lacks fiber as well as various essential vitamins and minerals like A, C, E, K B6 folate. Furthermore, following it long-term may prove challenging.
Finally, keto diet can lead to yo-yo dieting which has potentially harmful repercussions for heart health. Yo-yo dieting causes fluctuation in weight, cholesterol levels and blood pressure which has been shown to increase risk for cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 40%.
Although the keto diet can have positive results on some individuals, it is wise to consult your physician prior to embarking on this diet. This is especially important if your family history includes heart disease or other serious medical issues that make the keto diet unsafe. You should also visit your physician if you suffer from chronic health conditions like diabetes or an eating disorder.
What are the benefits of the Keto Diet?
The keto diet reduces carbohydrates to force your body into ketosis – the process by which fats are broken down for energy – producing ketone bodies as fuel for brain and muscle function. Ketosis may also speed up weight loss while improving long-term blood sugar levels. But the diet does come with risks.
Low-carb diets such as Atkins can cause serious nutritional deficiencies and other health issues over time, by cutting out essential foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes from one’s diet – which increases risks such as heart disease, kidney stones and constipation. If any preexisting health issues exist it’s advisable to consult your physician first before beginning one of these plans.
Another concern of the keto diet is its potential to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. High LDL cholesterol can lead to clogged arteries and even heart attacks or stroke. A recent study conducted by cardiologists in China demonstrated that people who followed a keto diet for 20 years experienced sixfold more cases of atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat which increases risk of stroke – than people following any other diet.
The keto diet can also contain high concentrations of saturated fats, which have been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is important to remember that dietary fat does not directly cause cardiovascular illness; in fact, most of its source comes from healthy sources like nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil.
Short term, the keto diet can reduce your blood sugar and triglyceride levels, decreasing your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But to gain these same advantages long term, eating a balanced diet including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins could provide similar advantages.
The keto diet can also interfere with some medications used to treat heart conditions, including anti-clotting drugs and those which prevent blood clots from forming in legs and arms (blood thinners). Furthermore, it’s wise to limit consumption of foods containing processed or artificial ingredients as these increase your risk for heart disease.
What are the risks of the Keto Diet?
A keto diet provides many heart-health benefits, including lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels, and an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. But it may also cause other health issues, including gastrointestinal distress (constipation or diarrhea) as well as a sudden spike in LDL (bad) cholesterol which increases heart disease risk and atrial fibrillation risk; according to one recent study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting, individuals following keto-like diets had nearly double the risk of atrial fibrillation than those who don’t.
Another risk associated with keto dieting is its restriction of dietary fiber intake, which can be particularly hazardous for those already struggling with heart disease or diabetes, contributing to cardiovascular complications and potentially leading to further development. Furthermore, this diet may interfere with certain medications used for heart conditions; its restriction of whole grains might interfere with anti-clotting medications; additionally its removal of fruits and vegetables might interfere with SGLT-2 inhibitors, drugs designed to lower cholesterol levels.
While some individuals on the keto diet experience a decrease in cholesterol levels, others experience an increase. This could be caused by changes to how the body breaks down cholesterol or by an increase in saturated and trans fats in their diets.
Studies published in 2019 demonstrated that keto diet can impair brain function by altering the balance between glucose and insulin in the brain, suggesting a possible link between ketogenic diets and Alzheimer’s disease.
At its core, whether or not a keto diet is heart healthy comes down to how much fat is eaten as part of this eating plan and whether or not carbohydrates, salt, sugar and red meat consumption is restricted. Thus, keto isn’t advised for people who already have or are at an increased risk for heart disease – including those who may have a family history.