Pros and cons of a Keto Diet
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I've done keto for a couple of years. Since I have stuck with it, the rpos outweigh the cons. For me:
Pros:- smaller appetite
- fewer cravings
- better energy no blood glucose swings - better BG control
- better BP
- better skin and hair
- better memory and cognition
- easier weight loss
- good food: bacon, eggs, cheese, pepperoni, hamburger, seafood, cheese dips nuts, olives, avocados, some veggies
- better BMs
- less gas and better breath
- less bloating
- less inflamation
- less pain
- fewer headaches
- easier to skip meals
- better endurance once fat adapted
- eliminates many processed foods
- May lead to a reduced risk of dieases (T2D, CAD, cancer)
- high nutrient foods
Cons:- No sugar or flours
- less convenient
- people judge it without much knowledge of it
- keto flu - entirely preventable if you replace the sodium you have lost
ETA to add that I have not found keto to be more expesive. My meals are usually meat, eggs and veggies. Convenience foods are expensive - like pepperoni sticks - but beyond nuts, it seems to be resaonably priced. Meat and salad vs meat and potatoes with carrots. Or tacos without the shell or refried beans... It could possibly be cheaper if you drop refined or highly processed foods16 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
Based on the current rage, i suspect most new keto'ers would freak out with those carb totals. And i suspect, its not the norm. But definitely impressive that you can pull that off.2 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
That's similar to how I was eating when ketoing, and I believe I was in ketosis, but I kept getting the message for others that "keto" should be lower and I wasn't doing it right, and all the people posting about starting kept getting the advice to stay below 20 or certainly below 50 g carbs total.
I totally agree that if you stick to below 50 g net and focus on getting those primarily from vegetables that it can be done. It's the advice that you should aim for below 20 and even that as low as possible is better, that 5 g carbs is something to consider a perfect day, that I found problematic. NOT for people who want to try carnivore or who think they have a problem with veg (not my business, different things work for different people), but as what seems to be the message some places for how keto should be done.
I DON'T mean the main keto/low carb thread here, where I think all kinds of ways of low carbing are done and people are non judgmental, but many parts of the keto world and in many of the challenges I saw on MFP. I basically could not have done most of the keto challenges, since too many veg. Which is fine, since I had been around enough not to be discouraged from what I was doing, but I think this does tell some newbies they are better off NOT eating many veg.2 -
Christine_72 wrote: »... Last week, i had a day where i ate around 400g of cauliflower and broccoli, absolutely not a large amount, and for that small bowl, the carbs equaled 27g. How can people claim they eat lots more vegetables since starting keto, unless of course they ate little to none before starting??
The net carbs (total carbs - fiber) in your 400 grams of cauliflower and broccoli are somewhere between 8 and 17 grams, depending on the relative amounts of the two veggies. That would be a seriously supersized serving for me but I wouldn't have any difficulty accommodating it in my keto menu.
The plant-based portion of my keto dinner tonight was 150 grams of yellow squash sauteed with 40 grams of onion, 85 grams of green beans, and a good sized salad with 45 grams of lettuce, 20 grams of baby spinach, 50 grams of tomato, 39 grams of cucumber, and 18 grams of green onion. The entree, hamburger steak, was pan-broiled with 33 grams of baby portabella mushrooms and the dressing for my salad was a couple of tablespoons of spinach dip made with Greek yogurt. The net carbs for all of that was a grand total of 13 grams. Breakfast today was bacon and eggs, so no carbs. Lunch was a fathead pizza topped with pepperoni, chopped onion and red bell pepper, and portabella mushrooms for only 5 net carbs. So that's 18 grams for the day, which is well below the 35-gram limit I've set for myself to stay in ketosis. There's still room for a bedtime snack.
Pros: I love nearly all vegetables and find the meals satisfying.
Cons: Expensive. I love fathead pizza and have been known to binge on it, but it's a lot more expensive to prepare than regular pizza. And though I don't have sugar cravings anymore, there are days when I would kill for a bagel.
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AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
Based on the current rage, i suspect most new keto'ers would freak out with those carb totals. And i suspect, its not the norm. But definitely impressive that you can pull that off.
Even half of that is 7 servings (19g net carbs) and more than most Americans eat. Diet quality typically improves when people are instructed to eat low carb - it's as much of a confounder as protein is in low carb diet studies.
P.S. I don't normally eat 2.5 pounds of produce. I love vegetables and eat them with every meal because I enjoy them but 200-300g (or 2-4 servings) a meal is more than enough for me.1 -
Peer reviewed source for this?Keto is how much of mankind lived for tens of thousands of years.
It is one of the most natural ways of eating for the human body and the body works best on ketones not glucose, for example your heart and brain.
Everyone's experience is different. I did keto for contests (this was back in the late 80's) and didn't experience the above at all. In fact, most of it was opposite.Pros:
Loads of fiber, vitamins and minerals from the high intake of leafy green vegetables and other low carb vegetables. I never ate so many veggies in my life until I went on Keto!
Sharpened clarity of thinking - no more brain fog due to too many carbs.
Ward off the risk of cancer with very low carbs.
No hungry feelings anymore, because there are no longer any swings of insulin and blood sugar as I used to experience on a carb based diet.
Sustained energy throughout the day, lots of energy!
No longer craving the things I used to need a fix for, like ice cream, chocolate, and so on.
Cons:
You do need to make an effort to keep some variety going across different meals, if you're prone to getting bored. Same with lots of things in life really.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
5 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
Taking 37 net carbs would only come up at 235 calories instead of 278.3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
That's similar to how I was eating when ketoing, and I believe I was in ketosis, but I kept getting the message for others that "keto" should be lower and I wasn't doing it right, and all the people posting about starting kept getting the advice to stay below 20 or certainly below 50 g carbs total.
I totally agree that if you stick to below 50 g net and focus on getting those primarily from vegetables that it can be done. It's the advice that you should aim for below 20 and even that as low as possible is better, that 5 g carbs is something to consider a perfect day, that I found problematic. NOT for people who want to try carnivore or who think they have a problem with veg (not my business, different things work for different people), but as what seems to be the message some places for how keto should be done.
I DON'T mean the main keto/low carb thread here, where I think all kinds of ways of low carbing are done and people are non judgmental, but many parts of the keto world and in many of the challenges I saw on MFP. I basically could not have done most of the keto challenges, since too many veg. Which is fine, since I had been around enough not to be discouraged from what I was doing, but I think this does tell some newbies they are better off NOT eating many veg.
I think the 20g carb limit allows for more than enough vegetables and is reasonable in that it ensures ketosis - which is important when telling people to eat to satiety. It's more restrictive than need be for a lot of people I imagine but it's a reasonable suggestion for a ketogenic diet.
That said, I do really, really hate the less-carbs-the-better-fat-bombs-protein-turns-to-sugar keto mentality you'll find some places but there's more sources for good information than bad I think (for those who care, some don't).1 -
Pros - A great choice if it fits your preferences.
Cons - A terrible choice if it does not fit your preferences.
There are many ways to eat and be healthy, find the one the suits you...31 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
That's similar to how I was eating when ketoing, and I believe I was in ketosis, but I kept getting the message for others that "keto" should be lower and I wasn't doing it right, and all the people posting about starting kept getting the advice to stay below 20 or certainly below 50 g carbs total.
I totally agree that if you stick to below 50 g net and focus on getting those primarily from vegetables that it can be done. It's the advice that you should aim for below 20 and even that as low as possible is better, that 5 g carbs is something to consider a perfect day, that I found problematic. NOT for people who want to try carnivore or who think they have a problem with veg (not my business, different things work for different people), but as what seems to be the message some places for how keto should be done.
I DON'T mean the main keto/low carb thread here, where I think all kinds of ways of low carbing are done and people are non judgmental, but many parts of the keto world and in many of the challenges I saw on MFP. I basically could not have done most of the keto challenges, since too many veg. Which is fine, since I had been around enough not to be discouraged from what I was doing, but I think this does tell some newbies they are better off NOT eating many veg.
I think the 20g carb limit allows for more than enough vegetables and is reasonable in that it ensures ketosis - which is important when telling people to eat to satiety. It's more restrictive than need be for a lot of people I imagine but it's a reasonable suggestion for a ketogenic diet.
That said, I do really, really hate the less-carbs-the-better-fat-bombs-protein-turns-to-sugar keto mentality you'll find some places but there's more sources for good information than bad I think (for those who care, some don't).
I think we are largely in agreement, although I really disagree that 20 g carbs allows for enough vegetables. I would have had to limit veg sharply, and I don't think telling people that they need to worry about the carbs in their veg is a good thing.
I'd also say that looking ONLY at carbs in vegetables undercounts it, as avocados are highly promoted within keto (which I think is great, but they had more carbs than I realized personally) and of course nuts have carbs. Also, vegetables (even non starchy veg) vary a LOT in carbs -- brussels sprouts have a lot more than spinach -- and some of the differences are not intuitive (focusing only on carbs would push you to iceberg vs. kale, for example). I prefer promoting a wide variety of vegetables, and not worrying that I can only afford cucumbers, not cauliflower or whatever today, and I also like being able to eat as seasonally as possible, so that's another reason why I think trying to keep under 20 g as the definition of keto ends up meaning that people aren't as open to eating them or even adverse, not great when many, many people who try it are probably already not eating enough and would be better off eating more nutrient dense carbs rather than just deciding anything with carbs is bad. (Okay, soapbox over.)
But I also don't think 20 g (especially 20 g net) is necessary for ketosis (especially if one is not really sedentary or small already, and people are unlikely to be both, IMO).
But can you be in ketosis (or do a version of a LCHF diet) and eat lots of vegetables if you prioritize it? Absolutely.5 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
That's similar to how I was eating when ketoing, and I believe I was in ketosis, but I kept getting the message for others that "keto" should be lower and I wasn't doing it right, and all the people posting about starting kept getting the advice to stay below 20 or certainly below 50 g carbs total.
I totally agree that if you stick to below 50 g net and focus on getting those primarily from vegetables that it can be done. It's the advice that you should aim for below 20 and even that as low as possible is better, that 5 g carbs is something to consider a perfect day, that I found problematic. NOT for people who want to try carnivore or who think they have a problem with veg (not my business, different things work for different people), but as what seems to be the message some places for how keto should be done.
I DON'T mean the main keto/low carb thread here, where I think all kinds of ways of low carbing are done and people are non judgmental, but many parts of the keto world and in many of the challenges I saw on MFP. I basically could not have done most of the keto challenges, since too many veg. Which is fine, since I had been around enough not to be discouraged from what I was doing, but I think this does tell some newbies they are better off NOT eating many veg.
Yeah, they get down right vicious on some of the Facebook keto groups. You can even be kicked out for asking about their thoughts on above 20g carbs. It's crazy! Those people are taking something helpful and turning it into something no one can live by except their little cultish following.. And the "THATS NOT KETO!" Mentality makes me want to slap the stupid out of them. If it don't throw you out of ketosis.. it's bleedin keto!
20g-50g is usually what people do but you can play around with it and test to see what amount of carbs throws you back out of ketosis. Some can get up to 100g..but they are more rare. And foods they say isn't keto?? Pfft. If you google the list of keto foods, one may have the item restricted while another has it under "in moderation" category. One of the list forbid coffee!! Ehem..BP coffee is still coffee..
My point is to those who only knew the stricter side of keto.. Chillax! Anyone would fail under YOUR guidelines! Ever wonder why so many don't fail? Cause we we do things OUR WAY. And it works..8 -
Probably the biggest con with Keto and any fad diet is the fact that the probability of them being sustainable for life is infinitesimally small. As such, it does not really facilitate a lifestyle change, just a temporary "diet". When you add in the fact that highly restrictive regimens in general increase the likelihood of failure for a life change with an already sky high rate of attrition, it's probably not the wisest of ideas for most people.11
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JustRobby1 wrote: »Probably the biggest con with Keto and any fad diet is the fact that the probability of them being sustainable for life is infinitesimally small. As such, it does not really facilitate a lifestyle change, just a temporary "diet". When you add in the fact that highly restrictive regimens in general increase the likelihood of failure for a life change with an already sky high rate of attrition, it's probably not the wisest of ideas for most people.
I don't disagree with what you said other then I don't think Keto is a fad. Plenty of people find it fits their lifestyle and preferences and IMO they are the only ones who should do it. I just caution people not to do it because you've been told it's the only way to achieve health and well being...9 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »AlabasterVerve wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »AlabasterVerve wrote: »I eat less vegetables now just because I eat less than I did before but a day that looks like this (fruit & vegetables in the morning, salad for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner) isn't unusual and I imagine it is a lot of vegetables for most (low carb or not):
Summary: 2.5 pounds or 14 servings of vegetables, 37 net carbs
That's similar to how I was eating when ketoing, and I believe I was in ketosis, but I kept getting the message for others that "keto" should be lower and I wasn't doing it right, and all the people posting about starting kept getting the advice to stay below 20 or certainly below 50 g carbs total.
I totally agree that if you stick to below 50 g net and focus on getting those primarily from vegetables that it can be done. It's the advice that you should aim for below 20 and even that as low as possible is better, that 5 g carbs is something to consider a perfect day, that I found problematic. NOT for people who want to try carnivore or who think they have a problem with veg (not my business, different things work for different people), but as what seems to be the message some places for how keto should be done.
I DON'T mean the main keto/low carb thread here, where I think all kinds of ways of low carbing are done and people are non judgmental, but many parts of the keto world and in many of the challenges I saw on MFP. I basically could not have done most of the keto challenges, since too many veg. Which is fine, since I had been around enough not to be discouraged from what I was doing, but I think this does tell some newbies they are better off NOT eating many veg.
I think the 20g carb limit allows for more than enough vegetables and is reasonable in that it ensures ketosis - which is important when telling people to eat to satiety. It's more restrictive than need be for a lot of people I imagine but it's a reasonable suggestion for a ketogenic diet.
That said, I do really, really hate the less-carbs-the-better-fat-bombs-protein-turns-to-sugar keto mentality you'll find some places but there's more sources for good information than bad I think (for those who care, some don't).
I think we are largely in agreement, although I really disagree that 20 g carbs allows for enough vegetables. <snip>
I'm in the old school "eat your vegetables, they're good for you" camp. The more recent "more is better" vegetable hysteria is not something I subscribe to - healthful, lovely and fine if you enjoy it but not necessary or optimal for good health.0 -
Oh I forgot, some other pros of Keto (compared to high carbs) for:
* Epilepsy
* Alzheimers
* Parkinsons
Ketones: Metabolism's Ugly Duckling
Theodore B. Vanitallie, M D Thomas H. Nufert, BA
Nutrition Reviews, Volume 61, Issue 10, 1 October 2003, Pages 327–341, https://doi.org/10.1301/nr.2003.oct.327-34110 -
Shame about all the people who continue to argue against Keto, while millions more people across the globe continue to be trapped and become part of the obesity epidemic. Arguing that just go ahead and eat whatever you like as long as you stay within calories.
The modern 'fad' for carb centric diets started after WW2 but it clearly hasn't worked, as evidenced by looking around while at the mall.
It's about time people started waking up and getting back to the position of Ketosis being absolutely okay and a natural experience that many people went into and out of regularly over hundreds of thousands of years of man's evolution.29 -
Oh I forgot, some other pros of Keto (compared to high carbs) for:
* Epilepsy
* Alzheimers
* Parkinsons
Ketones: Metabolism's Ugly Duckling
Theodore B. Vanitallie, M D Thomas H. Nufert, BA
Nutrition Reviews, Volume 61, Issue 10, 1 October 2003, Pages 327–341, https://doi.org/10.1301/nr.2003.oct.327-341
The only choices are not just keto or high carb. False dilemma. And high carb in a person at a healthy body weight and eating a overall healthy diet had not been proven to have harmful health effects.8 -
Shame about all the people who continue to argue against Keto, while millions more people across the globe continue to be trapped and become part of the obesity epidemic. Arguing that just go ahead and eat whatever you like as long as you stay within calories.
The modern 'fad' for carb centric diets started after WW2 but it clearly hasn't worked, as evidenced by looking around while at the mall.
It's about time people started waking up and getting back to the position of Ketosis being absolutely okay and a natural experience that many people went into and out of regularly over hundreds of thousands of years of man's evolution.
You can get just as fat eating LCHF/Keto as you can eating the SAD (or any variation of the SAD).13
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