As someone who is working hard to control or prevent Type 2 diabetes, one diet you may have heard about is the ketogenic or keto diet plan. This diet is a very low carbohydrate diet plan consisting of around…
- 5% total carbohydrates,
- 30% protein, and a
- whopping 65% dietary fat.
If there is one thing this diet will do, its help to control your blood sugar levels. This said, there is more to eating well than just controlling your blood sugar.
Let’s go over some of the main reasons why this diet doesn’t always stack up to be as great as it sounds…
1. You’ll Be Lacking Dietary Fiber. The first big problem with the ketogenic diet is you’ll be seriously lacking in dietary fiber. Almost all vegetables are cut from this plan (apart from the very low-carb varieties), and fruits are definitely not permitted. High fiber grains are also out of the equation, so this leaves you with primarily protein and fats – two foods containing no fiber at all.
Go on this diet and you’ll find you start to feel backed up in no time.
2. You’ll Be Low In Energy. Another big issue with the ketogenic diet is you’ll be low in energy to carry out your exercise program. Your body can only utilize glucose as a fuel source for very intense exercise and if you aren’t taking in carbohydrates, you’ll have no glucose available.
Therefore, the ketogenic diet is not for anyone who wants to lead an active lifestyle with regular workout sessions.
3. You May Suffer Brain Fog. Those who are using the ketogenic diet may also find they suffer from brain fog. Again, this is thanks to the fact your brain primarily runs off glucose.
Some people may find after a week or two of using the diet they start to feel better as their brain can switch over to using ketone bodies as a fuel source, but others may never find they begin to feel better.
All in all, this diet simply does not work for some people for this very reason.
4. Your Antioxidant Status Will Decline. Finally, the last issue with the ketogenic diet is due to the lack of fruit and vegetable content – your antioxidant status is going to sharply decline.
Antioxidants are important for fending off free radical damage, so this isn’t something to take lightly. If you aren’t taking them in, you could end up ill in the future.
So keep these points in mind as the diet comes with some risks. The ketogenic diet converts fat instead of sugar into energy. It was first created as a treatment for epilepsy but now the effects of the diet are being looked at to help Type 2 diabetics lower their blood sugar. Make sure you discuss the diet with your doctor before making any dietary changes.