5 Myths About the 'Keto Diet' You Need to Know Right Now
As with any dietary trend, keto has faced a backlash from nutritional experts and amateurs alike. Here, we serve up the myths and common misconceptions...
Cutting Out a Whole Class of Macronutrients is Unnatural
Human physiology evolved without access to the vast amounts of sugar and other refined carbs that are readily available and consumed today. Ancient humans would simply have eaten what they could find in the natural world, such as meat, fish, insects and grubs. The only plant food would have been picked, or dug from the ground, and would have been high in fibre.
When it comes to “natural” eating, the Paleo diet, with its emphasis on meat, fish, berries, nuts and oils, might be the closest to what our ancestors ate – though it is unlikely that your caveman ancestor was chowing down on Mediterranean fish and South American potatoes in a single meal.
The bottom line: For millennia before the agricultural revolution, humans had no access to the kinds of carbs we rely on today. They didn’t eat cultivated crops, much less the highly refined white flour and sugar that forms such a big part of our diet today. This means that keto is, in many ways, more natural than the modern diet.
Giving Up Carbs Raises Cholesterol
A 2004 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that, over a six-month period, participants on a keto diet lost more weight than their non-keto counterparts and had greater reductions in their triglyceride levels.
Keto participants also had higher levels of HDL cholesterol – the so-called “good” kind – which often rises when carbohydrates are replaced with saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These results were backed up in a 2018 study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research.
So, yes, going keto may affect your cholesterol levels, but the results are likely to be beneficial. This is largely down to the increase in polyunsaturated fats in your diet from nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil – rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which protect
the heart and boost your overall coronary health.
The bottom line: The keto diet is safe for most men, and there is strong evidence that it can help to realign your cholesterol levels. However, there are a few important provisos. Because the diet is high in protein, it may not be safe for those who have kidney disease, gout, or insulin-dependent diabetes. If in doubt, check with your GP first.
Cutting Out Carbs Is Too Difficult To Maintain
As anyone who has ever tried to cut carbs knows, it can be a shock to the system. Arguably
the hardest part is adjusting your social habits when, say, colleagues invite you for a post-work pizza or hand you a plate of office birthday cake.
However, if your willpower holds out at the start of your transition to keto, the scientific evidence suggests that you’ll beat temptation in the long run. Sticking to a low-carb diet leads to a reduction in appetite and cravings, which should make the diet easier to maintain.
And don’t forget that going keto isn’t the same as following a restrictive protein-and-greens diet. The idea is to focus on fat, so you can still get your fix of cheat meals from old favourites such as bacon, cheese and steaks. All in moderation, of course.
The bottom line: Reducing the quantity of carbohydrates you eat may actually help to reduce hunger in the long term. If you can suppress your cravings with the occasional flavoursome fatty treat, there’s no reason why you should scrape the idea of going keto off your plate.
Going Keto Causes Constipation
The keto diet can cause constipation if you’re not careful, but you can keep things running smoothly by making the most of your limited carb allowance and consuming plenty of fibre. The keto diet typically allows 50g of carbs per day, with stricter adherents opting
for just 20g. This throws up interesting choices: you can either choose one slice of
white bread, or a whole plate of fibre-rich spinach, a pepper, half a dozen cherry tomatoes and a courgette.
So, instead of a single potato or a handful of pasta or rice, opt for the maximum bang for your buck with fibre-loaded swaps, such as cauliflower rice, spiralised courgettes or a generous bowl of nuts. Loading up on fibre will help digestion, ensure you aren’t missing out on essential vitamins and minerals and maintain your gut health.
Bottom line: Make sure your carb intake contains as much fibre as possible. It’s also worth considering that much of your daily water comes from the food you eat, and the keto diet can be lacking in this respect. Make sure that you drink plenty of water to help maintain
a healthy bowel function and prevent dehydration.
The Benefits Will Only Last as Long as The Diet
There’s some truth in this, though it’s by no means exclusive to keto. Four out of five people who lose at least 10% of their bodyweight eventually regain it, or end up larger than before. The reason, according to a study in Obesity, is that we often experience a surge in appetite after a diet, with the body typically desiring an extra 100kcal per 1kg of weight lost. Take your eye off the scales and you’ll soon find yourself back where you started.
This isn’t to suggest that all diets are a waste of time. If it’s accompanied by other beneficial changes, such as reducing your alcohol intake, sleeping more and following a gym routine, you’re more likely to stick to your new, healthy habits, even when you relax the diet. So, remain conscious of the choices you make without beating yourself up about the occasional blowout.
All diets come with the risk of boom and bust. That’s why consistency is crucial in every food plan. However, one stumble doesn’t mean you’ve completely fallen off the wagon. If you stumble and gorge yourself into a carb coma, just start again the next day. Cheat days were invented for a reason, after all.
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