Have you heard of the KETO diet? It is the newest trend. It looks like it may not be the healthiest for you, though.
Top Cardiologist Warns Against the Keto Diet
According to top cardiologist Dr. Kim Williams, the keto diet is not healthy and people should not be doing it long-term. He says that filling up your body with proteins – mostly animal proteins – such as meat, eggs, and animal fats like butter is far from the key to immortality.
No matter how trendy keto may be, it is not sustainable and can be harmful to your body.
What Is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet focuses on two staples: fats and protein. Carbs are a no-no and must be kept very low.
While some people are doing a vegan version of keto, the standard keto diet focuses on animal protein and fats. Hence these diets may not only lack carbs, but also some vital vitamins and minerals found in plant foods.
The promise of the keto diet is weight loss. Ketosis helps the body burn fat very quickly. It’s true that many keto dieters lose weight very rapidly on this carb-free program that induces ketosis. Dr. Kim even acknowledges the diet can be used on a short-term basis for weight loss.
In the world where people are still looking for quick fixes and rapid weight loss, there is no wonder that the weight loss promise of keto is appealing to so many. Not to mention the marketing campaigns are superb.
Why Is Keto Bad for You?
Dr. Williams is a past president of the American College of Cardiology. He believes that short-term keto is fine, however, he advises against long-term keto. He spoke with Plant-Based News and said that while “the basic concept: you change your dietary habits and you change something” is appealing, he strongly believes that “the science of it is wrong.”
Dr. Williams explained that if someone wanted short-term weight loss and nothing else, then people may find success with the keto diet.
He shared a very interesting study published in the Journal of American Heart Association “that isolated the people who had a heart attack in the past, the cardiology population that we’re seeing, and they were doing a ketogenic diet. It was a 53 percent increase in mortality.”
The study, now six years old, found that no matter how popular it may be, low-carb dieting is actually related to a rise in mortality, especially when it comes to heart-related death. Another study finishing just last year analyzed information from patients going back to the 1980s and reached very similar conclusions.
Should You do Keto?
The keto diet can burn fat. For short-term weight loss, it can be fantastic. However, long-term, your body needs some carbohydrates. Your body needs a variety of nutrients and a more balanced approach than keto. It also seems that long-term, keto could even be dangerous for you.
If you want long-term weight loss, weight maintenance, and health, it may be better to just get back to the basics: eat a nutrient-dense, healthy, and balanced diet without looking for quick fixes.
What do you think about the keto diet? Have you tried it? Share your thoughts in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!
