Ketogenic Diet: Risks and Benefits of a High-Fat Eating Plan
The ketogenic diet involves a high-fat and low-carbohydrate eating pattern, even though carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy. Through this dietary approach, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies, which are then used as the main source of energy for the body instead of carbohydrates.
This metabolic process of converting fat into energy is called ketosis and is, from a medical standpoint, a physiological (normal) state, but only in the short term.
Inducing this state of ketosis (burning fat to supply the body with energy) is the main goal of the keto diet, a diet that has become very popular over the last 5–6 years, although it has been known and used since the 19th century to alleviate certain medical conditions in both adults and children.
What Is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a type of eating plan based on a high intake of fats (vegetable oils such as olive oil, butter, cream, other full-fat dairy products, nuts and seeds, fatty meat and fish) and a low intake of carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cereals, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and peas). At the same time, the keto diet includes a moderate intake of protein (eggs, tofu, soy, chicken, turkey, duck, beef, lamb, pork).
In the 19th century, the medical ketogenic diet was extremely common and was used to control blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.
In 1920, it was introduced as a treatment for children with forms of epilepsy that did not respond to medication. In fact, the ketogenic diet is closely associated with Dr. Russell Wilder from the Mayo Clinic in the United States, who from 1924 until the appearance of anticonvulsant medication (around 1930) recommended it to reduce seizure episodes in epileptic patients.
The ketogenic diet for children was recommended by Dr. Wilder after he observed a decrease in the frequency of epileptic seizures associated with a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with moderate protein intake.
It was not until the 1970s that the keto diet began to be considered as a weight-loss approach.
The Paleo, South Beach, and Dukan diets are also based on a similar principle to the ketogenic diet, namely reducing carbohydrate intake, but with a higher protein intake and a moderate fat intake.
Ketogenic Diet Menu
Example of a keto diet menu:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon fried in butter, green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, coffee with milk
Lunch: Grilled turkey thigh with cauliflower or broccoli purée
Dinner: Grilled salmon or another fatty fish with celery purée and butter, salad, olive oil
There is no single “standard” ketogenic diet that specifies exact permitted amounts of carbohydrates, fats, or proteins, or a fixed list of allowed foods.
There are different versions of the keto diet in which the only constant is a reduced carbohydrate intake, less than 50 grams of carbohydrates (the equivalent of a pretzel) or even less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.
In general, this type of high-fat diet involves:
70–80% of daily calories from fats
5–10% from carbohydrates
10–20% from proteins
For a person consuming 2,000 calories per day, this means approximately:
165 grams of fat
40 grams of carbohydrates
75 grams of protein
Both the ketogenic diet and diets in general are not suitable in the long term, precisely because they cannot ensure a balanced intake of nutrients tailored to each individual. We nourish ourselves with macronutrients and micronutrients, and these should be “dosed” according to individual needs.
For example, weight loss in the #DrBalanicaMethod occurs through a slightly hyperproteic menu, balanced in terms of fats, with an optimal ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats, and low in carbohydrates, favoring those with a low glycemic index and an adequate fiber content. Subsequently, stabilization (maintaining weight after weight loss) requires a different organization of nutrients depending on the objective.
Individual Nutritional Needs
The #DrBalanicaMethod is a scientific way of changing routines and is not a diet. In this process of patient transformation, three specialties are involved: medicine, nutrition, and psychology.
Individual nutritional needs are assessed through specific nutritional measurements, paraclinical and clinical investigations, depending on age, sex, physical activity level, associated pathologies, and more. A personalized approach, focused on the person rather than the diagnosis or disease, is the key when a patient wants to make a change.
Most people come to the clinic to lose weight, but essentially they are seeking the “benefits” of weight loss, which differ from person to person. These may include self-esteem, concern about the development of diseases, physical appearance, finding suitable clothing, or sometimes the desire for a healthy lifestyle and the prevention of chronic conditions.
A multidirectional approach helps the patient make the journey from “I want” to “I can”, from the statement “I want to be healthy” to a plan that leads toward a state of health.
Menus are based on modern scientific studies, not on trends, as well as on over 20 years of clinical expertise of Dr. Florin Ioan Bălănică. They are adapted to physical and nutritional needs and harmonized in terms of emotional acceptance. Many people struggle with compulsive eating or exhibit manifestations of eating behavior disorders, a phenomenon that has become increasingly common in recent years. The association between nutritional pathology and emotional pathology requires an approach from both perspectives, which is addressed in the #DrBalanicaMethod differently from any other diet.
Foods Restricted in the Keto Diet
Foods generally restricted in the keto diet include vegetables, fruits, and products that contain large amounts of carbohydrates.
Some versions of the keto diet completely forbid the consumption of high-carbohydrate foods, such as:
Whole grains
Bread
Pasta
Rice
Pastries
Potatoes and other starchy vegetables
Foods Allowed in the Keto Diet
Most ketogenic plans allow foods rich in saturated fats, such as:
Fatty meat
Processed meat
Fatty fish
Lard
Butter
They also allow sources of unsaturated fats, including various types of nuts and seeds, avocado, and vegetable oils.
Benefits of the Keto Diet
According to studies, the ketogenic diet produces positive metabolic changes, but only in the short term.
In addition to weight loss, the ketogenic diet contributes to improvements in certain parameters associated with excess weight:
Insulin resistance
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Elevated triglycerides
Risks of a High-Fat Diet on the Body
Possible risks depend on the type of fats consumed. For example, excessive intake of saturated fats of animal origin may lead to an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
At the same time, excessive intake of unsaturated or monounsaturated fats may also lead to metabolic and vascular pathologies. Individual balance starts with understanding personal needs and, implicitly, proactive prevention of chronic diseases through an adapted lifestyle.
What Happens If We Do Not Consume Enough Carbohydrates?
In the short term, no major visible effects occur. Weight loss is observed, and mild symptoms may appear, such as:
Fatigue
Dizziness
Weakness
Irritability
In the medium and long term, due to the lack or drastic reduction of carbohydrates, the body’s main fuel, the liver will produce glucose from amino acids. This process is called gluconeogenesis. When the body does not have access to its main fuel source, carbohydrates, it tends to consume muscle mass, even though muscle is not a “preferred” fuel source, as both proteins and amino acids play a secondary energetic role.
Unanswered Questions About the Ketogenic Diet
To date, studies and research on the risks and benefits of the ketogenic diet have not been able to demonstrate or answer a number of important questions, such as:
What happens in the long term after losing weight with the keto diet? Are there health problems associated with this way of eating?
Do the benefits of the keto diet outweigh the risks in patients with multiple health issues? For which diseases do the benefits of the ketogenic diet exceed the risks?
How does long-term use of fats as the main source of energy, instead of carbohydrates, impact health?
Can high fat intake and moderate protein intake interfere with certain medical conditions? For example, is this diet safe for patients with kidney or liver disease?
Conclusion
In conclusion, studies regarding the effectiveness of the keto diet for weight loss are limited. A number of relevant questions about the long-term health effects of the ketogenic diet remain unanswered. Before starting the ketogenic diet or any other diet that has worked for someone you know, schedule a consultation. Talk to your doctor about a set of blood tests to rule out undiagnosed medical conditions and to understand your overall state of health, especially whether it allows the initiation of such a dietary regimen.
