The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, has become wildly popular in recent years. Some people even call it the new Atkins diet since it’s also a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that allows you to eat plenty of meat and cheese while still losing weight quickly. If you’re looking to lose weight but are still having trouble getting your carb intake under control, this list of 6 ways the keto diet can improve your health and help you lose weight should definitely help persuade you to make the switch!
1) Easier weight loss
When you lose weight on a keto diet, you’re losing body fat—not muscle. In other words your weight loss, comes from a lower metabolism, not from burning more calories through exercise. In fact, some reaserch suggests that keto diets may burn fewer calories than low-fat diets because of metabolic changes caused by insulin resistance. At any rate, they seem to help with weight loss.
2) Improved blood sugar control
The keto diet is helping millions of people lower their blood sugar levels. People with Type 2 diabetes, especially, have found that maintaining tight control over their blood sugar level has been easier than they ever thought possible. A type of high-fat, low-carb diet known as a ketogenic die—or keto for short—is fast becoming one of their favorite tools to use when managing their condition.
3) Reduced insulin resistance
What’s better than boosting fat loss? Lowering your insulin levels. Research shows that keto dieters experience reduced insulin resistance. One study even showed that being in a state of ketosis for 6 months reversed diabetes for some people. That’s crazy!
4) Reduced risk of heart disease
Emerging research suggests that, for certain people, low-carb eating could significantly reduce their risk of developing heart disease. According to T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, a low-carbohydrate diet promotes weight loss and has multiple healthy effects on important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Research shows that ketogenic diets can lower blood sugar levels—this is beneficial not only for diabetes patients but also for those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance or obesity. Lowering blood sugar levels has additional benefits, such as reduced cravings since carbohydrates are major contributors to cravings in many people with food addictions like sugar.
5) Better mental health
When you adopt a ketogenic diet, it’s almost like a cleaner house inside of your body. On top of that, research suggestsketosis may help protect your brain from damage caused by Alzheimer’s diseaseor other forms of dementia. It’s also been shown to reduce cognitive impairment in those with Parkinson’s disease. And it may help boost memory in people with depression.
6) Anti-aging properties
Keto diets have been shown to prevent neuron loss in animals, reduce risk of neurodegenerative disease, and reduce oxidative stress. Studies have found that people who eat keto experience better mental health overall and better physical strength than non-keto eaters. That's because eating fat has anti-aging properties. Fats promote deep sleep cycles—your body converts fats into fatty acids, which are necessary for restorative sleep. Deeper sleep cycles mean deeper rest for your body—and increased energy for tomorrow's workday! Some research suggests that following a keto diet can even help you live longer.
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