THE 7 MAIN KETO HEALTH BENEFITS

The word ‘Keto’ is almost synonymous with weight-loss. And whilst the lifestyle does guarantee rapid weight-loss when executed correctly, this is probably one of the lesser benefits of Keto. These are the 7 main benefits one can expect to experience when they adopt the Ketogenic lifestyle:

1. Improved Fat Metabolism & Rapid Weight Loss

Our bodies prefer burning carbs for energy because it’s an easier metabolic process. Fat is stored in the body as a type of reserve fuel. Once you inhibit your intake of carbs, your body is forced to tap into your fat stores instead. As you become more keto-adapted, this process of switching to fat burning becomes more and more efficient.

2. Reduced Hunger & Less Cravings

Fat is a much more dense energy source. for every gram of fat, there are 9 calories, as oppose to 4 calories per gram of carbs & protein respectively. This means your body can burn fat for a lot longer before you need to refuel. The hormones responsible for signalling hunger, like grelin, become suppressed over time & your cravings for sugar also whittle away with time.

3. Improved Insulin Sensitivity For Persons With Metabolic Syndrome

What happens when we’re constantly binge eating is that every time food hits our stomach, our body must produce insulin to transport these nutrients to their target cells. Over time, this process becomes less efficient leading to severe metabolic issues like type-2 diabetes. Keto doesn’t predominantly rely on insulin to transport energy & so this allows for your receptors to rebuild their sensitivity to insulin & glucose, allowing for much better management of blood-sugar levels.

4. Improved Skin, Nail & Hair Health & Reduction In Acne

One of the major causes of acne is dramatic fluctuations in blood glucose levels caused by poor gut bacteria. A well formulated ketogenic diet focuses on restoring the health of your ‘gut microbiome’ which in turn supercharges your metabolism. This allows your body to better manage toxins which lead to poor skin, nail & hair health.

5. Improved Mental Clarity & Focus

Studies continue to show the neuroprotective benefits of the ketogenic diet. It has long been used to treat patients dealing with epilepsy, but it is now being used as a tool to improve mental health. Studies suggest this is because our brain (which is made up of 60% fat) prefers ketones as a fuel source over carbs which our bodies don’t NEED (apart from for energy). Our brains are able to rebuild myelin & other brain tissue with relative ease when it has a steady supply of healthy fats.

6. Consistent Energy Levels Throughout The Day

Sugar & carbs are an easy way to get energy and nutrients into the body. But the downside is that this energy burns up as quickly as we take it in. This is why we are constantly on this energy roller-coaster. Because fat is a much more dense energy source, it can burn for longer and we can maintain our energy levels for longer periods at a time.

7. Reduced Inflammation

When nutrients are broken down in the cells and converted to energy, this reactive process oftentimes produces a bit of waste called ‘free radicals’. Processed foods, which our bodies have not adapted to breaking down over millennia like real foods, produce plenty more free radicals which leads to inflammation of the cells. The ketogenic diet focuses on using unprocessed fats which are a much cleaner fuel source.

SOURCE MATERIAL:

Textbooks:

Allen, L. and Prentice, A. (2005) Encyclopaedia of Human Nutrition. Netherlands. Elsevier.

Guyton, A. and Hall, J. (2015) Textbook of Medical Physiology. London. WB Saunders.

Kang, J. (2013) Nutrition and Metabolism in Sports, Exercise and Health. London. Routledge.

Novels:

Berg, E. (2010) The 7 Principles of Fat Burning: Get Healthy, Lose Weight and Keep It Off. Illinois. KB Publishing.

Berry, K. (2019) Lies My Doctor Told Me: Medical Myths That Can Harm Your Health. Nevada. Victory Belt Publishing.

Ferriss, T. (2011) The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman. New York. Penguin Random House.

Fung, J. (2016) The Obesity Code: The Bestselling Guide to Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss. Melbourne. Scribe Publications.

Goldacre, B. and Farley, R. (2010) Bad Science. London. Fourth Estate.

Greene, R. (2018) The Laws of Human Nature. London. Profile Books.

Harari, Y. (2011) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. New York. Penguin Random House.

Noakes, T. (2017) Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs. Cape Town. Penguin Random House.

Pollan, M. (2007) The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. London. Penguin Publishing Group.

Taubes, G. (2016) The Case Against Sugar. California. Portobello Books.

Volek, J. and Phinney, S. (2011) The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. Connecticut. Beyond Obesity LLC.

Wilson, J. and Lowery, R. (2017) The Ketogenic Bible: The Authoritative Guide to Ketosis. New York. Simon & Schuster.

Courses:

Nowicki, S. (2004) The Great Courses — Biology: The Science of Life. Duke University.

Shaw Academy (2018) — Sports & Nutrition Certification Course