It’s no secret that the keto diet’s popularity has skyrocketed over the last few years. But why the keto diet is popular for weight loss can be attributed to the success of many.
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The history of the keto diet dates back to the 1920s when Dr. Russell Wilder implemented it for the treatment of epilepsy. These days people enjoy the rich, delicious foods that are typically avoided on most conventional weight loss plans.
The simplicity of the keto diet makes it easy to start. Some people follow the keto diet strictly which involves monitoring of the macronutrients fat, protein, and carbohydrates, yet others simply restrict carbohydrates which seems to be enough to jumpstart weight loss within the first few weeks of starting.
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Why The Keto Diet Is Popular For Weight Loss
The keto diet is still considered a fad by some, but it’s popular for weight loss because you have to avoid all forms of junk food. Following the keto diet requires that you eat real whole food. In order to get the best results from the keto diet processed foods and preservatives should be excluded. The reason why the keto diet is popular for weight loss is that it requires that you eat clean foods that reduce inflammation.
The only way to fully understand the effects inflammation has on the body is to abstain from foods that cause it. Sugar, white, flour, starches like potatoes, white rice, and gluten are the culprits for causing a myriad of inflammatory responses in the body, namely, leaky gut, arthritis, asthma, eczema, and Crohn’s.
The Keto Diet Is Opposite Of The Standard American Diet
The Standard American Diet (SAD) and the inflammation associated with it is the reason obesity is so prevalent in the US. Popular fast-food chains in the US serve food that is prepared with the cheapest and lowest quality ingredients that cause an inflammatory response.
The SAD and fast-food restaurants have infiltrated other cultures around the world, even those populations of people who typically eat healthily and live the longest. In fact, since the 1970s, Japan’s traditional celebratory meal eaten at Christmas is KFC!
It’s no secret that the fast-food industry is a huge moneymaker because for one thing it’s addictive, and now some of America’s biggest fast-food chains are now international. People like the convenience of fast food because it tastes great, and the perception is that supersizing can save you money.
Healthy Fats Are The Cornerstone Of The Keto Diet
For years the food industry made claims that fat was unhealthy and gave it a bad rap. Millions of dieters believed this and the birth of fat-free and low-fat foods was born. The problem is dieters paid no attention to the fact that these pseudo foods still have calories.
For some weird reason, people assumed if the food was fat-free or low fat, they had a license to eat as much as they wanted.
These pseudo foods tasted almost like the real thing, but there was just one problem. They were loaded with sugar (to compensate for the lack of fat) and didn’t satiate. Naturally with the consumption of extra sugar and calories and the extra insulin response, came the subsequent extra fat storage. Higher prevalence of obesity and its related illnesses have increased throughout the US over the last 2 decades.
The good news is healthy fat is the cornerstone of the keto diet which is another reason it’s popular for weight loss. It’s part of a healthy diet and is necessary for your body to function at its best. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and small amounts of saturated fats satisfy hunger, keep you full and help you absorb vitamins and minerals.
Nuts, nut butter, and seeds are also a healthy source of fat that provides protein and minerals and is essential for compliance on the keto diet. If you are starting the keto diet, good sources of healthy fats that are easy to find in any grocery store are coconut oil, olive oil, olives, avocado oil. Not all fats are created equal. Canola, vegetable, corn, sunflower oils are processed and therefore are not included in a traditional keto diet.
The Keto Diet Is Inexpensive
The misconception is that the keto diet is an expensive way of eating but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You will save money eating this way considering you won’t be shopping for anything packaged like snack foods, or grains. There will be isles in the grocery store you won’t need to stroll because your grocery items are located primarily in the perimeter of the store.
With the exception of a handful of items you may need occasionally such as healthy oils, tuna, olives, canned tomatoes, you would never need to walk the isles of the supermarket.
Foods To Include On The Keto Diet
Another reason why the keto diet is popular for weight loss is that it’s easy. As long as you follow the basic guidelines, whatever your budget can afford is just fine for getting started on the keto diet.
Choose protein sources like dark meat chicken or turkey with skin, fattier cuts of beef and pork, fatty fish, canned tuna and salmon, and eggs. If you like to have bacon and sausage look for uncured, nitrate and nitrite-free and check the ingredients label for hidden sugars.
Deli meats are eaten by some people on a less strict version of keto. However, it still falls under the keto guidelines. It just isn’t considered “clean food” by strict keto enthusiasts. You can always ignore the keto police and do it your way!
Not a meat-eater? No problem. The keto diet is popular for weight loss even among vegetarians. So if you’re not a meat-eater and want to give keto a try, you can still give it a go. The flexibility of protein choices is a favorite why the keto diet is popular for weight loss. There’s no reason why this way of eating won’t work for you.
Vegetables are your source of carbohydrates on a keto diet and as a rule, anything green is a go. Onions, mushrooms, tomato, purple cabbage, spaghetti squash are also allowed. The fruits that are acceptable are berries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
The addition of berries to this way of eating allows you to get creative with making smoothies and desserts. Instead of sugar, stevia is the sweetener of choice for keto dieters because it doesn’t provoke the insulin response that is typical of white sugar. You don’t have to worry about feeling deprived which is why the keto diet is popular for weight loss.
Dairy products are not excluded. Some believe that dairy foods can kick you out of ketosis. However, this is subjective. Portion control as in on any nutrition plan is necessary. You can add cheese, heavy whipping cream, and butter to your dishes for flavor. Being able to eat cheese and still lose eight is yet another reason why the keto diet is popular for weight loss.
What Is Ketosis?
The easiest non-sciencey explanation is this: Your body uses glucose for energy first. When your glucose stores are depleted, your body will turn to its fat stores for energy. The byproduct of burning fat for energy causes your body to produce ketones.
When you are in a state of ketosis, your body has switched from burning glucose to burning fat. This is what keto dieters refer to as being “fat adapted”. Burning fat instead of glucose? Who wouldn’t want that? You can add this to the pile of reasons why the keto diet is popular for weight loss.
What Is The Keto Flu?
The keto flu scares people away from trying the keto diet or at least causes people to give up on the diet before they can see results. When the body shifts from burning glucose for energy to fat, there’s a major shift in electrolytes as well which causes that flu feeling.
The withdrawal symptoms from cutting out sugar, flour, gluten, and the electrolyte changes can be intense if you aren’t prepared. Consuming the most nutrient-dense foods can offset these symptoms to the point where they’re barely noticeable.
Also sprinkling pink salt on your food, sipping bone broth, and drinking lots of water seem to the standard tips ward off the keto flu. It has been said that having a pickle or even drinking a little pickle juice helps. The keto flu, if you experience it at all, is temporary and will gradually subside over a period of days.
If you were a heavy carb eater you may notice a headache, and feel a little groggy within a week of starting the keto diet. Remember, eat the most nutrient-dense foods, use pink salt, drink plenty of water, sip bone broth, and you’ll keep withdrawal symptoms to a minimum.
Reliable Keto Diet Resources
There are some awesome books on following a ketogenic lifestyle that I found super helpful. The Keto Reset Diet, and The New Primal Blueprint, both by Mark Sisson, and The Complete Ketogenic Diet For Beginners, by Rockridge Press, should get you started on the right foot.
The keto diet isn’t for everyone. You should always, check with your doctor if you are considering a change to your nutrition plan, and especially if you are on medications.
Conclusion
The keto diet is popular for weight loss because it’s a healthier alternative to the Standard American Diet. Ridding your body of inflammation will give you a weight loss jumpstart that will motivate you to stick with your keto diet plan.
Since everyone responds differently to the keto diet, pay closet attention to how you feel after a month or 2. If you notice you feel better overall and you’re losing weight, stick with it. Keep in mind that weight loss is not linear. The keto diet is popular for weight loss but it’s not a magic bullet for fast results.
Are you curious about the keto diet but aren’t sure if it’s for you? Let me know in the comments!
Sources:
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-kfc-became-a-christmas-tradition-in-japan-2016-12
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/you-illuminated/201108/7-reasons-we-cant-turn-down-fast-food
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
https://www.self.com/story/9-high-fat-foods-actually-good-for-you
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-ketosis
This is a very interesting and educational article about Keto. I loosely followed Keto for about 40 days, and enjoyed it. I have settled on a more Paleo approach now. When my husband attempted Keto, I did feel that it was expensive because he just wanted to eat meat all day.
I hear you! I’ve learned that keto can and should be followed differently for men and women.🤷♀️