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Photo by Ronit HaNegby



Overview- What Are High Fat, Low Carb Diets?


High fat, low carb diets. Hmmm? a diet that contains high amounts of saturated fats? It just doesn?t sound right!


We have conventionally been told to avoid high amounts of fat in our diets, along with sugar, right? That's why there's so many low-fat products lining our supermarket shelves. So why are people now raving about these high fat, low carb diets, such as the keto diet or atkins diet? Unless you've been living under a rock the past few years, you're likely to have frequently heard words such as keto, low carb, or atkins.


In fact, I would go as far as to say that these high fat, low carb diets have built up a cult-like following. These days, I almost can't go a day on Instagram without receiving multiple messages from people trying to sell me some kind of keto product or recruit me into their keto MLM scheme. I'm also constantly getting bombarded with questions such as: 'hey, what're your thoughts on the keto diet?' 'Hi, just wondering if you recommend the keto diet for weight loss?' 'Is cutting out carbs good for weight loss?' 'Hey, I heard that you can lose weight really quickly by cutting out carbs. Just wanted your opinion on it?' etc.


It's just gotten out of hand, which is why I've decided to write this today, as a clinical nutritionist, in order to clear the air and give my opinion on these diets.


But first, a quick definition is in order. Based on conventional science, an average adult?s diet should contain somewhere between 45-65% wholesome carbohydrates, 20-35% fat, and 10-35% protein. These diets (keto, atkins, low carb etc.) typically involve dramatically decreasing your carbohydrate intake and increasing your fat intake. The science behind these diets are that they lower blood sugar and insulin levels and shift the body?s metabolism away from carbs and toward ketones and fat.


Don't worry if you don't really understand this. I'll explain it in more depth soon.



Why Have These Kinds Of Diets Become So Popular?


As already mentioned, these low carb, high fat diets (especially the keto diet) have recently exploded in popularity. To put it simply, the reason for this is because more and more people are claiming that they are seeing rapid weight loss results.


On top of that, we live in a world where content creators and social media influencers are pressured to continuously release new and exciting content. People are constantly trying to go viral and are always looking for opportunities to help them earn money. Basically, we live in a world of trends, where things come and go in peaks and troughs. If you don't believe me, check out the chart below, which shows the popularity of the search term 'Keto' on google since 2015.



The 5 year search term popularity of the term 'keto' as per Google Trends



As you can see, keto's popularity was literally non existent in 2015, before sky rocking in 2018. Since then, it's had a few dips and resurgences in popularity. These constant ups and downs are important to note since they prove that Keto could just be another 'fad diet' that comes in and out of fashion.


The health and weight loss industry is a huge, and there's always going to be people looking to make a quick buck off of whatever is popular at the time. Companies, influencers and people looking to profit ride these trends; and when they do, whatever the latest trend is seems to become the most amazing thing in the world to ordinary consumers..... Well not really. But with so many people pushing something onto you, harping on about the benefits and constantly showing you the amazing results that people are achieving by following the 'trend' (in this case, the keto diet and similar alternatives), it's only normal to fall prey to the trap and start to believe that this is truly the best thing since sliced bread. And naturally, as the trend continues upwards and a flow of new people try it, more and more people will see results (even if these results come from only a small proportion of the total amount of people who tried it), which only further fuels the fire.


Now, don't get me wrong, a lot of things that rapidly rise in popularity legitimately are truly game changing. However, in the case of high carb, low fat diets, I would have to politely disagree. Here's why...



A Nutritionist's Opinion On High Fat, Low Carb Diets


Now for the juicy part. My informed and science-based opinion.


It's certainly true that the weight is likely to drop off quickly when starting these diets; however these diets can actually be quite detrimental to your health in the long run.


Interestingly, many scientific studies show that high fat, low carb diets (in particular, the keto diet) can actually help children who suffer from epilepsy. However, despite this; I don't believe that these diets are a viable weight loss option for a vast majority of people.


The reason as to why people lose the weight so fast is due our dietary decrease in the intake of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are stored in our bodies as glycogen. Glycogen can be quickly turned into glucose which is our bodies preferred source of energy (i.e. gives us the energy to do daily tasks).


When we reduce our carbohydrate intake, the following happens:


  1. The body has to look for a new energy source to keep it going, since it doesn't have its normal supply of glycogen. So it taps into your fat stores and essentially burns fat to provide it with energy. This is what's known as a state of ketosis. This basically means that your body goes into ?starvation mode?. You are actually depriving your body of such an important macronutrient (CARBOHYDRATES)!
  2. In our bodies, glycogen holds water. Therefore, when we limit our carbohydrate intake, we will quickly lose a significant amount of water weight. Knowing this makes it easy to see why people rapidly lose weight when they start the keto diet (or a similar alternative).
  3. Additionally, many scientists have found that reducing carbohydrates is directly correlated with a decrease in stored electrolytes, which can lead to muscle cramps and severe fatigue.



Low carbohydrate diets can cause fatigue- Photo by Marcus Aurelius



The Detrimental Effects Of The Keto Diet In The Long Run


There are very few long term health benefits of high fat, low carbohydrate diets, and the negatives most certainly outweigh the positives.


The keto diet, in particular, can lead to:



It's safe to say that in the long run, a high fat, low carbohydrate diet like the keto diet, isn't the healthiest, nor safest option. It does certainly have benefits when it comes to short-term, rapid weight loss. However, often this short-term outlook on weight loss can lead to yo-yo dieting and constant weight fluctuations. Thus, I would strongly recommend against following the keto diets. There are much better options out there that will help you lose weight sustainably and keep it off in the long run, without compromising your health or putting your body through hell.


However, if you've read everything up to this point and still want to go on the keto diet (or a similar alternative), then please do so with the aid and advice of a qualified practitioner. This way, you'll be able to conduct it safely and constantly monitor your health. And please, for the love of all things holy, do NOT take advice from, or buy some kind of keto product from an unqualified health practitioner that you find on Instagram (trust me, they're absolutely everywhere).



What's The Alternative?


I wholeheartedly believe in the consumption of a wholesome diet; that includes all macronutrients (fats, carbs and protein). I also strongly believe in taking a sustainable, long term approach to weight loss which doesn't involve 'dieting'. You need to implement a number of tactics that are both maintainable and completely individualised to you.


If you've read my stuff before, or follow me on social media, you'll know that I preach the power of effective and tailored meal plans. They are, by far, the single most effective way to sustainably lose weight, and easily keep that weight off in the long run.


If you trust me, and want me to oversee your weight loss journey (whether that be with, or without these high fat, low carb diets), then feel free to check out my products and services.


Also, if you enjoyed this post and are looking for ways to lose weight or get a little bit healthier, I highly recommend checking out my post on 'How To Stop Overeating And Binge Eating For Good'.