Keto — the low-carb diet promoted by celebrities that promises to help you effortlessly slim down simply by cutting out foods like potatoes, pasta and bread — has come under fire. Researchers are now warning that while the keto diet may help you shed a few pounds, it could also have serious downsides, including an increased risk of heart attacks. Studies have shown that those who stuck to the plan had raised cholesterol levels and reduced levels of “good” gut bacteria. These effects occurred after just 3 months on the diet. Worse still, keto dieters didn’t lose any more weight than people on a less drastic low-sugar diet. The keto diet aims for people to achieve a state called ketosis. To get there, you have to give up bread, pasta, rice, starchy vegetables like corn, beans and squash, and almost all fruit. Unfortunately, without carbohydrates, the body begins to burn stored fat for energy, which does result in some weight loss. However, there’s also the reduced levels of a bacteria called Bifidobacteria, which helps produce Vitamin B, stops harmful bacteria from taking hold in the gut, and lowers cholesterol. Finally, those on a keto diet also displayed signs of insulin resistance, as their bodies forgot how to handle carbs. Even if they switched back to a normal diet, they could still be at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Experts now say that further research is needed on the keto diet, but if people want to lose weight, they should go on a low-sugar diet to get the same results without the harmful side effects.
