If you follow the keto diet, can it increase your risk of high cholesterol? Learn about the connection between the keto diet and heart health.
The popular ketogenic (or simply keto) diet limits protein and carbohydrate intake while emphasizing fats. Because of the lack of carbs, the body goes into a state of ketosis and obtains energy from the breakdown of fat.
While some studies show its benefits, including its usefulness in controlling blood sugar in people with diabetes, there are concerns that the high fat intake is not good for the heart. The following is an overview of the diet and how it affects heart health.
Keto Explained
The keto diet restricts carbohydrates, which are generally the primary source of energy for the body. As a result of the limitation, the body goes into a state of ketosis and breaks down fat to provide energy. Typically, ketosis occurs when less than 10% of your total intake is from carbs, but the exact amount that will induce ketosis varies between people.
One of the reasons the keto diet is so popular is its effectiveness in weight loss, appetite control, and lowering blood sugar. Moreover, it may also have beneficial effects on metabolic risk factors like HDL and triglyceride levels. However, because it is difficult to maintain over long periods of time, it is about as effective as a low-fat diet after two years.
A keto diet replaces carbohydrates with fats, restricting carbs to less than 10% of your total intake and making fat up to 80% of your total intake. Complaint foods include meat, fatty fish, dairy products, plant oils, eggs, low-carb vegetables, and avocados. Non-compliant foods include sugary foods, grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruit.
Keto and Your Health
While the keto diet can have positive effects, some studies also show that it may have negative effects on your heart health. For instance, keto diets that focus on saturated and trans fats may lead to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Other studies show that it may lead to increased mortality if you replace carbohydrates with animal-based fats. In contrast, you may improve mortality if you substitute carbs with plant-based fats.
In other words, if you want to follow the keto diet, it’s best to minimize processed foods that are high in saturated and trans fats. Instead, emphasize plant-based foods with higher unsaturated fat content in your diet.
Moreover, the keto diet also restricts whole grains, which have been shown to be beneficial for heart health and the prevention of colorectal cancer. Consider mixing it up so that you don’t limit the number of healthy foods in your diet.
In addition, you can take L-arginine Plus to give your heart health a boost. Its ingredients effectively promote circulation, blood pressure, cholesterol, and more. Give your heart the support it deserves by taking L-arginine Plus and following a diet that will benefit your health.