But there are a number of studies of ketogenic diets that are at least 2 years in duration. So there’s no good reason to have an upper limit at all. Make eating keto a lot easier with this comprehensive keto diet food list—plus learn if it's the right diet for you. Diet Doctor Eat! This study looks at children who have been treated with a ketogenic diet for a period of six years or more:Don’t be fooled by the creative marketing of special “low-carb” products. refining carbohydrates in a way that increases the speed of absorption and reduces the amount of nutrients and fiber, we change the food into something our bodies may not be adapted to, i.e. As long as you follow the advice to eat when you are hungry, you will eventually stabilize your weight.This has been shown in many studies:Here are three examples of low-carb meals, based on how many carbs you aim to eat in a day.
However, interventional studies so far indicate that if anything the risk appears to decrease:How sustainable is the keto diet? But RCTs of strict low-carb diets appear to show better results compared to RCTs of more moderate or liberal low-carb diets:The advantage of a low-carb diet has been shown in these reviews of RCTs:This guide is written for adults with health issues, including obesity, that could benefit from a ketogenic diet.Scientific studies now prove that compared to other diets, low-carb or keto diets are often more effective for weight loss, and for improving certain health markers.When you approach your normal body weight, the weight loss will slow. That depends on your weight loss progress and the rest of your carb intake. Some people, estimated anywhere between 5-20%, may see significant LDL elevations.Here’s a study demonstrating how people tend to eat less on a strict low-carb diet, even without counting calories or trying to restrict food intake:There are two promising early studies so far:A recent systematic review finds that a low-carb diet results in significantly larger improvements in body weight (compared to a low-fat diet) and also improved HDL and triglycerides. We don’t know for sure. Therefore, we believe most people should maintain low-carb long term to maintain weight loss benefits.While this might not have the same implication as elevated LDL in other circumstances, such as with insulin resistance and small dense LDL particles, et cetera, there is no data to prove this is the case. By scaling back on glucose, the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet may shift your body into ketosis, a state of burning fat instead of sugar for energy. Out of only six participants two quit during the study, one saw some improvement and one got worse:It’s often claimed that eating breakfast is good for weight control. Issues of adaptation time, type of exercise, differences of training and racing diets, and baseline fitness all play a role in measuring response, and thus the level of evidence is weak. Click for more info.This has been demonstrated in several meta-analyses of high-quality studies, for example this one:If you want to count carbs exactly, the most popular way is with apps like MyFitnessPal, Chronometer or others.Note that the term “reversal” in this context simply means that the disease gets better, improving glucose control and reducing the need for medications. The concern is that it may imply the disease is completely gone, never to return.Very-low-carb diets reduce feelings of hunger:Here’s a review of the science behind this phenomenon:Subtracting fiber from total carbs to calculate net carbs is useful for natural foods, such as vegetables, fruits and nuts. Download for free, and enjoy our entire recipe collection in a beautiful and easy phone-friendly format.Also, adequate protein is important, but protein above what your body needs can likewise contribute to excess calories. Here are references showing minor signs of improvements:A non-randomized trial with risk of financial bias shows remarkable effectiveness at reversing type 2 diabetes:Here’s another review article:There’s a controversial but compelling theory that chronically high insulin levels may increase the risk of diseases like obesity, heart disease and several common forms of cancer:The scientific support is not strong. Read all labels carefully for natural low carb ingredients.
Remember: An effective keto diet for weight loss does not include refined and industrially processed foods.In addition, there is not yet an RCT that tests the health benefits of two low-carb diets of varying strictness head-to-head.