Benefits of the Keto Diet

Share

By: Alison Moodie

It’s no secret that the keto diet helps you lose weight, and quickly. That’s one of the main reasons why people are clamoring to try the high-fat, low-carb regime. But the keto diet benefits more than just your waistline. Passing on the bread is also good for your brain and your heart, plus it’ll keep you alive for longer. Read on to discover more about the benefits of the keto diet and how it can upgrade your performance, starting today.

Download the Keto Recipes for Beginners & Meal Plan now

Keto changes the way your body fuels itself. When you limit carbs, your body starts to burn fat, rather than glucose, for energy. You go into ketosis — when your liver converts fatty acids into molecules called ketones, an alternative source of fuel. Learn more about keto and how it works with this beginner’s guide. Burning ketones carries all kind of benefits: 

When you’re on keto, your body uses stored body fat and fat from your diet as fuel. The result? Rapid weight loss.^[1] Ketones also influence the hormones that control appetite. Ketones suppress ghrelin (your hunger hormone) and increase cholecystokinin (CCK), which tells your brain when you’ve eaten enough.^[2]

Learn more here about the keto diet and weight loss.

Ketones provide your brain with immediate fuel. Ketones are so powerful that they can supply up to 70% of your brain’s energy needs — a more efficient source of energy than glucose.^[3]

All those good fats on keto also feed your brain and keep it strong. Your brain is the fattiest organ in the body — made up of more than 60% fat — so it needs lots of good fats to keep it running ^[4] Learn more about why eating fat keeps your brain’s wiring in working order.

Studies show switching to keto can protect your brain from cognitive decline and improve memory.  

In one study, women on a low-carb diet showed less confusion and responded more quickly during an attention task than women on a reduced-calorie diet.^[5] In another study, elderly men and women at risk for dementia were put on the keto diet. After six weeks, they showed improved memory function compared to participants on a high-carb diet.^[6]

Carbs turn into glucose (aka sugar) in the body. Eating too many carbs causes your blood sugar to spike. When you switch from carbs to fat for energy, you stabilize your blood sugar. Keto can be particularly beneficial for diabetics, who have high blood glucose levels. The keto diet may even cure diabetes — many diabetics are able to come off their medication when switching to keto. Find out more about keto and blood sugar here.

When your brain uses ketones for fuel, you don’t experience the same energy slumps as you do when you’re eating a lot carbs. On keto, your brain won’t start to panic, wondering when it will get its next hit of energy. When your metabolism is in fat-burning mode, your body can simply tap into its readily available fat stores for energy. The result? No more energy crashes or brain fog.

Ketosis also helps the brain create more mitochondria, the battery packs within your cells.^[7] You need lots of strong mitochondria to give your cells and organs sustained energy so they can get their job done.

Keep in mind that your energy might be low the first week or two of starting keto, when many people get what’s known as the keto flu. Once it passes, you should feel better than ever. Find out how to conquer the keto flu.

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to an invader it deems harmful. Too much inflammation is bad news. Chronic inflammation — when your body constantly pumps out inflammatory chemicals for months, and even years — is at the root of chronic diseases including certain cancers, heart disease, and diabetes.^[8]

The keto diet switches off inflammatory pathways, and ketones produce fewer free radicals compared to glucose.^[9][10] Damage from too many free radicals causes inflammation.^[11]

Make sure you’re eating whole, unprocessed foods when on keto. There are different types of keto diets, and some, like dirty keto, may be low-carb but they’re still full of inflammatory foods. Learn more about how dirty keto works. Your best anti-inflammatory game plan is to emphasize good fats, grass-fed proteins, and fresh, organic vegetables, like on the Bulletproof Diet. Learn more with this Bulletproof Diet Roadmap.

You eat less than 50 grams of net carbs a day on keto. Cutting down on carbs increases your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol — it turns on anti-inflammatory pathways and protects your heart from disease. The keto diet also lowers blood triglycerides^[12] — fat molecules in your bloodstream. High levels of blood triglycerides are linked to coronary heart disease.^[13]

Read Next: How to Start Keto and Why Cyclical Ketosis Is Better

Sign-up for the Bulletproof mailing list and receive the latest news and updates!

About Alison Moodie

Alison Moodie is a health reporter based in Los Angeles. She has written for numerous outlets including Newsweek, Agence France-Presse, The Daily Mail and HuffPost. For years she covered sustainable business for The Guardian. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she majored in TV news. When she’s not working she’s doting on her two kids and whipping up Bulletproof-inspired dishes in her kitchen.

References

TAGS

Related Bulletproof Articles

Copyright © 2018 Bulletproof 360, Inc. • All Rights Reserved.

Articles and information on this website may only be copied, reprinted, or redistributed with written permission (but please ask, we like to give written permission!) The purpose of this Blog is to encourage the free exchange of ideas. The entire contents of this website is based upon the opinions of Dave Asprey, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective authors, who may retain copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the personal research and experience of Dave Asprey and the community. We will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this site; however, it is impossible to review all messages immediately. All messages expressed on The Bulletproof Forum or the Blog, including comments posted to Blog entries, represent the views of the author exclusively and we are not responsible for the content of any message.

Benefits of the Keto Diet

Research & References of Benefits of the Keto Diet|A&C Accounting And Tax Services
Source

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us