Edelle O’Doherty, a registered nutritional therapist and certified ketogenic specialist, separates fact from fiction surrounding this diet. Plus, try our keto version of a classic bake
guest expert
1 A KETO DIET IS THE FASTEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
“Keto is a fast way to lose weight – the aim of ketogenic diets is to send the body into a state of ‘ketosis’ by using a very strict low-carb diet. Ketosis is a state in which the body burns fats instead of carbohydrates as its main fuel source. However, if weight loss alone is your goal, there are probably more joyful ways to go about it. Keto is primarily a therapeutic diet, with weight loss being the side effect. You can lose a lot of weight in the first week or two, but a lot of that will be water weight, and there can be quite a few side effects such as ‘keto flu’. Longevity is key, and you’ll find that there are much easier paths to weight loss.”
2 A KETO DIET IS THE SAME AS LOW-CARB
“Keto is not the same as low carb. For a keto diet, you’re talking less than 20g of carbs per day – perhaps 20-50g at a push, whereas low carb would be between 50-150g per day. On top of this, a low-carb diet can be quite high in protein, but with keto, it’s important to consume protein in moderation, while keeping fat levels high.”
3 KETO IS THE NATURAL WAY HUMANS SHOULD EAT
“I don’t know exactly what cavemen were eating, but I think to call it ketogenic wouldn’t be totally correct. Fasting is a natural way to bring the body into ketosis, so likely our ancestors experienced quite a lot of this when food was scarce. However, during the summer months, it’s likely that they consumed a lot of fruit, which would be high carb. Equally, after a successful hunt, a lot of meat could have been consumed at once, which would be very high protein.”
4 YOU CAN EAT AS MUCH FAT AS YOU WANT ON A KETO DIET
“It depends on your goal. If it’s weight loss, then excessive amounts of fat will still add a lot of calorie density and could impede your results. You also need to consider the types of fat. While we do need saturated and unsaturated fats, too much of one type can have a negative impact.”
For more info on following a keto diet and recipes, visit bbcgoodfood.com. To listen to the Good Food podcast, go to bbcgoo
