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The Truth About the Keto Diet: Is Keto Diet Bad for Your Heart?

Do you worry about your heart when you hear about ketogenic diets? Is the keto diet safe? Do you have enough fat on the keto diet? These are some of the questions that people ask before they start the keto diet. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate and high-fat eating plan. The ketogenic diet is all about these two nutrients, which together make up every type of muscle, fat, and organ in the human body. The ketogenic diet forces the body to burn fatty acids for energy instead of carbohydrates. This type of nutrition can be dangerous for those with a high sensitivity to carbohydrates. In this article, we will answer all your questions about the keto diet and its safety. Read on to learn more about the keto diet and why you shouldn’t worry about it.

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What is the Ketogenic Diet?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that forces the body to burn fatty acids for energy instead of carbohydrates. It entails drastically reducing carbohydrate consumption while increasing fat consumption. Carbohydrate restriction induces a metabolic state known as ketosis in your body. Ketosis causes the body’s metabolism to shift away from carbohydrates and toward fat and ketones. Instead of sugar, the body “burns” fat for energy on this diet. This diet has gained popularity in recent years.

Does the Ketogenic Diet Cause Heart Problems?

The most common, preventable, and reversible type of heart disease is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease. Heart attacks usually happens when the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle gets harden and narrow due to plaque buildup on their inner walls. Diet and lifestyle choices are critical in preventing further plaque buildup. Saturated fats, such as those found in fast food and red meat, raise a person’s risk of atherosclerosis, which causes coronary disease and heart attacks. 

The ketogenic diet is low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Carbohydrates are what our bodies use to make energy, and if you severely cut them out of your diet, your body will start burning fat as energy. Fat is essential to our bodies, but too much of it can be dangerous. Many physicians, dieticians, and health activists are concerned about the keto diet because of its emphasis on fat consumption. However, the truth about what occurs when we consume more fat and fewer carbohydrates is far more complicated.

Multiple studies show that the keto diet can help most individuals lower their risk of heart disease. However, a tiny subgroup of the population may considerably raise their risk by following a typical keto diet. There is compelling evidence that carbohydrate restriction, as promoted by the ketogenic diet, can be a heart-healthy option. If you’re on diabetic medicine that produces low blood sugar, those medications may need to be modified within a few days before starting the keto diet.

Healthy Fats You Need to Consume

Fat is essential to our bodies, but too much of it can be dangerous. There are heart-healthy fat sources, but if you are not informed about heart-healthy fat sources, you may consume excessive levels of saturated fat, which might raise your risk of heart disease. Here is the list of good fats that should be added to your keto diet plan.

  • A single tablespoon of olive oil provides 73% of the daily value of monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid.
  • Extra virgin olive oil has a lot of antioxidants.
  • Canola oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
  • Walnuts are a major source of unsaturated fats and fiber, and pumpkin seeds are the ultimate snack food.
  • Avocados are packed with folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E and are a great option for snacking or indulging in food cravings.
  • A single slice of avocado contains 1 gramme of fat, and one cup of flax seeds contains 7 grammes of healthy fat. One can of drained sardines contains 4 grammes of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Egg yolks are high in both saturated and unsaturated fat (as does beef).
  • Fish such as salmon and sardines are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • MCT is a type of fat found in coconut that is particularly beneficial (medium-chain triglycerides).

Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Your Heart!

All fat-containing foods include a combination of three types of fat: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monosaturated. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are both unsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids in foods with unsaturated fats promote heart health by reducing both cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The human body does not produce omega-3 and omega-6, so they can only be obtained through a healthy diet.

Your liver produces ketones as a type of fuel from fat. So, if you want to educate your body to use ketones instead of glucose, you must reduce your carb consumption and replace it with lean protein and unsaturated fat. The effectiveness of keto’s short-term weight loss and consuming healthy fats can be beneficial for people who are at risk of developing heart disease.

The truth about the keto diet is that it can be highly effective at weight loss. It can be dangerous for those with high carbohydrate sensitivity and should be treated with caution. There are other options that are better suited to your specific requirements. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are “healthy” fats. Consuming healthy fats can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood. Saturated fat and trans-fat are “unhealthy” fats. Therefore, if you add healthy fats to your keto diet, you don’t have to worry about your heart.

Summary

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that forces the body to burn fatty acids for energy instead of carbohydrates. It can be dangerous for those with high carbohydrate sensitivity and should be treated with caution. The ketogenic diet can be highly effective at weight loss, but you should be aware of the amount and type of fat you are consuming while following the ketogenic diet. Always consult with your doctor and a dietician before beginning a new diet or making significant changes to your diet.

Authors bio: 

Indradeep is a professionally trained digital marketer based in London with a master’s in digital marketing from Oxford Brookes University. He is also the author of a lifestyle blogging website, “Customer Lifestyle“.

Read More: Custom Keto Diet Review – Lazy Keto Diet

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