The hidden dangers behind the ketogenic diet... Let Huang Xiaotong, a nutritionist, tell you

A video went viral on the Internet a while ago and received a very high number of views. The content mainly encouraged diabetic patients to improve their symptoms through a ketogenic diet. This video even spread to Malaysia, and many people in my Facebook circle of friends shared it, causing a great response. Both young people and the elderly wanted to imitate the eating habits in the video. However, does the ketogenic diet really bring so many benefits? Today I will tell you what the "ketogenic diet" is all about!

To put it simply, the ketogenic diet is actually a diet with extremely low carbohydrates, high fat and moderate protein. The three major nutrients in a normal meal are mainly carbohydrates as energy sources, with the proportions being 50% to 60% carbohydrates, 15% to 20% protein, and 20% to 30% fat. The ketogenic diet, on the other hand, adjusts the carbohydrates to less than 5%, maintains protein at 15% to 20%, and the fat to as high as 75% to 80%.

This dietary pattern of limiting carbohydrate intake forces the body to start burning fat and producing ketone bodies after glucose and glycogen are used up, thereby replacing glucose as an energy source. This is why polar bears hibernate for several months in winter and do not starve to death without eating. At this point, I know that you must only see the four words "burn fat", and you must be very happy, right? calm! Just continue listening to me.

Excessive ketone bodies can easily lead to diabetic ketoacidosis

Generally speaking, because the human body has insulin to help regulate the harm of ketone bodies to the body, it is actually very difficult to reach the level of ketoacidosis. However, it is different for diabetic patients. The reason they suffer from diabetes is due to the lack of insulin or insufficient insulin in the body. If they implement a ketogenic diet, it is easy for excessive ketone bodies to accumulate in the body and cause ketoacidosis!

Is ketoacidosis dangerous? Yes. If not treated promptly, the blood will become extremely acidic and the person will fall into a coma, or even die in severe cases. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, weakness, tachycardia, low blood pressure, dehydration, and a fruity or acetone smell on the breath. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately and handle the situation with caution.

Is the ketogenic diet making you so thin that you scream?

The ketogenic diet can indeed achieve the effect of weight loss, but it is undeniable that it causes more serious harm to human health. Therefore, it is not recommended that people use the ketogenic diet as a way to lose weight. As mentioned earlier, the ketogenic diet can force fat burning, so it helps to lose weight. However, because the daily fat intake ratio is as high as 75% to 80%, eating like this for a long time will increase the risk of dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease and cancer!

Can’t I eat starch to lose weight? Wrong! Choosing the right starch will not only give us a sense of fullness, but also help control blood sugar. For example, using staple foods rich in dietary fiber such as sweet potatoes, taro, pumpkin, oats, red beans, coix seeds, brown rice, etc. to replace white rice and white toast is actually a great trick to lose weight!

Losing weight requires adjustments in your lifestyle, diet, exercise and other aspects to achieve ideal and lasting results. Losing weight healthily is the key!

Tips from nutritionists

Under normal circumstances, the ketogenic diet is not recommended for ordinary people, except for patients with mental illnesses such as epilepsy. If patients who already have cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes or cancer insist on trying the ketogenic diet, they must be under the supervision of a professional physician and nutritionist.

Before adopting any special diet, I hope people can think carefully. Some methods may be effective for others, but may not be suitable for you. Remember, no one is responsible for your health but you.