15 Myths and Misconceptions About the Keto Diet

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The Ketogenic diet has been in the limelight for quite some time, and everyone from celebrities to athletes seems to hail it as their go-to diet. While the keto diet undoubtedly has its benefits, there are also many myths and misconceptions surrounding it. As a result, it can be challenging for people who are interested in the keto diet to separate fact from fiction. In this article, we will be debunking some of the most common keto myths and misconceptions.

Keto is a High Protein Diet

A lot of people believe that the keto diet is a high-protein diet, but that is not true. In reality, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. So, if you’re thinking about starting the keto diet, don’t go overboard on the protein. Instead, focus on increasing your healthy fat intake and make sure the proteins you are consuming are clean and lean.

Keto is All About Eating Bacon

While the keto diet allows you to eat foods that are high in fat, it’s essential to choose healthy fats and proteins as the foundation of your diet. Eating bacon every day is not sustainable, and it also won’t help you reach your health and weight-loss goals. While it’s ok to eat bacon, it shouldn’t be your main go-to meat all the time.

The Keto Diet is Dangerous For Your Heart

Many people believe that the keto diet can increase your risk of heart disease, but there’s no scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, studies have shown that a ketogenic diet can improve heart health by reducing inflammation, lowering triglycerides, and improving cholesterol levels. As always, check with your doctor before starting the keto diet, especially if you have concerns or issues with your health in general.

The Keto Diet is Very Restrictive

The keto diet does restrict your carbohydrate intake, but that doesn’t mean it’s too restrictive. You can still eat plenty of delicious foods on the keto diet, including healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and seeds, and plenty of low-carb vegetables. It is basically only limiting the bad carbs you can eat, such as pasta, bread, potatoes, etc.

You Have to Be in Ketosis to Lose Weight

While being in ketosis can help you lose weight, it’s not necessary to be in ketosis to lose weight on the keto diet. In fact, as long as you’re in a calorie deficit, you can lose weight on any diet, including keto. Ketosis is simply a metabolic state that occurs when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose.

You Can Eat as Much as You Want on Keto

Although the keto diet is a high-fat diet, that doesn’t mean you can eat as much fat as you want. You still need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, which means you can’t eat endless amounts of high-fat foods. It’s important to check what your caloric intake should be depending on your height, weight, body structure, age, etc.

Keto is a Short Term Diet

The keto diet is not a short-term diet, and it’s not a quick fix. It’s a lifestyle change that requires a long-term commitment to healthy eating and maintaining a healthy weight. However, with that said, it’s recommended to stick to keto for about 3 months, then allow your body other nutrients for a month or so and then return to the keto diet.

The Keto Diet is Only For Weight Loss

While the keto diet is an effective weight loss diet, it has many other health benefits. The ketogenic diet has been shown to:

improve insulin sensitivity,
reduce inflammation,
improve brain function,
clear up acne,
may reduce the risk of certain cancers,
and more!

You Shouldn’t Exercise on the Keto Diet

Many people believe that you can’t exercise on the keto diet because you don’t have enough carbohydrates to fuel your body; however, that’s not true. Your body can adapt to burning fat for fuel, and many people even report increased energy levels and endurance on the keto diet. Exercising is a great way to maintain muscle mass, improve joint health, and help you stay fit, strong, and healthy. Eliminating exercise on the keto diet is not recommended at all.

The Keto Diet is a Cure-All

The keto diet can improve many health conditions, but it’s not a cure-all. You still need to work with your healthcare provider to manage any underlying health issues you may have. Remember, we are what we eat, and what we eat manifests itself in every part of our bodies, even our mental health.

The Keto Diet Causes Muscle Loss

The keto diet does not cause muscle loss unless you’re in an extreme calorie deficit. In fact, the keto diet can help preserve muscle mass while you’re losing weight couple with a good exercise routine.

The Keto Diet is Only For Young People

The keto diet can benefit people of all ages, including seniors. In fact, the keto diet may be particularly beneficial for seniors because it can improve brain function and reduce inflammation, which are two common age-related health issues.

You Can’t Eat Carbs on Keto

While the keto diet does restrict your carbohydrate intake, that doesn’t mean you can’t eat any carbs. You can still eat low-carb vegetables and fruits in moderation. It’s important to keep an eye on where your carb count is coming from, meaning which food source.

You Have to Eat a Lot of Butter on Keto

While butter is an excellent source of healthy fat, you don’t have to eat a lot of it on the keto diet. There are many other healthy sources of fat, such as avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. If you prefer to use butter over any of those, that’s totally fine too, but you don’t have to add extra to fill your caloric intake for the day.

Keto is Difficult to Follow and Stick To

While the keto diet can be challenging initially, it becomes more manageable over time. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily follow the keto diet and enjoy all of its health benefits. There may be days when you crave pizza or fries, but eventually, you learn to work through those cravings, listen to your body and find out what exactly it is lacking or needs at that moment.

Conclusion

The ketogenic diet has become increasingly popular in recent years, but there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding it. Hopefully, this post has helped clear up some of the confusion surrounding the keto diet. Remember that the keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet that can help you reach your health and weight-loss goals, but it’s not a cure-all. To get the best results, work with your healthcare provider to design a keto diet that’s tailored to your specific needs and goals.