Going 'Keto' (ketogenic diet) is kind of fashionable at the moment, and many women say they 'feel better' or 'healthier' cutting out the carbs. Weight loss is another key motivator enticing women to try Keto, but it may work against you depending on your individual health profile.

Cutting out the carbs usually makes you feel better because:

Most of the carbs in the typical western diet are highly processed, leading to bloating.

Carbs become a 'go to' for a quick energy hit and can replace more nutrient-dense options, which means that people who 'go Keto' often find themselves making healthier choices and putting on less weight than when the carbs are cut out.

But cutting out the carbs may simply be masking an underlying problem with digestion (or an issue with gluten) which, if sorted/managed better, would allow a healthier relationship with carbs in your diet! Making a switch to a more balanced diet including wholegrains, GF grains (if necessary) and a more nutritious palate of fruit, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats, could be a more desirable long term goal for both weight management and health.

Here are some of the potential issues I have seen with the Keto diet (KD).

With an increase in fats and proteins, the digestive system can become overwhelmed by these harder to process macronutrients, leading to bloating, flatulence and malabsorption.
Constipation can occur because of lack of dietary fibre from carbohydrate sources.
You may be neglecting your B vitamins, many of which come from carbohydrate sources (B's are important for nervous system health, detoxification and many other important processes in your body!).
You may be neglecting your microbiome, as most beneficial bacteria need an abundance of prebiotics (found in vegetables and wholegrains) to thrive -- this could lead to increased food sensitivities, exacerbation of allergic symptoms and/or compromised immunity.

I need to mention some of the health risks on KD:

Long term studies have not been done on the effects of the ketogenic diet. Build up of fat in the liver and in the blood (hypercholesterolemia) may cause undesirable effects on liver and cardiovascular health.
Ketoacidosis, a medically serious condition in which your blood becomes too acidic due to the presence of ketone bodies, can cause you to feel nausea/vomiting and fatigue. Ketoacidosis is a particular risk for those on the KD who have diabetes, drink alcohol or who are not eating enough calories to support energy needs.
Hypoglycemia, acute pancreatitis and/or dislipidemia are also potential risks on KD.

Going on the ketogenic diet is not something I would recommend doing without guidance and monitoring from your naturopath/nutritionist and/or GP (if you have a medical condition). We also need to ask: "Why?" you feel the Ketogenic diet is better for you. There may be underlying issues that can be remedied (rather than 'bandaided'!) to support your overall health and wellbeing for the long term.

I notice that many people go on the ketogenic diet because they are already having issues with digestion. Going Keto will not magically solve this problem, although it may curb some of the mal-digestion of carbs leading to excessive fermentation/bloating/gas. If you're having issues digesting carbs, the chances are you may also have sub-optimal digestion of proteins and fats! The answer: work on your digestion!

Looking at diet is an important part of any health consultation that I undertake with my clients, as food is the foundation of our health in many ways. Connect with me if you would like to talk about your diet and any digestive issues you are experiencing. Together we can find out the reasons behind it and address those causes while tailoring a diet plan that is pitched for your long term health and wellbeing.

Photo by Jennifer Burk on Unsplash