Is Keto Only for Losing Weight?

While the keto diet has become more and more popular in recent years as an effective way to lose weight, this isn’t its only benefit. Numerous studies have linked the low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet to everything from better heart health to improved memory function and decreased risk of certain cancers, but which of these benefits are most important to you? If you’re trying to decide whether or not keto is right for you, here are some of the main health benefits you can expect from following this low-carb diet plan.

The Purpose of the Ketogenic Diet
Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, there are plenty of reasons why a ketogenic diet might be good for you. Most keto diets revolve around many of these benefits: increased energy, reduced blood sugar levels and hunger, improved mental clarity and focus, and better digestive health. Ketosis also has been shown to help people feel less anxious. As long as you don’t eat too many calories and get enough exercise, everyone can benefit from being in ketosis.

What Do Studies Say About Keto and Weight Loss?
One 2015 study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that overweight adults who followed a keto diet lost an average of 44 pounds in 30 months. Some lost as much as 73 pounds. In another study, researchers found that people on a low-carb diet lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet after 12 months.

What are Other Health Benefits of Ketosis?
Fat is not necessarily unhealthy; it’s an essential macronutrient that your body needs to function. The keto diet encourages healthy sources of fat like coconut oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter. You can even up your intake of healthy fats with MCT oil, which is a type of fat found in palm kernel or coconut oil that can be easily converted into ketones. With 40%+ of your calories coming from healthy fats on a keto diet, you’ll likely feel satiated and have more energy than if you ate fewer amounts of healthy fat or another macronutrient entirely. Think about what would happen if a doctor told you to cut out carbohydrates from your diet completely—there’s no way you’d stick to it!

Should I Do Keto If I’m Not Trying to Lose Weight?
It’s true that many people do keto just to lose weight, but there are also a number of other benefits. First and foremost, doing keto can help you reach your goals of reaching peak health. Research shows it can help with: reducing risk factors for heart disease; improving glycemic control in diabetics; reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; slowing age-related cognitive decline; and reducing risk factors associated with several types of cancer.

How Can I Tell if This Diet is Right For Me?
Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that’s been used in clinical settings to help treat and manage diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and other health conditions. The ketogenic diet essentially takes carb calories away from your body in favor of consuming fat calories. In general, people go on keto when they are looking to increase satiety (the feeling of being full) while still maintaining or improving cognitive function without having to feel lethargic or experience reduced endurance performance. There are many ways you can tell if a keto diet is right for you but some things to consider include weight loss goals, age and lifestyle changes that could make adopting a new eating pattern challenging.