Whether you're trying to lose weight, or follow the newest diet fad, it's important to know just what effects said diet will have on your overall health. The Keto diet and the Mediterranean diet are two of the most well-known diets out there. So which diet is actually the most beneficial and what are its effects?
The Keto Diet
The Keto diet is essentially a high fat, low carb diet. Along with the fats, this diet also includes some protein (red meats, dark meat chicken, and fatty fish) and a small amount of non-starchy vegetables like beans, artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, mushrooms, cucumbers, zucchini, and much more. Fat accounts for around 75% of your calorie intake and carbs total no more than 35 grams per day
The Keto diet has an increase in animal product intake and a decrease in fruit and vegetable intake. By consuming high amounts of animal products and low amounts of fiber, you will be in-taking more saturated fats and therefore become more prone to constipation. In the long run, this can increase chances of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, IBS, raised LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and more.
In the Keto diet, at first, your body will drop water weight as it uses up the last of your stored carbs. Then, it'll go into ketosis where the body uses fat as a main energy source instead of carbohydrates. Following this diet will result in a feeling of satiety (feeling full and satisfied), but it is a very strict diet to follow. Even the slightest increase in carbs could make your body end ketosis and revert back to carbs as a main energy source. Furthermore, the decrease in protein has many potentially harmful effects. This essential nutrient forms the foundation for muscles, skin, bones, hormones, and other important body systems that assist with overall health and immunity.
The Mediterranean Diet
One major difference between the Mediterranean diet and the Keto diet is that the Mediterranean diet is a lot less restrictive. There are many options to choose from, as long as you follow the two main rules: Eat whole (not processed) foods and (mostly) plant-based foods.
A typical American diet includes double the recommended amount of animal protein, which can lead to numerous cardiovascular diseases. By cutting down the amount of animal products you consume, your heart health will increase. Additionally, this diet still allows you to consume fats in moderation, and mainly as oils (extra virgin olive oil is the least processed), fatty fish, and nuts. These fats will increase HDL (good cholesterol) production and, yet again, aid in cardiovascular health. Lastly, by consuming more fiber, your body will produce more healthy bacterias to battle cardiovascular illnesses.
In conclusion, the Keto diet and the Mediterranean diet have many effects besides weight loss. Unless you plan on following the strict Keto diet for a long time, the only weight you will really be losing using this diet will be water weight. Also, studies show increased chances of cardiovascular disease in high fat diets (a.k.a. the Keto diet). The underlying theme of this article is heart health, and the star of the show is the Mediterranean diet. Statistically speaking, the Mediterranean diet can lower risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and in some cases reverse development of metabolic syndrome.
Although the Keto diet claims to be a quick way to lose weight, it may not be the healthiest lifestyle choice. Unlike the Keto diet, the Mediterranean diet comes with many benefits and healthy long-term effects, so which diet do you choose?