The Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet Plan

While the keto diet is an effective diet to burn fat, there are also a variety of positive health effects associated with it.

But no diet plan is perfect! If you are considering a keto diet, you must also be aware of the possible negative effects.

Read on to learn if the keto diet plan is right for your lifestyle.

Pros of Keto

• Keto can reduce the amount of sugar and insulin in the body.
  
  
  
  In fact, many diabetics have found that using the keto diet has not only assisted them in controlling their diabetes- it has allowed them to go off of their diabetic medications all together!
  
   
• Keto can reduce the risk for heart disease.
  
  
  
  This goes back to the key fat burning feature of keto. As the body turns to its fat reserves to obtain energy, the weight of a person drops. As you know, less weight means less stress on the heart.
  
   
• Keto can drop a user’s HDL cholesterol- a major culprit of heart disease and stroke.
  
  
  
  The risk of heart disease is also greatly reduced through the keto diet as it lowers blood pressure. Again, this is attributed to a decrease in weight and cholesterol.

Cons of Keto

• It's extremely difficult to remain committed to the keto diet.
  
  
  
  One slip up and a dieter is thrown off ketosis. This means that they will then have to retrain their body to get back into ketosis.
  
   
• The rookie keto dieter also runs an extremely high risk of keto flu.
  
  
  
  The keto flu, a common side effect of the keto diet, happens when the body goes through the shock of a sudden and abrupt removal of carbohydrates from the system
  
  
  
  During the keto flu, a dieter is likely to experience severe hunger, headaches, nausea, fatigue, irritability, constipation, and even brain fog. This isn’t a fun experience to have by any means, but it is a temporary one that cures itself as a dieter progresses through the diet.
  
   
• Many dietitians scrutinize the keto diet because it requires the removal of whole grains and fruits permanently from the diet.
  
  
  
  Whole grains and fruits are a major source of valuable vitamins and minerals the body needs including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, and fiber.
  
   
• Constipation is also a common thing with the keto diet.
  
  
  
  If you’re considering jumping on the keto diet bandwagon, be warned! It is highly recommended to speak with a dietitian or healthcare provider to ensure that you are properly supplementing the body with all the nutrients that may become absent during the keto diet.