The ketogenic (keto) diet became popular in the early 2000s with the idea that “fat is not the enemy.
However, a study in the March 2024 issue of Current Problems in Cardiology suggests that this high-fat, low-carb diet might be harmful to health.
Dr. Joanna Popiolek-Kalisz, the author of the study, identified several problems with the keto diet. While many people lose weight quickly on this diet, it is mostly water weight, and there are no lasting health benefits.
Dr. Popiolek-Kalisz states, “The ketogenic diet does not meet the criteria of a healthy diet.” In fact, the diet’s high fat content can lead to higher levels of LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, clogged arteries, and death. A low-carb diet, rather than a very low-carb one like the keto diet, is better for heart health.
Low-carb diets include the Atkins, paleo, and South Beach diets. Other studies have shown that the keto diet can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, an excess of vitamin K (which is harmful to the heart), and increased risk of kidney stones.
According to the International Food Information Council’s annual study, over half of Americans follow a specific diet. However, the popularity of the keto diet dropped by 4% from 2023 to 2024, and this trend is likely to continue.