Nutritionists Zoom in on Keto Diet’s Health Benefits

(Mirror Daily, United States) – Keto diet’s proponents from Bethel University in Minnesota recently found that the diet plan is more effective in controlling the metabolic syndrome than the Western diet even when exercise is involved. This means that the ketogenic diet can keep at bay chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

However, nutritionists believe that that is not entirely true.

The research team was curious to learn if a consistent keto diet would keep in check the said syndrome while lowering the body mass and BMI in volunteers. During the study, they tracked 30 people who live with metabolic syndrome.

The syndrome is very popular in the populations on a Western diet and includes excess body fat, high bad cholesterol levels, hypertension, and high blood sugar levels. People affected by this mix of conditions have a higher risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.

The Study

Study participants were asked to follow the keto diet without working out, to follow a U.S. diet with exercise, or follow a U.S. diet with no physical activity. The trial lasted 10 weeks.

Towards the end of the study, volunteers who had followed the keto diet lost weight, had less body fat, and lower BMI. The second in line when it comes to effectiveness was the U.S. diet paired with exercise.

However, not all nutritionists are over thrilled with the ketogenic diet, a diet plan that replaces bad carbohydrates with fats. Critics noted that the new study does not suggest that going full keto can help lose weight more effectively.

One researcher who was not part of the study noted that the weight loss was caused by the loss of water, not fat. This means that participants who lost weight on a keto diet should expect a quick rebound in the coming months as water weight returns rather quickly.

Image Source: Pixabay

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John Birks

John holds a diploma in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He covers the technology, social media, green business, eco-travel, politics, arts culture.