Healthline did an article on the top 7 dangers of keto. It made me think about how I feel now compared to how I felt when I was obese. So, I thought I’d do some research and look at this question. Are the dangers of keto worse than the dangers of obesity? How do the two compare? Am I substituting one danger for another?
Dangers of Keto That are Easily Managed
There hasn’t been a significant amount of long-term research done on keto yet. What they have discovered is that how you do keto can affect how healthy or unhealthy it can be for you. One of the risks Healthline points out is the keto flu. Well, any time you are detoxing your body from unhealthy foods or switching to another way of eating, you will experience this fatigue and feeling of being ill. Stay hydrated and push through. It will be over in a week or two and you’ll be on to bigger and better things.
A lack of fiber can be a concern on the keto diet. Fiber helps with digestion, so if you want to keep your digestive system moving smoothly, make sure to eat low-carb foods that contain fiber, such as nuts, seeds, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens. I’ve found my digestive system is better now than it was before, when I wasn’t focused on fiber.
When you dramatically reduce a food macro, like carbs, it can be easy to have nutritional deficiencies. Especially concerning can be calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and phosphorus. If you eat low-carb, nutrient-rich foods like avocados, non-starchy vegetables, and nuts, you can largely counteract this. Bill and I take magnesium and potassium. These seem to keep us feeling good.
Potential Dangers of Keto that are More Serious
If you are a diabetic and take insulin, you need to talk to your doctor about doing keto before starting it. Keto has been shown to reduce the amount of insulin people require, and can even help people stay off insulin if they are Type 2 diabetics. However, it can be dangerous to take insulin and do the keto diet. Make sure you are working with health professionals if this is a choice you are making.
Some research shows that bone health can be affected by the keto diet. Like I said above, calcium can be an important nutrient to keep an eye on. It’s easy to find calcium pills to supplement your diet. Women, in particular, need to take note of this.
Finally, there is a hot debate about whether or not keto can lead to heart disease and cancer. Some research says yes. This research is based largely on people who eat mostly high-fat protein, which technically is not keto. Other research shows that the keto diet may help with heart disease and cancer. If you are doing strict keto and not eating a lot of processed meats and the carbs you take in are healthy, such as low-carb vegetables and nuts, research is pointing towards it being a healthier lifestyle.
The Risks of Obesity
On the other side of the coin are the risks of obesity. The top risk listed by the CDC is “all causes of death.” Well, that’s sobering. They go on to list hypertension (high blood pressure), unhealthy cholesterol levels, heart disease, and stroke. They go on to list gallbladder issues, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and cancer. Then it’s rounded out with a general low quality of life, body pain, difficulty with physical functioning, and an increase in mental illnesses. That’s quite a list!
Are the Dangers of Keto Worse than Obesity?
From these two comparisons, I’d say no. There are risks to any lifestyle choice and it’s important to know them and prepare for them. But, truly, we are so much healthier now – mentally and physically than we were when we were obese. We feel better, we look better, and our blood work supports that we are, indeed, healthier.
It makes me so angry when people talk about the high risks of keto. My health risks have decreased so much in the past two years! We had one doctor tell us that we had likely added about 5 years to our lives by losing weight. Obesity is what we need to focus on as the worst health risk. I mean, just look at the CDC’s list against the sensationalized articles by health magazines. Death vs. some nutrient deficiencies. Pick wisely, friends.
Wendy
