Food

Here's What Nutritionists REALLY Think About All the Most Popular Diets

Experts weigh in on the pros and cons of keto, Paleo, Whole30 and more

by Sharon Feiereisen | COMMENT

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Keto Diet This fat-focused diet breaks down to about 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates. "The overall goal is to push your body into making ketone bodies as an energy source, this is called ketosis," explains Sarah Morgan, founder of Buddies in My Belly. Basically, this means that your body is burning fat (rather than carbs) for fuel.

Pros: "Gets people off sugar and simple carbohydrates that tend to dominate the standard American diet," says Morgan.

Cons: "Two to four pounds of your weight is made up of friendly, health-promoting bacteria that live in your digestive tract," says Morgan. "This bacteria depends upon fiber for fuel — any diet that limits fiber intake has the potential to shrink their number and backfire on your weight loss goals." Keto is low on fiber because it severely restricts carbohydrates (fiber is the indigestible part of a carb). "Another important point to consider: we are not designed to consume large amounts of fat. It can spike cholesterol levels, lead to fatty liver disease and even osteoporosis."

Image via @hannahs_health_journey2018

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