The Keto Diet, also known as the ketogenic diet, has gained attention recently as many celebrities have claimed that it helps them lose weight quickly. But what does this diet consist of? And how does it affect your body? Read on to learn about 6 reasons why the Keto Diet is healthy and how you can try it for yourself.

1. The Good Fats

If you’re like most people, you might be more familiar with bad fats than good fats. After all, it seems like every nutrition label tries to dissuade us from eating unhealthy saturated and trans fats, while simultaneously promoting healthy omega-3s and monounsaturated fats. But while bad fat gets a bad rap, good fat can make a big difference in your diet. Your body needs both kinds of fats to function properly—so don’t shy away from them completely. You just need to know which ones are better for different tasks; saturated and trans fat tend to play a less vital role in our health than omega-3s and monounsaturated do.

2. The Fiber

For years, diets were based on getting enough fiber—and for good reason. Getting more fiber into your diet can help keep you feeling full and satisfied; not to mention, it helps support healthy digestion. But you may not realize that there are two different types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water while insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water at all. Eating a diet rich in either type of fiber can have health benefits like reducing blood pressure and controlling blood sugar levels (1). Research suggests that consuming more soluble (as opposed to insoluble) dietary fiber might be particularly important for weight loss because it can make us feel fuller longer.

3. The Calcium

A hallmark of many high-fat, low-carb diets is that they encourage you to eat more fatty foods, but for a variety of reasons, adding lots of saturated fat isn’t always a good idea. It can increase your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While too much calcium can be bad for bones and kidneys, not getting enough—especially later in life—can lead to osteoporosis and kidney stones. Experts recommend that women ages 19–50 get 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day; women 51+ should aim for 1,200 mg daily.

4. The Protein

The keto diet emphasizes protein, which helps build and repair muscles and tissue. Do you know what else muscle is made of? Protein. This means that eating plenty of protein can help keep your muscles strong while you lose weight on a keto diet, even if you don’t have time to work out as much as you used to or would like to. Some research shows that people who eat less protein end up losing more weight. So why not maximize your efforts by eating everything you want and getting a little bit of exercise in? Sounds like a plan to us!

5. Magnesium and Potassium

Both magnesium and potassium are important for muscle health, and many believe that a low intake of these minerals can contribute to cramping. The keto diet tends to emphasize foods high in both magnesium and potassium—like leafy greens, avocado, olive oil, fish, and yogurt—so some keto dieters may be inadvertently meeting their recommended daily allowance without realizing it. If you’re already on a low-carb diet or just beginning one, you’ll probably see your weight loss stall at some point. You might feel hungry all of the time with cravings for sugars and starches that make it difficult to stick with your plan of eating fewer carbs or eliminating them.

6. Glycogen Reserves

When on a keto diet, your body will enter a metabolic state called ketosis. During ketosis, your body starts using fat and protein as its primary sources of energy instead of carbohydrates. In addition to that, you’ll notice that you feel fuller for longer periods and will probably experience rapid weight loss at first, which can be pretty motivating for most people. Remember: A true ketogenic diet is going to be high in fat and low in carbs! That’s what we need when it comes to fat loss!