The Keto Diet has been shown to have many health benefits, such as helping with weight loss, improving cholesterol levels, and lowering your risk of heart disease. However, there are some cons of this diet that you should be aware of before trying it out. Read on to find out how the Keto Diet affects your cholesterol levels.

How the Keto Diet Affects Your Cholesterol Levels

The Keto Diet has been shown to have many health benefits, such as helping with weight loss, improving cholesterol levels, and lowering your risk of heart disease. However, there are some cons of this diet that you should be aware of before trying it out. Read on to find out how the Keto Diet affects your cholesterol levels.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is naturally produced by your body and found in some foods. It helps make cell membranes, hormones, and vitamin D. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can clog arteries, leading to heart disease. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol carries extra cholesterol out of your body and helps prevent it from building up in arteries. HDL levels are usually higher with diets high in fiber and lower with diets high in saturated fats.

The breakdown of a low-carb diet

When you’re on a low-carb diet, your body burns fat for energy. Because carbs are a main source of calories in most diets, low-carb diets usually mean that people can eat fewer calories while still feeling full and satisfied. One study found that going on a low-carb diet caused overweight participants to burn 17 percent more calories over three months than those who didn’t follow a low-carb plan. But there's some evidence that low-carb diets might change cholesterol levels as well.

Common keto side effects and how to manage them

Side effects are generally minimal when following a ketogenic diet. One of them is constipation, which can often be remedied by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, drinking plenty of water, and eating foods that make you feel full with fewer calories (like nuts, seeds, eggs, and avocado). Other common side effects include dizziness and fatigue (especially when first starting), headaches, and an increased risk for kidney stones. It’s also important to know that these side effects aren’t necessarily going to go away—they may even get worse over time if you stick with keto for a long time. Still not sure if it’s right for you? Try starting on a different diet first.

What happens when you change your diet quickly

The keto diet is a fad diet, like many others that have come before it. It’s based on a very low carbohydrate intake but can cause some undesirable side effects, including constipation and bad breath. The keto diet works by severely limiting your carbohydrate intake to only 20 grams per day. When you consume fewer carbs than that, your body turns to fat stores for energy and produces compounds called ketones as a result. Ketones are what allow you to enter a state of ketosis, which means your body burns fat instead of glucose (aka carbs) for energy. Long-term ketosis isn’t healthy, but in some cases, it can provide benefits like improved appetite control or increased mental focus.

Which foods should I eat on the keto diet and avoid on the keto diet?

Eggs, butter, bacon, meat, and seafood are all high in fat and low in carbs; these foods should be a regular part of your keto diet. Low-carb vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens are also keto diet-friendly. However, fruits—which have higher carb counts—should be eaten sparingly on keto. A small banana is fine, but know that a half cup of blueberries can set you back more than 30 grams of net carbs. Avocados are another popular choice for those following a keto diet because they're packed with heart-healthy fats and you can eat them raw or cook with them to reduce their carbohydrate content when possible.

Should I take supplements on the keto diet?

Given that dieters tend to run low on vitamin and mineral stores as they lose weight, they must learn which foods are the best sources of these nutrients. So, if you follow a ketogenic diet plan, which is high in fat and very low in carbs (and moderate protein), you should aim to eat mostly nutrient-dense food, including supplements like vitamins C and E. For example, one handful of sunflower seeds contains about 60% of your daily vitamin E needs; an eight-ounce serving of beef liver contains more than 200% of your daily vitamin B12 requirement. It may seem extreme at first to include supplements with every meal or snack – but there’s no other way to ensure that you get what you need every day.