In recent years, low carb and ketogenic diets have gained popularity as effective ways to lose weight and achieve better health. In fact, many studies have shown that adopting the keto diet can improve your health in multiple ways, from reducing inflammation to lowering blood sugar to improving insulin sensitivity. Here are 10 health benefits of the low carb keto diet you might not know about yet.
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Health Benefits 1 - Weight Loss
The keto diet is well known for being a low carb diet, where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy. But did you know that the keto diet can also help with weight loss? When you eat fewer carbs, your body is forced to burn stored fat for energy, and this can lead to weight loss.
Health Benefits 2 - Improved Type 2 Diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, then a low carb keto diet can help to improve your blood sugar control. In one study, people with type 2 diabetes who followed a keto diet for 12 months had significantly improved HbA1c levels (a measure of long-term blood sugar control).
Health Benefits 3 - Lower Cholesterol
One of the most well-known health benefits of low-carb and ketogenic diets is their ability to lower cholesterol levels. This is achieved by reducing the amount of saturated fat in the diet, which has been shown to raise cholesterol levels. In one study, participants on a low-carb diet had significantly lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol after just eight weeks.
Health Benefits 4 - Improve Cognitive Function
We all know that what we eat affects our physical health, but did you know that what you eat can also affect your cognitive function? A low carb keto diet has been shown to improve cognitive function in a variety of ways.
Health Benefits 5 - Improve Epilepsy Symptoms
The keto diet has been shown to help improve seizure control in people with epilepsy, especially children. In one study, about two-thirds of participants who followed a ketogenic diet for at least three months saw a more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency. And for nearly one-third of participants, seizures stopped completely.
In addition to improving seizure control, the keto diet may also help reduce the severity of seizures and improve quality of life for people with epilepsy.
Health Benefits 6 - Increase Metabolism
A low carb keto diet has been shown to increase metabolism. This is because when you eat fewer carbs, your body has to use more stored fat for energy. This process of using stored fat for energy is called ketosis, and it can help you burn more calories throughout the day.
Health Benefits 7 - Fight Cancer
Cancer is a metabolic disease, meaning it cannot thrive on sugar (glucose) alone. By reducing the amount of sugar in your diet, you can effectively starve cancer cells and prevent them from growing.
Health Benefits 8 - Cut Fatigue & Focus Better
If you’re struggling with brain fog, fatigue, or general malaise, going low carb could help. Once your body starts using ketones for energy instead of glucose, you’ll likely find that you have more energy and focus. Plus, you won’t have the ups and downs that come with blood sugar swings.
Health Benefits 9 - Easier to Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels
When you have diabetes, your body has difficulty regulating blood sugar levels on its own. A low-carb keto diet can help by making it easier for your body to maintain stable blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels are stable, you're less likely to experience the highs and lows that can lead to serious health complications.
Health Benefit 10 - Reduce Bad Cholesterol
One of the most important health benefits of a low carb keto diet is its ability to help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body. This is extremely important for heart health and can help to prevent heart disease. The keto diet does this by promoting the production of HDL (good) cholesterol while simultaneously reducing the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. As we mentioned before, ketones have also been shown to decrease triglyceride levels which are another type of fat found in the blood that has been linked with high cholesterol and an increased risk for heart disease.
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