A few years ago, it was quite difficult to find ketogenic-friendly snacks and restaurants. Today, however, there is a multitude of options, from keto bars to keto-friendly menus to tasty exogenous ketones.
The keto lifestyle shows no signs that it will die out anytime soon. Just as the gluten-free choice went from weird to every day, the ketogenic diet is also evolving and becoming anchored in our culture.
But — is it actually possible to follow the ketogenic diet for years?
We are dealing with this question today.
Within a week or two of a ketogenic diet, you will see more energy and mental clarity, steady blood sugar levels, and likely some weight loss as well. Not bad for a simple short-term change in your diet. But what happens after a few months, years, or decades on a low-carb, high-fat diet? Is this type of diet sustainable in the long term?
What is ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. While your body normally uses glucose (from carbohydrates) as its main source of energy, in ketosis the body burns ketones (from fat) instead.
Moving into a ketogenic state isn’t as easy as switching from a meal or two. Unlike some diets that you can try a little to see if you like them, ketosis takes a little more time and commitment.
What to eat while on the ketogenic diet?
Fats — Healthy fats will help you stay full longer and keep you from getting out of ketosis.
Protein — When it comes to protein, grazing animals and oily fish are the norm.
Dairy Products — Full-fat cheese, full-fat (unsweetened) yogurt, sour cream, and heavy creams are allowed on a keto diet.
Low-sugar fruits in moderation — Small amounts of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are allowed in moderation during a ketogenic diet.
Low-Carbohydrate Vegetables — Eat lots of vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, and other leafy greens.
What you CANNOT eat while on the ketogenic diet?
Beans and Legumes — Most beans and legumes are high in carbohydrates.
Whole Grains and Processed Grains — Whole grains and processed grains like rice, oats, wheat, millet, barley, corn, rye, and quinoa contain too many carbohydrates for a keto diet.
Starchy Vegetables — Potatoes, carrots, peas, yams, and parsnips are examples of starchy vegetables that can raise your blood sugar and block ketone production.
High Sugar / Fewer Fiber Fruits — Most tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapples, papaya, and tangerines are high in sugar, which will kick you out of ketosis.
It’s important to remember that regardless of what kind of food guidelines you follow, a diet plan high in real, whole foods will always be better for you than a diet high in processed, sugary meals.
Can ketosis be bad for you?
You have probably heard some controversy about the ketogenic diet. And it makes sense. The keto diet promotes fat consumption, and all dietary fat has been vilified in the medical community and the press for the past 70 years.
Yet despite much controversy and misunderstanding, there has been a spate of positive research in support of the ketogenic diet … Here we are going to cover some of the biggest concerns about the keto diet and why it might be best for your body to get into ketosis and stay in ketosis.
Is Keto Bad For Your Heart?
The controversy is over. Not only is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet safe for your heart, but new research continues to be published showing how a ketogenic diet can protect your heart.
Studies show that eating a ketogenic diet has positive effects on several markers of heart disease that can lead to type 2 diabetes:
High cholesterol
high blood pressure
High triglycerides
Chronically high blood sugar
Higher BMI
But there’s more to come here. When you are in ketosis, your body becomes inundated with an anti-inflammatory ketone molecule called B-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). And soothing inflammation is one of the most powerful things you can do to prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases.
Is the Keto Diet Bad for Your Kidneys?
You may have heard that the keto diet is supposed to cause kidney disease or kidney stones. This misconception stems from the idea that high protein diets are dangerous for kidney health. And it’s true — if you already have kidney disease, watch your protein intake.
However, high-protein diets do not pose a risk in healthy people. However, this point is irrelevant since the ketogenic diet is not necessarily a high-protein diet. While you definitely need to keep your carbohydrates below a certain level, your protein intake will vary based on your activity level and health goals.
Aside from the protein factor, there is some compelling evidence that a low-carb diet protects your kidneys. If anything, chronically high blood sugar levels are a risk factor for kidney disease — not fat or protein. The main cause of diabetic kidney disease is high blood sugar levels.
And there is some evidence that a ketogenic diet can help reverse diabetic kidney disease.
But what if your kidneys are healthy?
Even if you don’t have diabetes, chronically high blood sugar levels are a risk factor for kidney disease. So if you want to keep your kidneys healthy, you shouldn’t worry so much about eating a grass-fed beef steak or not but focus on keeping your blood sugar levels under control.
So if the keto diet isn’t a problem for your heart, kidneys, and blood sugar, what’s the catch? Some nutritionists fear that a very low-carb, high-fat diet could have negative effects for months or years.
But science thinks differently, as we have seen.
Is the Keto Diet Sustainable in the Long Term?
A low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is far from dangerous in the short term. How does it look for years or decades? To date, there hasn’t been much research showing the long-term effects of a ketogenic diet over several years.
This is partly because the ketogenic diet has only become the focus of interest in recent years. But it’s also because it’s notoriously difficult to conduct long-term nutritional research on humans. There are just too many variables when it comes to keeping track of what people have been eating over the years.
That being said, there isn’t any evidence to suggest that the long-term ketogenic diet is a bad idea.
How the keto diet is sustainable over the long term
The fact that humans have developed the ability to use both ketones and glucose is evidence that metabolic flexibility is innate and natural.
Unlike today, where food is everywhere and always available, in the days of hunters and gatherers there were long stretches where food was difficult to get. When there is a lack of food, there is a lack of glucose. And when there’s no glucose for quick energy, the body naturally turns to ketones for fuel. Here are just a few science-based reasons why keto can be good for the long term:
Ketosis helps control inflammation
The major concerns with long-term keto diets are that the diet can put a strain on your kidneys or cause chronic illness. But this theory is hard to prove given the role of the ketogenic diet in controlling inflammation. The ketone body BHB has been studied for its ability to block inflammatory receptors.
This means that when you are in ketosis, a lot of anti-inflammatory chemicals are flowing through your blood. What does this have to do with long-term health? Inflammation has been linked to almost every chronic disease, including Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, to name a few.
The science behind the sustainable keto diet
If you’ve been in ketosis for more than a year, you can see improvements in:
Triglycerides
Blood sugar
cholesterol
BMI
Weight
Blood pressure
Ketosis is easier to maintain in the long term
One possible disadvantage of the ketogenic diet is its long-term social aspect. A few years ago it was a lot harder to find keto-friendly restaurants and snacks. Today the options are endless, from keto bars and delicious exogenous ketones to keto-friendly menus.
And the keto madness just keeps getting bigger. Just as the paleo and gluten-free options have gone from unknown to ubiquitous in the past five to ten years, so is the keto diet.
Precautionary measures if you want to / have to follow the ketogenic lifestyle over the long term
While it is safe to stick to a keto diet for the long term, there are some precautions to keep in mind.
Maintain your microbiome
A lack of food diversity can lead to a lack of diversity in your gut microbiome. The microbiome is responsible for blood sugar regulation, a strong immune system, energy production, and even your mood.
While the research is still ongoing, caring for the good bacteria in the gut is essential to long-term health. And your microbes like fiber. Mainly prebiotic fiber from nuts, plants, and seeds.
The keto diet isn’t what could be called high fiber, so make sure you are eating nuts, plenty of low-carb vegetables, and seeds.
Micronutrient deficiency
A long term keto diet could potentially lead to micronutrient deficiencies over the years. It is possible to follow a keto diet that includes nutrient-dense vegetables, fats, and proteins.
But technically it is still a restrictive diet. A lack of food diversity can affect your micronutrient intake. The best way to make sure that you are getting your micronutrient needs is by eating a variety of low-carb vegetables and switching meats.
If you experience symptoms such as fatigue, indigestion, brain fog, dizziness, or other unexplained changes, you should speak to your doctor about the micronutrient levels and have them checked in your blood.
Supplement if necessary
Electrolytes — It’s not uncommon to excrete more electrolytes than normal when falling into ketosis. Electrolytes are minerals that, among other things, help regulate nerve and muscle function. Keep the electrolyte balance balanced — even if you’ve been in ketosis for a while — with a high-quality electrolyte supplement under control.
Make sure you are consuming enough calories
Ketosis helps regulate your hunger hormones and ensure that you feel full for hours. This is great for short periods of time, but long-term, chronic calorie restriction can affect your energy levels and hormone production.
Every few months, you might want to track your caloric intake to make sure you are getting enough nutrition to support your body, brain, and exercise.
Conclusion
Nothing stands in the way of a long-term ketogenic lifestyle and … you can also consider taking a break and vacation from the ketogenic diet when you go on vacation. After that, you will quickly get back into ketosis.
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