The keto diet is an extremely effective way to lose weight over a short period of time—even better, according to some research, than low-calorie and low-fat diets. There a few reasons for this: When you’re in ketosis, your body stores less fat. Dieters feel fuller for longer, partly because of the rich food they’re eating, and partly because ketosis changes your hunger hormone levels.
When we eat, we consume either protein, carbs, or fat. Carbs increase blood sugar levels. Protein and fat do not. So eating a low-carb diet IS healthy for diabetics because you eliminate a lot of what causes glucose to rise. I’m not referring to a no-carb way of eating, but a lower carb diet. I’m type 2 and have been eating keto for three weeks. My blood sugar levels are great. No swings — highs or super lows. I was injecting 60 units of insulin prior to each meal. Now I inject 5-10 units. I’m not losing weight, but I feel better and my sugar levels are under control. Most nutritionists and many doctors still haven’t caught up with the science. Low-carb/keto is the best way to eat for a diabetic.
One argument against the consumption of a high fat diet is that it causes obesity. The major concern in this regard is whether a high percentage of dietary fat promotes weight gain more than a low percentage of fat intake. Because fat has a higher caloric density than carbohydrate, it is thought that the consumption of a high fat diet will be accompanied by a higher energy intake (31). On the contrary, recent studies from our laboratory (12) and many other laboratories (24,32–34) have observed that a ketogenic diet can be used as a therapy for weight reduction in obese patients.
Ketoacidosis most commonly arises with people with diabetes. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs in response to a severe lack of proper insulin activity whereas alcoholic ketoacidosis is a harmful metabolic condition arising when someone consumes alcohol but no food, explains Michael J. Gonzalez-Campoy, MD, PhD, medical director and CEO of the Minnesota Center for Obesity, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, in Eagan, Minnesota. Either way, this is a dangerous situation.


To get into and stay in ketosis, you must restrict carbs and sugar – less than 50 grams per day. This initiates your body to burn the remaining carbohydrates present, after which it moves on to stored glucose (glycogen), and finally it taps into ketones. Ketones are produced by the liver and readily used by the body for potent energy production and critical brain-related functions.
Common complications of diabetic ketoacidosis include very low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, and swelling of the brain (cerebral edema). As such, when a person is in ketoacidosis, there is such a high level of ketones produced that can push a person into cardiac arrest (heart attack) or kidney failure. Hence, the very important reason for taking occasional keto breaks go give your body a bit more nourishing carbs. 

Turoff doesn't think the keto diet should be a go-to solution for weight loss, and she's not alone in this opinion. Many of the dietitians Shape spoke to for this story had similar thoughts on the keto diet, which is why many of them strongly encourage anyone who is thinking about trying a ketogenic diet to chat with a registered dietitian first. (Related: Why This Dietitian Is Completely Against the Keto Diet)


If not treated or reversed, dehydration can lead to acute kidney injury, Dr. Rahnama says. That’s not the only way the keto diet can put your kidneys at risk, however. “Kidney stones or damage to the kidney may also be a side effect,” Grace Derocha, RD, a certified diabetes educator and certified health coach at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan says. High levels of nitrogen created by excess protein can also increase pressure in your kidneys. This can lead to the formation of more stones and damage your kidney cells.
Yes. The ketogenic diet is very healthy. As a matter of fact, it comes with lots and lots of health benefits which we have already looked at. Even though this diet comes with a few side effects, it comes with a lot more health benefits ranging from providing more energy to helping with weight loss and controlling blood sugar. In all, the ketogenic diet is a very healthy diet.
Here’s the thing, the Keto diet can be executed in many different ways.  The only requirement for achieving ketosis is to restrict carbs and limit protein so that the bodies glycogen reserves are depleted to the point that ketosis kicks in.  If you do that by eating hot dogs and margarine then I agree with this claim, you are on a dangerous nutrient-deficient diet.  However, if one chooses to achieve ketosis by eating fatty cuts of quality meat, dairy, nuts and plenty green leaves and fibrous vegetables-they are on a nutrient dense, complete diet.







Far from being a new “fad diet”, the keto diet— a very low carb, high fat diet — has been used by doctors since the 1920’s to treat patients with serious illnesses. In recent years the keto diet has steadily been gaining more attention, due to how it promotes weight loss by forcing the body to burn fat for energy. More than ever before, a wider audience is now considering trying the keto diet, including those interested in benefits beyond weight loss. Examples include a reduced risk for diabetes, increased energy and protection against age-related neurological diseases. (1)

With more people enthusiastic about the ketogenic diet comes more talk about potential adverse side effects. Upon closer examination, almost all of the complaints can be traced to a flawed approach. Granted, if you are coming to the game with significant metabolic damage from decades of carbohydrate dependency, or not paying attention to some common sense best practices, such as choosing healthy foods instead of blindly focusing on macros, you will likely struggle with something as stringent as keto.
The benefits of a ketogenic diet have been well documented for those living with Type 2 diabetes. Not only does the diet help manage blood sugar but it promotes weight loss as well. The results for those living with Type 1 are less conclusive. Many studies tend to address low carb diets like paleo and Atkins, which focus more on types of low carb food to eat, unlike a keto diet, which pays close attention to macronutrients and staying in ketosis. There seem to be fewer studies exploring the latter, but there is observational information that seems to indicate the diet offers a way to manage A1C levels and glycemic control. Many people with diabetes who abide by the keto diet have found that they significantly reduce their use of insulin.