A diet that has low carb and high fat content and promises quick weight loss is known as a ketogenic or keto diet. Earlier, this diet was limited to the treatment of epilepsy, but now it is also used as a treatment method for type 2 diabetes under close supervision. While the popularity of this diet plan is quickly increasing, there are several dangers of doing keto wrong that you should know about before starting the diet:

May lead to keto flu
When you start following a keto diet, your body goes into a state of ketosis. When on this diet, you must limit your carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day and allow your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. As your body goes into ketosis, you might experience flu-like symptoms, like dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation.

May stress the kidneys
Kidney stones are also among the major dangers of doing keto wrong, as this diet plan includes high-fat animal foods like eggs, meat, and cheese. If you eat a lot of animal protein, it might lead to acidic urine because the chemicals and uric acid levels in the blood are high. People who have an underlying kidney disease must seek advice from a doctor before following a keto diet.

May lead to digestive issues
When you are on a keto diet, you must cut down your intake of carbohydrates to just 50 grams (or even less) in a day. The lack of whole grains and fibrous fruits or vegetables might lead to symptoms like diarrhea. When on a keto diet, you will be eating more dairy products and artificial sweeteners, which can also lead to gastrointestinal issues.

May cause nutritional deficiencies
Since you will be cutting a majority of nutrient-dense food groups from your diet, you might experience vitamin- and mineral-deficiencies. Also, note that a diet rich in healthy fats, like avocados, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables, is considered healthier than processed animal proteins and keto supplements.

May elevate the risk of chronic diseases
One of the major dangers of doing keto wrong is that you will be eating more trans fats, saturated fats, artificial sugars, and processed foods to meet the required fat consumption. These ingredients will increase your bad cholesterol levels and lower good cholesterol levels, which can lead to chronic heart diseases. While vegetable-based low-carb diets can improve cholesterol levels, an animal-based low-carb diet may increase the risk of heart diseases.

Knowing about the various dangers of doing keto wrong will help make an
nformed decision. If you’re thinking of going on a ketogenic diet, it’s always better to check with your doctor before making major changes in your diet plan.