Your Guide to a Keto, Gluten-Free, or Low-Fat Diet
If you’ve clicked on this tab, you are likely aware of the debate on whether you should live your life consuming a high-fat, low-carb diet or a low-fat, high-carb diet. The truth is, there is no correct answer! Either option is acceptable as long as you pick the one that leaves you feeling like your best self. Googling this topic will send you down a rabbit hole of pros and cons for both diets but ultimately, everyone functions differently, which leaves us the ability to choose which diet our body prefers.
While either option is acceptable, I encourage you to pick one or the other, not both. A diet with high fat and high carb is currently known as the “Western Diet,” which is frequently seen throughout the United States and why our obesity rates are through the roof. Overall, both diets aid in weight loss and decrease chronic disease risks.
Keto:
So, what exactly is all this talk of “Keto”? The Ketogenic diet, often referred to as “Keto,” is a diet that limits carb consumption to less than 50g a day. The average carb intake is replaced by fats allowing the body to switch its energy production from glucose over to ketone bodies. Due to the satiating factor of consuming high amounts of fat and protein, appetite is typically reduced, and individuals are less likely to overeat during meals. Because of the increased satiety, you often find that calories and macros do not need to be counted on the Keto diet because they regulate themselves in terms of fullness. The staples of a keto diet often include meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.
Benefits of following a ketogenic diet include weight loss, reduced blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced triglyceride levels, and more. The only downside to following a ketogenic diet is that options are limited mainly to meats and fats, limiting the variety of foods and forms that carbs can come as. Suppose you are someone who is fine with eating a lot of the same things or are interested in learning more about the ketogenic diet and what it can do for you. In that case, I recommend going to Healthline.com and searching for the article, “The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto.” Another great resource can be found by going to the U.S. News and World Report website and searching “Keto Diet.”
Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
U.S. News: https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/keto-diet
Low Fat:
The low-fat diet is just as it sounds, the exact opposite of the ketogenic diet. Carbs should make up 70% of the daily caloric intake on the low-fat diet, with fats and proteins only making up 15% each. Because of this specific breakdown, low-fat and high-carb diets often require caloric intake limits and portion control. The minimal amounts of fats consumed should be “healthy fats” like avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, and coconut. The consumed carbs should be focused on whole plant-based foods such as fruit, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, leafy greens, herbs, spices, and mushrooms.
Benefits from consuming a low-fat diet also include weight loss and health promotion, although many debates still occur on the best diet. As I mentioned initially, either diet is acceptable, and both will result in weight loss when adequately implemented. The key is choosing the one that leaves you healthy and feeling like your best self. If you would like more information regarding a low-fat, high-carb diet, I recommend going to Very Well Health and reading the article, “What is a Low-Fat Diet?”
I also recommend looking at the article from Fit and Well, “Low carb vs high carb diets: what’s best for weight loss and good health?” to find quality information on both diets and how the right choice relies solely on each individual.
Very well Health: https://www.verywellhealth.com/low-fat-diets-and-the-heart-1746349
Fit & Well: https://www.fitandwell.com/features/low-carb-vs-high-carb-diets
Gluten-Free Diet:
What is gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and helps assist with the rising process in baked goods. Going gluten-free seems to be the latest dieting fad in today’s society, even though gluten reactivity is not a fad and can even become deadly in someone with Celiac disease. If you have gluten sensitivity, your body mistakes the gluten as an invading bacterium and transports it to the intestinal walls where it can be ambushed. While this trick is valuable when protecting you from actual bacteria, it is only wasting your energy when the mistaken invader is gluten.
By exterminating gluten, healthy cells are being damaged in large quantities and, over time, lead to what is known as a leaky gut syndrome. Now, I cannot tell you that no one can eat gluten because some people seem to have no problem with its consumption. However, I would suggest that those with an autoimmune disease consider it. Gluten consumption can trigger inflammation within the body and lead to gut dysbiosis (an imbalance between good and harmful bacteria) in those with an autoimmune disease. By eliminating gluten, those faced with an autoimmune disease may experience decreased symptoms, allowing for a more comfortable life. If you choose to follow the ketogenic diet, do not worry about gluten because when appropriately followed, the keto diet itself is gluten-free.
If you are interested in learning more about going gluten-free and its benefits on your life, I recommend visiting Health line, “The Gluten-Free Diet: A Beginner’s Guide with Meal Plan.” Another great resource is to visit the Mayo Clinic website and search for the article, “Gluten Free Diet.”
Health Line: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-diet
Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/gluten-free-diet/art-20048530
In conclusion, whether you choose keto, low-fat, or gluten-free as a lifestyle change, the most important aspect is selecting a diet that you can be consistent with. If you have read this resource and you haven’t fully decided to make a change to either of the diets listed above, that is ok too. You can still modify your current eating habits to promote healthier lifestyle choices. Easy changes include removing as many processed foods from your diet as possible, eating veggies or fruits with each meal, and drinking plenty of water.
Often the best results come from small healthy choices along the way, rather than a drastic change for a short time. So, remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and enjoy the process.
