Keto Diets May Be Linked To High Risk of Heart Disease

New research has found that diets similar to keto diets may be linked to a higher risk of heart disease. 

The findings showed that people on a low-carb, high-fat diet — similar to the ketogenic diet — had more than two times higher risk of having several major cardiovascular complications.

This comes as approximately one in five people report being on a low-carb, keto-like or full keto diet.

The researchers defined a low-carb high-fat diet as consisting of 45% of total daily calories coming from fat and 25% coming from carbohydrates.

In a nutshell (nuts you can eat on Keto)

The study concluded that people on the LCHF diet had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol — sometimes known as “bad” cholesterol — and apolipoprotein B, a protein that coats LDL cholesterol and can predict heart disease.

The researchers also found that those consuming an LCHF diet had a total fat intake higher in saturated fat and double the consumption of animal sources (33%) compared to those on the standard diet (16%).

The keto diet — generally suggested as being 10% carbohydrates, 20% to 30% protein and 60% to 80% fat — and similar LCHF diets have become increasingly popular in recent years as a quick way to shed weight.

The keto diet — which counts Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Kim Kardashian as celebrity devotees — has also been found to be one of the worst for the environment. The diet was estimated to generate around 6.6 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 1,000 calories consumed.

While these fad diets may entice those trying to lose some weight fast, experts warn that they are not sufficient long-term solutions.