Who is keto good for?

One of the first questions that almost everyone asks when they learn about a new diet is Who is this diet good for? Luckily this very important question has a very short and simple answer.

Almost everyone can benefit from keto, but some benefit more than others.

There are quite a lot of medical conditions that benefit more than others, like type 2 diabetes and prediabetes as well as PCOS, but the simple truth is that it’s a healthy diet for almost everyone short term.

Keto is great for overweight and obese people who need to lose a lot of weight. In fact one study found that even without counting calories or tracking your food intake, you can lose weight with keto. The foods you eat are so filling that you don’t eat a lot of them. Finally! A way to lose weight without feeling like you’re starving yourself!

It gets better. Studies comparing keto with low fat diets found that those practicing keto lost just as much overall weight as low fat while losing five times as much overall body fat over 8 weeks. In one study participants on keto lost an extra 2 pounds more than those participants practicing low fat.

Keto also lead to decreased diastolic blood pressure and lower triglyceride levels in those same studies.

Keto is also good for people that suffer from insulin problems common with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. One study of 349 people with type 2 diabetes found that those on keto lost an average of 26 pounds over 2 years. They lost the weight while also experiencing improved blood sugar management, and many participants decreased their use of blood sugar management medications over the 2 year study.

The only limitations don’t seem to be health related, but are more lifestyle related. It’s not the best diet for building and maintaining a lot of muscle mass, so it’s one that athletes should avoid. It can also be challenging to stick to if you are living a lifestyle that constantly has you on the go. Although there are many ways to eat keto on the go. Vegetarians and vegans will also find it difficult too. There are vegetarian and vegan options for keto but they are somewhat rare compared to the options available to non-vegetarians.