Is Keto The Perfect Diet For Weight Loss? Experts Answer

A team of nutrition researchers come together and answer the question of what constitutes the best diet plan.

Ketogenic or Keto diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet. 

(Photo: iStockphoto)

Dieting has always been a go-to for those aspiring to shed some extra kilos. A simple search would reveal the plenty of diet plans available to maintain a healthier lifestyle, with ‘Keto’ being the buzz word today.

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat and low-carb diet that pushes the body to burn fats instead of carbohydrates. This trend is relatively new and stands contrary to the equally popular high-carb and low-fat diet, based on the premise that high fat intakes can lead to health problems like obesity, diabetes or even cancer.

What is the Perfect Carb-Fat Ratio For Weight Loss?

A review published in the journal ‘Science’ aimed to answer this question by getting together nutrition scientists and researchers from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, Ohio State University, and others, hoping for them to arrive at broad agreements and disagreements regarding macronutrients and chronic diseases.

In the words of David Ludwig, a professor in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School and lead author on the study,

This is a model for how we can transcend the diet wars. Our goal was to assemble a team with different areas of expertise and contrasting views, and to identify areas of agreement without glossing over differences.

The review revealed that many parameters complicate the process of arriving at the perfect carbohydrate-fat ratio. Biological compositions of individuals can impact how they react to different food compositions. While a diet like keto might be beneficial to some, it might not prove to be as effective for others. Moreover, quality of the nutrients needs to be given equal importance with the quantity consumed. No single ratio, thus, can claim to be optimal.

The Agreements

The amount of protein intake, for instance, was largely uncontested. Well formulated low-carbohydrate and high-fats diets do not require high protein consumption.

Additionally, replacement of saturated fat with naturally occurring unsaturated fats will always be beneficial, while industrially produced trans fat will have to be eliminated. 

Similarly, highly processed carbohydrates like refined grains, potato products and free sugars should be substituted with unprocessed carbohydrates like non-starchy vegetables, whole fruits, minimally processed grains, non-hydrogenated plant oils, nuts, seeds and avocado.

The fundamental components of a healthy diet, therefore, are already well-known. Cut down on the processed foods, saturated fat and sugar, and befriend the fruits and vegetables!