The popular Keto diet has been ranked last at the list of Best Diets for 2018. How does it work and why was it ranked poorly?
Best Diets For 2018
Many are eager to get back into shape after splurging during the holiday season. Luckily, U.S. News & World Report just released their list of the best diets for 2018 and it's not surprising that the Mediterranean Diet is at the top spot for Best Diet Overall because of its merits in heart and brain health.
However, the new Keto diet which entered the list for the first time came in last overall despite its popularity. More specifically, of our 40 ranked diets, it was ranked 39th in Best Diet Overall, 40th in Best Diets for Healthy Eating, 13th in Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets, 38th in Easiest Diets to Follow, 35th in Best Heart-Healthy Diets, 23rd in Best Weight-Loss Diets, and 33rd in Best Diabetes Diets.
How Does The Keto Diet Work?
Perhaps the premise of the Keto diet which made it quite popular is the fact that individuals on this diet don't need to skip on high-fat food items. In fact, the integral part of the Keto diet is eating a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with moderate protein intake. Basically, even while controlling carbohydrate intake, eating high-fat food such as bacon, chicken thighs with the skin on, beef brisket, fatty fish like salmon, and even rib-eye steak are approved eats.
The idea behind the diet is that by drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates while eating high-fat foods, the body will enter into a state of ketosis wherein the body will break down body fat and turn it into ketones which would take sugar over as the body's main energy source.
Fast Weight Loss
In a 2012 study, among the 19,000 individuals who were given a high-fat liquid diet via a feeding tube, there was an average weight loss of 20 pounds with most of the participants keeping it off for at least one year while only experiencing minor side effects. Using real food, there are books and guides to choose the best combinations of high fat and low carbohydrate food items that fit the diet.
Based on expert reviews, Keto diet scored 3.5 out of five in terms of short-term weight loss, and 2.0 in terms of long-term weight loss.
Low Ranking
To rank the diets properly, U.S. News & World Report looked at the diets based on several categories including how easy it is to follow, short-term and long-term weight loss, nutritional completeness, and its merits in managing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
In the Keto diet, while a 70 percent fat diet sounds like a pretty easy diet, the restrictions on carbohydrates can be strict enough to only allow for 20 net carbohydrates a day. The thing is, even some vegetables have certain amounts of carbohydrates, making it quite tricky. What's more, some may find it difficult during the first week as carbohydrate withdrawal could cause headaches, fatigue, and even mental fogginess.
In terms of the diet being easy to follow and being healthy, expert reviewers rated the Keto diet with 1.4 and 1.6 respectively. To get the best out of Keto, experts recommend remaining physically active while on the diet.
