Plenty of dietary fats is deemed key in maintaining a ketogenic diet, which is essentially a low-carb, high-fat diet that forces the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Once the body enters a state of ketosis, it begins producing ketones through the liver as the primary source of energy.
However, the success of a keto diet lies not just in getting as much fat as a source of fuel.
Ideal Fat Sources, According To A Fitness Coach
It’s also about knowing which fats are best consumed, PopSugar noted. Online nutrition coach Amber – Fitness FT highlighted the ideal types of fat whether one is going keto or otherwise.
These so-called “best fats” are avocado, salmon, egg yolks, and sardines. Also part of the list are olives, chia seeds, nuts, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter. Fat, the nutrition coach wrote on her Instagram, is a micronutrient surrounded by controversy and myths.
“There are some fats that are great for your health, and some that are not too good. It is important that you know which ones are which, to optimize your health,” she said.
The Lowdown On Keto
Plenty of people have turned to the keto diet for weight loss, while many endurance athletes emphasized its benefits given that is a more efficient energy source than carbs.
An epilepsy study published in the journal Cell and involving mice showed that a keto diet altered rodents’ gut bacteria in less than four days, resulting in fewer seizures. A separate study in 2010 probed the same potential in addressing seizures, where a keto diet “can be considered as an option for children with intractable epilepsy who use multiple antiepileptic drugs."
However, current research also warns of the potential pitfalls of the popular diet.
A study from Saint Louis University, for instance, found that athletes performing high-intensity and short-duration sports might see their performance decline while on a keto diet. Participants who were on a low-carb diet performed four to 15 percent lower than their high-carb counterpart, depending on the anaerobic task they did.
A keto diet is also feared to lead to unintentional weight gain if one isn’t careful. “[It] may not be working for you if it isn’t right for your body type and your genetics,” nutritionist Dr. Elizabeth Trattner told Insider, recommending getting one’s APO-E gene tested to discover how the body metabolizes fat.
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