The keto diet may help you lose weight, but it's not necessarily good for your heart and gut.

Instead, a low-sugar diet may be a better choice. According to a new study published in Cell Reports Medicine, people on a keto diet had reduced gut microbiome diversity and increased total cholesterol.

People on the keto diet often eliminate starch from their diet. This diet used to be a trend in Vietnam - Photo: TTO

Meanwhile, those on a low-sugar diet showed less impact on their gut microbiota and also had lower levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol).

The ketogenic diet (low-carb, or even zero-carb diet) is effective for weight loss and improved blood sugar control by eating more fat and less carbs. However, this diet can have negative consequences for heart health and the digestive system.

Here's what experts and new research say, as well as why a low-sugar diet may be a healthier choice than keto.

How does the keto diet affect the body?

In this study, scientists initially wanted to understand why low-carb diets promote weight loss and looked at the calories people consumed when following keto in their daily lives.

According to the study author, Professor Javier Gonzalez, Center for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism at the University of Bath (UK), there are many interesting results about the low-carb diet affecting health indicators.

The team recruited 53 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 65 and divided them into three groups: one group followed a normal, medium-glycemic diet, while the other two groups followed either a low-glycemic diet or a ketogenic diet.

There are no exact rules for these diets, but the American Heart Association recommends that a low-sugar diet should contain no more than 6% of calories from added sugar. In contrast, the keto diet requires a strict distribution of nutrients.

"The keto diet is characterized by very low carbs and moderate protein, with people relying primarily on fat to meet their calorie needs," says cookbook author Veronica Rouse.

This distribution typically includes 55–60% of calories from fat, 30–35% from protein, and 5–10% from carbohydrates.

In the study published in Cell Reports Medicine, Gonzalez's team defined a low-carb diet as one containing less than 5% of calories from added sugar, while a keto diet was defined as carbs making up less than 8% of total calories.

Over 12 weeks, researchers analyzed participants' urine, stool, and blood samples to assess their metabolic, cardiovascular, and digestive health.

They found that the keto diet increased cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, a protein commonly used to determine the risk of atherosclerosis.

People on this diet also had reduced abundance of Bifidobacteria and other beneficial bacteria in their gut. Meanwhile, the low-sugar diet reduced LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol without changing gut microbial diversity.

Both regimens resulted in weight loss, most significant in the first 4 weeks and then plateauing.

A varied diet is better for your health - Illustration photo

Why can cutting carbs affect gut and heart health?

Some health experts say they're not surprised that new research has found that the keto diet can negatively affect the gut and heart, while low-sugar diets have the opposite effect.

The keto diet has long been criticized as heart-unfriendly, largely because of its focus on consuming large amounts of calories from fat, especially saturated fat.

“A diet high in saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol, which contributes to plaque buildup and increases the risk of heart disease,” says author Rouse. “This is exactly what this study shows.”

Reducing sugar intake has been linked to positive changes in heart health. For example, a 2022 study concluded that limiting sugar to less than 10% of daily calories reduced the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, the keto diet is often low in fiber, which can negatively impact heart and gut health.

“The lack of fiber in the keto diet can be negative because soluble fiber is very helpful in lowering cholesterol,” explains author Rouse.

Low fiber intake is also likely responsible for the negative changes in gut bacterial diversity that Professor Gonzalez's team found in people on the keto diet.

“A variety of plant foods helps create diversity in the gut microbiome,” explains Kim Kulp, a gut health expert. Because the keto diet limits plant foods, the gut microbes receive fewer nutrients, leading to a decrease in numbers and diversity.

In contrast, low-sugar diets typically do not restrict nutritious foods like fruits, whole grains, and legumes, which help maintain gut health.

Should I choose a low-carb diet for weight loss instead of keto?

Because the study in Cell Reports Medicine was limited in scope, more research is needed to better understand the effects of the keto diet on heart and gut health.

If this is a concern for you, weigh the pros and cons with your doctor and see if a low-sugar diet might be more appropriate.

“While the keto diet may be beneficial for some health issues, the long-term effects of consuming less fiber and more fat may not be good for gut health,” says one doctor.

Author Rouse makes the same point about heart health: "A low-sugar diet is more beneficial for heart health than a keto diet, because it allows for more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which provide important soluble fiber that helps lower bad LDL cholesterol," she says.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/che-do-an-keto-co-the-giup-giam-can-nhung-khong-han-tot-cho-tim-mach-va-duong-ruot-20241122233437625.htm