Do you love carbs a little too much to follow the keto diet? Good news is there is evidence which links a lower carbohydrate and higher healthy fat diet to many potential health benefits. Are you interested in improving your insulin sensitivity or blood sugar levels, reducing markers of inflammation linked to metabolic syndrome or removing the ravenous hunger associated with many weight loss diets? The low carb healthy fat diet may be for you!
The difference in structure to the keto firstly comes from the amount of carbohydrate. Strict keto is less than 50g of total carbohydrate a day while the low carbohydrate can be more moderate at around 100g or around 10-12% of total energy. The keto diet’s strict structure gives you no room to wriggle and requires strict macronutrient adherence. Having your total carbohydrate higher than the keto diet is a factor which works in your favour as it increases the likelihood you will maintain the diet for long term success. On top of this by selecting whole foods you are more likely to tick the boxes the keto diet can miss like fibre and magnesium.
Secondly the protein stays the same as current general healthy eating guidelines on the low carb healthy fat diet at 15-25% while on the keto diet this is heavily reduced. More protein in your diet helps keep your body feeling full as well as helping to maintain your lean muscle mass which can be lost if you do not eat regular amounts of protein over a day. Further benefit is foods like fish and eggs which may blow out a keto diet’s protein allowance will not on the LCHF diet and help meet your requirements of vitamin D and omega-3 fat which are often lacking on the keto diet.
The third component of fat sits around 70% of your total energy if you structure your protein closer to the upper end of the recommended daily energy amount. The total fat in a LCHF diet, although lower than keto, still makes up a heavier portion than the standard healthy eating recommendations at 20-35%. A downside to the LCHF diet is your body is not in ketosis due to the increased level of carbohydrates which may you may not feel the same fullness affects as on the keto diet.
The keto diet has uses which need to be acknowledged and has been shown to have positive effects for children with severe epilepsy, potentially providing a therapeutic effect for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases as well as potential for reducing the effects of non-alcoholic fatty liver and be used as part of cancer therapy. These should all be strictly advised by through an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and this diet is more tailored as specific nutritional medical therapy.
Take home message: Unlike the keto diet the LCHF diet may give you the increased macronutrient flexibility you need to reduce your waistline and improve your health without losing your social life or falling of the band wagon after a week of following this diet.
