Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Donegal Youth League: Four games in Colin…

      6 hours ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Football

      Watch – Ex FVAC athlete scores cracker…

      21 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan ready for ‘dogfight’ as season…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Donegal duo selected for AAA Championships in…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Focus of local distance runners’ turns to…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Roisin Flanagan breaks Donegal 5k record at…

      4 days ago

      Athletics

      Results as Declan Reed and Natasha Adams…

      4 days ago

      Boxing

      Disappointment for Donegal boxers in Cadet finals

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Another victory for Brett McGinty in England

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      3 months ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      3 months ago

      Football

      Donegal Youth League: Four games in Colin…

      6 hours ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Football

      Watch – Ex FVAC athlete scores cracker…

      21 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan ready for ‘dogfight’ as season…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Donegal and Tyrone to contest 21st Buncrana…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Sadness at passing of Glenswilly GAA stalwart…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Termon GAA seek volunteers in redeveloping club…

      3 days ago

      GAA

      Actor Matthew Broderick and family cheer on…

      3 days ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Golf

      McColgan’s shine at Dunfanaghy Golf Club

      1 day ago

      Golf

      Picture Special: Play in Pink competition at…

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Pink ladies and gents raise over €3,000…

      1 week ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Luke Witherow makes senior debut for…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      3 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      4 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      5 months ago

      Hurling

      Setanta’s class prevails in extra-time to win…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Lee Henderson and Jamie DeWard shine as…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Pictures: Superb MacCumhaills reach Féile na nGael…

      1 month ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Welchtown and Donoughmore NS win at Finn…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      4 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Thursday 23°CFriday 26°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Donegal Youth League: Four games in Colin…

      6 hours ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Football

      Watch – Ex FVAC athlete scores cracker…

      21 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan ready for ‘dogfight’ as season…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Donegal duo selected for AAA Championships in…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Focus of local distance runners’ turns to…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Roisin Flanagan breaks Donegal 5k record at…

      4 days ago

      Athletics

      Results as Declan Reed and Natasha Adams…

      4 days ago

      Boxing

      Disappointment for Donegal boxers in Cadet finals

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Another victory for Brett McGinty in England

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      3 months ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      3 months ago

      Football

      Donegal Youth League: Four games in Colin…

      6 hours ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Football

      Watch – Ex FVAC athlete scores cracker…

      21 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan ready for ‘dogfight’ as season…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Donegal and Tyrone to contest 21st Buncrana…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Sadness at passing of Glenswilly GAA stalwart…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Termon GAA seek volunteers in redeveloping club…

      3 days ago

      GAA

      Actor Matthew Broderick and family cheer on…

      3 days ago

      Football

      Golfers: Don’t miss out on Finn Harps…

      7 hours ago

      Golf

      McColgan’s shine at Dunfanaghy Golf Club

      1 day ago

      Golf

      Picture Special: Play in Pink competition at…

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Pink ladies and gents raise over €3,000…

      1 week ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Luke Witherow makes senior debut for…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      3 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      4 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      5 months ago

      Hurling

      Setanta’s class prevails in extra-time to win…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Lee Henderson and Jamie DeWard shine as…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Pictures: Superb MacCumhaills reach Féile na nGael…

      1 month ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Welchtown and Donoughmore NS win at Finn…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      4 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Healthy LivingLifestyle

Sorcha’s Healthy Living: The Keto Craze, is it safe?

written by Sorcha McElchar December 7, 2021
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Donegal Nutritionist Sorcha McElchar from Sorchas Healthy Living looks at the pros and cons of one of the most talked about diet trends – Keto.

The Keto diet seems to be the latest diet trend, but why? It’s basically a very low carbohydrate diet. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the HSE recommend getting 45-60% of your overall daily calories from carbs. The Keto diet tells you to get less than 10% of your calories from carbs…that’s a dramatic drop! It cuts out all grains (so no bread, pasta, rice, cereals, porridge, pizza, cakes, biscuits etc). Root vegetables (bye bye potatoes!). Most fruits except berries, lemons, and limes. Certain nuts & seeds. All beans, peas, and lentils. Most beverages even diet soft drinks. Sugar, honey, maple syrup….I mean it’s a very long list of nos.

The Keto diet was originally developed in the 1920s to treat refractory epilepsy in children and it was quite successful. It’s still used today when other treatments aren’t effective. Now it’s mainly used as a weightless diet.

The Keto diet works by putting your body in a permanent state of Ketosis. Ketosis is when your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of carbs. Carbs are your body’s preferred source of fuel, so it takes about 3-4 days for it to adapt to Ketosis. During that time, you probably won’t feel so good. This is referred to as ‘Keto flu’ and it’s a real thing. Imagine you haven’t eaten in days. You’ll feel tired, irritable, dizzy. You may get headaches and a lot of people suffer from gastro issues. You’ll crave carbs too!

Health Claims Associated with Keto – True/False?

Claim 1: It causes weight loss. This is true to a certain extent. Due to the diet being so restrictive you likely will lose weight and fast, but it will be mostly water weight. Keto is not sustainable so once you start eating carbs again, even if you introduce them slowly and stick to healthier options like wholegrains, you will likely still gain back the weight you lost.

Claim 2: It can help treat Type 2 Diabetes. If you’re a type 2 Diabetic and you are NOT on insulin a low carb diet probably would help reduce your blood glucose levels. However, I don’t feel you have to be as strict as Keto. Stick to high fibre options like wholegrain bread, pasta & rice, porridge oats, beans, buts, seeds and starchy veg like potatoes.

Claim 3: It makes you live longer. Not actually true. A large study published in The Lancet in 2018 was carried out on 15,428 adults aged 45-64 in 4 US communities. This study looked at 3 groups. One group was on a very high carbohydrate diet, the second was on a medium carbohydrate diet (50-55% calories from carbs) and the third was on a very low carb diet (basically Keto. The group on the medium carb diet lived the longest. This study was carried out in different communities around the world to find the same results. 

 

Some Health Risks Associated With The Keto Diet

  • Low blood pressure
  • Increased risk of developing kidney stones
  • Serious nutrient deficiencies
  • Increased risk of developing heart disease
  • A less common, but life-threatening risk is developing ketoacidosis, when excess ketones turn your blood acidic. This is usually only seen in people with uncontrolled Diabetes, but can also occur due to alcoholism, overactive thyroid, or starvation. With such a restrictive diet it can be difficult to get enough calories to prevent your body going into starvation mode. That is why it’s so important to seek professional help when cutting back on calories for safe weight loss. 
  • Due to the Keto diet being so low in fibre it has adverse effects on your Gut health. Studies have shown the Keto diet has a negative effect to the Gut biodiversity. Remember, a healthy Gut = a healthy brain.

I recommend staying away from Keto unless for medical reasons. A healthy balanced diet full of healthy carbs, fats and proteins is a safer, more sustainable way to lose weight, with no restrictions!


For more, click HERE to follow Sorchas Healthy Living on Facebook.

To book a free introductory nutrition consultation with me please click on the link https://fb.com/book/SorchasHealthyLiving/

Sorcha’s Healthy Living: The Keto Craze, is it safe? was last modified: December 7th, 2021 by Sorcha McElchar
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint
Sorcha McElchar

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Distillery tours get visitors into the spirit...

2 days ago

Countdown is on to Glenties Harvest Fair...

2 days ago

Rural Enterprise Skillnet offering online courses in...

3 days ago

Delicious dinner ideas and ‘better than half...

3 days ago

Donegal talent in fine tune at the...

5 days ago

Donegal woman’s budget meal hacks applauded by...

5 days ago

All welcome to Glenties Harvest Fair launch...

5 days ago

New online courses announced at Irish School...

6 days ago

Young people from Donegal attend youth leadership...

6 days ago

Bailey is Donegal’s hope for the 2022...

1 week ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement

Sport Hub

  • Stay up to date with Donegal Sport Hub on Facebook

    7 months ago
  • Donegal links rank in Top 100 Golf Courses in the World

    8 months ago
  • Bundoran 10 Event set for March 2022

    8 months ago
See More

Donegal Woman

  • Donegal Women in Business Network hosting six coffee morning meet-ups

    4 minutes ago
  • Geraldine Mullan unveils labour of love for beloved husband and children

    22 hours ago
  • Grease star Olivia Newton-John dies aged 73

    2 days ago
See More

Columnists

Medical Matters - Scally McDaid Roarty

Medical Matters: Taking more care in the sun

16 hours ago

Motoring - Brian McDaid

DD Motoring: Where are all our electric charging points gone?

1 day ago

Group Holidays - Travel Department

Travel: 12 things you probably didn’t know about Italy

5 days ago

Healthy Living - Sorcha McElchar

Eight ways to reduce food wastage and save money – Sorchas Healthy Living

1 month ago

At Home with Hegarty's - Hegarty's Home Interiors

At Home with Hegarty’s: Enjoy easy seating with lift and rise chairs

1 month ago

See All Columnists
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2022 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.