You don’t have to be interested in weight loss to have heard of the “keto diet”. This strict low carb diet has been gaining popular attention in recent years – but it’s important to understand both the benefits and potential risks before making a change in the way you eat.

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic or “keto” diet is a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich diet that has historically been used to treat medical conditions like pediatric epilepsy, cancer, and diabetes among others. One of our Registered Dietitians, Kristen Coleman, explains that there are many different types of ketogenic diets.

“Keto can range from something where you’re doing ratios of grams of fat to grams of protein…. all the way to just a low-carb diet. It’s very complex… Depending where you are in your health and the type of benefits your looking for, we can determine which type of ketogenic diet is best for you,” Coleman said.

According to Coleman, the reason the keto diet has become so popular for weight loss is because it works fast. When you cut out carbohydrates from your diet, your body is forced to change the way it metabolizes food.