Keto Means
Photo: Ylanite Koppens
The keto diet's high fat levels may trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Furthermore, this eating pattern can be low in soluble fiber, a nutrient that may ease IBS-related complaints.
Mayonnaise is the perfect condiment for the Keto Diet because it consists of high fat, low protein, and zero carbohydrates. It also has many health...
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“So a sudden influx of carbs and sugar could wreak havoc on your body if you go wild with your diet.” Weight gain. Bloating and other bathroom...
Read More »If you deal with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you’re not alone. This common condition causes bloating, gas, stomach pain, constipation, and diarrhea. To manage IBS, your healthcare provider may recommend that you change your diet, improve your lifestyle quality, and limit your intake of certain fermentable carbs called FODMAPs. You may have also heard that the high fat, very low carb ketogenic helps treat IBS symptoms. Yet, you may wonder whether this claim is backed by scientific evidence — and whether you should try out keto if you have IBS. This article examines how the keto diet affects IBS symptoms. Share on Pinterest What is the keto diet? The ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carb eating pattern that’s similar to the Atkins diet. Originally developed in the 1920s to treat children with severe epilepsy, it’s commonly used for weight loss and other health conditions like blood sugar control (6, 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ). Its exact macronutrient ratio may differ based on individual needs, but it’s usually 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs (6, 13 ). Keto limits bread, pasta, grains, beans, legumes, alcohol, sugar, and starchy fruits and vegetables while increasing your intake of high fat foods like nuts, seeds, oils, cream, cheese, meat, fatty fish, eggs, and avocados (6). By restricting carbs to 50 grams or fewer per day, you enter a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbs. This is known as ketosis ( 13 , 14 ). summary The keto diet is a low carb, high fat eating pattern that shifts your body’s metabolism away from carbs. It’s long been used to treat epilepsy and other ailments. How does the keto diet affect IBS? Despite keto’s popularity, very few studies investigate its effectiveness for treating IBS. A 4-week study in 13 people with diarrhea-predominant IBS found that the keto diet helped reduce pain and improve the frequency and consistency of stools ( 15 ). This may be due to the diet’s influences on your gut microbiome, or the collection of bacteria in your gut. Interestingly, people with IBS often have an imbalance in their types and numbers of gut bacteria, which may contribute to symptoms ( 16 , 17 ). Furthermore, animal and human studies reveal that very low carb diets deplete the bacteria in your gut that produce energy from carbs while boosting the number of beneficial bacteria ( 16 , 18 ). However, some research also suggests that low carb diets like keto decrease the overall diversity of gut bacteria and increase the number of inflammatory bacteria, which may have negative effects ( 18 ). Currently, there’s not enough information to conclude whether the keto diet can benefit people with IBS. Further studies are necessary. summary Some research indicates that the keto diet may reduce symptoms of diarrhea-predominant IBS and improve aspects of your gut microbiome. Still, results are mixed and more research is needed. Should people with IBS try the keto diet? Despite some promising results, evidence for using keto to treat IBS remains limited. It’s unclear whether positive effects can be attributed to the diet itself or rather the incidental elimination of trigger foods, such as FODMAPs or gluten (19). Therefore, people with IBS shouldn’t use the keto diet as a primary treatment for IBS. Many people may find keto too restrictive in nature, as it eliminates food groups like grains, beans, and legumes. That said, if this diet can fit into your lifestyle, and you are interested in how it could change your symptoms, please talk to a medical professional to learn more. summary The keto diet isn’t currently recommended as a standard treatment for IBS due to a lack of scientific evidence. Yet, if it fits your lifestyle, it may reduce some symptoms and provide other benefits. Speak to a medical professional if you want to learn more.
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Read More »Potential downsides It’s important to remember that the keto diet may have a few downsides. For example, fatty foods trigger symptoms in some people with IBS. Because the keto diet is very high in fat, it may worsen symptoms instead of improving them ( 5 ). Furthermore, the keto diet can be low in soluble fiber, a nutrient that may alleviate some IBS symptoms ( 20 ). Thus, it’s important to eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and seeds to boost your intake of soluble fiber if you have IBS and decide to try keto. Alternatively, you can take a fiber supplement ( 5 ). Finally, people with diabetes should consult a health professional before starting keto, as the low carb intake could cause dangerously low blood sugar levels ( 13 ). summary The keto diet’s high fat levels may trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Furthermore, this eating pattern can be low in soluble fiber, a nutrient that may ease IBS-related complaints.
Other vegetables, like eggplants, bell peppers, cucumbers and mushrooms, also make great bread substitutes. These are fresh, tasty alternatives....
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The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and...
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A lazy keto diet only requires someone to limit their carbohydrates to 10% or less of their daily calories. This approach means that a person does...
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Mayonnaise is the perfect condiment for the Keto Diet because it consists of high fat, low protein, and zero carbohydrates. It also has many health...
Read More »