One common question on online forums is; can women do keto? The truth about the ketogenic or keto diet is that women and men can undertake it. It involves the consumption of lots of proteins and fats while eliminating almost all carbohydrates.
When following this diet, the only carbohydrates you’re allowed to eat are vegetables, for example, leafy green salads. Your overall consumption of carbohydrates should not exceed 50g per day.
Once the body is deprived of carbohydrates, it will go into a state known as ketosis, where dietary and any excess body fat is turned into ketones in your liver to fuel your muscles and brain. The purpose of the ketogenic diet is to force your body to utilize and fuel itself through fat, not sugar.
For women, the keto diet provides them with several health benefits that include:
Weight Loss
One of the benefits of the ketogenic diet to women is that it helps them to lose fat effectively. Remember it involves the burning of fats to fuel your body, which means that you’ll lose fat fast. Since you’ll be consuming lots of proteins, this diet will ensure your muscles stay intact. For example, the muscle mass, which is important in the metabolism process, will be preserved.
Hormonal Benefits
According to a recent study, it was found that women who were placed on a diet full of fats have higher levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and estradiol compared to women on diets with minimal fat. These three hormones are important when it comes to women’s health.
Dehydroepiandrosterone is vital for memory and reproductive health and acts as an antidepressant. Testosterone improves sex life and helps in the strengthening of bones while estradiol is crucial in the regulation of the growth hormone for reproductive and tissue organs.
Cleanse Your Cells
Another benefit of the keto diet to women is it helps in cleaning up the body’s cells. You should realize that as time goes by, body cells are filled with excess protein matter.
It means by opting for the ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates, you’ll clean the body’s cells, therefore benefiting from anti-aging effects. Keep in mind that studies have shown that diets high in proteins have the positive effect of cleaning our bodies’ cells.
Summary
Can women do keto? The ketogenic diet provides women with several health benefits, which include anti-aging effects, weight loss, and hormonal balance. However, as with any other diet, it’s important that you talk with your doctor before undertaking it since it can restrict you nutritionally.
