Rylie Horrall |  Lifestyle Editor

Dieting is something many people choose to partake in for a variety of reasons — such as to better their health or to lose weight. While they have their fair share of benefits, there’s also some drawbacks to various popular diets.

The Ketogenic or “Keto” Diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet, and is said to provoke the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. This produces ketones, which burn stored fat in order to obtain energy. According to roswellpark.org, people have been known to lose weight at the start of this diet and keep it off, although this could be attributed to cutting calories and sugary treats. However, this diet is known to be high in saturated fats and low in vital minerals and vitamins that the body needs; additionally, it could upset a person’s stomach, cause headaches, fatigue and dizziness, which are clustered together and called the “Keto flu.”

In the Alkaline Diet, acid-forming foods — meat, poultry, eggs, grains, dairy, alcohol — are replaced with alkaline-forming foods — fruits, nuts, vegetables and legumes. This alters the pH values in an individual’s body, which is intended to prevent the production of acid. A supposed upside to this diet is that there is an increased intake of fruits and vegetables, hereby improving vitamin intake and helping with miscellaneous health problems — but this isn’t supported by evidence according to roswellpark.org.

Another common diet trend is the Paleo Diet; food for this particular diet needs to be hunted, gathered or fished to mimic the way human’s ancestors ate. The allowed foods are grass-fed meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, fruits and vegetables, according to livestrong.com. By eliminating processed and junk foods, a person can decrease their chances for chronic and inflammatory diseases. However, an individual also cuts out dairy, starches and grains, leaving them with a lower carbohydrate intake. Because of this, some may need to take supplements to make up for lost vitamins and minerals.

As a whole, diets can help a person lose weight and make them more aware of what exactly they’re eating. However, done unsafely, they can come with the risk of losing nutrition — depending on the diet — as well as potentially causing some health concerns. Before taking a plunge with any diets, students interested should research beforehand, or speak with health faculty or staff at Western if they are wanting more information.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Rylie Horrall