Keto Goes Mainstream

The ketogenic — or ‘keto’ — diet, is one that is low in carbohydrates, high in fat and adequate in protein. While it was originally developed as a way to help children with epilepsy, the meteoric rise in its popularity this year has led to a surge in keto-friendly products and restaurant menus, WhatsApp support groups, and more. Shweta Mehta Sen decodes the fad.

- Shweta Mehta Sen

Financial consultant Anupam Gupta, well known on Twitter for his humorous accounts of living in Mumbai, struck a chord when he recently posted, “Keto is now so mandatory in Bandra that you can’t get a house until you declare you’re on keto.”

Gupta might have been exaggerating less than he intended to with his quip, because the keto diet – after a steady rise in followers over the last couple of years – has become nothing less than a mainstream phenomenon this year. The fact that it’s expanded beyond the realms of hipster haven Bandra – into the permanent menus of restaurants across the city and on the websites of start-ups selling fitness food products – proves that it’s not just a fad diet; it’s a lifestyle choice.

“I would say keto isn’t a fad, because it follows the simple rules of biochemistry,” says Dhriti Udeshi, a Mumbai-based nutritionist, personal trainer and menu consultant. After being introduced to the diet three years ago, Udeshi studied it further till she was convinced about its merits. Ever since, she has been recommending it to several clients – and to me – with a very high success rate, so much so that recently, the Andheri health food joint Kale & Kaffe recently used her expertise to launch a full-fledged keto menu for their customers.