How to lose weight on a keto diet, minus the health risks

NUH'’s version stresses healthy fats which do not raise bad cholesterol levels

- Wong Shiying

National University Hospital's (NUH) chief dietitian Lim Su Lin recently developed a healthy version of the ketogenic diet for an ongoing clinical trial that aims to help patients lose weight without compromising their health.

Preliminary results show that those who follow her programme closely can lose up to 25kg in four months, as well as reduce blood pressure and control diabetes.

Here is a quick look at what a standard keto diet constitutes and the risks involved.

WHAT IS THE KETO DIET?

It is a strict high-fat, moderate-protein and low-carbohydrate diet. By cutting down on carbohydrate intake, your body is induced to enter a state known as ketosis where it breaks down stored fat instead of carbohydrates to produce energy.

In other words, the body is "tricked" into burning fat as fuel, which helps with weight loss.

However, this is an individualised process, meaning that some people will require a more restrictive diet to induce ketosis.

Popular keto diets suggest an average of 70 to 80 per cent fat, 5 to 10 per cent carbohydrate and 10 to 20 per cent protein.