Is Gwyneth Paltrow Right About The Keto Diet?

Researchers studied the life-long effects of this high-fat, low-carb diet, and they think it just might be good for you.

Gwyneth Paltrow Keto Diet, Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpetphoto credit: shutterstock

Gwyneth Paltrow keto diet facts

Gwyneth Paltrow’s health recommendations usually have us (and health experts) pretty skeptical. But as reported by the Daily Mail, the keto diet, which she’s been known to follow, might help you live longer, shows research from two separate studies.

Reportedly, Kim Kardashian and Mick Jagger are also fans of this fad diet, and the new studies show that not only is it linked to living longer but it can also help ward off diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

The animal studies had subject mice fed a keto diet. They were found to have more resistance against these diseases and they tended to live longer, and in good shape, health-wise.

The controversial, celeb-fave diet focuses on high fat and low carbs macros. So the carbs you would have in your diet, such as white bread, pasta and grains, are instead replaced with high-fat foods, such as cream and butter.

What are the effects of the keto diet on the body?

Eating a diet low in carbs and high in fat causes the body to produce a ketone called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Ketones are an alternative metabolic fuel for the brain and heart, and when your body doesn’t have glucose to fuel it, it taps into the body’s fat stores for energy. This process is called ketosis.

The diet is controversial as it has been found to impair body growth (linked to the diet being low in certain nutrients) and it also ups your risk of getting kidney stones.

What the keto studies found

In one study, by researchers at the University of California Davis, the mice on the ketogenic diet had better memory, coordination and strength in their old age. They also experienced reduced inflammation and incidence of tumours. And, it increased median lifespan by 13 per cent, which the researchers estimate to be seven to 10 years for us humans.

In the other study, also conducted on mice, the findings also supported the conclusion that a ketogenic diet can boost lifespan and memory.

Researchers at Buck Institute for Aging did DNA analysis on the mice for their heart function and gene regulation and found that the older mice on the diet had better memory than the younger mice.

These findings have researchers looking into whether a molecule can be developed that mimics BHB so that one can refrain from following the keto diet while reaping the health benefits of it.

Which we might be interested in if it comes to fruition, because giving up bread and pasta is really tough.

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