Is Keto Expensive?
Updated: Dec 28, 2021
Yes it’s true that some low-carb foods are expensive and many people believe a low-carb or keto diet has to be expensive. But that’s not true.
First let’s understand what Keto exactly is.
Keto Diet: What is it?
A Ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It is a protein-based diet that powers the body to consume fats instead of starches to produce vitality. Ketosis is the driving mechanism of the ketogenic diet, and the concepts behind it are pretty simple. When your body is devoid of sufficient carbs to burn for energy, it starts burning fat, which results in ketone formation and is used to draw power for all the activities; this process is known as Ketosis. Many people follow low-carb diets because if the body does not receive more carbohydrates, it will not store excess fat. The idea, then, is that the body will burn some of the stored fat rather than the carbs, which will promote fat loss.
Now that we know what keto is, let’s get straight to the point. Is switching to a keto Diet more Expensive?
The Keto diet has tons of benefits to help you, whether you’re following it to lose weight, reduce migraines, control diabetes, or live better, and these benefits need to be available to everyone regardless of how much money they have to spend on food.
While it's true Keto can be a little expensive on the face of it, the grocery list can extend your daily bills, however, we have some valid points supporting why it can prove to be a cheaper and more sustainable option in the longer run and the health benefits are just a bonus.
Makes you feel fuller and satiated
High concentration of carbohydrates in the diet can lead to excessive production of leptin (the satiety hormone) which may lead to leptin resistance. Leptin resistance causes the brain to think that it does not have enough fat stores and makes us eat more food.
One of the best-known benefits of ketosis is that it makes you feel fuller – it's one of the reasons why ketogenic diets can be so great for weight loss. A healthy Keto diet lowers Ghrelin (the hunger hormone) that offsets Leptin resistance. A healthy keto diet reduces hunger and cravings and most people observe that they eat less and get fuller faster on a Ketogenic Diet. This also results in overall less consumption of food, but without impacting satisfaction and energy.
On a Healthy Keto Diet - you consume high-quality nutritious foods - that while more expensive than their processed counterparts, are consumed in significantly lesser quantities as well.
Cheaper than ordering in or eating out
According to a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI). Surveys show that whether they go out to dinner, buy food on the go or get food delivered, the national average is 6.6 times per month.
A Healthy Keto promotes eating whole, fresh foods and discourages processed foods. This drastically cuts down on grocery bills as well as money spent or eating out or ordering in.
Long-term Medical Savings
An average Indian spends about Rs.2500 a year in medications and out-of-pocket medical expenses. This number goes as high as Rs.2500 per month in people with Lifestyle disease. Needless to say that the financial burden pales in comparison to the emotional burden caused due to these diseases not just on the patient but the family members as well.
A Healthy keto diet helps prevent chronic illnesses and even reverses various diseases like PCOS, Diabetes, Epilepsy etc.
Here are some of the most popular health benefits of a Healthy Keto Diet
Heart disease: The ketogenic diet can improve cholesterol levels and reduce body fat and blood sugar—all risk factors for heart disease.
Cancer: Keto is currently being used to treat certain cancers and slow-down the growth of tumors.
Alzheimer’s disease: Keto has proven to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and slow its advancement.
Epilepsy: Research has indicated that the ketogenic diet can cause a sizable reduction in the number of seizures experienced by epileptic children.
Parkinson’s disease: One study produced evidence that the diet helped improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Polycystic ovary syndrome: Keto can lower insulin levels, which may play a role in treating polycystic ovary syndrome.
Brain injuries: One study conducted on animals found that keto can aid in concussion recovery and post-brain injury recovery.
Acne: Eating less sugar and processed foods (lower insulin levels) helps improve acne and reduce the frequency of breakouts.
Diabetes: Keto can increase insulin sensitivity and fat loss, which are significant benefits for people with type 2 diabetes (or prediabetes).
Conclusion
Contrary to popular belief, a healthy keto diet does not have to be all that expensive. You do not necessarily need fancy, imported or expensive ingredients to sustain it. We always recommend customising any diet as per the fresh local ingredients you get at your local market.