The Keto (ketogenic) diet is still making waves in the media and with health experts. It has its believers and its skeptics, but it has shown to be a viable solution for various health conditions, which include treatments for epilepsy, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

A keto diet works by depleting the body of its sugar reserves resulting in the breakdown of fat for energy.

Here are some common myths about the keto diet…

you can eat any fat you want.

Many of the misconceptions around Keto diet starts here.
Healthy fats are highly encouraged for the keto diet. Just like with a balanced diet, it’s best to stay away from saturated fats and trans fats. Consume foods that are organic, contain virgin olive oil, are grass-fed and pasture-raised.
Olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, grass-fed red meat, eggs, turkey, and avocado are just a few examples that make the keto cut.

the only benefit is weight loss.

You won’t just see the numbers going down on the scale, but you’ll also notice that you may be more focused. The keto diet helps to regulate hormones, stabilize blood sugar levels, enhance cognitive function, and improve gut health.
Although the keto diet is most commonly associated with weight loss, Keto dieters may experience clearer skin, improved brain function, and even a reduced risk of certain cancers.
The Epilepsy Foundation has even suggested that the keto diet has helped some people control seizures.

exercising is not recommended.

At the start of the diet, you may feel more tired, but it’s not an excuse to stop exercising. Your body is figuring out it’s fuel source.
To get the most out of your workouts, make sure you’re eating enough and allowing enough time for recovery. You may also notice that you may need more carbs to exercise.
It’s fine to up your carb intake a bit on workout days—listen to your body.

you can’t drink alcohol.

Beer and wine are generally carbohydrate-heavy, but there are still options should you choose to continue drinking alcohol while going keto. Most liquors, some light beers, and dry wines are low to no carb, which is keto friendly.
Drinks that are high in sugar and carbs, such as sweetened mix drinks and most beers, are not good choices. If drinking alcohol causes blood sugar levels to rise too much, and this makes staying in ketosis too difficult, then you’ll need to reduce or avoid alcohol to make the keto diet work for you.

you must fast while on keto.

It’s not a requirement; you do not have to fast to go keto. Too, it’s typically not recommended that you incorporate fasting into the keto diet until you’ve eased into the process, such as lowering your carb intake slowly or going alkaline first.
However, intermittent fasting while going keto does have many benefits. It can accelerate weight loss, detoxification, and help control hunger and cravings. But it’s not a requirement to achieve or maintain ketosis.

it’s a high protein diet.

Unlike other popular low-carb diets, the keto diet is not particularly high in protein. In fact, protein intake actually must be “moderate” while on the keto diet because this allows you to transition into ketosis and stay there.
Too much protein in your diet will actually result in some of the protein being converted to glucose (or sugar) once consumed — and obviously this can be counterproductive when it comes to keeping glucose levels very low.

you can’t eat fruit and veg.

Keto is at its core, a low-carb diet, and yes, many fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of carbs are not allowed. But keto dieters can eat berries (in small portions), along with a number of vegetables. If you’re following keto, go ahead and load up on leafy greens like kale, spinach, and cucumber as well as, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms.

the keto diet is hard to follow.

Any diet is hard to follow if it requires you to change well-established eating habits.
The key is building your foundation – do the research.