If you haven’t been keeping up with recent weight loss trends, the keto diet has exploded in popularity.

The diet involves consuming minimal carbohydrates while keeping fat and protein high amounts to push your body into a state called “ketosis,” which we’ll elaborate on later. There are two types of this diet, however: clean keto and dirty keto.

Both have their usefulness, but not everyone knows what they should about them. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.

SO, WHAT IS A KETO DIET?

When you consume a small number of carbs each day (typically under 50 grams), your body will enter a state known as ketosis.

During ketosis, your body will resort to using fat and protein as fuel as opposed to glucose. Your body also releases a substance known as ketones, which it can also use for fuel.

DIRTY KETO

The dirty keto diet is actually the standard keto diet for many people.

Since your meals will include so few carbs, you’ll have plenty of extra calories you can eat while still losing weight. This means things like cheese, red meat, and butter are all common due to their low carbohydrate content.

THE PROS

Let’s take a look at the benefits of a dirty keto diet.

FLEXIBILITY

The most obvious advantage of going on a dirty keto diet is that you can eat virtually whatever you want as long as you keep your carbs in check and don’t go over your calorie maximum for the day.

So, in theory, you could get away with eating only ground beef, cheese, bacon, and eggs while still seeing the scale move in a favorable direction.

CONVENIENCE

Since the “quality” of the food isn’t a factor when making meal choices, fast food and pre-packaged foods are fair game.

For example, you could swing past a Wendy’s or Burger King during your lunch break and get a double cheeseburger with no bun.

EASY ACCESS TO HIGH PROTEIN

For those attempting to lose weight while maintaining the most possible muscle mass, dirty keto is a great choice due to the high protein content of the foods you’re allowed to eat.

Losing weight while lifting and trying to preserve muscle is very different than just trying to drop a few pounds.

If your protein intake isn’t high enough, you could find yourself losing a significant portion of the muscle you spent hours in the gym working for.

THE CONS

If you think this diet is too good to be true, it is. There are a handful of cons to be aware of.

LOSING WEIGHT DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU HEALTHY

Yes, you can eat beef, sausage, and cheese every day and still lose weight. Your blood pressure and cholesterol are a different story. Due to high saturated fat and sodium content in dirty keto foods, your doctor likely won’t be pleased with the next tests they run on you.

FEWER NUTRIENTS

Dirty keto only cares about the numbers, not the types of foods. This means you can get your handful of allotted carbs from any source. So, what does someone who’s grown accustomed to eating meat and cheese all day choose for their carb source? Most likely not vegetables.

Long-Term absence of green vegetables in your diet can lead to a slew of other health problems separate from high blood pressure and cholesterol.

CLEAN KETO

While less popular than the dirty version, clean keto is a reliable way to consistently lose weight.

You’ll get your main carbs from vegetables. You’ll also get plenty of healthy fat from sources like olive oil, avocados, and nuts.

THE PROS

There are plenty to go over, so let’s dive in.

IT BUILDS GREAT EATING HABITS

You most likely won’t be on a keto diet forever. So, you’ll need to be disciplined when you go back to a more conventional eating routine. During clean keto, you’ll quickly get used to eating plenty of good fats and green vegetables, which is a habit that seamlessly transfers into any other diet.

YOUR OVERALL HEALTH WILL IMPROVE

Not only will you be adding plenty of nutrient-dense foods into your diet, but you’ll also be avoiding processed, greasy foods. These two things combined are sure to significantly boost your overall health over time.

IT COULD REDUCE SEIZURES

While the research regarding this statement is still in the early stages, scientists have found a correlation between entering ketosis and reducing the number of seizures that you experience. Interestingly, children may benefit from this the most.

THE CONS

Nothing is perfect, and this includes a clean keto diet. Here’s what to watch out for.

THE “KETO FLU”

While this also occurs with a dirty keto diet, the dopamine release your body exhibits from eating greasy/fast food can outweigh the side effects. With clean keto, though, there’s often no escape. As you wean yourself off carbs, you may experience:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• General fatigue
• Headache

Since this isn’t an actual medical condition, there isn’t a treatment for it other than to tend to your individual symptoms. After a few days, it should subside.

MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS CONVENIENT

Since you won’t be buying processed lunch meats or fast food, you’ll have to cook most of your meals. Higher quality food also leads to a higher bill, as grass-fed meat is more expensive than a pack of sliced ham.

UNDERSTANDING CLEAN KETO AND DIRTY KETO CAN SEEM DIFFICULT

But it doesn’t have to be. With the above information about the differences between clean and dirty keto in mind, you’ll be well on your way toward getting the body you strive for.

Want to learn more about the diet and what it can do for you? Our blog has plenty of useful info.