In fitness and nutrition circles, the term “clean” has gained a specific meaning in recent years. No longer simply a statement about grime, “clean” now refers to all manner of food items and diets.
The ketogenic diet, for instance, has descriptions of “clean” and “dirty.” But what does it mean if you’re following a dirty keto diet versus a clean keto diet?
What Is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic or keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that was originally developed in the 1920s to help control severe epilepsy in children. While it is still used to treat people with epilepsy who’ve not had success with other interventions, it has become a popular diet for weight loss.
The keto diet is a strict eating pattern that relies on fat for the vast majority of calories while severely limiting the percentage of carbohydrates and protein. The classic keto diet derives 70% to 80% of its calories from fat, 10% to 20% from protein and 5% to 10% from carbohydrates.
This shift in macronutrients forces the body to use fat as its primary source of energy, which triggers a biochemical process called ketosis.
Ketosis is when your body breaks down both dietary and stored fat for fuel and creates ketones in the process. Ketones are a byproduct of burning fat that are generated in the liver and can be measured in the blood. If you’re going to be strict about the keto diet, you’ll likely be testing your blood regularly to track the level of ketones to ensure you remain in the target zone for fat burning.
The keto diet can also help you drop weight quickly, thanks to its fat-burning aim, so some individuals are adopting it as a means of managing their weight.
What Is Clean Keto vs. Dirty Keto?
If you’re following a clean keto diet, then you’re avoiding processed foods. A dirty keto diet, on the other hand, is one that adheres only to the macronutrient ratio — that is, the ratio of fat, protein and carbs — of the diet, not necessarily on the specific foods.
“Dirty keto is a variation of the traditional keto diet and is sometimes referred to as ‘lazy keto,'” says Matthew Black, a registered dietitian with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “The main difference with dirty keto versus clean keto is that users believe they can have more freedom to eat what they want, providing they maintain a low-enough carbohydrate intake.”
For example, people who follow a clean keto diet opt for healthy fats, such as avocados and nuts, while people who follow a dirty keto diet might eat more high-fat foods, such as bacon.
While it’s possible to stay in ketosis with a dirty keto diet, all those processed foods aren’t offering as many nutrients as healthier food, and it might be difficult to sustain the diet.
“Premade and ultra-processed foods tend to be high in sodium, calories and fat, which promote inflammation and weight gain,” explains Jamie Feit, a New York City-based registered dietitian and founder of Jamie Feit Nutrition LLC.
For some people, dirty keto is relegated to so-called “cheat days” rather than being an all-the-time approach. This means certain foods that are a no-go on stricter or cleaner versions of the diet are in-bounds on the dirty version or dirty days.
[READ: Is a High-Protein, Low-Carb Diet Right for You?]
Dirty vs. Clean Keto Foods to Eat
Examples of foods that can be eaten on a dirty keto diet include:
— Processed oils
— Processed proteins
— Low-carb snack foods, such as potato or tortilla chips and cookies
— Chai and coffee drinks that contain coconut milk and sugar-free syrup
— Pork rinds and beef jerky
— Cheese chips
— Salami and cheese
Clean keto focuses on:
— Healthy fats, such as olive oil and salmon
— High-quality foods that provide a range of vitamins and minerals
— Locally sourced foods and ethically raised animal products
— Avoidance of processed foods
[See: Best Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet.]
Examples of Keto-Friendly Foods
| CLEAN KETO FOODS | DIRTY KETO FOODS |
| Baked chicken tenders with asparagus and butter | Brined and fried chicken tenders (minus the flour-based breading) with sugar-free BBQ sauce |
| Homemade zucchini chips fried in grass-fed ghee | Packaged keto-friendly cheese chips |
| Coconut milk and strawberry smoothie | Heavy cream and strawberry smoothie |
| Iced tea with stevia and bubbly water | Diet soda |
Health Benefits
For some people, following a keto diet can lead to weight loss, which may lead to health benefits.
“If an individual can tolerate staying on either the clean or dirty keto diet long enough, weight loss could be the reward, which can lead to improvements in overall health, ranging from lowering of blood pressure (to) decreasing insulin resistance,” Black says.
Other health benefits of the keto diet include:
— Hormone regulation. Additional studies have also indicated that the keto diet may improve hormone balance in some individuals, leading to less acne and a reduction of symptoms associated with polycystic ovary syndrome in some women.
— Cancer risk reduction. Researchers are also investigating whether a ketogenic diet can slow the growth of cancer or reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. The idea is that many types of cancer cells thrive when growing in a high-sugar environment. Depriving the body of sugar and forcing it to switch to a fat-burning mode of energy generation could theoretically inhibit the growth of cancer or potentially shrink tumors.
— Diabetes management. There have also been some indications that the keto diet may be able to help with diabetes management. Long-term data, however, is still limited, and many doctors and nutritionists advise people with diabetes to adopt a ketogenic diet only under the guidance of a registered dietitian.
[READ: How to Maintain Weight Loss After Keto]
Health Risks
While dropping weight can cut your risk for some diseases, the keto diet isn’t entirely risk-free.
Side effects can include:
— Gastrointestinal distress, such as constipation
— High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia
— Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
— Disordered eating patterns
Who Should Avoid the Keto Diet?
A keto diet is not for everyone. Those who should avoid this diet include:
— Pregnant women or those who are trying to become pregnant
— Those with liver or kidney diseases
— Those who have tried keto more than once but did not receive the desired results (trying again can lead to yo-yo dieting)
In addition, people taking certain medications, such as those used to improve blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes, may experience extreme nausea and vomiting from consuming a diet so high in fat, says Hillary Adams, a clinical dietitian with Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Washington. If you have diabetes or are on blood sugar-controlling medications, be sure to speak with your physician and a dietitian before adopting a keto diet.
Costs
Following a clean keto diet can be expensive because it relies on whole foods and sustainably sourced animal products, which may be costlier than their conventional or vegetarian counterparts. Some dieters also use expensive nutritional supplements to meet the macronutrient profile of the diet.
While the dirty keto diet may be more convenient and less time-consuming, it may not be much cheaper because consuming prepackaged keto foods and products can be expensive.
Which One Is Better?
So, is one version of the keto diet healthier than another?
Not really, experts say. Because both versions of the diet emphasize a high fat intake, your risk of cardiovascular disease can increase on either version.
In addition, because the keto diet is very restrictive, even with the wiggle room of dirty keto, both versions are difficult to maintain over the long term.
The Bottom Line
Keto diets, whether they’re clean or dirty, can lead to rapid weight loss. However, maintaining that reduction can be challenging. As with any diet, once you go off it, expect the pounds you lost to come back.
“I do not recommend either the clean keto or dirty keto diet to patients, unless there’s a clinical need, such as epilepsy,” Black says. “(They’re) only a temporary solution to a permanent problem.”
You may be able to eat rich and satiating foods because the fat content makes you feel fuller longer, but the lack of variety can get old.
“In time, the average user grows weary of these diets and ultimately ends up returning back to the root cause of obesity,” Black points out.
These root causes include:
— Overconsumption of calories, often from processed carbohydrates
— Lack of portion control
— Poor understanding of human nutrition, which may be exacerbated by following fad diets
Rather than trying the keto diet, Adams recommends meeting with a registered dietitian to find the right eating plan for your lifestyle and unique health needs.
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Clean Keto vs. Dirty Keto: What?s the Difference? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/10/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
