Nutritionists have revealed the unobvious danger of a popular diet

Scientists from the University of Cincinnati have found that a ketogenic diet high in saturated fat from palm oil can provoke inflammation in the body. The study is published in the journal Science Advances.

In the experiment, scientists compared two high-fat diets: palm and coconut oils. After 21 days, the mice in the first group increased the number of pro-inflammatory macrophages in the heart, liver, kidneys, brain and white adipose tissue. In animals treated with coconut oil, such changes were not detected: the indicators of inflammation remained close to those observed with normal nutrition.

Researchers attribute this effect to an increased content of long-chain saturated fatty acids. According to them, such substances cause stress in mitochondria – the structures of cells responsible for energy production. As a result, immune cells involved in inflammatory reactions are activated.

The ketogenic diet involves a sharp reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in the proportion of fats that the body begins to use as its main source of energy. Saturated fats, in particular, are found in meat, poultry skin, dairy products, eggs and cheeses. The authors of the study emphasize that the impact of the keto diet depends not only on the total amount of fat, but also on their composition: the diet can both reduce and increase inflammation.

Scientists are also exploring the possibility of using ketogenic nutrition to change the microenvironment of tumors and increase the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. However, these assumptions are based mainly on animal experiments.