Keto and paleo diets: what they leave out might just be what you need – and you may gain weight, not lose it

Keto dieters get most of their energy from fat, and paleo dieters from protein. Nutritionists explain the downsides and risks of both, and question their logic

A Hong Kong health coach who tried the keto diet, believing it to be an alternative to taking medication long term, tells us how it went wrong for her

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Keto diet food ingredients. It forces the body to use fat as its primary energy source, which our bodies are not designed for – and can be harmful – a nutritionist says.

Published: 5:00am, 25 Aug 2019Updated: 10:57pm, 16 Dec 2020

When it comes to dieting trends, Hong Kong can be a little late to the party.

“Hong Kong is behind when it comes to fad diets, and right now it is all about keto,” says Heanney Banks, a Hong Kong-based “fitfluencer” and health coach. “You can now buy keto-focused products here, but when I was doing the keto diet [in 2016] there were none.”

Keto refers to the ketogenic diet, a radical diet plan in which fat is the main source of energy.

Banks grew up in Scotland, and as a child was diagnosed with hepatitis B, an infection of the liver that she inherited and for which there is no cure. For years she lived with the knowledge that while some carriers never experience symptoms of the disease, others can develop symptoms in later life. In extreme cases, the disease can cause liver failure and cancer.

Health and wellness influencer Heanney Banks at home in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. She came off the keto diet after experiencing hormone imbalances that caused weight gain. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Banks consulted a doctor to determine her risk of developing symptoms, and was informed that she would probably need to begin taking medication within a few years. Believing long-term medication would harm her health, Banks sought alternatives.

She attended an event about the ketogenic diet in Hong Kong, at which the speaker claimed it could heal liver conditions while also promoting weight loss. Banks set out to learn more about the keto regime, and decided to adopt it. She visited speciality grocers, took supplements, had regular blood tests, and saw a specialist doctor. But the keto diet did not have the effects she hoped it would.