A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism examined the effects of three different weight-loss diets—a low-carb ketogenic diet, a Mediterranean diet, and a low-fat, mostly plant-based diet—on 42 adults with obesity, prediabetes, and excess liver fat. The randomized clinical trial found that while all three diets led to a 50% improvement in muscle insulin sensitivity, the ketogenic diet resulted in significantly greater improvements in liver insulin sensitivity and reductions in liver fat compared to the other diets. Specifically, liver fat decreased by approximately 67% among participants following the keto diet, compared to about 45% in the other diet groups, and this reduction was linked to a decrease in the liver’s production of new fat. Additionally, about 50% of participants in the keto group no longer met the criteria for prediabetes by the end of the trial, compared to 29% in the Mediterranean diet group and 7% in the low-fat diet group.

Registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein commented on the study, highlighting that the findings validate the notion that “calories are not equal,” as differences in macronutrient composition were associated with varying changes in health markers despite similar weight loss across the groups. Muhlstein noted that the keto group experienced a greater reduction in the liver’s production of new fat and metabolic changes consistent with increased fat burning. She suggested that individuals with a fatty liver might consider transitioning to a lower carbohydrate diet, as reducing carbohydrate intake may encourage the body to utilize more stored fat for energy. However, Muhlstein also cautioned that while the keto group did not exhibit higher cholesterol or blood-fat measurements during the short study, the high saturated fat content of the ketogenic diet and its typically lower fiber content may pose long-term risks to heart health, recommending its use as a short-term option for some individuals with obesity or prediabetes before transitioning to a Mediterranean diet for broader health benefits. Source

This is a summary. Read the original at health.yahoo.com.