The ketogenic diet, commonly known as “keto,” has exploded in popularity over the last decade, largely for its promise of quick weight loss. But before keto became a trendy diet, it was actually developed as a medical therapy. Originally used in the 1920s, the ketogenic diet was designed to help manage epilepsy in children who didn’t respond well to medication. In this context, it works by shifting the body into a state called ketosis through a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating pattern, altering brain metabolism in a way that helps reduce seizure frequency and severity.