The KETOGENIC DIET: A DETAILS ON KETO FOR BEGINNERS

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits.

In fact, the ketogenic diet may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease.

This is a detailed beginner's guide to the keto diet.

WHAT IS THE KETOGENIC DIET?

The Basics of Keto

The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets.

It involves significantly reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this happens, your body will burn fat for energy extremely efficiently. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can provide energy for the brain.

The ketogenic diet can significantly lower blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with increased ketones, has a number of health benefits.

Different Types of Ketogenic Diets

There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

• Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is a very low carb, moderate protein, and high fat diet. It usually contains 70% fat, 20% protein and only 10% carbs.
• Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD): This diet includes periods of more high-carb reloading, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
• Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around your workout.
• High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to the standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is usually 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

However, only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diet has been extensively studied. Cyclic or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and are mainly used by bodybuilders or athletes.

What is Ketosis?

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs.

It occurs when you dramatically reduce your carbohydrate consumption, limiting your body's supply of glucose (sugar) which is the main source of energy for cells.

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter a state of ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to about 20 to 50 grams per day and adding healthy fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts and healthy oils.

It is important to moderate your protein consumption. This is because protein can be converted to glucose if consumed in large amounts, which in turn can slow the transition to a state of ketosis.

Intermittent fasting can also help you enter ketosis faster. There are different forms of intermittent fasting, but the most common method is to limit food intake to about 8 hours per day and fast for the remaining 16 hours.

Some symptoms may also indicate that you have entered a state of ketosis, including increased thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, and decreased feelings of hunger or appetite.

THE KETOGENIC DIET CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT

The ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and reduce disease risk factors.

In fact, research shows that a ketogenic diet can be as effective for weight loss as a low-fat diet.

What's more, the diet keeps you so full that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake.

A review of 13 studies found that following a very low-carb, ketogenic diet was slightly more effective for long-term weight loss than a low-fat diet. Those following the keto diet lost an average of 2 pounds (0.9 kg) more than the group following the low-fat diet.

Furthermore, it also helps to reduce diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

Another study in 34 older adults found that those who followed a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks lost nearly 5 times more total body fat than those who followed a low-fat diet.

Increased ketones, lower blood sugar, and improved insulin sensitivity may also play an important role.

KETOGENIC DIET FOR DIABETES

Diabetes is characterized by changes in metabolism, high blood sugar, and impaired insulin function.

The ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

An older study found that a ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by a whopping 75%.

A small study in women with type 2 diabetes also found that following a ketogenic diet for 90 days significantly reduced hemoglobin A1C levels, which is a measure of long-term blood sugar management. .

Another study in 349 people with type 2 diabetes found that those following the ketogenic diet lost an average of 26.2 pounds (11.9 kg) over a 2-year period. This is an important benefit when considering the link between weight and type 2 diabetes.

What's more, they also went through blood sugar management and noticed an improvement or a decrease in the use of certain blood sugar medications in the participants over the course of the study.

OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS OF KETO

The ketogenic diet as a tool for the treatment of neurological diseases such as epilepsy.

Studies have now shown that the diet can be beneficial for a variety of health conditions:

• Heart disease. The ketogenic diet can help improve risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
• Cancer. The diet is currently being explored as a complementary treatment for cancer, as it may help slow tumor growth.
• Alzheimer. The keto diet can help reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and slow its progression.
• Epileptic. Research has shown that the ketogenic diet can significantly reduce seizures in children with epilepsy.
• Parkinson disease. Although more research is needed, one study found that the diet improved symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. The ketogenic diet can help lower insulin levels, which can play a major role in polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Brain damaged. Some research suggests that the diet can improve the outcome of traumatic brain injury.

FOODS TO AVOID THEM

Limit any foods that are high in carbs.

Here is a list of foods to reduce or eliminate on the ketogenic diet:

• sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
• cereals or starches: products made from wheat, rice, pasta, cereals, etc.
• fruit: all fruit, except for a small portion of berries such as strawberries
• beans or legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• root vegetables and root vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.
• low-fat or diet products: low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings and condiments
• some condiments or sauces: barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc.
• unhealthy fats: processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
• alcohol: beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks
• sugar-free diet foods: sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts, etc.

FOOD SHOULD EAT

• meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey
• fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel
• eggs: whole eggs or omega-3
• butter and cream: grass-fed butter and heavy cream
• cheese: unprocessed cheese like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella
• nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc
• healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
• avocado: whole avocado or freshly made guacamole
• low carb vegetables: greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc
• seasoning: salt, pepper, herbs and spices

SAMPLE PLAN

To get you started, here's a sample one-week ketogenic diet meal plan:

Monday

• breakfast: vegetable and egg muffins with tomatoes
• lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives and side salad
• dinner: salmon with asparagus cooked in butter
• Tuesday
• breakfast: eggs, tomatoes, basil and spinach omelette
• lunch: almond milk, peanut butter, spinach, cocoa powder and stevia milkshake (more keto smoothie here) with a side of sliced ​​strawberries
• dinner: cheese crust tacos with salsa

Wednesday

• breakfast: nut milk pudding topped with coconut and raspberries
• lunch: avocado shrimp salad
• dinner: pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli and salad
• Thursday
• breakfast: omelette with avocado, salsa, chili, onion and spices
• lunch: some seeds and celery with guacamole and salsa
• dinner: chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, and a side of grilled zucchini

Friday

• breakfast: Unsweetened Greek, full cream yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder and berries
• lunch: banh tet wrapped in ground beef salad with sliced ​​bell pepper
• dinner: cauliflower and salad
• Saturday
• breakfast: cream cheese pancakes with blueberries and a side of grilled mushrooms
• Lunch: Zucchini and beetroot salad
• dinner: white fish cooked in olive oil with kale and toasted pine nuts

Sunday

• breakfast: fried eggs with mushrooms
• lunch: low carb sesame chicken and broccoli
• dinner: spaghetti squash Bolognese
• Always try to alternate vegetables and meats over the long term, as each offers different nutrients and health benefits.