Keto Diet: Exploring What You Need To Learn About The Ketogenic Diet
What Is Ketogenic Diet?
The keto diet stresses weight loss by fat-burning. The goal of the keto diet is to lose weight rapidly and eventually feel fuller with fewer cravings while improving your energy, mood, and mental focus.
According to the advocates of keto, by cutting on carbohydrates that you eat, and instead of replacing them with fats, you can reach a state of ketosis. That is because the body breakdown all dietary and accumulated body fat into molecules called ketones. Your fat-burning mechanism now depends primarily on fat-rather than sugar- for energy.
Although close in several respects to traditional low-carb diets, the severe carb restrictions of the keto diet- around 20g net carb a day or less depending on the variant- and the intentional change in ketosis are what set this highly popular diet apart. Also, other eating plans are pulling in keto components. Thus you can see variations like eco-keto and at least some commercial diet that contains keto products.
Brief History Of Keto Diet
Initially, the keto diet is used as a therapeutic ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is used as a treatment for patients with neurological disorders, most notably seizures and epilepsy in children. There have been several scientific reposts that suggest the potential benefits of other neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Recently, an Italian professor of surgery introduced ketogenic as a weight-loss diet. The study revealed an overall weight loss of more than 20 pounds among the subjects, most of whom stayed off for at least a year. Researchers have reported a few side effects, such as fatigue.
Many people feel less hungry with the high-fat keto diet, thereby minimizing their caloric intake. Beyond weight loss, there were positive reports documented for diabetes treatment, improved insulin levels, insulin sensitivity, and blood sugar control for people adopting ketogenic diets in an early on-going study.
What are the Different Types of Keto Diet?
Cyclic keto diet
The cyclic keto diet is almost the same as the standard keto diet. However, it has an exemption of one to two days per week. During the five to six days per week, a cyclic keto dieter will follow the standard keto guidelines. Then, for a day or two, they will have a ‘carb cycle’—otherwise referred to as a ‘carb refeed’ day. On this day, the cyclic keto dieter will consume about 140 to 160g net carbs.
Athletes usually adhere to this type of ketogenic diet, since they need a carb to refeed day to store glycogen stores in their muscles. Nearly all glycogen from their muscle stores is drained from high-intensity training. Thus it is necessary to restore them. This does not mean that you should consume processed foods and desserts. Instead, focus on starchy vegetables, whole grains, and whole fruits to your carb intake.
Targeted keto diet
This diet follows the guidelines of the standard keto diet. However, you eat carbohydrates before a high-intensity workout. Usually, targeted keto dieters will eat anywhere between 25 to 50g net carbs about 30 minutes to an hour before working out. It usually makes the dieters feel more robust and capable during workouts. While this type of keto diet temporarily takes the body out of ketosis, it will restart within a few hours, depending on how much carbs you consumed.
Vegan keto diet
the vegan keto diet is intended for people who want to follow a high-fat, low-carb diet but do not eat animal products. This can be hard to achieve since most dieters depend on animal products for a significant portion of their diets. Familiar protein sources for a vegan keto diet include tempeh, nuts, tofu, nut butter, legumes, and beans in regulated amounts. A vegan ketogenic diet is not impossible. However, it requires advance planning.
What Should I Eat On A Keto Diet?
You’re going to have to prepare ahead to start a keto diet. This means having an effective diet plan ready and waiting. What you eat depends on how quickly you want to get a ketogenic stage(ketosis). The more stringent you are on your carbohydrates (less than 25g net carbs a day), the quicker you get ketosis.
It would be best if you kept limiting your carbohydrate intake, coming mostly from nuts, dairy, and vegetables. Don’t consume refined carbohydrates such as starch (potatoes, beans, legumes), wheat (bread, pasta, cereals), and fruits. Avocado, star fruit, and berries are an exception that can be eaten in moderation. Below are some excellent keto foods that should be added to your grocery list!
Do Eat
- Meats – Lean protein such as lamb, fish, eggs, beef, poultry, etc
- Leafy Greens – kale, spinach, etc
- Above ground vegetables – cauliflower, broccoli, etc
- High Fat Dairy – butter, high fat cream, hard cheeses, etc
- Nuts and seeds – sunflower seeds, walnuts, macadamias, etc
- Avocado and berries – blackberries, raspberries, strawberry, and other low glycemic berries
- Sweeteners – erythritol, stevia, monk fruit, and other low-carb sweeteners
- Other fats – high-fat salad dressing, coconut oil, saturated fats, etc
Do Not Eat
- Grains – rice, cereal, wheat, corn, etc
- Sugar – agave, honey, maple syrup, etc
- Fruit – bananas, apples, oranges, etc
- Tubers – yams, potato, cassava, etc
What Happens To My Body On Keto Diet
Your body is used to breaking down carbohydrates and using them as energy. Through time, the body has built up an inventory of enzymes primed for this process and has a few enzymes for working with fats – usually to store them.
Suddenly, the body has to cope with the loss of glucose and rise in fat, which means building up a new arsenal of enzymes. When your body is driven to a ketogenic state, your liver will eventually take advantage of what’s left with your glucose.
This can result in a loss of glycogen in your muscles- which can induce a loss of energy and overall lethargy.
In the transitional phase, dieters report symptoms such as mental fogginess, aggravation, and headache. Usually, this is a result of the flushing out of your electrolytes, since ketosis has a diuretic effect. It is essential to drink lots of water to increase sodium intake.
Dangers of a Keto Diet
Can ketone development become too high in the body? Yes, this is considered as ketoacidosis. Is that usual in average in a normal situation? Not really. It’s a challenge for most people to get within optimum ketone levels.
There are many misconceptions about low carb dieting, which has affected some people’s outlook on keto. Several published studies show that high amounts of fat and fewer carbs are beneficial.
Sometimes, people confuse keto with high-fat, high-carb, diets which are bad for the body. Of course, eating a lot of fatty foods that are high in sugar can get you into trouble. Studies also show that ketogenic is more effective and healthier compared to low-fat dieting.
When you consume foods that have high-carbs and fats, your body will generally produce glucose. Carbohydrates are the simplest things for the body to process. Thus it will use them first-making the excess fats be stored quickly. In turn, with can cause health problems and weight gain, which are associated with high fat, high-carb diets.
Make sure to check your physician before starting your keto plan. Make sure to be careful if you are taking medication. Be careful when breastfeeding as it may require an increased carb-intake.
Health Benefits Of Keto
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance can result in type 2 diabetes if it is left unmanaged. Several studies showed that a low-carbohydrate diet or ketogenic diet aids people in lowering their insulin levels and blood glucose.
Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
Keto diet demonstrated to boost triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels associated with arterial buildup. Specifically, high-fat, low-carb diets indicate a dramatic rise in HDL and a decrease in LDL compared to low-fat diets.
Epilepsy
The ketogenic diet has been primarily used to treat seizures and epilepsy in children. It is still considered as the most used therapy for children with uncontrolled epilepsy.
Control Blood Sugar
A ketogenic diet lowers blood sugar levels because of the kind of foods you consume. Studies show that the keto diet is useful to prevent and manage diabetes compared to low-carb diets.
If you have diabetes, try considering the keto diet. A lot of dieters who have diabetes showed a success story in using a keto diet.
Weight Loss
The keto diet uses body fat as a source of energy, thus resulting in weight loss. In keto diet, your insulin levels drop significantly, which makes your body a fat-burning machine.
Significantly, the keto diet showed promising results compared to high-carb, low-carb diets, and also in the long term.
Mental Clarity
Many people use the ketogenic diet specifically for increased mental performance.
Ketones are a great source of fuel for the brain. When you lower carb intake, you avoid big spikes in blood sugar. Together, this can result in improved focus and concentration.
Common Side Effects of Keto Diet
Keto Flu is a common side effect for people who are new to the keto diet, but it usually disappears within a few days. Also, there are ways to minimize or eliminate them. When transitioning to keto, you may experience keto flu symptoms such as fatigue, cramps, nausea, etc
These are the primary reasons as to why:
- The keto diet is a diuretic- You usually go to the restroom more to urinate, which results in a loss of water and electrolytes in the body. You can combat this by drinking drinks rich in electrolytes and increasing your water intake to restore the lost electrolytes.
- You’re transitioning- Your body is designed to process a high carb intake r intake of fat. Your body needs to produce an enzyme to do this. During the transitional period, the brain may have a low supply of energy, which results in nausea, headaches, and grogginess. Reduce your card intake gradually to prevent this from happening.
Constipation
The usual cause of constipation is due to dehydration. To address this problem, try increasing your water intake and get as close to a gallon a day as possible.
Try incorporating some fibrous meals to address constipation. Eating a good quality fiber can help address constipation. If it is not enough, try taking probiotics.
Heart Palpitations
Reduced Physical Performance
When you first start the keto diet, you may experience some limitations on your performance because your body is adapting to using fast as an energy source. As your body transitions to using fat as an energy source, your strength and endurance will return to normal.
Nutrient deficiency
You are not consuming different types of vegetables, grains, and fruits, and you may be at risk of acquiring nutrient deficiencies in micronutrients, such as magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamins B and C.
Liver problems
Due to having so much fat to metabolize, the keto diet may worsen any pre-existing liver conditions.
Kidney problems
The kidneys assist in metabolizing protein foods, and keto diet may overload them. It is recommended to have an average of 46g for women and 56g for men)
Fuzzy thinking and mood swings
The brain requires sugar from healthy carbs to function. Low-carbohydrate diets may result in irritability and confusion.
Advises and Takeaways:
Consuming a high amount of fat, moderate protein, and low- carbs can have a significant impact on your overall health, such as boy weight, blood sugar levels, increase energy, and more.
A ketogenic diet may be hard at the beginning, but it’ll get easier once you get used to it. The transition can be challenging, but the increasing popularity of the clean eating movement makes it simpler and easier to find low-carb foods and keto meals.
My advice to people who cant to start doing the low-carb diet or keto-diet is to:
- Please keep it simple and straightforward
- You will see better results for people who follow a restricted carb intake. Minimize your carb intake as much as possible during the first month of the keto lifestyle. Cut out artificial sweeteners and excess sweets so that you will experience a decrease in your sugar cravings.
- Drink supplemental electrolytes and water
- The usual problem that beginners go through is dehydration or lack of electrolytes. When you begin your keto diet, it is essential to drink lots of water, increase the intake of sodium, and drinking multivitamins.
- Track what you put in your body
- It’s so easy to consume a lot of carbs, mostly if they are hidden in your foods. Tracking your food allows you to control your card intake and make yourself accountable.