The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has many health benefits. I will detail in this article the essentials of what to remember about "the keto diet".
What Is the Ketogenic Diet Exactly?
The ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate diet that is high in fat. It has many similarities to Atkins diets or low carb diets. Simply put, the ketogenic diet drastically reduces carbohydrate intake and replaces it with fat. This reduction in carbohydrates then puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat and converting fat into ketones in the liver, which helps provide energy to the brain. At the same time, the blood sugar level drops massively as well as the insulin level, which has a positive impact on health in general.
Types of ketogenic diet
- The standard ketogenic diet is a diet that is very low in carbohydrates (5%), moderate in protein (20%), and high in fat (75%).
- The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet alternates between a period of high-carb meals (2 days) and a period of the ketogenic diet (5 days).
- The Targeted Ketogenic Diet allows you to consume carbs around your workouts.
- The high protein ketogenic diet is similar to the standard ketogenic diet, but with a bit more protein (35%) compared to fat (60%).
Since the subject of my article is about the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet for weight loss, in what follows I prefer to focus on the standard ketogenic diet and the high protein one. This is because cyclical and targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and are mainly used by bodybuilders or athletes.
Can the ketogenic diet help you lose weight?
The answer is yes, and I would even venture to say that the ketogenic diet is effective in losing weight and reducing risk factors for disease. I find it far superior to the often recommended low-fat diet, especially since it is filling and allows you to lose weight without having to count calories or follow specific food intake.
In any case, studies have found that people on a ketogenic diet lose 2.2 times more weight than those on a low-calorie diet. There are several reasons for this discrepancy, including increased protein intake, ketones, lower blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity.
In practice, any food rich in carbohydrates should be limited or even eliminated:
- Sweet foods such as soda, fruit juices, smoothies, cakes, candies ...
- Grains or starches such as wheat products, rice, pasta, and cereals
- Fruits except for small berries such as strawberries
- Beans and legumes such as peas, lentils, red beans ...
- Tubers such as potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Low-fat or dietetic products, dietetic foods without sugar
- Products made from processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
- And alcohol that gets you out of ketosis
On the other hand, it is necessary to favor meat, fatty fish, eggs, butter and cream, unprocessed cheese, nuts and seeds, avocado, low-carbohydrate vegetables that are most green vegetables. , tomatoes, onions, and peppers, and of course condiments like salt, pepper, healthy herbs, and spices.
Personally, I prefer this diet to others since I can eat a wide variety of meals that are both tasty and nutritious. I can even afford healthy snacks and eat out with egg, meat, or fish dishes.
Dangers and side effects of the ketogenic diet
Going on the ketogenic diet is not without its risks, and some side effects occur as the body adapts to the new diet. Among the most common effects is ketogenic flu, which usually ends within a few days. It manifests itself in poor energy and mental function, increased hunger, trouble sleeping, nausea, digestive upset, and reduced physical performance.
To minimize this condition, I, therefore, recommend that you first eat a regular low-carb diet for the first few weeks, in order to teach your body to burn more fat, before eliminating carbs completely. I have also noticed that the ketogenic diet changes the body's water and mineral balance. To remedy this, simply add salt to meals or take mineral supplements altogether.
Note - In any case, if you suffer from hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol level), I strongly advise against the ketogenic diet which promotes even more risks.
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