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The Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a way of eating that helps you to lose weight quickly. This diet forces your body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates so that you become able to produce a natural substance called ketones in your body. The purpose of this article is to explain what the keto diet is and how you can use it for weight loss. In the standard “norm”—or non-keto—diet, about 45% of calories come from carbs, 35% from fat, and 20% from protein. On the other hand, on the keto diet approximately 70% of calories come from fat, 20% from protein, and 5% from carbs. However, there are many variations of this diet that you can read about in this article.

By Drew LashuaPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
The Keto Diet
Photo by José Ignacio Pompé on Unsplash

What is the keto diet?

A keto diet is a low-carbohydrate diet where the body produces ketones in the liver, which are used as the main source of energy. This state brought on by the low carb intake is called “ketosis.” One of the most common misconceptions about the ketogenic diet is that it’s very high in protein. This isn’t true. A ketogenic diet is very high in fat, but low in protein. While dairy products, nuts, and seeds do contain some carbohydrate, most dieters try to keep their protein intake low, below 10% of daily calories, which is the recommended percentage for dieters. This is because eating too much protein can kick you out of ketosis.

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How does the ketogenic diet work?

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet. On a standard keto diet, 70% of your calories come from fat and 20% come from protein. The rest, about 10%, comes from carbohydrates. On the keto diet, you eat fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. The idea is that you’ll get a rush of fat-burning chemicals called ketones in your body when you’re in ketosis, which will help you lose weight. Like any other diet, the keto diet works because you’re eating less calories. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But, the way you lose weight on the keto diet is different than how you lose weight when following a low-fat diet like the USDA Food Pyramid.

The benefits of a keto diet

A keto diet can help you lose weight quickly, increase your energy levels, reduce insulin sensitivity, and lower your blood pressure. A keto diet can also help with conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, acne, and cancer. Keto diet is helpful for weight loss - As discussed above, dieters who stay in ketosis lose more weight than dieters who don’t. Since ketosis happens when your body burns fats instead of carbohydrates, it’s easy to understand why keto leads to weight loss. Increased energy levels - When your body burns fats for energy instead of carbohydrates, you experience an increase in energy levels. This is especially helpful if you have trouble staying focused on a conventional diet. Better focus - The increase in energy and the reduction in cortisol levels (a hormone that causes stress) associated with keto diet make it easier to focus.

Disadvantages of a keto diet

As with any diet, there are also some disadvantages associated with the keto diet. These include: Bad breath - As keto dieters transition into the diet, they may experience bad breath due to the change in their body’s metabolism. Kidney issues - Eating a lot of protein can damage your kidneys. If you have pre-existing kidney issues, the keto diet may cause your condition to worsen. Bad for bone health - The keto diet is not good for your bone health because it increases your chance of getting osteoporosis. More expensive than other diets - Although there are some benefits to the keto diet, it is more expensive than a conventional balanced diet. This is due to the higher prices of proteins and vegetables.

How to start a keto diet

If you want to start a keto diet, here are some things you should keep in mind: Find a diet buddy - If you’ve tried every diet under the sun, you know how hard it can be to stay motivated. Having a diet buddy can make all the difference in sticking to your keto diet. Find a keto-friendly recipe - A great way to kick-start your keto diet is to find a keto recipe that you like. Keep track of your carb intake - Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the keto diet, it’s important to keep track of your carb intake. This will help you understand what you can and cannot eat on this diet.

Conclusion

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet that can help you to lose weight quickly. This diet also comes with a host of other benefits, including increased energy levels and improved focus. The keto diet has a few disadvantages, such as bad breath, bad for bone health, and increased cost. If you want to lose weight quickly, try the keto diet.

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