The Ketogenic Diet : What you need to know before starting

Dieting isn’t always fun, especially if someone else is doing the cooking. That’s where keto comes in handy. A ketogenic diet is high fat, moderate protein, low carb, and moderate amount of healthy carbs. This type of diet is primarily used for weight loss and athletic performance improvement.

While not everyone can eat this way, it is worth noting that many people have achieved great results from following a ketogenic diet. The Keto Diet was designed in the early 1900s to treat epilepsy patients. It’s called the “keto” diet because the body uses fat instead of glucose for fuel. In fact, the brain is able to survive without glucose entirely – meaning you’re not getting hungry while on this diet.

However, this isn’t the extreme version of the Atkins diet — you don’t have to go live off cottage cheese either. You can enjoy some pasta here and there (and even bread), just keep the portions small.

In essence, the diet calls for drastically lowering carbohydrate consumption.

When following a keto diet plan, foods with a high carbohydrate content must be avoided. Thus, there will be no pasta, rice, bread, or potatoes. Also forbidden are root vegetables.

While there are many different types of keto diets, the most of them focus on keeping daily carbohydrate intake under 50 grams. It's not necessary to consume a lot of meat and fat as part of the diet.

For lunch, for instance, you could observe followers of this diet consuming fish, avocado, eggs, and sour cream.

Nuts or a salad are acceptable snacks in place of an apple.

Keto dieters who develop their self-control may encounter something almost magical. You might shed a few kilos in the first week.

Keto diet foods tend to be higher in fat than most diets. Many keto dieters say they feel fuller after eating food, and don't experience the hunger they did before starting the diet. When combined with a good workout routine, the keto diet is a complete lifestyle change.

A Practical Guide To The Keto Diet Including Keto Recipes and Meal Plans For Beginners

Benefits of a ketogenic diet

1. More Energy

When you’re not eating carbs, you have more energy. Carbohydrates give your body sugar and then later use that energy to create glycogen, a type of carbohydrate stored in the liver and muscle cells.

When you eat a lot of carbs, your body uses them right away, instead of storing them as glycogen. As a result, you have less energy than if you were eating fewer carbs. While some people get tired after they eat a heavy meal high in carbs, others feel energized. And since you don't have any excess blood glucose, you won't experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

2. Better sleep

Studies show that if you're not getting enough carbs, you may wake up feeling groggy, anxious, and even depressed. Your brain uses glucose—the kind obtained from carbs—to produce serotonin, a hormone responsible for regulating mood.

Serotonin levels fluctuate throughout the day based on how much glucose is circulating in the bloodstream. So when you deprive yourself of carbs before bedtime, you could find yourself waking up feeling low-spirited.

By reducing carbs overnight, you'll make sure you get an adequate amount of serotonin production, producing restful, deep sleep.

3. Weight loss

It's easier to burn fat when you're having a steady supply of glucose, meaning your body doesn't need to tap into its reserves of glycogen. Since the majority of carbs we consume are stored as glycogen in our muscles and livers, cutting back on carbs helps us lose weight faster.

4. Boost immunity

Your immune system relies heavily on carbohydrates (glucose) for fuel. But if you cut out carbs for a few days, your body will start using fat stores for fuel, which makes it harder for your immune system to fight off colds and flus.

Eating lots of carbs while sick is thought to contribute to increased symptoms, according to many experts.

5. Stronger bones

Carbs help build strong bones. A study published in Menopause found that women who consumed higher amounts of dietary fiber had lower rates of bone loss in their hips and spine. Fiber has been shown to improve digestion, keep your gut bacteria healthy, and regulate appetite.

A 2018 review published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition concluded that "fiber-rich diets increase BMD and reduce fracture risk."

6. Less pain

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Food Science found that eating foods containing resistant starch may alleviate menstrual cramps. Resistant starch isn't digested, so it passes directly through the digestive tract and gets absorbed straight into the bloodstream. Once there, it triggers the release of chemicals called cholecystokinin (CCK), which reduces inflammation and relaxes intestinal muscles.

The researchers recommend replacing refined grains with whole grains and legumes, which contain resistant starch naturally.

7. Lower cholesterol

Eating a diet rich in fiber can lower bad cholesterol levels and total cholesterol. It can do this because soluble fiber binds to bile acids, which means that they can't re enter the intestine. Research suggests that soluble fiber also lowers triglycerides, a type of fatty substance in the blood.

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Risks of the ketogenic diet

A metabolic condition known as ketosis, when your body predominantly uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, can be attained by reducing carbohydrate intake while increasing fat consumption .But there are hazards associated with the diet that you should be aware of.

Here are seven risks associated with the keto diet.

1. Possibly cause the keto flu

You may have flu-like symptoms at first while your body gets used to using ketones and fats as its primary energy source.

2. May lead to higher risk of kidney stones

On the ketogenic diet, consuming a lot of animal products can increase urine acidity and kidney stone risk. The progression of chronic kidney disease may potentially become worse in this acidic state.

3. May lead to changes to the gut bacteria and digestive problems

Due to its carb restrictions, the keto diet is often low in fiber. This may trigger constipation and negative effects on gut health.

4. Potentially cause nutritional inadequacies

According to several research, the keto diet is deficient in vitamins and minerals like magnesium and potassium. This can eventually result in vitamin inadequacies.

5. Might lead to severely low blood sugar levels

Low-carb diets have been demonstrated to help diabetics better control their blood sugar, but they may also put you at greater risk of experiencing low blood sugar episodes, particularly if you have type 1 diabetes.

6. May be detrimental to bone health

Though further research is required, the keto diet may eventually cause bone disintegration and lower bone mineral density.

7. May raise your risk of developing chronic illnesses and reducing lifespan

There is conflicting research, but some evidence points to a possible link between low-carb diets that emphasize animal products and increased rates of death from heart disease, cancer, and other causes.

Here are some ways to get started with a ketogenic diet

1. Take note of what you eat (this will help you identify foods that aren't working for you).
2. Cut out processed foods and limit alcohol.
3. Drink plenty of water!
4. Minimize processed sugar.
5. Eat only whole foods.
6. If you're craving something sweet, reach for fruit instead.
7. Have fun experimenting with different recipes.

A Practical Guide To The Keto Diet Including Keto Recipes and Meal Plans For Beginners

Is a ketogenic diet good for weight loss?

Ketones produced by the liver are considered to be beneficial for human health (as they help the body burn fat for fuel). So, consuming foods rich in ketones could be helpful for weight loss.

However, this may not always apply if the ketone levels are high enough. When ketosis occurs, blood ketone levels rise above 0.5 mmol/L (0.25 gm/dl) in humans. In animals, it is between 1-2mmol/L (0.5 - 1.0 gm/dl). If you have been following a low carb diet, then the ketone levels will be low (in dogs, it falls somewhere around.8 mmol/L), and if you follow a moderate carb diet, your ketone level will remain at 0 to less than.5 mmol/L.

But what happens if you eat a lot of carbs? You could get some nasty side effects when your ketone levels rise too much.

The first problem is that ketones can cause brain damage if the levels become toxic, causing seizures (which often result in death). Another potential problem is that the pancreas doesn't produce insulin enough to properly metabolize glucose.

As a result, your kidneys excrete excess glucose into your urine, causing diabetes, and eventually kidney failure.

So, how do we know whether our ketone levels are high or low? There are two tests commonly used to measure ketone levels in the blood.

A simple test uses plasma acetoacetate as an indicator. The second method involves measuring beta-hydroxybutyrate, an acid product of fatty acids. Both these tests indicate only the state of ketosis, not its severity. To determine the severity of ketosis, a third test is done called a breathalyzer test. It measures acetoin and diacetyl, both products of acetoacetate breakdown.

We've covered some of the problems associated with high ketone levels, but what about low ones? Can ketosis help lose weight? Yes, just not in the way you think! Your body naturally burns fats for energy, even at rest. These molecules are broken down using enzymes present in the liver and enter the bloodstream where they are transported to the muscles for use.

When you stop eating food, the amount of calories burned through exercise decreases, but the amount of calories being burned through metabolic processes (such as digestion and basic bodily functions) remains unchanged.

Because ketosis lowers the number of calories being burned through normal activities, it would make sense that it might help people lose weight.

Of course, this isn't the case. High ketone levels inhibit appetite hormones, making you feel hungrier than usual, and reduce your metabolism. Also, when you eat lots of carbs, the ketones increase, which increases hunger. Eating a low carb diet is actually the best thing you can do for your health and weight.

The following describes how a ketogenic diet helps you lose weight

1. Increased protein consumption

Certain ketogenic diets enhance protein intake, which has numerous weight loss advantages.

2. Reducer of appetite

Ketogenic diets promote satiety. Positive alterations in the hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin provide evidence for this.

3. Gluconeogenesis

Your body turns protein and fat into carbohydrates for energy. This action could burn a lot more calories every day.

4. Increased sensitivity to insulin

Ketogenic diets can significantly increase insulin sensitivity, which can enhance metabolism and fuel usage.

5. Higher fat burning

Although additional research is required, several studies have revealed that ketogenic diets may marginally increase the amount of fat that is burned during rest, daily activity, and exercise.

6. Reduced fat being accumulated

According to some studies, the process of turning sugar into fat, known as lipogenesis, may be decreased by ketogenic diets. As a result, more carbohydrates are turned into fat. Fat is used as an energy source when carbohydrate consumption is low.

Summary

You must consume foods high in fat and keep your daily carbohydrate intake to less than 30 to 50 grams in order to gain the maximum benefit from a ketogenic diet.

If you adhere to a ketogenic diet under medical supervision, it can aid in weight loss and may improve your general health. Your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic diseases may be decreased.

But keep in mind that it could not be sustainable for other people's choices and lifestyles. If you want to know if a ketogenic diet is good for you, talk to your doctor about your intentions and eating schedule.

A Practical Guide To The Keto Diet Including Keto Recipes and Meal Plans For Beginners