The Ketogenic Diet for Beginners

You must have heard Ketogenic or Keto diet being touted as the latest way to lose weight. Low carb diets are slowly gaining popularity due to the fast weight loss associated with them. Ketogenic Diet has become known and adopted by many celebrities, fitness experts, and people around the world. But is it as good as they claim it is? Or is there a lack of scientific evidence to support its benefits?

A Keto or Ketogenic Diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet that is designed to burn fat and lose weight effectively. There are low-carb diets (LCHF), but Keto is lower in carbohydrates than any other diet out there. It relies on fat and protein to keep you satiated. It is recommended that people suffering from epilepsy, diabetes, and lifestyle diseases switch to a low carb diet. It is called a Ketogenic diet because it causes your body to produce small fuel molecules called ‘Ketones.’ This is an alternative fuel source that your body can cause. When you reduce your carb consumption, your liver produces ketones from fat. These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for your brain. On a Ketogenic diet, the body switches its fuel to fat, burning fat 24/7. Your insulin levels drop low and increase fat burning significantly. It becomes effortless to access stored fat and burn it.

Once your body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state of Ketosis. Ketosis leads to efficient fat burning and significant weight loss. Other than weight loss, people have noticed many important benefits of the Keto diet. Improved mental clarity, ability to go without foods for a longer duration, better sleep, clear skin, and general health improvements have been noticed. High-carb meals or processed carbohydrates cause sugar peaks and valleys which cause sluggishness, constant hunger, fatigue, dull skin, irritation, fogginess, and mood swings. Ketogenic Diet coupled with intermittent fasting avoids all these dangerous side effects.

What can you eat on a Ketogenic Diet? The rule is to keep your carbs below 20 grams daily. You can start with initial reduction of carbs but to achieve Ketosis, you have to keep your carb intake under 20 grams. The fewer the carbs, the more effective your diet will be in achieving Ketosis and weight loss. So you will have to eliminate- all types of bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, sugar, chocolate, donuts, processed food, wheat, grains, milk, vegetable oil, and legumes. You should be eating- eggs, meat, cheese, yogurt, almonds, spinach, broccoli, coconut flour, almond flour, eggplant, zucchini, salmon, prawns, seafood, coconut oil, olive oil, coffee, tea, and natural fats. The list of what you can eat or avoid can be found online or in fitness apps.

Keto has gained a bad reputation since fats are considered the villain in the medical world. However, research has been confirming that all fats are not harmful. In fact, we need a high amount of healthy fats for our daily caloric intake. Keto focuses on consuming those healthy fats and discarding the processed, junk food that combine carbs with sugar. The proponents of Keto discourage having bacon or cheese every day but suggest you try fresh foods such as green vegetables, eggs, fish, and chicken in a balanced proportion.

Keto has been successful due to its focus on reducing the number of meals one eats in a day. It also advises Intermittent Fasting or alternate-day fasting to increase your appetite control and ability to focus. Keto is excellent for managing Type 2 diabetes and leads to an impressive reversal of the disease if followed religiously. It is also recommended in case to prevent diabetes or blood sugar issues in symptomatic patients. Keto is one of the fastest ways to lose weight and reduce hunger for many people. The ease of 1-2 meals a day means people don’t have to count calories and just pay attention to carb intake. This takes the pressure of many people who dread counting calories or struggle with appetite control. Keto results in a clean gut, calmer stomach, better digestion, and ease in menstrual cramps. For athletes, Keto leads to improved physical endurance, quick reduction in body fat, and a higher ability to perform.

While it is super successful and effective, Keto comes with its set of risks. Not a lot of research has been done on the long-term effects of Keto. Our bodies do need a certain amount of carbs to function properly. Lack of carbs and overdose of fats can affect certain organs and damage our health. Most people also find Keto difficult to sustain as a lifestyle which leads to them going back to their earlier pattern of eating. This kind of yo-yo eating can affect your stomach and health adversely. Consult a doctor or medical expert before undertaking any new diet or way of eating.