What is the keto diet?
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits, helps you to lose weight, and improves your health. It also helps you to cope with other diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. It has many similarities with Atkins and a low-carb diet. It involves reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbohydrates puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When this happens your body becomes very efficient at fat burning. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver which provide energy to the brain. These diets cause a significant reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels.
What is ketosis?
Ketosis is a state in which your body uses far for fuel instead of carbohydrates. It occurs when you reduce the number of carbohydrates and limit your blood supply of glucose. Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter into ketosis. Carbohydrate consumption limits up to 20 to 50 grams and filling up to fats such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts and healthy oils e.t.c. it is also necessary to moderate your protein consumption. If protein is taken in higher amounts it is converted into glucose which may slow your transition into ketosis.
What to eat on the ketogenic diet?
Here are some typical foods that you might enjoy on the ketogenic diet. To remain in ketosis foods with lower counts are best. These includes:
- Meat and poultry
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Natural fats
- Above ground vegetables
You are likely to stay under 50 grams of net carbs. The fewer carbs you eat, the more effective diet appears for reaching ketosis.
What foods to avoid on the ketogenic diet?
- Grains or starches such as rice, pasta, cereal
- Sugary foods
- Beans or legumes as peas, lentils, or chickpeas
- Root vegetables and tubers as potatoes, sweet potatoes and
- Unhealthy fats such as mayonnaise
- Alcohol
- Sugar-free diet foods such as puddings, sweeteners, and desserts
What to drink on the ketogenic diet?
Water is the perfect drink and coffee or tea are fine too. Use no sweeteners, especially sugar.
The occasional glass of wine is fine too.
Healthy keto snacks:
In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy keto-approved snacks.
- One or two half-boiled eggs
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- 90% dark chocolate
- Olives
- Keto-friendly snack bars
- The smaller portion of leftover meals
- Fat bombs
Keto tips and tricks:
Getting started on the ketogenic diet is challenging but there are several tips and tricks which you can use to make it easier and better.
- Familiarize yourself by checking food labels and grams of fats, carbs, and fiber to determine how your favorite food can fit into your diet.
- Look into healthy frozen meals when you are in a short time.
- Planning out your meals in advance may also be beneficial and can help you save extra time throughout the week.
- When you go to a social gathering or family visiting, you may also want to consider bringing your food which can make it much easier to curb cravings and stick to your meal plan.
