The ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan. Following the keto diet is believed to have many health benefits. We tell you in more detail what keto nutrition gives the body and how effectively you can lose weight on such a diet.
Numerous studies show that the keto diet is guaranteed to help you lose weight and improve your well-being. In addition, ketogenic diets may be beneficial for diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.
Here is a detailed guide on how to get started on the keto diet and answers to the most common questions about it. Be sure to read, understand and discuss with your doctor.
What is a ketogenic diet?
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat meal plan. In many ways, this is similar to the Atkins diet and the low-carb diet. That's just keto involves a sharp reduction in carbohydrates and replacing them with fats. This decrease puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
In ketosis, the body begins to efficiently convert fat into energy (ketones) - instead of doing it with carbohydrates. Due to this, ketogenic diets can lead to lower blood sugar levels and normalize insulin.
Different types of ketogenic diets
There are many versions of the keto diet, including:
- Standard ketogenic diet: This is a very low carb, moderate protein, and high fat meal plan. it usually contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbohydrates;
- cyclical ketogenic diet: This plan includes periods of higher carbohydrate intake, such as 5 keto days followed by 2 carbohydrate days;
- adapted ketogenic diet: allows you to add more carbohydrates to the diet on training days;
- High Protein Ketogenic Diet: This is similar to the standard ketogenic diet but includes more protein, typically 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.
By the way, only standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been carefully studied and recommended by experts. Cyclic or adapted diets are more advanced methods and are mostly used by athletes or bodybuilders.
Ketogenic diets help you lose weight
The keto diet is an effective way to lose weight and reduce risk factors for certain diseases.
Experiments show that the ketogenic diet is superior in terms of weight loss results to low-fat diets. Moreover, the keto diet allows you not to count calories and not limit the amount of food eaten, unless, of course, we are talking about those included in the list of permitted.
One study found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 2. 2 times more weight than those who cut calories and fat. An improvement in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood was also noticed.
Ketogenic diet for diabetes and prediabetes
Diabetes is characterized by metabolic changes, elevated blood sugar levels, and impaired insulin function. The keto diet will help you shed excess fat, a metric that has been closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
One study showed that a ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by as much as 75%!
In another experiment with participants with type 2 diabetes, it was found that 7 out of 21 people were able to stop taking all of their diabetes medications thanks to the keto diet.
Other Health Benefits of the Keto Diet
The modern version of the keto diet was invented as a way to treat neurological conditions, such as the aforementioned epilepsy. Some studies have shown that such a meal plan can be useful for various diseases.
- Cardiovascular disease: A ketogenic diet may improve risk factors such as fat and cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
- Cancer: Today, this diet is used to maintain the condition of patients with various types of cancer and to reduce the growth of tumors.
- Alzheimer's disease: The keto diet can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and slow its progression.
- Epilepsy: Studies have shown that a ketogenic diet can significantly reduce seizures in children.
- Parkinson's disease: Some tests have shown that a high-fat diet can help relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A ketogenic diet will help lower insulin levels, which play a big role in the progression of this diagnosis.
- Brain Injuries: An animal study has shown that the keto diet can improve post-concussion conditions and help patients recover more quickly from injuries.
- Acne: Lowering your insulin levels and reducing your intake of sugar and processed foods will help improve your skin significantly.
Foods to Avoid on the Keto Diet
Any foods high in carbohydrates should be avoided. Here is a sample list of foods that should be eliminated from the diet - or significantly reduce the amount of their consumption:
- sugary foods: soft drinks, fruit juices, smoothies, cakes, ice cream, sweets;
- grains or starches: products derived from wheat, rice, pasta, cereals;
- fruits: all fruits, except for small portions of berries or one apple per day;
- beans or legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas;
- root vegetables and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips;
- Diet or low-fat foods: These are usually highly processed and high in carbohydrates.
- certain condiments or sauces: especially those containing sugar and saturated fats;
- saturated fats: limit your intake of refined oils, mayonnaise;
- Alcohol: Because of their high carbohydrate content, many alcoholic beverages should be avoided on a ketogenic diet.
- Sugar-free diet foods: These are often high in sugar alcohols, which can affect ketone levels in the body.
Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet
Most of the diet during the keto diet should be based on these foods:
- meat: red meat, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey;
- oily fish: salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel;
- eggs;
- butter and cream;
- cheese;
- nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds;
- healthy oils: especially cold-pressed olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil;
- avocado;
- low-carb vegetables: most green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers.
Sample weekly ketogenic meal plan
Monday
Breakfast: bacon, eggs and tomatoes.
Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, vegetables and feta cheese.
Dinner: salmon with asparagus cooked in butter.
Tuesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with tomato, spices and goat cheese.
Lunch: if you do not feel like eating heavily, you can replace the usual hot dishes with a cocktail with vegetable or cow's milk with peanut butter and herbs.
Dinner: meatballs, cheese and vegetables.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Ketogenic Milkshake – The basic recipe we mentioned can be tweaked to your liking.
Lunch: Seafood salad with olive oil and avocado.
Dinner: pork chops with cheese, broccoli and salad.
Thursday
Breakfast: tortilla with avocado, peppers, onions, spices and sour cream sauce.
Lunch: A handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa.
Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, garnished with vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: unsweetened yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia.
Lunch: stewed veal with vegetables.
Dinner: Bacon, egg and cheese burger with a low-carb almond flour bun.
Saturday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cheese and ham with vegetables.
Lunch: a few slices of ham and cheese with nuts.
Dinner: white fish, eggs and spinach cooked in olive oil.
Sunday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon and mushrooms.
Lunch: hamburger with sauce, cheese and guacamole.
Dinner: steaks with eggs and salad.
As you can see, the ketogenic diet can be very varied and insanely nutritious.
Keto snacks
If you're feeling hungry between meals, here are some examples of healthy keto snacks:
- fatty meat or fish;
- cheese;
- a handful of nuts or seeds;
- cheese with olives;
- 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs;
- dark chocolate with 90% cocoa;
- low-carb milkshake with almond milk, cocoa powder and peanut butter;
- whole milk yogurt with nut butter and cocoa powder;
- strawberries with cream;
- celery with sauce and guacamole.
How to follow the keto diet if you have to eat out
Today, finding a restaurant with a keto menu or diet-friendly positions is not so difficult. Most establishments offer a large number of meat and fish items, and you can take vegetables as a side dish.
Egg dishes are also a great option for a keto diet, like scrambled eggs or bacon with eggs.
Another ideal dish is a burger, but it is better to remove one half of the bun. Replace french fries with vegetables, and ask for more cheese, sauce, or a piece of avocado in the filling.
It is better to refuse dessert in the usual sense of the word in restaurants. But you can order a cheese plate, berries and cream or panna cotta.
Side effects of the keto diet and how to minimize them
While the ketogenic diet is safe for healthy people, you may notice some side effects at first as your body adjusts to the new eating plan. For example, in the first few days, many people experience the so-called ketogenic flu.
Ketoflu is a condition where you experience increased hunger, decreased energy, and may also experience sleep problems, nausea, and indigestion.
To minimize this problem, you can try a standard low-carb diet for the first week, and then add more fat to the diet. This will prepare the body to burn more fat before the carbohydrates in the diet become much smaller.
Supplements on a ketogenic diet
While it's not necessary to take supplements, these dietary supplements can be especially helpful while on keto:
- linseed, olive and any other vegetable oil - feel free to add to meals or drink in the morning on an empty stomach to increase the level of ketones in the body;
- caffeine will help maintain energy and also speed up fat burning;
- creatine - improves performance and is especially recommended for intensive training while on a keto diet;
- Whey Protein: Add half a scoop of whey protein to smoothies or yogurt to increase your daily protein intake.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Keto Diet
1. Can I return to my normal carbohydrate intake?
If you sit on a keto diet, and then abruptly return carbohydrates to your life, the results of losing weight will go down the drain. It is best to eat fewer carbs after the end of the ketogenic diet than you could afford before. Moreover, you will have less cravings for high-carbohydrate foods!
2. Will I lose muscle volume on the keto diet?
On any diet, there is a risk of losing muscle mass. However, a high protein intake and controlled ketone levels will help minimize muscle loss - especially if you're doing strength training.
3. Can I build muscle on a ketogenic diet?
Yes, but it won't be as easy as on a moderate carb diet.
4. Do I need to have carb days sometimes?
No, but it may be helpful to include a few days with more calories than usual in your diet plan.
5. How much protein can I eat?
Protein intake should be moderate, as high protein levels can cause spikes in insulin levels and a drop in ketones. The upper limit for protein intake is 35% of total caloric intake.
6. What should I do if I constantly feel tired and weak?
You may not be following the ketogenic diet correctly, or your body may not be properly using fats and ketones. To reduce the discomfort, try eating even fewer carbs and continue to follow the tips we've given to get you into ketosis for sure.
7. Why has the smell of urine changed - become more pronounced?
Don't worry, it's just the result of ketosis.
8. What should I do if I have bad breath?
This is a very common side effect of the keto diet. Try drinking more water or chewing sugar-free gum.
9. Is it true that ketosis is very dangerous?
People often confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. The first condition is a natural procedure for processing fats, and the second appears only with uncontrolled diabetes.
Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but the ketosis that occurs while on a ketogenic diet is completely normal and even healthy.
10. What should I do if I have digestive problems, constipation or diarrhea?
This side effect usually goes away 3-4 weeks after starting the keto diet. If this persists, try eating more fiber-rich vegetables. Magnesium supplements can also help with constipation.
Ketogenic diets are good, but not for everyone
The ketogenic diet may be beneficial for people who are overweight, have diabetes, or want to improve their metabolic health. But if you are interested in gaining muscle mass, it is better to look at other nutrition options.
Also, like any diet, a ketogenic meal plan will only work if you stick to it diligently. The results will appear in the long term - it is better not to wait for quick weight loss.