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What is a keto diet, how could it help us and types?
The name keto represents the ketogenic diet and ketogenic is a term for a low-carb diet. The main idea of a keto diet is to get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates.
Let’s discuss more.
When we have more carbohydrates food, our bodies will produce glucose and insulin.
Glucose: It is a source of energy and the easiest molecule for the body to convert and use it as energy.
Insulin: It is produced to process glucose by taking it around the body.
Since the glucose is used for energy so there is no need for using the fats so they get stored. If we have a high-carbohydrate diet, it will be enough to produce energy for our body. By lowering the carbohydrates in the diet, the body will be induced into a state named as ketosis.
Ketosis is a natural process in the body to survive whenever we had a low intake food. At this time ketosis is produced by breaking down fats from the liver.
Keto diet forces us to this metabolic state. We do it by starving carbohydrates but not through starving calories. when we take more fats by taken away the carbohydrates in the diet will make use of ketosis more to produce energy by burning fats.
Keto diet helps us to reduce weight, controls blood sugar, improves mental health, maintains blood pressure and controls cholesterol, etc.
Now let’s discuss types of Keto Diets
Types of Keto diets
There are 4 types of keto diets, but the end goal of ketogenic diets is the same.
Standard Ketogenic Diet
The diet consists of very low-carb, moderate-proteins and the high-fat. The diet typically consists of 20% proteins, 75% fat and 5% carbs.
Standard ketogenic diet in terms of grams per day:
20-50g of carbohydrates
40-60g of protein
No set limit for fat
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet
The standard format for a cyclical ketogenic diet is 1-2 days of high carb eating and 5-6 days of ketogenic dieting.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet
The diet stands for having more carbs around your workout times. which means the day you exercise you will consume carbohydrates.
High-protein Ketogenic Diet
This is more similar to the standard ketogenic diet, but this diet includes more protein. The ratio is often 35% protein, 60% fat and 5% carbs.
Now you came to know about what is keto and how it could help us and types. Let’s talk about what to eat and what not to eat on a keto diet.
Keto diet foods list
Here is a list of foods to be taken and not to take on the keto diet.
Foods to eat on a keto diet
Leafy: Spinach, kale, etc.
Vegetables: Cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, greens, peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc.
Meat and Egg: Eggs, lamb, poultry, beef, pork, etc.
Fish: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, trout, etc.
Dairy: Butter, yogurt, cream, etc.
Nuts & seeds: Walnuts, sunflower seeds, macadamias, almonds, peanuts and flaxseeds.etc.
Berries: Blackberries, raspberries, and other low glycemic impact berries.
Sweeteners: Monk fruit, stevia, erythritol, and some low-carb sweeteners.
Condiments: Vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, spices and fresh herbs.
Healthy oil: Olive oil, coconut butter, avocado oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil.
Other fats: High-fat salad dressing, saturated fats, etc.
Foods to avoid on a keto diet
Grains: Corn, wheat, rice, cereal, oats tortillas, etc.
Sugar: Agave, maple syrup, honey, ice cream, candy, etc.
Fruit: Bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, pineapple, etc.
Baked foods: White bread, whole-wheat bread, crackers, doughnuts, cookies, rolls, etc.
Tubers: yams, potato,
Sweetened beverages: Soda, juice, sports drinks, sweetened teas, etc.
Pasta: Noodles, spaghetti, etc.
Beans and legumes: Black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, etc.
Alcoholic beverages: Beer, etc.
Sauces: Sugary salad dressings, dipping sauces, barbecue sauce, etc.
Keto diet plan for a week
Let’s implement it by a proper diet plan.
Keto diet plan for one week. Check out this infographic.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of a keto diet. Here are a few listed.
Advantages of having a keto-diet
There are a lot more advantages to having a keto diet. Here we have listed the top 5 advantages.
Acne
Studies say that if we have a ketogenic diet, there will be an improvement in our skin. The main improvement is the reduction of acne. A low-carb diet can reduce skin inflammation and lesions. Having a high carb food can cause a chance of an increase in acne.
If you’re interested in the reduction of your acne better, you can start a keto diet.
Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
Studies on low-carb diets have already shown better results in the improvement of blood pressure than other diets. If you follow a keto diet, it will control your blood pressure and help in reducing the cholesterol.
Mental Focus
Many people use the ketogenic diet to increase their mental performance so they can focus more.
Ketones are a great source for the brain. By taking low-carb food, we can avoid big spikes in blood sugar. These results can help in the improvement of focus and concentration.
Many studies say that an increase in the intake of fatty acids can improve our brain function.
Weight loss
If you are looking for weight loss techniques, then a keto diet is the best option for you. The main concept of keto is to burn fat, which significantly results in weight loss.
On a keto diet, insulin levels drop and turn our bodies into a fat-burning machine.
Keto diet has shown better results when compared to low fat and high carb diets.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance can lead us to type 2 diabetes. Studies show that a low carb ketogenic diet can help people lower their insulin levels.
Disadvantages of a keto diet
Keto diet is good for health but not for all. There are a few disadvantages in the keto diet which are listed below.
The brain needs sugar
There are some risk factors for the keto diet. Keto diet may affect personal life. If you ever tried the keto diet before it would be difficult for you for a few weeks. With a low-carb diet, you may experience the keto flu. The symptoms of this flu are like sluggishness may occur.
The reason for this flu is very simple; Our brain derives energy from blood glucose, carbohydrates are needed for glucose to enter the bloodstream. With the absence of this sugar, the cognitive function could take a hit.
Reduce athletic performance
Some athletes believe that ketogenic diet not only for weight loss but improves there performance in their spots. Recent studies say that there will be a negative impact on athletic performance.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) published some guidelines for athletes to avoid low-carb diets. A study conducted by Copenhagen University found that a low carb, high-fat diet resulted in poorer training adaptions when compared to a high-carb diet.
Diarrhea
If you are in a keto diet and running to the bathroom more often. then there will be a chance of keto diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur because of the gallbladder – the organ that produces the bile to help break down fat in the diet. Few studies say that diarrhea may also occur due to a lack of fiber in the diet.
Increased risk of diabetes
Many health experts suggest people about keto diet try it with under the guidance of doctors or nutritionists. Doctors say that high- fat diets like keto may raise cholesterol levels and some studies say that there may be a chance to increase the risk of diabetes.
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