Among the many diets that help in losing weight, there is also a ketogenic diet, which is characterized by a small amount of carbohydrates consumed and an abundance of fatty foods. Scientists have shown in research that this version of the ketogenic diet helps improve the condition of a person with diabetes, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and even oncology.
ketogenic diet- This is a diet in which the diet contains both low-carbohydrate and fatty foods. In reality, there is displacement of carbohydrate substances by fats. These changes in the menu put the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. At the same time, the process of fat burning and energy release increases, and ketones are converted in the liver, which gives a lot of energy to the brain. A ketogenic diet helps lower blood glucose and insulin levels. So, what is the keto diet - popularly called simply keto, it is characterized by reducing the intake of carbohydrates to a minimum and increasing fatty foods in the diet. It provokes the work of metabolism, aimed at breaking down fats and ketones, not carbohydrates.
What types of ketogenic diets are there?
There are many options for the ketogenic diet. The most popular of them:
- The standard (SKD) is a minimum of carbohydrate substances - 5%, a maximum of fat - 75%, an average amount of protein - 20%.
- Cyclical (CKD) - occasionally there is a time to consume a large amount of carbohydrates. At the same time, the first option is observed for 5 days, followed by high-carbohydrate food for several days.
- Wrong (NKD) - this option allows adding carbohydrates before and after training.
- High protein - similar to the standard version, but the BJU breakdown is as follows: 35% protein, 60% fat and 5% carbohydrate.
Standard and high protein options are more recommended for use. The rest are mostly used by athletes and bodybuilders.
Benefits of a ketogenic diet
Ketogenic diet helps to get rid of obesity and at the same time does not harm health. Nutritionists claim it's better than low-fat diets. At the same time, the diet is more nutritious and there is no need to count calories. People who used the ketogenic diet on themselves lost weight several times faster, and at the same time improved the level of good cholesterol and triglycerides.
Note: A big advantage of a ketogenic diet compared to a low-fat diet is sufficient protein intake, which is very important for the body. A ketogenic diet promotes more weight loss than one that focuses on low-fat intake. And it is important that everything happens without the painful feeling of hunger.
How it helps diabetics and people predisposed to it
With this problem, there is a disturbance in metabolism, an increase in blood sugar and a disturbance in the function of insulin in the body. The ketogenic diet promotes the burning of excess fat, which is important for diabetics and people with metabolic disorders. Research scientists have proven that the ketogenic diet improves the body's sensitivity to insulin by 75%.
Conducted experiments with type 2 diabetics gave amazing results - out of 21 patients, 7 people managed to refuse to take diabetes medication. Weight loss is much more significant than with other types of diets. In type 2 diabetics, insulin sensitivity increases, which causes fat burning. And this is very important for patients.
Other benefits of a low-carb diet
A ketogenic diet is recommended for maintaining the health of patients with neurological pathologies.
It is also recommended for various diseases such as:
- Pathology of the heart. It has a positive effect on the following factors: fats, cholesterol, blood sugar, pressure.
- Oncology. It has a beneficial effect on reducing the growth of cancer cells.
- Alzheimer's disease. It improves symptoms and inhibits the development of pathology.
- Epilepsy. It reduces the number of seizures in children.
- Parkinson's disease. It improves the symptoms of this disease.
- Polycystic ovaries. Lowering insulin has a good effect on the development of the syndrome.
- With a brain injury. Impact of concussion is reduced, recovery time is reduced.
- Acne. A low level of insulin and the absence of excess intake of carbohydrates contribute to the improvement of the skin condition.
The ketogenic diet is beneficial for many diseases, especially those related to insulin levels, metabolism and neurology.
What to exclude from the diet
All products containing carbohydrates in large quantities should be excluded from the menu:
- They contain sugar - carbonated drinks, fruit and berry juices, cakes, ice cream and other sweets.
- Cereals and starch - flour products, rice, cereals.
- Fruit products - everything except berries, but little by little.
- Legumes - peas, lentils, beans and others.
- Vegetable products - potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and others.
- Dietary and fat-free - after processing, they have a lot of carbohydrates.
- Sauces containing sugar and unhealthy fats. Vegetable oil, mayonnaise.
- Alcoholic drinks - they are saturated with carbohydrates.
Highly processed, sugar-free diet foods are bad for a ketogenic diet.
These foods must be eaten
These products should also be consumed while maintaining a ketogenic diet:
- Meat products - ham, sausage products, ham, red meat, chicken, turkey.
- Fatty fish.
- Chicken eggs.
- Cow butter and cream from grass-fed cows.
- Raw cheeses - mozzarella, goat, etc.
- Nuts - walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, etc.
- Various oils - olive, coconut.
- Avocado in its pure form or in a salad.
- Vegetable products with low carbohydrates - onion, cucumber, tomato and other green vegetables.
- Spices in the form of salt, pepper and dry herbs.
It is recommended to eat the products in their pure form, so that recipes for meals consist of one component.
Sample menu for the week
For clarity, I was given a ketogenic diet for a week:
| days | a meal | To me |
| Monday | Breakfast | Boiled eggs with bacon and tomatoes |
| Dinner | Poultry and feta cheese salad with butter | |
| Dinner | Steamed salmon with asparagus | |
| Tuesday | Breakfast | Baked eggs with tomatoes, goat cheese |
| Dinner | Almond milk, cocoa and stevia smoothie | |
| Dinner | Meatballs, cheese and vegetables | |
| Wednesday | Breakfast | Milk shake |
| Dinner | Shrimp salad with avocado | |
| Dinner | Pork chops, cheese and vegetables | |
| Thursday | Breakfast | Baked eggs with avocado, onion, pepper |
| Dinner | Nuts, salsa, guacamole | |
| Dinner | Chicken with sauce, cream cheese | |
| Friday | Breakfast | Unsweetened yogurt with coconut oil and cocoa |
| Dinner | Veal steak and vegetables | |
| Dinner | Burger with egg and cheese | |
| Saturday | Breakfast | Eggs with cheese, vegetables and ham |
| Dinner | Ham, cheese and walnuts | |
| Dinner | White variety of fish, eggs with spinach | |
| Sunday | Breakfast | Baked eggs with fat and mushrooms |
| Dinner | Sandwich, salsa, guacamole | |
| Dinner | Beef steak with vegetables |
It is necessary to diversify the menu as much as possible so that a more complete set of nutrients enters the body.
What can you eat on a ketogenic diet?
When hunger strikes between mandatory meals, you can satisfy it with healthy snacks.
For this you can use:
- cooked meat or fatty fish;
- permitted cheese;
- some nuts or seeds;
- a couple of hard-boiled eggs;
- chocolate with 90% cocoa;
- milk cocktail with cocoa and butter;
- yogurt with cocoa and nut butter;
- strawberries with whipped cream;
- celery with salsa and guacamole sauce.
You can refresh yourself with a small portion of food prepared for the main meal.
What you can eat outside the house
There are many different types of fatty meat and fish dishes in catering facilities. You can get rid of excess carbs by ordering more vegetables. Egg dishes are varied - with bacon, cheese, vegetables.
Burgers are best consumed without the bun, but only the filling. You can add cheese, eggs or bacon. If nothing is suitable for a ketogenic diet, but you still need to lose weight, order a mixture of cheese, meat of any kind, fish, eggs and a lot of vegetables in restaurants and cafes.
How to improve the adaptation period
The ketogenic diet is considered safe for almost everyone, but adapting to this diet can lead to an illness popularly called the "keto flu. "It is characterized by: general malaise due to lack of energy, disturbances in mental activity, insomnia, beastly hunger, nausea and stomach discomfort. This condition lasts for a few days and then disappears without a trace. To eliminate such symptoms, it is necessary to adjust a low-carbohydrate diet immediately in the first days. These activities contribute to greater weight loss before you need to completely eliminate carbohydrates from the menu.
Important: Such a diet causes a change in the balance of water and minerals in the body. Additional portions of salt and mineral supplements may be needed. The body needs an additional 3000 mg of sodium, 1000 mg of potassium, 300 mg of magnesium per day. By taking them, you can avoid an imbalance of nutrients in the body.
At the very beginning of the ketogenic diet, you can eat to your heart's content, do not reduce the consumption of high-calorie foods. Weight loss occurs without calorie restriction. If you follow all the rules, the side effects of the ketogenic diet will not be so significant.
What questions are people asking?
If you read reviews, you can highlight frequently asked questions of those who want to lose weight.
- Can you eat carbs later? Yes you can. In the beginning, it is necessary to exclude them, but after 3-4 months you can enjoy desserts with and without ketones, not forgetting to return to the ketogenic diet.
- Is it possible to lose muscle mass or build it? In every diet there is a loss of muscle mass, but in this diet the high protein intake will not make it too noticeable. You can also increase it, but not as much as with diets with the use of carbohydrates.
- How much protein can you eat? Its amount should be moderate so that there is no increase in insulin and a decrease in the number of ketones. Of all calories consumed, 35% should come from protein foods and the rest from ketones.
- What should I do if I feel constantly weak? This can be due to incomplete immersion in the state of ketosis, as well as due to poor burning of fats and ketones. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates and once again read the complete guide for this diet, observe the amount of ketones.
- Bad breath, what to do? This is what happens with the ketogenic diet. To reduce the concentration of ketones, it is necessary to drink clean water with various natural additives or use chewing gum.
- Is ketosis really dangerous to health? People confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis, but it is really dangerous and occurs with uncontrolled diets.
- I have indigestion and diarrhea, what should I do? This is a common side effect of the keto diet and goes away on its own after 3-4 weeks.
The ketogenic diet, like any other diet, has side effects. They pass quickly, but with long-term problems, it is better to refuse this.
Contraindications
The ketogenic diet isn't for everyone. Who can practice the ketogenic diet: diabetics, obese people who need to improve their metabolic processes, as well as those who are able to maintain this diet for a long time.
Note: For active athletes, as well as those who want to gain muscle mass, it is less suitable. They have to choose a different type of diet. The remaining contraindications are in the characteristics of human health.
A low-carbohydrate diet promotes weight loss and improves health. Before switching to the suggested diet, you should consult a nutritionist or doctor.