What is Keto Diet?
Usually known as the low-carb diet, the Ketogenic diet is about limiting the intake of carbohydrates to make the body trick into using its ketones as a primary source of energy. Ketones are produced in the liver by burning fats, when there are not ample carbohydrates in the body, a similar effect is caused by fasting. Since prolonged fasting does not favor the body positive effects, Keto diet helps to trick the body by shutting off all its glucose intakes.
Essentially a keto diet includes most of the food elements except a very controlled intake of carbs, nearly up to 20 grams per day, with small portions of protein. Since the body uses protein present in the body to convert it into glucose, it is important to keep the consumption of protein to a moderate level. Other important aspects of attaining desirable results are regular exercise and enough feel to keep the body feeling fresh.
Though there are numerous benefits of this diet, some notable benefits are reduced appetite, weight loss, mental astuteness and agility. Since keto diet only restricts carbs intake, it can be sustained for a long time. Keto is not advisable to people who are currently using insulin to control diabetes, take blood pressure medications and are breast-feeding moms.
Understanding Ketosis
When the body is suddenly depleted of glucose it starts to look for other alternatives to fuel up the bodily functions. Often regarded as an unhealthy diet, fat is used by the body as a secondary source for fuel. Since the fat present in the body cannot be consumed directly as glucose is, it is first turned into ketones. Ketone formation continues until the body achieves the desired number to propel all of its functions. This states is referred to as ketosis in which the body burns all of its fats, shedding off pounds until you hit a stable weight.
Health Benefits of Keto Diet
Keto Diet has been under a lot of scrutiny from fitness enthusiasts and gurus and it has surpassed their expectations. It comes with a wide array of health benefits along with the ability to reduce health hazards to certain extent. The foremost benefit of keto diet is weight loss. Since the carbohydrate intake is restricted in this diet, the body uses reserves of ketones to keep the body functioning. Production of ketones leads to weight loss along with high energy levels. For nearly half a century, keto diet has been prescribed to epilepsy patients. It is said to reverse type 2 diabetes.
What Is Keto Flu And How To Avoid It?
When in Ketosis state, many people experience flu-like symptoms such as migraines, coughing, sneezing, nausea, and churlishness. Although quite similar to the traditional flu, a keto flu, in fact, results from the absence of electrolytes especially sodium. Since a low-carb diet restricts the intake of salts in your system, sodium levels drop significantly in your body. You can overcome this problem by sprinkling sodium in your meals, consuming soup broth and eating salty foods like pickles.
Foods To Eat In Keto Diet
The following foods can be consumed freely in a Keto Diet. They include:
- Meats & Seafood
- Healthy Fats – Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated, Saturated
- Fruits (Avocado)
- Leafy & Non-Starchy Vegetables
- Water, Coffee & Tea (Unsweetened)
Foods To Avoid In Keto Diet
The following foods need to be avoided in a keto diet. These are:
- Grains
- Beans and Legumes
- Most Fruits
- Starchy Vegetables
- Sugary foods and sweets
- Milk
- Vegetable oil, Unhealthy oils
- Alcohol
- Soft Drinks, Soda Drinks
- Fruit Juices, Coffee & Tea with added sweeteners
Health Benefits of Keto Diet
1. Aids in Weight Loss
Cutting carbs is one of the easiest and most effective ways to lose weight. Studies show that people on keto diet lose more weight, faster, because the diet is high in protein, so it doesn’t leave you hungry as other diets do. Low-carb diets helps to rid excess water from your body, lowering insulin levels and leading to quick weight loss.
2. Reduces the Risk of Cancer
The ketogenic diet help prevent or even treat certain types of cancers. According to a study, a ketogenic diet can be a complementary treatment to chemotherapy and radiation in people with cancer. This is due to the fact that it would cause more oxidative stress in cancer cells than in normal cells.
3. Reduces Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
Low-carb and ketogenic diets are particularly helpful for people suffering from diabetes and insulin resistance, which affect millions of people across the globe. studies suggest that the ketogenic diet reduces high blood sugar, it could reduce insulin complications, which may be associated with some cancers.
4. Improves Cardiovascular Health
Ketogenic diet considers avocados a healthy fat instead of pork rinds so there is some evidence that the diet can improve heart health by reducing cholesterol. One study found that HDL “good” cholesterol levels significantly increased in those following the keto diet. The LDL “bad” cholesterol went down significantly.
5. Protect Brain Functioning
Some studies suggest that the keto diet helps in preventing certain nerve disorders. These may help treat or prevent conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even some sleep disorders. In addition, this diet can cure children of epilepsy. In one study, over half of the children on a ketogenic diet experienced a greater than 50{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} reduction in their number of seizures, while 16{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} became seizure-free.
