Know How Ketogenic Diet Can Really Help You Lose Weight and Improve Overall Health
Know How Ketogenic Diet Can Really Help You
Lose Weight and Improve Overall Health
Calvin has been a writer in the nutrition space for over 10 years. His works are composed of health topics that talk about fasting and the various types of diets such as keto, plant-based, and paleo. His interest covers how various diets can prevent diabetes and other common chronic diseases in the US.
Calvin has been a writer in the nutrition space for over 10 years. His works are composed of health topics that talk about fasting and the various types of diets such as keto, plant-based, and paleo.
Food consumption plays a critical role in your everyday health. You may have heard about Keto diet from influencers as it has been trending in the fitness world. Keto diet might be a great fit for you if your goal is to achieve a gain in core muscle mass and consume less sugars.
You may have heard about the Ketogenic diet from friends or the internet but it can be a little confusing considering there is so much misinformation out there. Getting the right knowledge at the beginner’s stage is crucial to a successful fitness journey and we are here to help. Let’s get right into it.
The ketogenic diet has gained immense popularity in the fitness world as well as social media recently. It is a diet that focuses on low-carb, moderate protein, higher-fat that can help you burn fat more effectively. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. It has many benefits for weight loss, performance, physical and mental health.
Aside from the health benefit of helping in weight loss, studies have also found positive results for reducing diabetes and epilepsy. Additionally, some scientific researches have found evidence supporting that it may be beneficial for certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and other diseases too.
Turning your body into a ketosis state makes it a fat-burning machine, which can be beneficial for weight loss. Increasing fat and protein not only supplies the body with energy but also helps muscle growth. The more muscles you have, the more calories your body naturally burns even when at rest, which makes it a lot easier for fat loss to occur.
Those with type 2 diabetes may find Keto diet especially beneficial for managing their condition, sometimes even leading to a complete reversal of the disease. With limited sugar/carb intake from the diet, you reduce the need for medications and the potentially negative impact of high insulin levels.
It’s very common for people to experience an increase in energy after switching to Keto diet. This makes perfect sense as starchy, high-sugar foods tend to make you feel heavy and sluggish afterwards. Interestingly, some people use ketogenic diets specifically for better mental performance. Physical and mental well-being have been proven to have close connections.
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Overall, Keto diet, focused on low-carb, moderate protein, higher-fat, is designed to help improve your physical and mental health in various aspects.
Keto diet typically limits carbs intake to 20–50 grams per day. The diet is named after its effect on your body’s metabolic state, ketosis. It forces your body to produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”, an alternative fuel source when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. Ketones are produced from stored fat by the liver when you eat very few carbs or calories.
About 20% of your daily energy is consumed by the brain. However, your brain can’t use fat directly for energy because of the blood-brain barrier. On a ketogenic diet, your body switches its main energy supply to fat, thus you essentially will be burning fat 24/7. Moreover, when insulin levels drop very low due to lack of carbs in the blood, fat burning can increase dramatically.
Ketogenic diet is effective. Thanks to its ability to switch the fuel source in your body, from primarily carbs/sugars to ketones. With this diet, your body is constantly burning fat to support bodily activities even at rest.
There is no better tool to lose weight and sustain weight loss than the ketogenic diet. This is possible due to two main reasons and they’re both backed by scientific facts. Restricting carbohydrates forces your body to learn to use your fat as fuel and decreases levels of the hormone insulin, which is your fat-storage hormone.
In addition to teaching your body to learn to use stored fat as fuel and decreasing insulin, new complementary data from a Harvard research shows that low carb diets also change your metabolism to increase energy expenditure. Converting fat to make ketone bodies is a demanding process and uses up a lot of energy.
What many people didn’t know was that Keto diet actually has a few variations. Although they follow the same core focus of low carb, moderate protein, and high fat, each version has its own features. Because of this, some individuals might find one more fitting for their specific needs and goals than the others.
There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:
It is worth noting that only the standard and high-protein versions have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and primarily used by professional bodybuilders or athletes. This article mainly focuses on the standard ketogenic diet (SKD).
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With many versions of Keto diet, any interested individual may find the perfect fit for their own goals in health achievements.
Keto adaptation is the period of time that it takes for your cells to get accustomed to using stored fat as the primary fuel source. This period of time varies from one individual to another, from as little as 10 days to as much as 12 weeks. However, studies have shown that the keto adaptation phase actually continues as you maintain the ketogenic diet.
Since keto adaptation continues on for as long as you follow the keto diet, it means your cells never stop improving its functionalities and metabolism. The more consistent you are with the diet, the more efficient your body will be at making and utilizing ketones.
It might take some time for your body to get used to the diet adjustment since most of your high-carb favorites will be gone, but being hungry sure won’t be a problem. The Keto diet is actually quite simple when it comes to what kind of food you should be eating. To remain in ketosis, lower net carbs are generally better. Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet.
Fish and shellfish are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and Omega-3s. Many types of seafood are carb-free or very low in carbs. For example, shrimp, crab, salmon, and other fish are virtually carb-free, other types of shellfish might not. You can still include these shellfish in your diet, but moderate consumption is advised.
Here are the net carb counts of some popular shellfish per 100-gram servings:
Salmon, sardines, mackarel, and other fatty fish are very high in Omega-3 fats, which have been found to lower insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese people. In addition, frequent fish intake has been linked to a decreased risk of disease and improved mental health.
Meat and poultry are probably the most iconic foods you will see on the Keto diet. Lean meat and poultry mainly contain proteins, some fat, NO carbs, and are rich in B vitamins, potassium, selenium, zinc, etc. The high protein quality has been shown to help preserve muscle mass when combined with regular exercise.
Nutritionists recommend it's best to choose grass-fed meat, if possible. That's because animals that were fed with only grass produce meat with higher amounts of Omega-3 fats, conjugated linoleic acid, and antioxidants compared to those that were fed with grains.
The net carb count for non-starchy vegetables per 100-gram serving:
Nuts and seeds are heart-healthy, high in fiber, and may contribute to a healthier aging process. They vary in net carbs per ounce, generally 0–8 grams. Researches have shown the link between frequent nut consumption and reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, depression, and other chronic diseases.
The net carb counts of some nuts and seeds for 1 ounce (28 grams) serving:
Simply put, your Keto diet portion and calorie intake should include 60 - 75% healthy fat, 15-30% lean grass-fed protein, 5 - 10% carbs
In order to fully commit to the Keto diet, there are a few types of food you will have to say goodbye to. Since your focus is on high fat and moderate protein, high-carb foods such as rice, pasta (or any grain, really) definitely won't be on your menu. It also means that starchy vegetables, legumes, sweets, and high-sugar fruits will not be recommended.
Cereal, crackers, rice, pasta, bread, and beer are extremely high in carbs. Did you know that whole-wheat pasta and bean-based pastas are still high in carbs? Beer, which is made of wheat, can be enjoyed in moderation but not frequent. Dry wine and spirits are better options but all alcohol should be very limited.
Net carb counts for grains per 100-gram serving:
Vegetables that are harvested from the ground like potatoes, carrots, parsnips are actually the main root of the plant. Therefore, they contain a huge amount of starch/carbs to fuel the plant’s leaves, stem, etc. Legumes like peas, beans, peanuts, and lentils are all fairly high in carbs, as are grains like corn and quinoa.
Net carb counts for starchy vegetables per 100-gram serving:
Sweets, artificial or natural, all contain high levels of sugar. Candy, donuts, sodas, and many processed foods will not be recommended for Keto diet. They are often made with high-fructose corn syrup, which is a very concentrated type of sugar. The same goes for “natural” sugars like honey or maple syrup.
To your surprise, many fruits are actually considered not appropriate for the Keto diet. Apples, mangos, pears, etc. all naturally have tons of sugar, which is definitely a carb. They are still healthy food to eat, however, just not fitted for the focus and goals of the ketogenic diet.
Net carb counts for sweets per 100-gram serving:
Net carb counts for high-sugar fruits:
To maximize the benefits of Keto diet, you should avoid foods that have a high content of sugar/starch naturally or artificially.
You might see some controversies and myths about a Keto diet online regarding health concerns, but for most people it is very safe. However, the groups of people below are highly recommended to seek professional opinions before starting the diet as they might need special considerations to proceed.
Wondering if you need to follow the Keto diet? For some individuals, it might not be necessary for their current health condition and/or the focus of the diet is against their personal preferences. Commitment is also a crucial factor in achieving desired health results from the diet. As with any form of diet, it will only work if you are consistent in the long term.
You might not need a low-carb or keto diet if:
If you find yourself to have a fast metabolism that can handle large amounts of carbs from your regular diet, there’s really no reason to make the switch to Keto. For individuals who feel great eating carbs, are at a healthy weight, and have no health concerns or issues, it is entirely up to their personal choices to follow the diet.
Overall, Keto diet might not be for everyone, especially those with health concerns or simply don’t find reducing carb intake will have a positive impact on their health.
Keto diet main focus is to eat low carbs, moderate protein, and high healthy fats. The reduction in carbs puts your body into ketosis, meaning it will constantly burn stored fats and make ketones to fuel the body. Scientists believe that Keto diet brings many benefits for weight loss, performance, and both physical and mental health.
You should always consult with doctors or nutritionists prior to starting the diet to ensure it is a good fit for your health. Your body might need some time to adjust to the sudden cut of carbs, be patient with yourself. Like any other fitness routine, the Keto diet requires consistency and long term commitment in order for you to see the results.
