Important:This article includes links to medical studies that support the claims included in it. However, from Cukmi.com we DO NOT recommend following any type of nutritional guideline if it is not supervised by a professional, in this case a Nutritionist Dietitian or a Diet Technician.
A keto or keto diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet that can help you burn fat more effectively. It has many benefits for weight loss, health, and performance, as more than 50 studies show.
Many doctors use it and recommend it.
A ketogenic diet can be especially helpful in losing body fat without feeling hungry and improving the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Here you will learn how to make a ketogenic diet based on authentic foods.
Below you’ll find recipes and meal plans along with a simple 2-week program to get you started, everything you need to succeed with keto.
What is the ketogenic diet?
The “keto” in the keto diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce small fuel molecules called “ketones.”
This is an alternative source for the body, used when the blood sugar (glucose) level is low.
Ketones are produced if you eat too few carbohydrates (which break down quickly into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (too much protein can also turn into blood sugar).
The liver produces ketones from fat. This ketone serves as fuel for the body, especially the brain.
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes a lot of energy every day and cannot function directly from fat. It can only work with glucose … or ketones.
With the ketogenic diet, your entire body changes its fuel source, especially fat, burning fat 24 hours a day. When insulin levels are very low, fat burning increases dramatically. It makes it easier to access and burn your fat deposits.
This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are many other obvious benefits, like less appetite and a stable source of energy. This can help you stay alert and focused.
When the body produces ketones, it goes into a metabolic state called ketosis. The fastest way to reach that state is fasting – not eating anything – but no one can fast forever.
A ketogenic diet, on the other hand, can be used indefinitely and also results in ketosis. It has all the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast.
Who should NOT do a ketogenic diet?
There are controversies and myths about the keto diet, but for most people it could be adopted very safely.
There are, however, three groups that require special consideration:
- Do you take diabetes medication, eg insulin?
- Do you take medication for high blood pressure?
- Are you breastfeeding?
Important:Before adopting any diet, you should consult a specialist.
What to eat in the ketogenic diet?
Here you have a series of typical foods that you can enjoy on a ketogenic diet.
- Fish and seafood.
- Natural fats (butter, olive oil).
- Meat.
- Cheeses
- Eggs.
- Vegetables and greens.
The most important thing to achieve ketosis is to avoid taking too many carbohydrates.
You will likely need a carbohydrate intake below 50 grams per day of net carbohydrates, ideally below 20 grams. The fewer carbohydrates, the more successful you will be at achieving ketosis.
Counting carbohydrates can be helpful at first. But if you limit yourself to the recommended foods and recipes, you can stay in ketosis even without counting.
Foods to avoid in the keto diet
Here is a list of what you should avoid on a keto diet:
- Potatoes.
- Fruit.
- Beer.
- Pasta.
- Rice.
- Bread.
- Pastries
- Refreshments.
- Fruit juices.
- Chocolate.
- Sweets and candies.
In a ketogenic diet you will need to avoid totally sugary foods, as well as starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes; You should also avoid processed foods.
Also, foods should be high in fat and only moderately high in protein, as excess protein can be converted to blood sugar in your body.
Avoid low-fat products. A rough guideline would be 5% energy from carbohydrates (the fewer carbohydrates, the more effective), 15-25% from protein, and about 75% from fat.
What to drink on a ketogenic diet
Water is the perfect drink and coffee and tea are good too. Ideally, don’t use sweeteners, especially sugar.
You can easily add a small amount of milk or cream to your coffee or tea. You can also occasionally have a glass of wine.
How low calorie is the keto diet?
A keto diet is a very strict diet in terms of its low carbohydrate content, containing less than 20 net grams per day and therefore tends to be very effective.
Here are three possible examples of what low carb meals look like, based on how many carbs you are going to eat in a day.
Please note that only the dish on the left is ketogenic:
It is advisable to start by following the dietary advice as strictly as you can. When you are satisfied with your weight and health, you can try to eat more carbohydrates (if you want).
Why follow a ketogenic diet – 7 dietary benefits:
The benefits of a ketogenic diet are similar to other low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, but it seems more effective than carbohydrate-free diets.
Think of the ketogenic diet as a super-carb, low-carb diet that maximizes benefits. However, it can be difficult to follow and may increase the risk of minor side effects.
1. Weight loss
Turning your body into a calorie burning machine can be great for losing weight. Fat burning is significantly increased, while insulin levels – the fat-burning hormone – are greatly reduced.
This process seems to facilitate fat loss without starvation.
More than 30 highly qualified scientific studies show that, compared to other diets, the low carb and ketogenic diet are among the most effective in weight loss.
2. Control of appetite
In the ketogenic diet, you will manage to control your appetite. When your body burns fat 24-7, it has constant access to weeks or months of accumulated energy, significantly reducing the feeling of hunger. It is a very common experience and is proven by existing studies:
- 2014 study
- 2007 study
This makes it easier to eat less and lose excess weight – just wait until you’re hungry before eating.
It also facilitates intermittent fasting, something that can make weight loss faster, beyond the ketone effect itself.
In addition, you will find that suddenly you have a lot of time and money, since you will no longer spend them all day having snacks. Many people only feel the need to eat twice a day when they are on the keto diet (often skipping breakfast), and some only once a day.
Not having to fight hunger pangs could also potentially help you with problems like food or sugar addiction.
At least feeling satisfied can be part of the solution. Food can stop being your enemy and become a friend – or just your fuel, whichever you prefer.
3. Control blood sugar and improve symptoms in type 2 diabetes
A ketogenic diet helps control blood sugar levels. It is suitable for managing type 2 diabetes. This has been proven in various studies.
It makes perfect sense, as the keto diet lowers blood sugar levels, reduces the need for medications, and reduces the potentially negative impact of high insulin levels.
4. Indicators of improved health
There are many studies showing that low carbohydrate diets improve many important risk factors for heart disease , including the profile of cholesterol (HDL, triglycerides), while total and LDL cholesterol have a somewhat more modest impact.
They also tend to improve the levels of blood sugar , the insulin levels and blood pressure (study number 2) .
These commonly improved markers are connected to something called the “metabolic syndrome” along with improvements in weight and waist circumference.
5. Energetic and mental performance
Some people use keto diets specifically for the positive effect on mental performance.
Also, it is common for people to experience higher energy levels when in ketosis.
In ketosis, the brain does not need carbohydrates in the diet. It is powered by 24-7 ketones, an effective brain fuel.
Thus, ketosis results in a constant flow of fuel (ketones) to the brain, preventing problems experienced during the ups and downs of blood sugar.
6. Fewer digestive problems
A ketogenic diet can result in a calmer stomach , less gas, cramps, and pain and often leads to an improvement in the symptoms of SCI.
For some this is the greatest advantage and it only takes a day or two to experience it.
7. Greater physical resistance
Ketogenic diets can theoretically increase your physical endurance by improving your access to the large amounts of energy found in your fat stores.
The body’s supply of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) only lasts for a couple of hours of intense exercise or less. But your fat stores can pose an energy potential that can last for weeks.
Beyond this effect, another potential benefit is the reduction in the percentage of body fat that can be achieved with a ketogenic diet (see weight loss, above). This reduction in body fat is potentially valuable in various competitive sports, including endurance sports.