The ketogenic diet is a conventional dietary therapy high in fat, adequate protein and low in carbohydrates that in medicine is mainly used to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in children. Diet forces the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet may be an option for some people who have struggled to lose weight with other methods. The exact ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins needed to achieve health benefits will vary between people due to their genetic and body makeup.
Therefore, if one chooses to start a ketogenic diet, it is recommended to consult with your doctor and a dietitian to closely monitor any biochemical changes after starting the regimen and create an eating plan that suits existing health conditions and to avoid deficiencies or other health complications. A dietitian can also provide guidance on reintroducing carbohydrates once weight loss is achieved. The ketogenic diet plan is a high-fat, low-carb diet (HFLC). In fact, I would describe it as extremely low in carbohydrates: you are allowed to eat only 20 grams in a day.
Some people who take keto follow a net carb plan (you can subtract grams of fiber from the total carbs of a food) and you can eat more carbs in a day. For my 30-day diet and for simplicity, I stuck with total carbs. Ketogenic diets are effective for losing weight and reducing risk factors for certain diseases. While low-fat diets are traditionally recommended for those looking to lose weight, research shows that the ketogenic diet is, in fact, a superior approach to losing weight. A ketogenic diet generally requires that fats account for 60 to 80 percent of total calories.
Proteins absorb about 20 percent, while the remaining 10 percent comes from carbohydrates. Proponents of a ketogenic diet often recommend limiting your intake of carbohydrates to between 20 and 30 grams per day to maintain ketosis. In perspective, that's the equivalent of about half of a medium bagel. When most of your diet is made up of carbohydrates and proteins, as the average American diet is ketogenesis (the process of producing ketones) slows down. The ketogenic diet limits starchy vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, and squash, and eliminates many fruits.
In addition, nutrient deficiency and constipation could occur, since the ketogenic diet is very low in fibrous foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Ketogenic can also improve HDL cholesterol levels, often referred to as “good cholesterol”, better than diets that allow moderate consumption of carbohydrates. She had tried the ketogenic diet before with good success, so having a guide for my countless questions was a big help. A person who follows the ketogenic diet aims to burn unwanted fat by pressuring the body to rely on fat, not carbohydrates, for energy. Proponents of the ketogenic diet claim that if the diet is carefully followed, blood levels of ketones should not reach a harmful level (known as “ketoacidosis”), since the brain will use ketones as fuel and healthy people will generally produce enough insulin to prevent excess ketones from forming. Snacking on the keto diet can be tricky, because regular meals (think chips, crackers, and granola bars) are off limits.
If you take any medications or have any medical problems, consult a doctor or dietitian before starting a ketogenic diet. I'm not going to follow a ketogenic diet meal plan in the long term. I really can't eat that much bacon anymore, but I hope to do it again several times a year. The remaining calories on the ketogenic diet come from protein of about 1 gram (g) per kilogram of body weight, so a 140-pound woman would need about 64 g of protein in total. He adds that the research supports the safety and effectiveness of following a ketogenic diet even in older adults with obesity, as it seems to help improve body composition and improve metabolic health. Founded 25 years ago, this foundation focuses on raising awareness of the ketogenic diet as a medical therapy diet for epilepsy, cancer, autism, ALS, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and traumatic brain injuries.
