TOP FACTS ABOUT KETO DIET
Every year you're told that diet, detox and regularly going to the gym are the keys to success for excellent health. This mostly applies to those of us who are attempting to shed off extra weight as soon as possible. It’s quite interesting that every recipe that seems or even hints at reducing weight quickly tends to be the ones we turn to. Among such promising diets we have the ketogenic diet (abbreviated as the keto diet). This diet comes with multiple health benefits ranging from helping you increase mental focus to losing weight. The keto diet is backed by science, proving that it is safe and nobody should fear jumping into this healthy bandwagon. In this article, I’m going to make everything as clear as possible to make it easy for you to decide on whether to invest on a keto diet or not.
Article Summary: In this detailed article, you will learn about the keto diet, how it works and eight interesting facts about it which may encourage you to try it yourself.
What Should You Know About the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet typically consists of foods such as meat, nuts, eggs, seeds, oils, some low-carb green vegetables, cheese and butter. It's a diet that's low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fat. The diet doesn't allow grains, most vegetables, potatoes and other foods rich in carbs.
The general premise of the keto diet is to produce ketones and later utilize them instead of glucose to produce the energy required for cells.
How Does The Keto Diet Work?
Carbohydrates are found in almost everything ranging from tomatoes, to soda and to oatmeal. When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose. The prime role of glucose is to produce energy for various body processes.
One interesting thing about our bodies is that they don’t discriminate between the sources of energy they use. They take the energy generated from crackers, jellybeans and tomatoes to perform the same functions. However, we know crackers and tomatoes have different health benefits, so are they both equal sources of energy?
Some of the glucose in our bodies is stored in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscle tissues while the rest is stored in adipose cells. Almost all body systems such as the central nervous system, red blood cells and the brain depend on glucose as the primary source of energy. When we exercise or have gone without food for a while, the glycogen stored in our bodies is broken down to provide quick energy.
When we run out of glycogen, the body starts producing ketones that come in to provide energy to the cells (i.e. we enter a state of ketosis).
Fast Facts about Keto Diet
The keto diet has been used for decades in the treatment of various medical conditions. Today, you’ll be able to find all sorts of claims about things that this diet can and can’t do. As well as being able to help you lose weight quickly, what else can it actually do? Here are some facts about the keto diet:
1. Good For Medical Treatments;
2. Burning Fat;
3. ‘Keto Flu’ Is Real;
4. Many Foods Considered ‘Healthy’ Aren’t Allowed In The Keto Diet;
5. Good For Increased Brain Function And Energy;
6. Urine Is One Of The Test Tools For Ketosis;
7. Keto Diet Is Improved By Intermittent Fasting;
8. Keto Diet Can Be Customized.
1.Good For Medical Treatments
Alongside weight loss, people have been using the keto diet to treat various conditions such as obesity and epilepsy since the 1920s. The keto diet alters the brain energy metabolism thus making it possible to stabilize the functioning of neurons that are exposed to seizures in patients with epilepsy.
Furthermore, the keto diet has been used in complicated cases of chronic diseases such as cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome and heart disease. Lastly, the diet is also known to help improve insulin sensitivity thus helping in diabetes management.
2.Burning Fat
Our bodies use glucose as the primary source of energy. The keto diet forces the use of fat as the source of energy instead. It effectively achieves this by starvation mimicry where fats are broken down in the body and converted into ketones through the ketosis process.
3.‘Keto Flu’ Is Real
During their first week into the keto diet, some people report to have experienced ‘keto flu’. This is characterized by dizziness, nausea, sleeping difficulties, general irritability and drowsiness, among other symptoms. You can easily manage keto flu by drinking a lot of water (and saline water as well).
4.Many Foods Considered ‘Healthy’ Aren’t Allowed In The Keto Diet
There are foods typically considered to be healthy, such as whole grains, most fruits and high sugar vegetables, that are banned in the keto diet. On the other hand, while a high-fat diet is conventionally considered unhealthy, it’s highly suggested as the staple component of the keto diet.
5.Good For Increased Brain Function And Energy
Apart from helping you lose weight, the keto diet has the benefit of improved brain power and overall energy. It is known to essentially lessen chronic migraines, LDL cholesterol, improve one’s sleep alongside gaining sustainable energy levels. You can easily achieve all these benefits in one year, even without exercise.
6.Urine Is One of The Test Tools For Ketosis
Ketone bodies (ketosis by products) are eliminated through the urine. To check if you’re in ketosis, you can take a ketone test strip at home.
7.Keto Diet Is Improved by Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting significantly amplifies the benefits of the keto diet. For instance, you may have dinner at 8 pm and have the next meal at 9 am the following day. In such a case, you’ll have fasted for 15 hours. Intermittent fasting greatly helps dieters who are struggling to get into ketosis.
8.Keto Diet Can Be Customized
The general ketogenic guideline is that your diet should consist of 5% carbs, 20% protein and 75% fat. These are the recommended levels for you to reach ketosis. However, if these percentages aren’t effectively helping you get to where you want to be, you can easily customize the diet by either lowering or raising the percentages.
Stay Tuned
Article Summary: In this detailed article, you will learn about the keto diet, how it works and eight interesting facts about it which may encourage you to try it yourself.
What Should You Know About the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet typically consists of foods such as meat, nuts, eggs, seeds, oils, some low-carb green vegetables, cheese and butter. It's a diet that's low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fat. The diet doesn't allow grains, most vegetables, potatoes and other foods rich in carbs.
The general premise of the keto diet is to produce ketones and later utilize them instead of glucose to produce the energy required for cells.
How Does The Keto Diet Work?
Carbohydrates are found in almost everything ranging from tomatoes, to soda and to oatmeal. When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose. The prime role of glucose is to produce energy for various body processes.
One interesting thing about our bodies is that they don’t discriminate between the sources of energy they use. They take the energy generated from crackers, jellybeans and tomatoes to perform the same functions. However, we know crackers and tomatoes have different health benefits, so are they both equal sources of energy?
Some of the glucose in our bodies is stored in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscle tissues while the rest is stored in adipose cells. Almost all body systems such as the central nervous system, red blood cells and the brain depend on glucose as the primary source of energy. When we exercise or have gone without food for a while, the glycogen stored in our bodies is broken down to provide quick energy.
When we run out of glycogen, the body starts producing ketones that come in to provide energy to the cells (i.e. we enter a state of ketosis).
Fast Facts about Keto Diet
The keto diet has been used for decades in the treatment of various medical conditions. Today, you’ll be able to find all sorts of claims about things that this diet can and can’t do. As well as being able to help you lose weight quickly, what else can it actually do? Here are some facts about the keto diet:
1. Good For Medical Treatments;
2. Burning Fat;
3. ‘Keto Flu’ Is Real;
4. Many Foods Considered ‘Healthy’ Aren’t Allowed In The Keto Diet;
5. Good For Increased Brain Function And Energy;
6. Urine Is One Of The Test Tools For Ketosis;
7. Keto Diet Is Improved By Intermittent Fasting;
8. Keto Diet Can Be Customized.
1.Good For Medical Treatments
Alongside weight loss, people have been using the keto diet to treat various conditions such as obesity and epilepsy since the 1920s. The keto diet alters the brain energy metabolism thus making it possible to stabilize the functioning of neurons that are exposed to seizures in patients with epilepsy.
Furthermore, the keto diet has been used in complicated cases of chronic diseases such as cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome and heart disease. Lastly, the diet is also known to help improve insulin sensitivity thus helping in diabetes management.
2.Burning Fat
Our bodies use glucose as the primary source of energy. The keto diet forces the use of fat as the source of energy instead. It effectively achieves this by starvation mimicry where fats are broken down in the body and converted into ketones through the ketosis process.
3.‘Keto Flu’ Is Real
During their first week into the keto diet, some people report to have experienced ‘keto flu’. This is characterized by dizziness, nausea, sleeping difficulties, general irritability and drowsiness, among other symptoms. You can easily manage keto flu by drinking a lot of water (and saline water as well).
4.Many Foods Considered ‘Healthy’ Aren’t Allowed In The Keto Diet
There are foods typically considered to be healthy, such as whole grains, most fruits and high sugar vegetables, that are banned in the keto diet. On the other hand, while a high-fat diet is conventionally considered unhealthy, it’s highly suggested as the staple component of the keto diet.
5.Good For Increased Brain Function And Energy
Apart from helping you lose weight, the keto diet has the benefit of improved brain power and overall energy. It is known to essentially lessen chronic migraines, LDL cholesterol, improve one’s sleep alongside gaining sustainable energy levels. You can easily achieve all these benefits in one year, even without exercise.
6.Urine Is One of The Test Tools For Ketosis
Ketone bodies (ketosis by products) are eliminated through the urine. To check if you’re in ketosis, you can take a ketone test strip at home.
7.Keto Diet Is Improved by Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting significantly amplifies the benefits of the keto diet. For instance, you may have dinner at 8 pm and have the next meal at 9 am the following day. In such a case, you’ll have fasted for 15 hours. Intermittent fasting greatly helps dieters who are struggling to get into ketosis.
8.Keto Diet Can Be Customized
The general ketogenic guideline is that your diet should consist of 5% carbs, 20% protein and 75% fat. These are the recommended levels for you to reach ketosis. However, if these percentages aren’t effectively helping you get to where you want to be, you can easily customize the diet by either lowering or raising the percentages.
Stay Tuned
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