Keto is an abbreviation for the word ‘ketosis’, which refers to a metabolic state where the body produces ketones instead of glucose. Ketosis has been shown to have many benefits for the body, including increased fat loss and improved blood sugar control.
Recently, people have been taking up a ketogenic diet in an effort to increase their fat loss or improve their health. However, not many people understand what a ketogenic diet is or what it involves.
What is a Keto diet?
Ketogenic diet is a diet that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. It has been shown to have many health benefits, including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and improved mood and energy.
However, it can be an extreme diet that is not always healthy or balanced.
This article provides an overview of keto diet, its health benefits, risks and side effects, list of foods to eat and avoid, and effectiveness for weight loss.
How Keto diet works for weight loss
Keto diets are a popular weight-loss strategy that promise to help you burn fat faster than traditional diets. But do they work? The keto diet has become increasingly popular over the past few years, but what exactly is keto, and how does it help lose weight?
First appeared in the early 1900s as a treatment for epilepsy. It was discovered that some people with epilepsy experienced fewer seizures when they consumed a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates.
The second appearance was in 2000s, when a doctor in New York City gave dieters the green light to start re-introducing fats back into their diets.
The idea is that when you cut out carbs, your body begins to burn fat as its primary source of fuel, which results in weight loss. At the same time, increased fat intake helps boost energy levels to prevent side effects of other diets.
Types of Ketogenic Diets
There are three types of ketogenic diets: Low-Carb, Low-Fat, and Modified-Fat. Each diet type is a different strategy for attaining ketosis, so choosing the right one for you will depend primarily on your goals and what type of diet works best for you.
However, we strongly recommend the modified fat diet, as it is more satiating than the other two and can be tailored to better suit your personal needs.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a state of the body in which the main source of fuel is fat. In ketosis, the body uses ketone bodies, also known as ketones, as its main fuel, in place of glucose. When in the state of ketosis, the body uses a different form of energy than when it is in a normal state, which gives the body an energy source that is very low on the glycemic index.
Ketosis, or ‘keto,’ means a high level of ketones. Ketones are byproducts of your body’s metabolism that are produced when your body breaks down fat. They are what give you energy, and give you the ability to burn fat, in so much as it can be burned, and they do burn.
How to Achieve Ketosis?
It is possible to achieve ketosis when following a keto diet, but it’s not easy. To achieve ketosis, you need to restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day. This can be done by eating foods that have less than 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Most vegetables, fruits and nuts have less than 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving, so it is easy to stay within the limit.
- The first step to achieving ketosis is to limit carb intake to less than 50 grams per day. This is usually broken up into three meals.
- The second step is to start consuming fat. Most people find that consuming fat helps them achieve ketosis faster.
There are many ways to achieve ketosis. Some of the most popular methods include fasting, fasting mimicking diets, and the keto diet. The most common method is the keto diet, which is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carbohydrate diet. The goal of the keto diet is to get your body into a state of ketosis, where it can burn fat as its primary source of energy.
Keto diet and diabetes
As it seems that the world just keeps growing heavier and heavier, one of the largest diseases that’s showing upwards growth trends is diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and it’s estimated that more than 38 million Americans have it. The number of people with diabetes worldwide rose from 108 million in 1980 to 537 million in 2021. Diet and exercise are essential to managing the disease and preventing complications, but most people with type 2 diabetes need additional medicines, too.
These medicines may include pills, shots, or devices. They can help you live healthier, feel better, and manage the disease, in some cases without medicine.
The ketogenic diet has been shown to have tangible benefits for people with diabetes, including better blood sugar control, A1C level normalization, and weight loss. Even in the absence of medications, ketogenic diet that lower blood sugar can help reduce symptoms of diabetes and control blood sugar levels.
How body fat is connected to diabetes
More and more people are becoming affected by diabetes and sadly, it’s not just adults. Diabetes is now being seen quite regularly in our youth, indicating just how large of a problem this is really coming to be.
Both adults and children are being affected by diabetes as their weight continues to take a steady trend upwards into the obese category.
But how does body fat play a role in diabetes, and what’s the connection that you need to know about?
Let’s have a closer look at how body fat is connected to diabetes so you can see for yourself the link that’s coming into play.
The Connection of Body Fat and Insulin
The first issue that’s going to come into play is the fact that the more body fat you have on the body, the greater the level of insulin that will be required in order to deliver the glucose to the cells after carbohydrates are eaten.
If the insulin is not secreted in appropriate amounts, the glucose will stay in the blood stream causing high blood glucose which is the entire problem with diabetes in the first place.
As more and more body fat comes to accumulate, more and more insulin will constantly be needed and this overproduction of insulin can really wear on your body’s system.
The Nutrient Consumption Risk
If you have high levels of body fat, this is also going to be indicative that you’re not eating a diet that contains sufficient levels of fruits and vegetables in most instances. Instead, those who are suffering from high levels of body fat more often eat fast foods, high fat snack foods, highly processed breakfast and cereal bars, and so on.
Because they’re filling their body with these nutrient devoid items rather than the highly nutritious fruits and vegetable that you really need, this is going to place extra stress on your pancreas and make it even more difficult to secrete the level of insulin required to take care of the glucose in the blood.
Receptor Issues
Finally, when there is elevated fat in the blood stream due to high levels of body fat, this can stimulate a certain receptor in the body known as GPR40, which typically responds to high levels of blood sugar by promoting a high increase in insulin production.
But when fat is also present in addition to the sugar in the blood, this stimulates these receptors even further, therefore you get an even higher production of insulin.
Again, over time this begins to wear on the pancreas until eventually it’s burnt out and just not functioning properly.
So there are multiple ways in which body fat is linked to the development of diabetes that you should know about. One of the largest recommendations for those who are currently at risk for diabetes is to reduce their overall level of body fat and these are the primary reasons why.
Ketogenic diets for diabetes and prediabetes
Ketogenic diets for diabetes and prediabetes are based on the philosophy that by nutritional ketosis, the body enters a metabolic state similar to that of fasting or caloric restriction.
Research has shown that the ketogenic diet may be an incredibly effective way to manage type 2 diabetes if your goal is to lose weight and lower your blood sugar levels.
Not only is the ketogenic diet easier to stick to than traditional low-carb diets, it may also be more effective, since some people with diabetes have issues with digestion and absorption that can make it more difficult to use carbohydrates.
The ketogenic diet is a safe and effective weight loss solution if you suffer from diabetes. By restricting carbohydrates, you may improve the quality of your life by:
- improving blood sugar regulation, including through decreased insulin resistance;
- lowering insulin levels to reduce the risk of developing diabetes;
- lowering cholesterol and triglycerides to reduce cardiovascular risk; and
- improving your insulin sensitivity and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Health benefits of Keto diet: why keto diet is good
The ketogenic diet has been shown to have many health benefits, including improving blood sugar regulation, decreasing cholesterol and triglycerides, reducing insulin resistance, improving insulin sensitivity, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease:
- The ketogenic diet has been shown to improve blood sugar regulation, including through decreased insulin resistance.
- The ketogenic diet has also been shown to decrease cholesterol and triglycerides, which can reduce cardiovascular risk.
- The ketogenic diet has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
- It’s also possible that the diet, if dosed correctly, can help you avoid the dangerous side effects of diabetes medications, such as weight gain, nausea, and fatigue.
The health benefits of the keto diet are numerous and have been shown to improve multiple aspects of health. For example, a study that compared the keto diet with the standard American diet found that the keto diet improved glycemic control and reduced body weight in adults with type 2 diabetes. The keto diet also improved the quality of their blood, reducing the number of hypoglycemic seizures by 46%. The keto diet has been shown to be an effective weight loss strategy for reducing weight and fat mass in a short period of time.
Side effects, risks and complications of Keto diet: Why keto diet is bad
Weight loss and fat mass loss can be advantageous. However, the ketogenic diet can also have many negative side effects, which can compromise health. Here are some of the possible negative side effects of the ketogenic diet that you should be aware of.
Obesity and overweight
However strange it may sound, but this is true. The ketogenic diet can cause weight loss and fat loss, which is positive. However, the ketogenic diet can also cause weight gain and obesity, which can compromise health.
Insulin resistance
The ketogenic diet can cause insulin resistance, which is a common complication of diabetes. This can also compromise health.
Keto flu
The keto flu is a term used to describe the symptoms of transitioning from a high-carbohydrate diet to a ketogenic diet. It typically includes headaches, fatigue, cramps, and a light-headedness.
Hyper-sensitivity to sugar
The first few days of the ketogenic diet may result in some people becoming hyper-sensitive to sugar. This is known as the “sugar crash” and typically passes after a couple of days.
Hyperglycemia
The most common negative side effect of the ketogenic diet is hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia is defined as a blood sugar level higher than what is considered normal. This condition can lead to many negative risks.
What can you eat in keto diet?
Let’s take a look at foods to eat when you are on a Keto diet. A keto diet is a high-protein, high-fat, low-carb diet. But, how would you know what foods to eat when you are on the keto diet? Let’s see what foods to eat when on a keto diet, how much to eat of each, and what to avoid.
Eating a healthy keto diet may help you lose weight faster and feel better, too. Keto-friendly foods include fatty fish, heavy cream, eggs, meat, dairy, and other foods that contain fats and/or protein. Some of these foods are high in both fat and calories, while others are lower in fat but higher in calories – which can be dangerous, especially if you aren’t paying attention to portion sizes. Note that higher-fat foods may increase your risk of heart disease or diabetes.
Eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables is important. A complete mix of colorful fruits and veggies provides more vitamins and minerals than the same amount of fruit or veggies eaten in isolation.
Fat to eat: 3 grams of fat to 20 grams of fat or less (depending on personal goal and preference) – from fatty fish, avocados, nuts, seeds, healthy oils, and other foods.
Food to avoid when you are on a Keto diet
Common foods to avoid when on the keto diet: refined sugar, refined carbs, and simple carbs (the most common of which is table sugar); simple carbs add little nutrition on their own, but can trigger cravings for more.
They can also contribute to weight gain if large quantities are consumed. They are high in carbohydrates, which can cause you to pack on the pounds and they contain little protein, which can cause you to miss out on important nutrients. Don’t forget calories, which can add up quickly if not kept in check.
Processed foods, refined grains, added sugar, and other carbohydrate-rich foods are not allowed on the keto diet. (Some processed foods are consumed in small amounts, but are high in fat and sugar and should be limited).
Foods high in fat and/or sugar include: butter, ice cream, margarine, cream cheese, snacks with added sugar, desserts, chips, crackers, and fast food.
Summary: Pros and Cons of Keto diet
Keto diet is a low-carb diet that involves restricting carbohydrates to just 50 grams of Net Carbs a day. Keto diet is mainly focused on weight loss. It is based on the keto diet principles and helped a lot of people. But, this diet can have some side effects and should not be done without expert guidance.
As with most diets, the ketogenic diet has pros and cons, but the pros outweigh the cons.
One of the top pros of the keto diet is that it can be flexible. You decide how much fat to get per day, what proteins to eat, and what to eat. You can also change the diet to suit your preferences.
One of the most common side effects of the ketogenic diet is the loss of appetite and/or nausea due to missing carbohydrates. If you have this issue, cutting out carbohydrates entirely may be a bad idea.
However, if you continue to experience negative side effects, speak with a health care professional. They can help you find an alternative to keto that better meets your needs, or discover other ways to make the keto diet work for you.
The main goal of Keto diet is weight loss!
For weight loss, the keto diet is incredibly effective. It also has other benefits, such as improving blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. There are many different ways to follow the keto diet, so we’ll look at some of the most common keto diet plans and see which one might be best for you.
How Keto supplements help improve results of Keto diet
If you want to improve the results of the keto diet, consider using keto supplements to help you reach your goals. Keto supplements can help you get the nutrients you need to stay in ketosis and may also help you feel less hungry so that you don’t feel the need to eat as much. They’re also an easy way to get the fat, protein, and other nutrients you need to supplement the foods you eat on the keto diet.
When used in combination with a keto diet, supplements can help you reach your weight loss goals faster and more effectively than on the keto diet alone. They can also help you maintain the weight loss you’ve already achieved.
Some of the most common keto supplements are: MCT oil, which can help you feel fuller longer and help you avoid overeating; exogenous ketones, which can help you feel more energetic and improve your ability to build and maintain muscle; and keto snacks, which can help you avoid the highs and lows of the keto diet and help you stay in ketosis longer.
Keto supplements are a great way to reach your weight loss goals. And they work even faster when accompanied by a keto diet, physical activity, and a healthy lifestyle.