Several studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can help improve health in diseases such as epilepsy, cancer, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. This diet also helps to effectively reduce weight.
In this article you will discover the menu, the list of products and a detailed guide for those who are starting their journey towards the ketogenic diet. Read everything you need to know here.
What is the ketogenic diet?
Ketogenic diet, or is also called the keto diet, has similarities to the famous Atkins diet: a diet high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and moderate in dietary protein.
When carbohydrates are replaced by fat in the diet, the body is forced to use fat as an energy source.
How does the ketogenic diet work?
To maintain body tone, nutrition and brain function, energy from food is needed. The main and fast source of energy are carbohydrates, which are converted into glucose and saturate the body with energy. If there is not enough carbohydrate food in the diet to feed the brain, the liver is forced to convert fat stores into ketone bodies and fatty acids. This diet is remarkably efficient in burning fat for energy. The body undergoes a metabolic change called ketosis, in which ketone bodies are transported to the brain and used as an energy source instead of glucose.
The ketogenic diet also has a positive effect on people with diabetes, as a low-carb diet leads to lower blood sugar and insulin levels.
Production:The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It forces the body to extract energy not from carbohydrates, but from ketones, using fat, while the level of sugar and insulin in the blood decreases.
Previously, the ketogenic diet was prescribed for children with epilepsy because an increase in ketone bodies in the blood (ketosis) reduces the incidence of seizures.
The ketogenic diet in the treatment of certain diseases
The mechanism and therapeutic effect of the keto diet has been studied and applied for a wide range of diseases:
- Alzheimer's disease;
- Autism;
- Multiple sclerosis;
- Parkinson's disease;
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
- Some forms of cancer
- Metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Ketogenic dietIt is also widely used by athletes involved in sports that require great body stamina. Most often, this is triathlon, cycling, marathons, when the body effectively burns fat as a source of energy in order to preserve glycogen stores in the liver during prolonged exertion.
The ketogenic diet for weight loss
The ketogenic or fat diet is widely known in Poland, and this is not surprising, as the paternity belongs to Jan Kwasniewski, a Polish nutritionist. The diet is not only successfully used for various diseases, but also with the help of a ketogenic diet, you can quickly lose weight by 2. 5 to 3 kg per week.
Weight loss is due to the lack of carbohydrate foods in the required diet: restriction of all simple carbohydrates, flour, sweets and even potatoes. But during the keto diet, fatty foods are allowed: cheeses, lard, dairy products, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, meat, fatty fish, from vegetables, you should give preference to fresh or frozen, low-carbohydrate and green leafy vegetables.
Types of ketogenic diet
Consider the 4 most common ketogenic diet options:
- Standard Diet (SKD):a classic low-carbohydrate diet, with a predominance of high-fat and moderately protein foods in the diet. The ratios are, about 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbohydrates.
- Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD):during the period of this diet, it is possible to include high-carbohydrate days, but no more than two within seven days. Eat a standard keto diet five days a week and a high carbohydrate diet for two days.
- Direct diet (CDD):such a ketogenic diet allows the addition of carbohydrates to the diet only during the training period, before or after it.
- High Protein Ketogenic Diet:it resembles the standard ketogenic diet, but the percentage of protein increases. It involves up to 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
However, athletes, athletes and bodybuilders are more likely to use cyclical and direct diet options, although standard and high-protein ketogenic diets are now more studied.
In this article, we look at the classic version of the standard ketogenic diet, although other options have general principles.
Production:Today there are several options for the ketogenic diet, the most popular, recommended and well researched being the standard ketogenic diet.
How does the ketogenic diet help you lose weight?
The keto diet effectively helps reduce excess weight and is used as a prophylaxis for some diseases. The advantage of the diet is that weight loss occurs without tedious calorie counting, only by cutting out carbohydrates and has advantages over low-fat diets.
This is evidenced by a study involving people divided into 2 groups, the first group adhered to a ketogenic diet, the second sat on a low-calorie, low-fat diet, as a result, participants in group 1 lost 2, 2 more weight than group 2.
Production:The ketogenic diet has several advantages over low-fat diets, allowing you to lose much more weight without feeling hungry. An important role is also played by a decrease in blood sugar and insulin levels and an increase in the number of ketones.
The ketogenic diet for diabetics
Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease characterized by insufficient insulin production, metabolic disorders associated with the absorption of glucose.
Eating a ketogenic diet can help burn fat and lower sugar levels, which is relevant for people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
One study found that a ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by 75%. Following a study involving 21 patients with type 2 diabetes, it was found that 7 subjects significantly improved their overall well-being and were able to stop taking diabetes medications. This weight loss is a great benefit for people with type 2 diabetes.
Another study showed that the ketogenic diet was highly effective in which participants lost 10 kg, which is different from the comparison group, whose participants ate a high-carb diet and only lost 7 kg. Additionally, 90% of the ketogenic group were able to withdraw from drug treatment, compared with 60% of the high-carbohydrate group.
Production:a ketogenic diet can safely reduce weight and significantly improve well-being in type 2 diabetics.
Diseases for which the ketogenic diet is considered beneficial
This type of diet was previously used to treat children with epilepsy.
The therapeutic effect of the ketogenic diet is beneficial for various neurological diseases:
- Cancer.Diet is part of metabolic therapy for some cancers, the most promising being its use for glioblastoma.
- Alzheimer's disease.Research in 2018 showed a positive effect of using a ketogenic diet, as ketone bodies correct energy deficits, which leads to a slowdown in disease progression.
- Epilepsy.Ketone bodies in the blood reduce the incidence of seizures in children, as a result of the study, in 90% of difficult cases of epilepsy, an improvement in conditions from the diet was found for 6-12 months.
- Parkinson's disease.The ketogenic diet has been found to have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties and therefore has a potential therapeutic effect in this disease.
- Multiple sclerosis.The ketogenic diet has been found to have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that also improve the course of this disease.
- Type II diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.It improves insulin resistance, lipid profile and reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus.Improve glucose control, reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.
- Autism.The diet may be effective for hypometabolism in the brain, and due to its neuroprotective properties, the ketogenic diet has good therapeutic potential for this disease.
It should be borne in mind that to date the quantity and quality of some studies has not been sufficient to recommend it to all patients without exception.
Foods prohibited on the keto diet
Prohibited foods containing a large amount of carbohydrates. This list of foods that must be eliminated completely or minimized as much as possible on a ketogenic diet:
- Foods rich in sugar: soda, juices, smoothies, cakes, ice cream, pastries, sandwiches, sweets, chips, jam, marshmallows and more.
- Cereals or starches:wheat products, breads, rice, pasta, cereals, baked goods and more.
- Fruit:all fruit except small portions of berries such as strawberries.
- legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas.
- Root and tuber vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
- Low-fat and dietary foods:they have gone through many stages of processing and most of the time they contain a lot of carbohydrates.
- Condiments and sauces:some contain sugar and unhealthy fats, mayonnaise, ketchup and others.
- Harmful fats:Cut back on processed vegetable oils, processed trans fats, hydrogenated fats, including margarine.
- Alcohol:Due to their high carbohydrate content, many alcoholic beverages can get you out of ketosis.
- Sugar-free diet foods:they are often filled with other chemical fillers that affect ketone levels. This type of food is also usually heavily processed.
Production:Avoid refined, carbohydrate-rich foods made from white flour, sugar, legumes, rice, potatoes, candy, most fruits and berries.
Foods you can eat on a ketogenic diet
If you decide to try the ketogenic diet, you should know what you can eat, your meals while following this diet should consist of these foods:
- A fish: catfish, cod, plaice, halibut, mackerel, mahi-mahi, salmon, perch, trout, tuna and mackerel. Wild salmon, tuna, trout, and shellfish are especially helpful as they can help provide a balanced omega-3 diet.
- Seafood:shellfish, oysters, lobsters, crabs, scallops, mussels and squid.
- Whole eggs:if possible, it is necessary to eat free-range eggs. You can cook them in different ways, both fried and boiled.
- Beef:beef, steak, roasts and stews, make sure the fillet is denser.
- Pork meat:Pork loin, pork ribs, tenderloin and ham, watch out for sugar and try to stick to leaner meats.
- Bird:chicken, goose, turkey, duck, quail, pheasant and other game.
- Offal: heart, liver, kidney and tongue, stomachs, some of the best sources of vitamins and nutrients.
- Other types of meat: Veal, goat, lamb, rabbit and other wild meats, stick to denser meats.
- Bacon and sausages:carefully read the composition to exclude the presence of sugar and other additives.
- Cheese:unprocessed cheeses (cheddar, goat, cream, blue and mozzarella).
- Nuts and seeds:almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, flax and pumpkin seeds, chia seeds.
- Useful oils:first of all natural olive and coconut oil, avocado oil.
- Avocado:whole avocado or freshly cooked guacamole.
- Low Carb Vegetables:all non-starchy and green vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, peppers.
- Condiments:salt, pepper and various aromatic herbs.
- Butter and cream:eat natural herbal foods.
Production:Most of the diet consists of meat, fish, eggs, oils, nuts, avocados, coconut and many vegetables with a minimum of carbohydrates. Whole food with one ingredient is ideal.
What to eat on a ketogenic diet?
If you're hungry, you should give preference to these beneficial ketogenic snacks:
- A piece of fatty fish or a piece of boiled meat.
- A handful of seeds or nuts.
- Buttered cheese or just cheese.
- Boiled chicken or quail eggs 1-2 pcs.
- Bitter chocolate with 80-90% cocoa content.
- Low-carb milkshake with almond milk, cocoa and nut butter.
- Fatty yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa.
- Strawberries and cream.
- Celery with salsa and guacamole.
Production:A great snack on a ketogenic diet is a piece of fish, meat, cheese, butter, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and dark chocolate.
How to eat out if you are on a ketogenic diet?
In any cafe or restaurant, you can easily find many dishes on the menu that match a ketogenic diet. Almost every bar and restaurant offers meat, snacks, and fish dishes, so feel free to order them alongside low-carb veggies. Skewers, kebabs, meat, grilled fish are great if you follow a ketogenic diet.
Egg dishes are fine too - order an omelette or eggs with bacon and avocado. Another option is a cheese, vegetable dish, just make sure the vegetables are low in carbohydrates.
In Mexican restaurants, enjoy all kinds of meat and cheese, guacamole, salsa or sour cream. For dessert, ask for a cheese mix or a double cream with berries.
Production:When eating out, order low-starch meats, fish, cheeses, avocados, eggs, bacon, and vegetables.
Possible side effects of the ketogenic diet and how to minimize them?
When changes occur, this concerns the climate, nutrition, regimen and other things, a person has his own individual sensitivity and periods of adaptation, the ketogenic diet is no exception and can have an undesirable effect on the body, which manifests itselfwith the so-called"Keto flu", which passes in a few days.
Symptoms "keto flu "they include feelings of strong hunger, distraction, lack of strength and energy, sleep disturbances, nausea, headaches, abdominal discomfort, decreased mental and physical performance.
To minimize side effects, consuming enough clean water, getting enough sleep, avoiding overuse, adding potassium-rich foods (leafy greens, avocados) to the diet, and moderate amounts of salt to taste will help maintain a healthy balanceelectrolyte in the body. Reduce the negative manifestation "keto flu "Eating enough healthy fats will help and gradually and slowly reducing carbohydrates in your diet can make it easy to switch to keto and reduce symptoms. "keto flu ". . .
Important:The ketogenic diet can also upset the body's water and mineral balance, so you may need extra salt in foods or mineral supplements.
When it comes to supplementation, supplementation with mineral supplements, particularly sodium, potassium, and magnesium, should be taken while on a ketogenic diet to reduce side effects. The method of application and dosage will help you choose a specialist
When switching to a ketogenic diet, especially in the beginning, you need to eat your fill and avoid calorie restriction, as keto food allows you to shed extra pounds without counting and limiting calories.
Production:"Keto flu" and other side effects of the diet will be minimal if you follow certain rules, especially attention should be paid to an adequate consumption regime, the presence of salts and mineral supplements to foods.
Supplements for the ketogenic diet
No additional supplements are needed during the diet, however, some of them can be helpful.
- Minerals:salt and minerals are essential at the start of the journey to normalize the electrolyte balance.
- Caffeine:The caffeine in coffee can help bridge the energy deficit associated with adapting to a new diet, as well as associated with weight loss.
- Exogenous ketones: in consultation with your doctor, to further increase the level of ketones.
- Creatine:a substance of natural origin, will help to increase the resistance of the body and, in combination with physical training, will help to lose weight even more effectively.
- Serum:A healthy source of protein, use half the whey protein in smoothies or yogurt to increase your total protein intake.
Production:Some supplements are useful for the ketogenic diet, beware of exogenous ketones, whey and minerals.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions for those who have opted for a ketogenic diet
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the ketogenic diet.
Could you ever start eating carbohydrates again?
Yes, the main condition is to exclude them in the initial phase of the ketogenic diet. 2-3 months after starting the diet, you will be able to consume carbohydrates on special occasions or during the holidays, and then immediately return to the diet.
Will the muscle mass go away?
The risks of muscle loss are possible with any diet, a large amount of protein and a high level of ketone bodies will help level them out, especially if you are involved in sports that require high body resistance or weight lifting.
Can you build muscle on a ketogenic diet?
It is possible, but it will be slower than on diets where the carbohydrate content of the diet is moderate.
Do I need to "stock up" on carbohydrates before a ketogenic diet?
Unnecessary. However, it is best to do a few high calorie days before starting the diet.
How Much Protein Should You Eat Per Day?
Excessive amounts of protein can lead to higher insulin levels and a decrease in the number of ketone bodies. A moderate protein intake is recommended, which is approximately 35% of the total calorie intake.
What if you constantly feel tired?
This means that you have not yet reached a state of increased blood ketone levels. It is necessary to reduce the amount of carbohydrates, monitor the consumption regime, add additional salt and minerals to the diet.
Why does urine smell like fruit?
Okay, that's a feature of ketone byproducts.
I have bad breath, what should I do?
A common side effect of the ketogenic diet is to increase the amount of water consumed, and regular chewing gum will also help.
Is the state of ketosis dangerous to health?
The important thing is not to confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. The state of ketosis is quite natural, this is a variant of the norm, it is not dangerous to health, and ketoacidosis appears with an uncontrolled diet and it is he who is really considered dangerous.
What to do with digestive problems and diarrhea?
Another side effect of the ketogenic diet that should go away in a month. If problems persist, include vegetables rich in fiber and magnesium.
Does the ketogenic diet have contraindications and is it not suitable for everyone?
- The ketogenic diet is effective and suitable for overweight people with diabetes, metabolic syndrome and anyone who wants to improve their metabolism.
- It is less suitable for athletes looking to gain muscle mass or body weight.
- The ketogenic diet will only work to burn fat if you follow it for an extended period of time.
- The ketogenic diet is great, it is a way of eating that you can lose weight safely and quickly while improving your health.
Approximate 7 day ketogenic diet menu
As an aid, we offer a ready-made ketogenic menu for one week:
1 ketogenic meal per day
- Breakfast:scrambled eggs with bacon and cherry tomatoes.
- Dinner:chicken salad with olive oil, herbs and feta cheese.
- Snack:cheese, bread;
- Dinner:grilled salmon with asparagus in butter.
2 days of ketogenic food
- Breakfast: eggs, tomatoes, goat cheese omelette and basil.
- Dinner:almond milk, coconut oil, cocoa stevia cocktail.
- Snack:peanuts.
- Dinner:turkey meatballs, cheddar cheese and boiled vegetables.
3 days of ketogenic nutrition
- Breakfast:ketogenic milkshake, a handful of nuts.
- Dinner:shrimp and mussel salad with herbs, avocado and olive oil.
- Snack:avocado.
- Dinner:pork chops with parmesan, salad and broccoli.
4 days of ketogenic nutrition
- Breakfast:cottage cheese with 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Dinner:beans with beef, cherry tomatoes.
- Snack:avocado.
- Dinner:tuna, bean and egg salad, bread.
5 days of ketogenic nutrition
- Breakfast:Curd casserole with berries.
- Dinner:30 gr of buckwheat, grilled chicken leg.
- Snack: avocado.
- Dinner:radish, cherry and cucumber salad, baked salmon with herbs.
6 days of ketogenic nutrition
- Breakfast: omelette with cheese, grapefruit.
- Dinner:trout, mozzarella, cucumber and cherry salad.
- Snack: a mixture of nuts.
- Dinner:vegetable ratatouille and pork kebab.
7 days of ketogenic nutrition
- Breakfast:scrambled eggs with green beans.
- Dinner:stewed beans with squid.
- Snack: avocado.
- Dinner:salad of cherry tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, capers and peppers, grilled beef.
This is a rough ketogenic menu for a week, you should also remember to drink at least 2-2. 5 liters of pure water a day, you can add mint or lemon for taste. Allowed drinks: tea, coffee without sugar or chicory.
The keto diet: the result before and after, photos
Warning!If you decide to start following a ketogenic diet, you must consult a specialist!