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Timothy Noakes, M.D., is an emeritus professor in the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. While his name may not ring a bell here in the U.S., he’s a full-blown celebrity in his native South Africa and one of the most accomplished exercise physiologists on the planet. You can’t walk by a restaurant in Cape Town that doesn’t offer a “Noakes option”-say, an avocado stuffed with breakfast sausage and eggs, or a double cheeseburger with lettuce sans bun-and evidence of his teachings seems to be everywhere, mostly in the form of the nation’s best-known athletes, including ageless golfing legend Gary Player and eight-time Ironman World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser. In fact, Noakes’ celebrity these days is such that he’s even been pulled into South African presidential politics: To echo the country’s papers of record, “Is President Jacob Zuma’s and his wife’s dramatic weight loss a result of the Noakes Diet? This makes certain vegetables easier to digest than in their raw form. Cooking also gives you the chance to add fat and flavor. A little oil, plus some pink Himalayan salt and pepper, can radically transform a tasteless raw vegetable into something more crave-worthy. In the end, it’s smart to enjoy vegetables both ways. During the summer, you may want a nice cold salad with spinach, while in the winter sauteed spinach with garlic may sound better. Check out the Best Vegetables to Eat on a Keto Diet for more information when it comes to eating your veggies. Many new keto dieters are surprised to learn that fruits and fruit juices contain as many grams of carbs and sugar as some desserts. Bananas and apples, two of the most popular fruits in the United States, contain 24g and 20g of net carbs, respectively. That’s your entire carb count for the day in just one fruit! The keto diet does promote eating meat from various sources, as well as eggs, fish, avocados, coconut and olive oils and non-starchy vegetables. The good: Beyond weight loss, the ketogenic diet has been in use for conditions like epilepsy since the 1920s and obesity treatment since the 1960s.“ The keto diet really alters energy metabolism in the brain, so that’s why it’s thought to stabilize the functions of the neurons exposed to seizures in people with epilepsy,” says Junella Chin, DO, who uses the keto diet as a tool for treating children with intractable epilepsy in her integrative medical practice. “It helps children with seizures decrease their episodes and shorten their recovery time from seizures.” The keto diet has also been implicated for therapeutic use in chronic diseases such as heart disease, neurological conditions, polycystic ovary syndrome, and cancer. There’s also limited evidence that insulin sensitivity improves on the diet, which bodes well for managing diabetes. The bad: The downside of a ketogenic diet is that there is no well-established evidence to support its sustainability on a long-term basis, and further well-controlled trials are recommended, says Dr. Zhu. Recent research published by The Lancet found that restricting carbs and replacing them with animal-based protein and fat could lead to a shorter lifespan. For children with epilepsy, the biggest challenge of the keto diet is compliance, says Dr. Chin. “We struggle with compliance with kids and then parents because, of course, parents need to be on board too. While studies of the ketogenic diet have shown short-term benefits for people that include weight loss and improvements in blood sugar and blood pressure, the jury is still out on whether these benefits can be sustained long-term. “The ketogenic diet has the potential to be a game-changer,” says Dr. Zhu, “but a lot depends on whether its benefits pan out in large-scale trials and whether individuals can tolerate its dietary restrictions over the long haul. Half failed this nutrition quiz. Minimal fruits but berries and avocado (yes, it’s a fruit) are definitely allowed. Want some sweet without the carbs or artificial sweeteners? Go with stevia and monk fruit. Avoid processed and ultra-processed foods high in calories and bankrupt in terms of nutrients: those made with white flour or wheat flour products, added table sugar, conventional dairy, bread and other processed grains like pasta, sweetened snacks like cookies and cakes, most boxed cereals, sweetened drinks, ice cream and pizza. Remember, the ketogenic diet will actually change your metabolism, put you into ketosis and turn you from a sugar burner to a fat burner. Those are significant changes for your body, and you’re bound to notice some symptoms of the so-called keto flu. Keto flu symptoms and side effects can include feeling tired, having difficulty sleeping, digestive issues like constipation, weakness during workouts, being moody, losing libido and having bad breath. Fortunately, these side effects don’t affect everyone and often only last for 1-2 weeks. Overall, symptoms go away as your body adjusts to being in ketosis. If a ketogenic diet is being used for a child to treat epilepsy, close medical monitoring is necessary. If you’re very active and without much body fat, consider trying carb cycling or at least eating a modified keto diet that does not severely restrict carb intake. Ketogenic diets were originally developed to help improve symptoms of epilepsy (specifically in children who didn’t improve from other treatments), but today very low-carb diets are used to help adults, too, including those suffering from many other chronic health problems like obesity, cancer and diabetes. Does the keto diet work? Yes! Rapid and reliable weight loss will occur in even a keto for beginners diet, due to lowered insulin levels and the body being forced to burn stored body fat for energy. Belly fat, or visceral fat, comes from a combination of genes and a diet high in refined carbs and sugar. Visceral fat can easily become inflamed, making it incredibly stubborn to lose and dangerous to surrounding blood vessels. A well-formulated keto regimen has strong anti-inflammatory effects, making it easier to drop stubborn belly fat. Keto alone likely will not be enough to lose a large amount of fat. Keto works well in combination with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises. Always consult with your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise plan. Although ketogenic diets are safe for most healthy people, you may experience some side effects while your body adapts to your new eating regimen. This period of adjustment is sometimes called the “keto flu” and typically only lasts a few days. Keto flu might include low energy, hunger, sleep disturbances, or digestive discomfort. Some people have reported feeling nauseous for the first few days of keto. To minimize these side effects, you can ease your way into keto.|Typically, consuming more than 12.5 grams of carbohydrates at once is enough to kick you out of ketosis. But the targeted keto diet says you can have over double this amount before your workout. Imagine that you eat 30 grams of carbs before your workout. As soon as you burn 120 calories, you have burned off the carbs consumed and you are back in ketosis. You can accomplish this in under 30 minutes if you are exercising vigorously. Therefore, it’s not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. 4. Is the Targeted Keto Diet Right for Me? If you’re thinking about starting a new diet, it’s important to speak to a doctor to ensure the diet is healthy for you given your unique needs and will help you achieve your goals. The targeted keto diet is most often recommended for people who are already in ketosis and want to take their workouts to the next level. 5. How Do I Know if I’m in Ketosis? This is the most important! For a low carb diet, aim for under 50g net carbs per day, though some variations limit to somewhere between 50-100g per day (mostly if you are more active). Get the carb limit down and you’re most of the way there! Limit protein intake. A keto diet or low carb diet is not a high protein diet! Low carb is generally higher in protein than keto, but be careful with both. High protein diets can stress the kidneys, and besides, excess protein converts to glucose. Make your protein intake a goal to meet each day, but more than that is not better. Use fat as a lever. We’ve been taught to fear fat, but don’t! Both keto and low carb are high fat diets. Fat is our source of energy as well as satiety. The key to understand, though, is that fat is a lever on a low carb or keto diet. Carbs and protein stay constant, and fat is the one you increase or decrease (push the lever up or down) to gain or lose weight, respectively.

Fans of the high fat, low-carb keto diet praise its appetite-crushing benefit, which is why keto dieting is so popular for weight loss. But since we don’t live in a keto-friendly world, the call of carb-rich fare - from healthy options, like fruit, yogurt and oatmeal to less healthy foods, like pizza, French fries and dessert - can make it hard to stick with the keto diet. Even if you’re not craving carbs, a normal social activity, like dinner at a friend’s house, can pose problems. Enter keto cycling. In this fairly new approach, you cycle on and off the keto diet at various intervals. Though this may sound like the best of both worlds, there are some red flags you should know about. The keto diet is designed to encourage your body to adapt to using fat instead of its preferred fuel source, glucose, which is the substance that’s broken down from the carbohydrates you eat. The ketogenic diet can be dizzyingly complicated. You want to load up on fats and protein, and keep your carb intake low-but all fats and proteins aren’t alike, and there are some veggies higher in carbohydrates than others. Oh, and fruit is pretty much banned. But don’t worry: We’ve put together the best and worst of each category so you can go keto with confidence. Saturated fats including coconut oil, ghee, grass-fed butter, duck fat, tallow, and lard-all essential for a healthy immune system, dense bones, and proper testosterone levels. Monounsaturated fats like olive, avocado, macadamia, and almond oils, which boost heart health and provide vitamin E-important for vision and a strong immune system. Polyunsaturated omega-3s such as wild-caught salmon, sardines, and sustainably harvested seafood-to prevent heart disease and stroke and reduce blood pressure. Medium-chain triglycerides, fatty acids that are easily absorbed and used for energy. Linked to weight loss, MCTs increase satiety and rev-up metabolism. Refined fats and oils like sunflower, canola, soybean, grapeseed, and corn oils, which have been processed at high temperatures, creating free radicals that can damage cells. For this reason, most people go in and out of ketosis because they have a hard time sticking with the diet. Plus, Kizer says, people usually jump on the keto bandwagon to lose weight, so they rarely attempt to stay in ketosis forever. The winner: Paleo. Bacon or no bacon, Paleo is a less labor-intensive diet, which makes it easier to stick to in the long run. Does Paleo or Keto have worse side effects? It's common to feel lethargic as your body adjusts to the low-carb Paleo Diet. However, your energy levels will typically be restored within a few weeks. Additionally, “while the paleo diet has plenty of protein and fiber, it is sorely lacking in calcium and vitamin D, mainly because of the omission of dairy products,” Roger Adams, Ph.D., founder of Eat Right Fitness, previously explained to Men's Health. Over time, this could weaken your bones and immune system, which makes it important to eat plenty of calcium-rich (and paleo-friendly) foods like broccoli and dark leafy greens.

In addition, routine consumption of foods that are high in saturated fat (think bacon, butter, and cheese) can ultimately lead to high LDL (harmful) cholesterol levels-a known marker of increased heart event risk. 35% increase in their LDL levels on average. The Medifast diet has been around since the '80s, and while this carbohydrate-controlled, low-fat diet is known to help you drop weight fast, it may not be good for your heart. With more than 40 portion-controlled and fortified meals to choose from, this calorie-restrictive diet is marketed toward people who need to lose a lot of weight and don't have time to cook or prepare their own meals. While this may sound appealing to many, Klodas warns that a whole day's worth of meals and snacks could cause you to consume three times the recommended amount of protein. Not to mention, the meals are heavily processed. Referred to as "yo-yo dieting," significant fluctuations in weight can double your risk of heart disease, Klodas says. This easy keto meal plan for beginners is very simple. Here are some rules for you to create fabulous low carb menus, without cooking all the time. Cook dinner each night. Eat leftovers for lunch. Eat Keto friendly snacks. Don't be afraid to eat keto desserts for breakfast! Of course, you can always do eggs and bacon, nuts, yogurt etc. for breakfast. But there's nothing wrong with eating an almond scone for dessert as well as breakfast. Do not get discouraged. Remember you are breaking a life-long habit of carbohydrate addiction, and it could get uncomfortable as your body reacts both physically and mentally. You might feel sluggish. Keep in mind that means it's working - your body is transferring from using one form of fuel to another, and you will begin to see results soon. Moral support. we have a great FB family support page. You'll soon feel energetic.|If it is in terms of missing out on your previous carbohydrate-rich foods, then I think it’s a small price to pay for the low-carbohydrate lifestyle ahead. Persons who observe a keto diet habitually have their bodies in a metabolic process of ketosis where the body tends to utilize fat for energy purposes instead of glucose which normally uses - ketosis. This metabolic state sees the body act upon facts and turns them into ketone bodies. This ketosis process is a lot different from diabetic ketoacidosis, where the body lacks insulin and has an extremely high level of ketone at the same time. Ketoacidosis is common among persons suffering from chronic cases of diabetes, possibly life-threatening. How fast you lose weight usually compounds many factors, including your body type, exercise routine, and diet, most importantly. If someone you know lost weight effectively to get the desired results on a keto diet, it doesn’t exactly translate into saying that that exact keto diet ratio will be the most effective option for you. Caffeine is fine for most people-just don’t go pouring in sugar or milk; the same goes for tea and nut milk. Lower-carb alcohol in moderation is OK, especially if you’re at the point where you’re just trying to maintain weight. Soft drinks, fruit juices, sweet wines, craft beers, and flavored liquor are filled with way too much sugar and/or carbs to be allowed if you’re serious about keto. Some people will drink diet, or “zero,” soft drinks, but avoid them if you can because the citric acid and aspartame often found in them may derail your trip to ketosis. Sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, and xylitol can be made a part of your keto diet, but try to buy only the pure versions, as the powdered products usually have a small amount of sugar added as a bulking agent. Inulin is a sweet and starchy plant fiber that helps regulate blood sugar. Monk fruit powder is 300 times sweeter than sugar and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like stevia. 70% cocoa dark chocolate and cocoa powder are packed with antioxidants. Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and agave nectar need to be ditched. Even if honey and agave are healthy whole foods, sugar is still sugar and will bump you out of ketosis. Check out the best and worst vegetables to eat on the keto diet! Cream cheese, fresh cheeses, or cheese spreads are fine in moderation. Browse all of our keto snack recipes here! Salad dressings with vinegar, oil, salt, dry spices, herbs, or grated cheese. Check out the best keto-friendly condiments to buy! What are some good keto diet recipes? Start off right with yummy keto appetizers. Make your mid-day meal delicious and nutritious or fast until dinner! Browse these dinner ideas your whole family will love. Curb your sweet tooth with sugar-free desserts. Cook meals up in a snap with Instant Pot recipes. Can’t decide? Check out all Hip2Keto recipes! Need weekly meal plan ideas? I’ve got ya covered over HERE! Disclaimer: At Hip2Save, we are not doctors, and while we’re so excited about sharing our experience with the ketogenic lifestyle, please partner with your trusted healthcare professionals for optimal health.

There's no shortage of keto-inspired diets. The Atkins, South Beach, and Paleo diets are some of the best-known examples. But a true ketogenic diet is different and calls for up to 90% of your daily calories to come from fat. That is often hard for people to maintain. However, research has shown that people can achieve faster weight loss with a keto diet compared with a calorie-reduction diet. In the short term, a keto diet is probably safe. But over time, it's tough to keep off the weight this way. If you do try a keto diet to jump-start weight reduction, choose healthier sources of fat and protein, such as olive oil, avocados, and nuts (almonds, walnuts). But after a few weeks, switch to a reduced-calorie Mediterranean-style diet and increase your physical activity. This will help manage your weight loss for the long term. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.|A ketogenic diet - which provides 99% of calories from fat and protein and only 1% from carbohydrates - produces health benefits in the short term, but negative effects after about a week, Yale researchers found in a study of mice. The results offer early indications that the keto diet could, over limited time periods, improve human health by lowering diabetes risk and inflammation. They also represent an important first step toward possible clinical trials in humans. The keto diet has become increasingly popular as celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Lebron James, and Kim Kardashian, have touted it as a weight-loss regimen. In the Yale study, published in the Jan. 20 issue of Nature Metabolism, researchers found that the positive and negative effects of the diet both relate to immune cells called gamma delta T-cells, tissue-protective cells that lower diabetes risk and inflammation. A keto diet tricks the body into burning fat, said lead author Vishwa Deep Dixit of the Yale School of Medicine. After 20 years of January diets, my own experience suggested that nothing made any difference: you only lost weight if you took in less calories than you used, and if you took in less calories than you used then you were hungry. Simple as that. Could it be that a ketogenic diet really was different? Well, the principle makes sense. Bizarrely named “ketone bodies” are actually molecules that act as the body’s natural back-up fuel supply when glucose is scarce. Normally, we only enter ketosis (where ketone bodies accumulate in the blood) when we starve ourselves - not just overnight or by missing a meal, but for several days at time. Our metabolism then switches to fat-burning, and converts stored fat molecules into ketone bodies that can power our muscles and brain because the glucose has run out. Being in ketosis, then, does sound like a great way to burn off the fat. As someone interested in the world of keto, you’ve likely heard (or read) about it’s amazing potential for weight loss, mental sharpness and more! A well-designed ketogenic diet is a virtually unmatched tool for managing your weight (and many chronic health conditions) as well as supporting your cognitive acuity and overall healthy aging regimen. Notice, however, that I said well-designed ketogenic diet… With the exploding popularity of the keto diet, you’ll undoubtedly find countless approaches and tips out there focusing only on increasing fat consumption or avoiding carbohydrates at any and all costs. These strategies, in my experience, miss the bigger picture of what keto should be-and what is possible with the keto diet. For a printable PDF copy of this guide, click HERE. Keto is a loose term to describe a whole host of very low carb diets. The underlying commonality (and sometimes the only one) among many “keto” approaches is low carbohydrate intake. There is even more controversy when we consider the effect on cholesterol levels. A few studies show some patients have increase in cholesterol levels in the beginning, only to see cholesterol fall a few months later. However, there is no long-term research analyzing its effects over time on diabetes and high cholesterol. Key takeaways from a ketogenic diet review? A ketogenic diet could be an interesting alternative to treat certain conditions and may accelerate weight loss. But it is hard to follow, and it can be heavy on red meat and other fatty, processed, and salty foods that are notoriously unhealthy. We also do not know much about its long-term effects, probably because it’s so hard to stick with that people can’t eat this way for a long time. It is also important to remember that “yo-yo diets” that lead to rapid weight loss fluctuation are associated with increased mortality. Instead of engaging in the next popular diet that would last only a few weeks to months (for most people that includes a ketogenic diet), try to embrace change that is sustainable over the long term. A balanced, unprocessed diet, rich in very colorful fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and lots of water seems to have the best evidence for a long, healthier, vibrant life.|More specifically, the differences between the Paleo and keto diets lie in their emphasis. Paleo emphasizes the ancestral diets and looking at food quality (nutrient density and avoiding toxins like gluten). Keto emphasizes being in the metabolic state of ketosis where you’re predominantly burning ketones for energy. However, you can follow a Paleo plan and be in ketosis. Or you can be eating an unhealthy non-Paleo Keto diet filled with inflammatory low carb or high fat foods (e.g., seed oils, artificial sweeteners, soy). So, while being in ketosis is important, it’s also essential that you pay attention to what foods you’re eating. Just because it’s low in carbohydrates or high in fat doesn’t mean it’s always healthy for you. Is There Any Science Or Proof That The Keto Diet Works? Given that the ketogenic diet has only recently become very popular, there is a dearth of reliable studies on it. 1 (self-experiments and anecdotal evidence) experiments like triathlete Ben Greenfield’s experiment. However, researchers like Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney, authors of The Art and Science of the Low Carbohydrate Performance, are starting to get some reliable data. If you want to read more about the science behind ketosis, then I highly recommend checking out Dr. Peter Attia’s blog here. How Does a Keto Diet Work and What Do I Eat? OK, let’s get down to the details. The keto diet is relatively simple in terms of the rules you have to follow. Eat Very Little Carbohydrates. Eat Lots of Fats. Eat Moderate Amount of Protein.

Since most people following a western diet are not proficient at metabolizing fat optimally, this period allows the body time to become “fat-adapted”, utilizing dietary fat efficiently and effectively. There are a variety of nutritional plans that will enable a ketogenic lifestyle, and flexibility is one of the hallmarks of the diet that make it easy to adopt as a life-long tool to enhance your health. Our nutritionists can help figure out both the short and long-term options best suited for you and your lifestyle. In my 33 years of working with nutrition therapies, none comes close to the remarkable results I’ve seen achieved with ketogenic diets. I’ve had the honor of working with hundreds of people on the diet, which has taken me all over the world where together with The Charlie Foundation we have trained over 200 hospitals in ten countries. The ketogenic diet was used in several major U.S. The main goal of this eating pattern is to minimize your carb intake to make the body use fat as a source of energy. When you drastically reduce your consumption of carbs and increase fat intake, your liver starts producing ketone bodies from fat. Ketone bodies are small molecules that serve as an alternative source of energy for the body and brain. Ketosis is a state when your body uses ketone bodies (fat) as a primary source of energy. This diet contains all essential nutrients, and minimizes feelings of hunger as you can eat high fat foods that lead to a feeling of satiety. Thus, elimination of carbohydrates forces the body to start the process of breaking down fats which leads to weight loss. Read More: 30 Day Keto Challenge: Will Upping Your Fat Intake Help You Lose Weight? Start a keto diet step by step, gradually reducing your carbohydrate intake by 10 grams per day. Increase your fat intake every day for satiety, while maintaining your protein the same. What can I drink? Which slimming club is best? Which artificial sweetener should I choose? What is the ketogenic diet? A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet, considered to be when you eat a level of carbohydrate of around 30g of carbohydrates per day or below. This encourages the body to get its energy from burning body fat which produces an energy source known as ketones. Note that it is important that you speak to your doctor if you are considering following the diet as precautions may need to be taken before starting. People on insulin will typically require smaller doses of insulin which leads to less risk of large dosing errors. The diet helps burn body fat and therefore has particular advantages for those looking to lose weight, including people with prediabetes or those otherwise at risk of type 2 diabetes. Based on the understanding that carbohydrate is the macronutrient that raises blood glucose the most, the primary goal of a ketogenic diet is to keep consumption lower than that of a traditional low carbohydrate diet with moderate protein and a very high fat content. The reason less fat is burned on a ketogenic diet is presumably the same reason people who start fasting may start burning less fat: Without carbohydrates, the preferred fuel, our bodies start burning more of our own protein. Inadequate intake of 17 micronutrients has been documented in those on ketogenic diets. Children have gotten scurvy, and some have even died from deficiency of the mineral selenium, which can cause sudden cardiac death. Bone fractures disproportionately plague children on ketogenic diets, along with growth stunting and kidney stones, and constipation is a frequently cited side effect. Keto diets have also been shown to reduce the richness and diversity of our gut flora, and all of that saturated fat can have a profound impact on the heart: A meta-analysis of four cohort studies following the diets, diseases, and deaths of more than a quarter million people found that those who eat lower-carb diets suffer a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality, meaning they live, on average, significantly shorter lives. Image Credit: maglara / Adobe stock. This image has been modified. Tracking your macros and net carbs can be tricky, so I advise you download a keto app that includes a keto diet calculator. It will help keep you on track. A popular keto supplement are exogenous ketones (popularly called “keto diet pills”) that may help you achieve results earlier as well as remain in that state. Also, consider supplementing with the amino acid leucine, as it can be broken down directly into acetyl-CoA, making it one of the most important ketogenic amino acids in the body. While most other amino acids are converted into glucose, the acetyl-CoA formed from leucine can be used to make ketone bodies. It’s also present in keto friendly foods like eggs and cottage cheese. It’s important to also drink lots of water, the most important of all keto drinks. Getting enough water helps keep you from feeling fatigued, is important for digestion and aids in hunger suppression.

It’s linked to genetics, but also to diet-particularly sugar and refined carbs-as well as obesity and inactivity. Diabetes experts estimate that the disease speeds up the aging process by roughly a third, damaging the body from the inside out. Too much blood sugar slowly destroys blood vessels, with results ranging from mild-early wrinkling of skin-to catastrophic: heart disease, blindness, stroke, amputations due to poor circulation, and even Alzheimer’s disease (more on that later). Noakes’ father eventually died from type-2, but because Noakes himself followed a low-fat diet, exercised regularly (he’s run upward of 70 marathons, as well as a handful of ultras), and didn’t smoke, he figured he’d be spared. To be sure, as he got older he put on some weight, and his energy sagged, but he was in good shape. Regardless, in 2010, Noakes was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Though he didn’t know it yet, a lifetime of well-intentioned carbo- loading for his athletic endeavors had set him up for a fall. On your “days off,” your allowed macronutrient ratio is 25% fat, 25% protein, and 50% carbohydrates. The most common cyclical keto diet has you follow the traditional keto diet from Sunday to Thursday. Then, on Friday and Saturday, you can enjoy carb-heavy meals. On your days off, you may get your carbs from high-carb fruits, starchy vegetables, dairy products, and whole grains. However, as long as a beer or cake fits into your macros, you can consume whatever you want. 10. Can I Drink on the Keto Diet? This is tricky. The keto diet, and all of its variations, is based on three macronutrients. Fat has nine calories per gram. Protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram each. Fitting alcohol into your macros is difficult because it has seven calories per gram. Moreover, unless you’re sipping straight liquor, alcoholic beverages contain carbohydrates, too. At the end of the day, you can fit alcohol into any variation of the keto diet. The ketogenic diet makes your body think it is in a state of ketosis, making you burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates or protein. What does the research say? The short-term weight loss effects of the ketogenic diet seem promising, but very little information is known on whether or not these effects continue during long-term compliance. In fact, one of the major concerns regarding the diet is its long-term feasibility. Strict dieting regimens that lead to short-term weight loss can eventually lead to increased weight gain once dieters stop following the diet. How safe is the keto diet? As mentioned earlier, the majority of calories in a ketogenic diet originate from fat. This causes many to fear the risks of developing heart complications due to increased consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol. Nevertheless a recent analysis reviewing more than 20 published trials reported there is no significant evidence that consumption of saturated fat increases the risk of heart complications. American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to six percent of total caloric intake. This would be about 13 grams of saturated fat for someone consuming 2,000 calories. Strict avoidance of dietary carbohydrates can limit the diversity of an individual’s diet, which may increase the risk of nutrient deficiency. Dietary analysis shows that those consuming a ketogenic diet lack sufficient intake of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium. These nutrients are vital for bone health, and intake below the recommended amount can lead to osteoporosis. Since ketosis is a hard state to maintain, the studies that have been conducted are limited to small number groups or have a significant drop-off rate. A lot of researchers are interested in how the keto diet can be used for diabetes. We predict we’ll see more peer-reviewed studies about the effects of the keto diet on diabetes in the near future. Can you follow the keto diet for long-term? It’s not easy to eat just 50 g of carbs per day. It’s a lifestyle change that often affects those that eat with you. And you can’t take days off when you’re trying to maintain ketosis. Without large peer-reviewed clinical trials, many of the benefits of the diet are based on individual outcomes. Is the keto diet safe for everyone with type 2 diabetes? This diet is not suggested if you have kidney disease (high protein intake can affect kidney functions). You should also be cautious about the keto diet if you have a high risk or history of heart disease. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues have been shown improvement with a very low carbohydrate diet. To reduce brain fog and improve cognition. In a study from 2014, improved memory, cognition, and other ‘thinking’ aspects are correlated with a ketogenic diet. Epilepsy and seizures - historically this has been the most medically-common use of the ketogenic diet (source) For children on keto - please see this article to discuss children and keto further. Cancer, especially alongside conventional cancer treatments. Numerous studies show anti-tumor properties associated with the ketogenic diet. To balance HDL and LDL. A study from 2004 showed improved cholesterol markers in obese patients after 24 weeks on the ketogenic diet. Athletic performance, especially for endurance athletes. A 2014 study on endurance cyclists showed increase athletic performance, especially when they had been on the ketogenic diet long term, when riding for 2-5 hours. The study also showed lower muscle damage following exercise compared to those following a carb-heavy diet. The main difference between the five types of Ketogenic Diets is this macronutrient ratio. All Ketogenic Diets are high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. This combination changes the way energy is used in the body, converting fat into fatty acids and ketones in the liver. When there is an elevated level of ketones in the blood, one is in a state of ketosis, which has a variety of therapeutic benefits for the sick and healthy alike. In addition to the macronutrient ratio, the frequency of eating can influence ketosis. More specifically, a practice called intermittent fasting, which reduces the window of time a person eats throughout the day, can help in obtaining and sustaining ketosis. When the eating window is shortened, the body is forced to access energy from its own fat stores rather than calories directly from the diet. An individualized and structured diet that provides specific meal plans. Foods are weighed and meals should be consumed in their entirety for best results.

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Heck, breastfed babies spend much of their time in ketosis despite drinking nutritionally balanced milk from their mothers. We’re clearly meant to produce and utilize ketones from time to time, and it’s safe to assume that mimicking this ancestral milieu provides adaptive benefits. Do I have your interest? Trust me…this is just the beginning. Follow the links in the sidebar to learn about the benefits of keto, strategies for keto-based weight loss, shopping lists, recipes, and more! I also invite you join the private Keto Reset Facebook Group. With over 26,000 members, you’ll find excellent conversation, knowledgable help, and personal support around successful keto living. Finally, if you’re looking for the most comprehensive, step-by-step guide for your personal keto journey, check out the New York Times Bestseller, The Keto Reset Diet-available everywhere books are sold. How many carbs can you have on keto? As a rule of thumb, most people should stay below 50 grams total (or gross) per day.|The rules of keto impact more than just mealtime, too, since juices, sodas and alcohol will knock you out of ketosis. Most men consume nearly half of their calories from carbs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which means cutting your intake to less than 10 percent will be a challenge. Are the benefits worth scaling back on all that starchy goodness? What are the benefits of the keto diet? Some keto dieters believe that eating fewer carbs may boost physical and mental performance, regulate appetite, and lower blood sugar. Although studies have shown that the keto diet can reduce seizures for children with epilepsy, there is no evidence indicating that keto helps with other brain disorders or improves mental cognition, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Some studies show that keto may lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, but there is not enough long-term research to determine whether it’s safe and effective for diabetics. If you can get a handful of cheese, handful of walnuts or pecans, or add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, caesar, or ranch dressing to your salad, you’ll get the fat you need. If you can follow those four rules, you should get into ketosis and start losing fat. But to make sure that you’re doing it successfully, it helps to do some degree of tracking. The easiest way is to track your weight. If your weight is going down, you’re probably doing it right. The next easiest way is to get some ketone pee strips. These will change colors based on the level of ketosis you’re in. They’re not perfect, but they’ll give you a rough idea of whether or not you’re getting into keto. The third and best method is to get a blood ketone testing device like I use. This lets you see very clearly whether or not you’re in ketosis, so you know how well you’re sticking to the diet. And what if you use one of these tests and it seems like the diet isn’t working? You’re either not losing weight or not in keto? Make sure you’re really eating no carbs. No sweeteners, no carby dressings or spreads, no high-carb nuts. Reduce your meat intake. You might be having too much meat, so cut it back to one and a half fists. Reduce your total intake. You don’t want to reduce the ratio of fat, so the last thing to try (primarily if you’re not losing weight) is to simply eat less of everything. Follow these five rules, and you should have no problem getting into and staying into ketosis. The first week might be a little rough, but after that you’ll find it’s a surprisingly easy diet to live on.|Most animal products are very low in carbs and ideal for the ketogenic diet. All meat and fish apart from liver and some types of seafood are zero carb. Also, beware of processed meat such as sausages as these foods may contain hidden carbs from added starches and sugar. When it comes to leafy greens, the darker the leaves, the better. Dark leafy green contain very few carbs and are nutrient-dense. Include a variety of greens in your diet, such as spinach, arugula, watercress, Swiss chard, kale, collards, bok choy, lettuce, and beet greens. And keto eating is not all about greens! There are plenty of other low-carb vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, daikon, okra, turnips, rutabaga, cucumber, celery, eggplant, asparagus, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, kohlrabi, sea vegetables, and mushrooms. Even fruits have a place in a healthy keto diet. Include low-carb fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, lemon, lime, rhubarb, coconut, and avocado. Nuts and seeds are a fantastic source of healthy fats. Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans are very low in carbs and a great source of monounsaturated fats. Almonds are a good source of protein. Other keto friendly options are walnuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds. Apart from whole nuts, you can use nut and seed butters, coconut, avocado, and cacao butter. Beware of cashew nuts and pistachios as they’re relatively high in carbs. For more about nuts and seeds, check out this Guide to Nuts & Seeds on a Keto Diet.

Additionally, some patients may feel a little tired in the beginning, while some may have bad breath, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and sleep problems. Is a ketogenic diet healthy? We have solid evidence showing that a ketogenic diet reduces seizures in children, sometimes as effectively as medication. Because of these neuroprotective effects, questions have been raised about the possible benefits for other brain disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, autism, and even brain cancer. However, there are no human studies to support recommending ketosis to treat these conditions. Weight loss is the primary reason my patients use the ketogenic diet. Previous research shows good evidence of a faster weight loss when patients go on a ketogenic or very low carbohydrate diet compared to participants on a more traditional low-fat diet, or even a Mediterranean diet. However, that difference in weight loss seems to disappear over time. A ketogenic diet also has been shown to improve blood sugar control for patients with type 2 diabetes, at least in the short term.|For someone eating 2000 calories per day, that translates to around 167g fat, 75-100g protein, and 25-50g carbohydrates. This is key: the total calories you consume are not NEARLY as important as the overall ratio of protein/fat/carbohydrate that you take in. Consuming foods with this macronutrient ratio causes our bodies to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, meaning it’s a simple (not easy, but simple) way to burn body fat more efficiently. Because of this, the ketogenic diet has been getting a ton of buzz recently for its weight loss benefits. Many people who adopt a ketogenic lifestyle tout easy weight loss from following the protocol, without adding in extra exercise or worrying about total calories. It’s true, you can experience rapid, significant weight loss if you follow this diet correctly, to do this safely, there are other nutritional considerations - more on that soon. WHERE DID KETO COME FROM? The ketogenic diet is the gold standard diet for epilepsy, and research demonstrates that these benefits could actually extend to other neurodegenerative diseases as well. Get ready for a whole lot of fat, some protein, and just about zero carbs throughout your day. Keto-approved fridges and pantries include plenty of meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, nuts, fats and oils, and some veggies that grow above ground. Plenty of meats: Chicken, pork, steak, ground beef, lamb, bacon, turkey, ham, and sausage (in limited amounts). Fatty seafood: Salmon, snapper, tuna, halibut, cod, trout, catfish, scallops. Shellfish: Crab, clams, oysters, lobster, mussels. Most fats and oils: Eggs, butter, coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, lard, avocado oil (and plenty of avocados!), mayonnaise. High-fat dairy: Heavy cream, soft and hard cheeses, cream cheese, and sour cream. A selection of vegetables: Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, asparagus, cucumber, onion, mushroom, spinach, lettuce, and olives. Most nuts: Almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, as well as their retrospective butters (look for natural varieties that aren't sweetened). A selection of berries: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. Some of your favorite beverages: Unsweetened coffee and black tea is OK. On a personal note, I myself have adopted a low-carbohydrate diet with sufficient protein and liberal fat. People are shocked when they see me pour olive oil over my fish or salad. Although I don’t attempt to achieve the extremely high fat content of ketogenic diets, fat is the main source of calories in my diet. Eating this way I’ve experienced many benefits including clearer thinking and a greater energy level. No longer do I have the afternoon “slump.” My complexion is clearer and the post-meal bloating I experienced before is gone. When I’m asked about my diet, my simplest explanation is that I’m on ancestral diet with generous fats-this means natural and unprocessed foods including meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, berries and fats from nut and olive oil. This is what our early ancestors ate. I feel full for long periods and typically eat only two meals a day (not advised for children). Although it can be difficult to maintain this kind of diet in our carb-loaded society, eating at home is my best option. This lifestyle has also forced me to be a better advisor to my patients and students. Think the ketogenic diet is right for you? Talk to your doctor before adopting a ketogenic diet, or connect with one of our qualified diet professionals to determine a course of action that is right for you. The below links provide access to diet professionals and hospitals with expertise in ketogenic therapies.} However, a more “moderate” approach to the keto diet is also a good option for many people that can allow for an easier transition into very low-carb eating and more flexibility (more on these types of plans below). What can you eat on a keto diet? Something that makes the keto diet different from other low-carb diets is that it does not “protein-load.” Protein is not as big a part of the keto diet as fat is. Reason being: In small amounts, the body can change protein to glucose, which means if you eat too much of it, especially while in the beginning stages, it will slow down your body’s transition into ketosis. Protein intake should be between one and 1.5 grams per kilogram of your ideal body weight. To convert pounds to kilograms, divide your ideal weight by 2.2. For example, a woman who weighs 150 pounds (68 kilograms) should get about 68-102 grams of protein daily. Your “macros” are your grams of fat, protein and net carbs (not to be confused with calorie counting!). Over the last several decades, we have seen a rise in the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. These diets have ranged from just low-carb diets to ketogenic diets to even zero carb diets (e.g., The Carnivore Diet). These dietary approaches have become popular due to their effectiveness in inducing rapid weight loss due to substantial changes in eating habits and rapid water weight loss that occurs with severe carbohydrate restriction. Despite the rise in popularity, very few people understand these diets. ● What is a Ketogenic Diet? ● Are Ketogenic Diets Better for Weight Loss Than Other Diets? ● How do I Follow a Ketogenic Diet? This article will cover the fundamental science behind a ketogenic diet, how to follow it, and how to view ketogenic diets in the broader dietary landscape. If you are interested in learning more about navigating the large, often-confusing world of diets, check out our navigating diets course and other nutrition courses like it. This mechanism has served us for hundreds of years through periods of scarcity or famine. A lack of consistent energy slows our metabolism because our body wants to do one thing: keep us alive. A slowed metabolism is also why it’s hard for people who restrict their intake to continue to lose weight past a certain point or maintain their current weight loss long-term. Moreover, there are some confounding variables worth noting when on a ketogenic diet. First, cutting out an entire food group will consequently reduce your intake. Yes, you can eat more protein and fat, but these nutrients are more satiating and less likely to be overeaten than carbohydrates. To put in simpler terms: you could probably eat 3 bagels before you ate 3 steaks or 3 avocados! Additionally, avoiding carbs may also leave you lacking some key nutrients, like the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the weight loss is probably not permanent. The ketogenic diet may help you (temporarily) lose weight, but the odds of it staying off are slim.

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues have been shown improvement with a very low carbohydrate diet. To reduce brain fog and improve cognition. In a study from 2014, improved memory, cognition, and other ‘thinking’ aspects are correlated with a ketogenic diet. Epilepsy and seizures - historically this has been the most medically-common use of the ketogenic diet (source) For children on keto - please see this article to discuss children and keto further. Cancer, especially alongside conventional cancer treatments. Numerous studies show anti-tumor properties associated with the ketogenic diet. To balance HDL and LDL. A study from 2004 showed improved cholesterol markers in obese patients after 24 weeks on the ketogenic diet. Athletic performance, especially for endurance athletes. A 2014 study on endurance cyclists showed increase athletic performance, especially when they had been on the ketogenic diet long term, when riding for 2-5 hours. The study also showed lower muscle damage following exercise compared to those following a carb-heavy diet. What is the ketogenic diet? The ketogenic diet is a diet that produces reactions in the body similar to those that occur during fasting. This is a type of extreme low-carb diet that was first developed in 1921 due to the ability of this type of diet to reduce or suppress seizures. As new medications to treat seizures were developed, the ketogenic diet became less popular as a way to manage seizure disorders. However, in 2008, a clinical trial showed that a ketogenic diet could help children with treatment-resistant epilepsy become seizure-free. A ketogenic diet is often prescribed for people who have failed two mainline antiseizure drugs, with studies showing seizure-reduction rates as high as 85% after this treatment. It can be effective for patients of any age or seizure type. The reasons why a ketogenic diet works to help reduce seizures are unclear, but it is believed to induce metabolic changes that lower the risk of seizures. The diet itself is a low-carb, high-fat diet that involves extreme reduction of carbohydrate consumption and replacing it with fat, up to a concentration of 70%-80% of calories from fat. To set up the body for the benefits of keto-adaptation, we consume a healthy, rather than restrictive, amount of calories within the following macronutrient profile that includes ample vegetable intake, moderate protein amount and quality fats with a focus on carb content at around 50 grams for most people. The carb-heavy Standard American Diet is an evolutionary aberration. The constant drip of glucose into our blood is a modern luxury (or, more to the point physiologically-speaking, a modern burden). For most of human history, if we wanted carbs, we had to climb a tree and extricate a bee’s nest, spend hours digging tubers, or wait around for the wild fruit to ripen. We are designed for periods of low food availability, and, especially, low glucose availability. In short, we’re wired to favor fat and ketone burning. Plus, humans are remarkably good at slipping into ketosis. Whereas for most other animals ketosis is difficult to achieve, a human will be mildly ketotic just waking up from a full night’s sleep. 8. What Can I Eat on the Standard Ketogenic Diet? On the standard ketogenic diet, your allowed macronutrient ratio is 75% fat, 15% to 20% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. Fat comes from olives, olive oil, butter, ghee, avocados, fatty fish, and fatty meats. Depending on your calorie needs, you may eat up to 150 grams of fat (1,350 calories) per day. Protein typically comes from fish, shellfish, poultry and meat from farms. Many people who follow the ketogenic diet believe game meat is too lean to fit comfortably into their macros. Carbohydrates come from small portions of low-carb fruits, leafy, green vegetables, and low-carb legumes. 9. What Can I Eat on the Cyclical Keto Diet? The cyclical keto diet is similar to the targeted keto diet in that it is beloved by athletes. On the cyclical keto diet, your macronutrient ratio is 75% fat, 15% to 20% protein and 5% to 10% carbohydrates on the days you follow the standard keto diet.|The keto diet is gaining in popularity, but it's also "a dietitian's nightmare," Lisa Eberly said. We chatted with the registered dietitian to get her expert opinion on the trendy diet we've been hearing so much about. Spoiler alert: she's not into it. What Is a Keto Diet? A keto - short for ketogenic - diet is a low-carb diet, in which the body produces ketones in the liver to use as energy in lieu of carbohydrates (more on that later). Like other low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diets, keto draws people in with its promised weight-loss results. Blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram have been lighting up with "keto recipes" and meal plans, but that doesn't mean it's actually good for you. Lisa explained. Glucose and insulin, at proper levels, are used for energy - they're also essential for a healthy, balanced body. But it's all about balance - too many carbohydrates can be detrimental. How Does the Keto Diet Work? If you’re trying out the keto diet you should take care to avoid sugary, starchy foods. Remember- carbohydrates should make up less than 5% of your entire calorie intake. Aim to have an absolute maximum of 50 grams of net carbs a day, but aim for 20 grams or less. Are there any ketogenic diet side effects? Immediately after starting the diet during the first week, some dieters may experience what is referred to as the “keto flu“. The keto flu is a term colloquially used to describe the general feelings of malaise some dieters feel at the beginning of the low-carb high-fat diet. Keto flu can be prevented or helped by focusing on getting plenty of sleep, increasing electrolyte intake, and reducing consumption of dehydrating drinks like caffeine and alcohol. But fear not! Starting out with keto has some positive benefits, too. During the initial adjustment phase most dieters report rapid weight loss - losing up to 10 lbs of body weight in 2 weeks or less. What I didn’t know back then was that my diet was actually making me hungrier. When we mix carbohydrates and fats in the same meal, we actually want to eat more. It’s the reason that you could eat cake or cookies until you’re sick (because they’re full of sugar and fat from butter), but you usually won’t do the same with steak (which is mostly protein with some fat). Remember how I talked about “poor metabolic flexibility” above? Well, if you have poor metabolic flexibility, then eating carbohydrates is almost always going to make you hungry an hour or two after a meal. So while you’re eating more calorie-dense fats on a keto diet plan, most people find that they end up eating less overall (in terms of calories), without trying as hard. And they’re less hungry, which usually also means they’re happier and less moody. Generally, if you’re less hungry when you’re on a diet, you’re more likely to stick with it, so your chances of losing weight long term are higher.|See our keto food list for more information on the kinds of foods you should avoid on keto, and our guide on dirty keto to learn more on the foods that are technically within the ketogenic diet but could be affecting other parts of your lifestyle. You’ll also want to learn about calculating net carbs to make sure the “keto-friendly” product you’re about the consume really does fit in your keto diet, as well as what sweeteners work best with keto. The keto diet isn’t all bacon and lettuce-wrapped burgers. You can still enjoy delicious, low-carb foods you’ll look forward to eating as part of your keto meal plan. There are even keto-friendly versions of your favorite carb-heavy foods, like pancakes and desserts. Here are a few of our favorite low-carb recipes. Browse Bulletproof Recipes to find more keto-friendly meal ideas. Start your day with quality fats that keep you going strong all morning long. To whip up this keto coffee recipe, you’ll blend grass-fed butter or Grass-Fed Ghee with certified clean Bulletproof coffee beans and Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil to create a creamy, frothy latte that’ll keep you energized and satisfied.

Aside from being an energy source, ketones are also important neural signaling molecules and gene transcription facilitators. Ketones also seem to modulate the stress response in neurons and make them more resilient to excitatory nerve transmissions-the kind that can cause seizures. D’Agostino also found that ketones can elevate levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. Theories aside, when he treated SEALs with a keto diet, their seizures stopped. But brain diseases aren’t the only illnesses doctors are beginning to think are metabolic rather than purely genetic in origin. Many common types of cancer- esophageal, pancreatic, colon, kidney, thyroid-are associated with obesity and diabetes, and D’Agostino believes he’s on the path to understanding why. Cancer cells thrive in high-sugar environments because they rely on glycogen (sugar burned for energy) to survive; type-2 diabetes, especially, provides potential cancer cells with a high-sugar environment. This suggests not only that glycogen may contribute to cancer, but also that it may be cancer’s Achilles’ heel: If cancer cells become compromised when their host is in a ketogenic state, the body’s own immune responses may be able to effectively fight the disease.|Claims of benefits of the ketogenic diet for cancer, dementia, and Parkinson disease are not scientifically substantiated. Do Ketogenic Diets Improve Health? Ketogenic diets result in weight loss for those who successfully use this strategy to reduce overall caloric intake by limiting all carbohydrate-rich foods like breads, pasta, rice, cakes, cookies, and colas. Most fruits, legumes, and whole grains are also essentially off limit. Currently, long-term data on keto diets and cardiovascular, cancer, and other chronic disease risks are lacking, and low-carbohydrate diets have been linked to increased mortality. Who May Benefit From a Ketogenic Diet? Individuals wishing to lose weight using a very structured approach may benefit from a keto diet. For patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, limiting carbohydrates to 5% of calories can help control blood glucose if it contributes to weight loss and weight maintenance. It is common to experience fatigue during exercise, poor mental energy, increased hunger, sleep disturbance, muscle cramps, constipation, nausea, and stomach discomfort. Over the long term, a diet in which only 5% of total calories come from carbohydrates makes it impossible to obtain optimum amounts of antioxidant phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables. In the first 2 weeks of the diet, there may be significant increases in urine production and fluid shifts that may require adjustment of medications for hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes. It is important to consult with a physician before trying a ketogenic diet. You should change your diet only under the supervision of a physician and a registered dietitian. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Heber reported receiving personal fees from Herbalife Nutrition. No other disclosures were reported. Source: Abbasi J. Interest in the ketogenic diet grows for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. Fun fact: Both spinach and avocado contain more potassium than the banana, despite the yellow fruit’s reputation! Magnesium is also super important in your body, especially for sleep and hormone balancing. If you’re having trouble sleeping on Keto, magnesium might be the problem. Magnesium is naturally found spinach, almonds, and avocados, among other foods. Like potassium, it’s just the quantity that can be the problem. 3 cups of spinach is needed to meet your daily magnesium needs, or 6 avocados. For this reason, many people on ketogenic diets choose to supplement. Supplements - I take this kind, epsom salt in the bath works as well. You know this, your body needs water! Water is used to transport the above electrolytes around as well, so if your intake is good but you still feel headachy, swollen, bloated, or don’t have the energy that you would like, chug a big glass of water or two, wait 10 minutes, and see how you feel. Decrease or even eliminate headaches. Transition to low-carb eating easier. Maintain strength and energy. Get more restful sleep and fall asleep easier. Why is keto so great for weight loss? What does ‘keto’ mean? What can you eat on keto? How fast will I lose weight on keto? Can I do keto part time or cheat? Why don’t I feel good on keto? Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Individuals who are suffering from digestive problems generally need additional support. This is where an experienced ketogenic specialist can be extremely helpful. Monitoring ketosis is another important aspect of therapy. Ketosis can be measured by three different methods: Blood, breath and urine. Blood readings is the most accurate and reliable method of testing, though it is also the most expensive. Urine strips provide an affordable option, though readings can vary widely based on hydration. Breath monitors have similarly varying results, and a higher entry price, though technology is improving. Think the ketogenic diet is right for you? Talk to your doctor before adopting a ketogenic diet, or connect with one of our qualified diet professionals to determine a course of action that is right for you. Am I a candidate for a Ketogenic Diet? While the short answer is yes for the majority of people consuming a western diet, we urge you to consult your general practitioner prior to making the switch to keto.|FREE PRINTABLE: LOW CARB & KETO FOOD LIST! FREE keto food list, plus weekly keto recipes! This post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to a Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan! If you are new to Wholesome Yum, or just starting a low carb or keto diet, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will show you everything you need to know about how to start a low carb diet, or how to start a keto diet. Then, be sure to check out all the keto diet recipes and the customizable keto meal plan app! Pin it to save for later! What is a low carb diet plan? What is the keto diet plan? What is a Low Carb Diet Plan? A low carb diet plan is a way of eating that is high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrates. It ends the rollercoaster of blood sugar spikes and crashes, allowing the body to burn fat. This will determine the nutrient density of the ketogenic diet as well as how to follow it, as different foods will have different effects on insulin and blood sugar levels. There are a number of different types of ketogenic diet with variations in the level of carbohydrates and protein allowed in the diet and/or the amount of time someone is looking to spend in ketosis. Note that some of the types of ketogenic have been designed specifically for people that are athletes or are otherwise working out very hard and often. Ketone bodies produced from burning fat for fuel have been shown to have potent weight loss effects, help lower blood glucose levels and reduce people’s reliance on diabetes medication. In addition to that, there has been a lot of interest in therapeutic ketosis for other long-term conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Do I need to measure ketones? Significant weight loss and blood glucose control benefits can be derived from even a mild state of ketosis. There are a few methods you can use to measure the levels of ketones in your blood, urine or breath - each having their pros and cons. With every change in the diet comes an adaptation period. With a ketogenic diet, the adaption is significant as the body has to switch its fuel source from glucose to fat. When this happens, it is not uncommon to experience a collection of side effects called ‘keto-flu’. This usually goes away within about four weeks. Fun fact: Both spinach and avocado contain more potassium than the banana, despite the yellow fruit’s reputation! Magnesium is also super important in your body, especially for sleep and hormone balancing. If you’re having trouble sleeping on Keto, magnesium might be the problem. Magnesium is naturally found spinach, almonds, and avocados, among other foods. Like potassium, it’s just the quantity that can be the problem. 3 cups of spinach is needed to meet your daily magnesium needs, or 6 avocados. For this reason, many people on ketogenic diets choose to supplement. Supplements - I take this kind, epsom salt in the bath works as well. You know this, your body needs water! Water is used to transport the above electrolytes around as well, so if your intake is good but you still feel headachy, swollen, bloated, or don’t have the energy that you would like, chug a big glass of water or two, wait 10 minutes, and see how you feel. Decrease or even eliminate headaches. Transition to low-carb eating easier. Maintain strength and energy. Get more restful sleep and fall asleep easier. Why is keto so great for weight loss? What does ‘keto’ mean? What can you eat on keto? How fast will I lose weight on keto? Can I do keto part time or cheat? Why don’t I feel good on keto? Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription.

Below are Some Even more Resources on Where Can You Buy Keto Slim

On the other hand, you may be skipping veggies altogether if counting every baby carrot is getting too complicated. But it’s important to get in vegetables (these contain fiber that prevent constipation, a potential side effect of keto) while minding portions and properly counting carbs. Go for nonstarchy options in a rainbow of colors for a variety of nutrients, says Tucci, like leafy greens, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and asparagus. When it seems as if the sole goal of keto is to drastically cut carbs, the rest can feel like an afterthought. “Reducing your carbohydrate intake is great, but focusing on higher-quality products when budget allows will help improve your health, too,” says Clevenger. That means choosing omega 3-rich foods, like wild salmon, grass-fed, local, or organic meats, and snacking on whole foods rather than processed keto-approved treats. It also means trying to follow a balanced diet as best you can by incorporating as many nutrient-rich fruits and veggies as you can. Many registered dietitians aren’t a fan of keto because it may lead to nutrient deficiencies. You can help avoid these by working with an RD yourself as you follow keto.|Why is the keto diet recommended for people with diabetes or prediabetes? Because the keto diet helps to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, it is now being used for people with type 2 diabetes and for people with prediabetes to lower their hemoglobin A1C to a healthy level. Who else can benefit from this diet? Women with polycystic ovary syndrome who follow a low-glycemic-index diet - a variation of the keto diet that involves eating based on how foods affect your blood sugar level - have also seen positive results. Recent studies show the diet may treat the following alone or have compounding effects with other medical treatments: migraine headaches, brain tumor/cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, mitochondrial disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), autism, and traumatic brain injury. Overall, more research is necessary. For the general population, is the keto diet healthy? While this diet has been shown to accelerate weight loss and to improve certain health conditions, it has its fair share of critics. But the body can also burn its own fat stores as well as ketones, which the liver produces as a by-product of fat metabolism. Ketones are a natural source of caloric energy just as glucose is. But there’s a key difference here. The body’s sustained use of ketones and fat (which go hand in hand) doesn’t impose the same inflammatory and oxidative burden as we experience when we’re continually carb (glucose) dependent, which is one reason why keto confers so many benefits to overall health. The technical meaning of ketosis is the metabolic state in which your body accumulates ketones faster than they’re being burned. When we’re fat-adapted (a.k.a. ’re able to enjoy the benefits of burning fat and ketones as first-rung fuel sources. However, when we’re in ketosis without being keto-adapted (e.g. on a crash diet), we’re likely to excrete these ketones in our urine and breath instead of burning them for energy, which means we’re still left carb-dependent. If you’re insulin resistant, you might need to start lower, around 20 to 30 grams. Hard-charging endurance athletes can often eat 100 grams or more per day and still achieve ketosis. Everyone approaches keto dieting a bit differently. I recommend tracking total carbs instead of net carbs for ease of tracking, and I don’t worry about the carbs in above-ground green vegetables and avocados. If you’re tracking net carbs, 20 to 30 grams net is usually a good starting point. For more information about my approach to keto dieting, check out: Why Does the Keto Reset Allow 50 Grams of Carbs? What is the difference between total carbs and net carbs? Total carbs is just what it sounds like: all the carbohydrates contained in a given food. Net carbs is the total carbohydrate minus any fiber. Some keto plans count net carbs because fiber is not metabolized into glucose, so it doesn’t affect insulin levels or ketosis. How to calculate net carbs on keto? The ratio of fat to carbs and protein is 4:1. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to burn fat for energy rather than carbohydrates, resulting in weight loss. And, advocates claim there are many benefits beyond the number on the scale going down. Health & WellnessI tried the ketogenic diet for 30 days. What are the pros and cons? Those following keto tend to have a higher level of satiety and reduced cravings during the day. A few studies have shown that the diet may promote weight loss, lower blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity in diabetics. It has also shown to improve LDL cholesterol levels and regulate insulin, increase mental focus and boost energy. On the flip side, it’s very hard to 100 percent commit to the diet, and for it to properly become a lifestyle change. Going out to eat, attending events and parties will be a lot more difficult - and this means that (similar to Atkins!) many people gain weight back. This can help reverse “insulin resistance,” which is the underlying problem contributing to diabetes symptoms. In studies, low-carb diets have shown benefits for improving blood pressure, postprandial glycemia and insulin secretion. Therefore, diabetics on insulin should contact their medical provider prior to starting a ketogenic diet, however, as insulin dosages may need to be adjusted. Related: Keto Diet and Diabetes- Do They Work Well Together? The keto diet can reduce the risk of heart disease markers, including high cholesterol and triglycerides. 8) In fact, the keto diet is unlikely to negatively impact your cholesterol levels despite being so high in fat. Moreover, it’s capable of lowering cardiovascular disease risk factors, especially in those who are obese. One study, for example, found that adhering to the ketogenic diet and keto diet foods list for 24 weeks resulted in decreased levels of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose in a significant percentage of patients, while at the same time increasing the level of HDL cholesterol.

Lack of nutrients such as B vitamins that are typically found in beans and grains can be of concern. Keep in mind those who follow a ketogenic diet are more likely to have other deficiencies because the variety of food they’re allowed to eat on this diet is so limited. When people on a ketogenic diet are consuming large quantities of non starchy vegetables, the excessive amounts of insoluble fiber also can lead to nutrient malabsorption. Although there are a few exceptions, non starchy vegetables aren’t rich sources of fermentable, prebiotic fiber. One of my favorite nutrients - fiber - is critical to serve as food for the gut bacteria and for the production of butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids, important for immune function, controlling inflammation, and overall gut health. The gut is essential to the brain and vice versa in terms of anxiety, depression, and pain management. The keto diet is missing a huge piece of this puzzle. Now onto fats, the ketogenic diet is seen as the “bacon and butter” diet, but it doesn’t have to be.|Eat foods that support your goals most of the time, allowing for some flexibility to enjoy life. If your diet is something you “cheat” on, it’s probably not a sustainable way of eating. Can you have fruit on keto? The problem with fruit is that it can be high in carbs, which makes it difficult to include on a typical keto diet. However, by choosing moderately sized servings of lower-carb fruits, it is possible to eat some fruit and stay in ketosis. See the best options here: Can I Eat Fruit On a Keto Diet? What is lazy keto? On a “strict keto” diet, you track protein, fat, and carb intake and aim to hit specific macros. In contrast, someone who says they’re doing “lazy keto” only tracks their carbohydrate intake to make sure it’s low enough to be ketogenic. Otherwise, they eat whatever they want. What is dirty keto? Dirty keto diets are very low-carb like any other keto diet, but otherwise, anything goes in terms of food quality. Q: What do you eat on a ketogenic diet? A: A true keto diet contains 80 percent fat, fewer than 5 percent carbs and 15 to 20 percent protein. In order to achieve that, dieters have to ditch a few major carbohydrate-heavy food groups including grains, dairy, beans and fruits. When you remove those, you find yourself loading up on meat, fish, butter, eggs, avocados, oils, nuts, seeds and non-starchy vegetables. The keto diet looks very different from the diet recommended in the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is about 20 to 30 percent protein, 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates and 10 to 35 percent fat. Q: Does it help dieters lose weight? A: Since a ketogenic diet effectively eliminates major food groups, you’re likely to lose weight - at least at first. Eating higher amounts of protein may help keep hunger pangs at bay and that’s good for dieters who want to lose weight.|Yet regardless of the doubtful outpouring, my will to enter the magical state of ketosis remained unsullied. After reading countless blog posts about fellow dieters reporting exhaustion and fatigue during the first few days, I actually noticed my energy levels soar. In fact, I felt as if I had downed three cups of coffee sans cream. At one point, the restlessness and jitters were a bit overwhelming. Though, after a few days progressed, my energy levels began to balance, and I felt more productive and clear-minded. You know when you wake up with a noticeably flatter stomach and wish it would remain that toned all day? Well, that normally transient state became quite permanent on keto. My bloating subsided, and I was convinced my abs would uncover after just a few more days on the diet-and it wasn't just all in my head. Jim White, RD, ACSM, and owner of Jim White Fitness Nutrition Studios, shares with us. Berry and Fruit Blend: 4.5 grams of raw and organic berries and fruits from 10 different sources. MCT Powder: 3.5 grams. We use fat from coconut oil so you absorb the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in plants. Liver Support and Digestive Enzymes: These help you absorb all the nutrients in the product. Learn more about micronutrients here or try Perfect Keto Micro Greens Powder. As discussed in this guide, it’s not just the carbs, calories, and sugar content you have to consider when choosing workout supplements, especially pre-workouts. Even if the pre-workout you’re considering is promoted as low-carb and sugar-free, you can’t trust it until you do your own research to see what’s really behind the claims. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far with this low-carb pre-workout free of junk fillers and chemical ingredients. 7.7g BHB ketones: Boosts ketones through its work with acetyl groups to create ATP, the energy currency of cells. 5g MCTs: Provides healthy fats and a source of ketones for an energy and cognitive boost. Bread, fruit, starchy vegetables, and even whole grains like oatmeal are strictly banned. These demanding macronutrient ratios mean some people get creative, consuming fat in unexpected ways like bulletproof coffee, a.k.a. Is it actually healthy? Eating nourishing healthy fats is always a good idea, but it's important to set yourself up for long term success. If your primary goal is weight-loss and you're able to commit to a seriously strict diet, keto can be an effective option. Dr. Frank Lipman. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that obese men following the keto diet for one month lost an average of 14 pounds. The study also found that high-protein, low-carb keto diets are more effective at reducing hunger and lowering food intake than high-protein diets that include a medium amount of carbohydrates. And a review study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that keto has potential therapeutic uses for epilepsy, weight loss, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes. A standard American diet, for comparison, looks more like 50% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 35% fat. And this is where the ketogenic diet gets intimidating. You see how much fat you have to eat (and how few carbs you get to eat) and worry about what you’ll eat at your meals and avoid trying it. Or, you try it for a few days with all of the calorie counting, then give up because it takes way too much mental energy. But it doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. After doing it for six weeks now and tracking almost everything I’ve eaten, as well as my ketone levels, I’ve come up with a few simple rules that have worked for adhering to a ketogenic diet without the headache. This one is pretty self explanatory. You can’t have any foods that would be considered carbs, except vegetables and avocados. 25g per day allowance, but that will get used up by the one or two grams of carbohydrates in everything else you eat during the day. When the body’s glucose level is reduced due to the diet’s low carbohydrate content, the body acts as if it is in a starvation state - although it is not - and begins burning fats instead of carbohydrates. This process in turn yields chemicals called ketone bodies as an alternative source of fuel. When the body burns ketone bodies, tissue-protective gamma delta T-cells expand throughout the body. This reduces diabetes risk and inflammation, and improves the body’s metabolism, said Dixit, the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Comparative Medicine and of Immunobiology. After a week on the keto diet, he said, mice show a reduction in blood sugar levels and inflammation. But when the body is in this “starving-not-starving” mode, fat storage is also happening simultaneously with fat breakdown, the researchers found. When mice continue to eat the high-fat, low-carb diet beyond one week, Dixit said, they consume more fat than they can burn, and develop diabetes and obesity. “They lose the protective gamma delta T-cells in the fat,” he said. Long-term clinical studies in humans are still necessary to validate the anecdotal claims of keto’s health benefits. “Before such a diet can be prescribed, a large clinical trial in controlled conditions is necessary to understand the mechanism behind metabolic and immunological benefits or any potential harm to individuals who are overweight and pre-diabetic,” Dixit said. There are good reasons to pursue further study: According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 84 million American adults - or more than one out of three - have prediabetes (increased blood sugar levels), putting them at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. More than 90% of people with this condition don’t know they have it. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are lifestyle diseases. Diet allows people a way to be in control.

The main difference between the five types of Ketogenic Diets is this macronutrient ratio. All Ketogenic Diets are high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. This combination changes the way energy is used in the body, converting fat into fatty acids and ketones in the liver. When there is an elevated level of ketones in the blood, one is in a state of ketosis, which has a variety of therapeutic benefits for the sick and healthy alike. In addition to the macronutrient ratio, the frequency of eating can influence ketosis. More specifically, a practice called intermittent fasting, which reduces the window of time a person eats throughout the day, can help in obtaining and sustaining ketosis. When the eating window is shortened, the body is forced to access energy from its own fat stores rather than calories directly from the diet. An individualized and structured diet that provides specific meal plans. Foods are weighed and meals should be consumed in their entirety for best results. Click here to grab my new phone number! What can I eat on a keto diet? Changing up your food lifestyle can seem overwhelming. Cutting out certain fruits and vegetables and replacing them with fat-filled foods like bacon, cream, and ribeye steaks can get a little confusing as well. To help get you started, I’ve put together a ketogenic diet food list just for you! You can download the full keto foods list HERE or view it below. Watch for meats with added high-carb fillers like hot dogs, sausage, meatballs, and cold cuts. Most shellfish is fine for keto but watch for higher carb counts in clams and mussels. Always avoid breaded fish and seafood that is pre-made due to possible high carb content. When in doubt, check the food label if buying in store. You can also eat the eggs that come from these animals in any prepared fashion, such as hard-boiled, fried, scrambled, poached, or omelet. There are three main reasons to stay away from the keto diet. If the keto diet may help you lose weight or improve certain health markers, why wouldn’t you do it? The answer is simple: It’s very restrictive, so it’s not ideal for long-term for weight loss. 1. It is not sustainable for most people. Asche agrees that the diet is sustainable for some people long-term, but unless you are content with never eating carbs again, it’s just not realistic. 2. It can hurt your relationship with food. The keto diet can also impact your enjoyment of food and how you experience food-centric events, like family dinners, brunch with friends, or happy hour with coworkers. Because keto requires strict adherence that doesn’t allow wiggle room for occasional splurges, it can get in the way of enjoying everyday life. This type of restriction might even make you a bit obsessive, “where you have to track every last gram, macro, never allowing yourself to ‘splurge’ on anything containing carbs or sugar in fear of knocking you out of ketosis,” Asche says.

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Since most people following a western diet are not proficient at metabolizing fat optimally, this period allows the body time to become “fat-adapted”, utilizing dietary fat efficiently and effectively. There are a variety of nutritional plans that will enable a ketogenic lifestyle, and flexibility is one of the hallmarks of the diet that make it easy to adopt as a life-long tool to enhance your health. Our nutritionists can help figure out both the short and long-term options best suited for you and your lifestyle. In my 33 years of working with nutrition therapies, none comes close to the remarkable results I’ve seen achieved with ketogenic diets. I’ve had the honor of working with hundreds of people on the diet, which has taken me all over the world where together with The Charlie Foundation we have trained over 200 hospitals in ten countries. The ketogenic diet was used in several major U.S. This only allows about 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day! The overall premise of the ketogenic diet is to produce ketone bodies, which are metabolites of fatty acids, and use them instead of glucose to fuel your cells. The ketogenic diet was first adopted as a treatment for people with epilepsy in the 1920s, since it was shown to reduce seizure activity in some patients. Today, most people opt for anti-seizure medication (because the diet is challenging to adhere to), but some still use this diet to help manage their condition. How is it supposed to work? Let’s zoom into the GI tract for a minute. When you eat a carbohydrate, which are found in anything from oatmeal to soda to tomatoes, it is broken down into glucose. The main role of glucose is to supply energy for all of our bodily processes. Our bodies are actually a lot less discriminatory toward the source of glucose than we might think - it uses the carbs from a tomato, a cracker, or a jellybean the same way: to make energy! The extremely low level of carbs on the Keto Diet can cause what's known as the keto flu, which causes headaches, nausea, muscle cramping, and fatigue. Like the Paleo Diet, these unpleasant side effects generally subside after a few weeks. Drinking plenty of water and getting a full night's sleep should help. As with paleo, doing keto for more than a few weeks could lead to nutrient deficiencies according to Andy Yurechko, MS, RD, of Augusta University Medical Center in Georgia . He says lack of fiber is the biggest concern for keto fanatics, who may experience constipation. But it's possible to get fiber by eating lower-carb vegetables like broccoli and chia seeds. Both diets come with some unpleasant side effects, but Yurechko doesn't advise sacrificing fiber to try keto in the long run. Will Paleo or Keto help you lose more weight? ON PALEO, eating like your ancestors doesn't guarantee you'll lose weight. While the diet emphasizes plenty of foods that are good for weight loss, such as lean protein and fruits and vegetables, you would still need to eat fewer calories to drop a few pounds. So if you're binging on nuts and fruit, you could actually gain weight on the Paleo Diet. While ketosis isn't a magic recipe for weight loss, Konstantinos Spaniolas, Associate Director of the Stony Brook Metabolic and Bariatric Weight Loss Center in New York, says that people successfully lose weight on keto because they tend to eat less. The winner: The Keto Diet. With an important caveat: These results are often short-lived, says Kizer. Is Paleo or Keto the better diet? BOTH KIZER and Yurechko agree that Paleo is the better option in terms of overall health, simply because it's less restrictive and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. What's more, she believes keto could cause people to obsess over their carb intake and develop an unhealthy relationship with food. To date, there is no research examining the benefits or risks of a vegan keto diet. However, several studies have separately explored the effects of a vegan diet and those of a keto diet. A 2014 randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a vegan Atkins diet (or eco-Atkins diet). The Atkins diet is similar to a keto diet, as they both restrict carbohydrate intake and cause ketosis. In the 6 month study, participants ate either a low carbohydrate vegan diet or a high carbohydrate vegetarian diet, which included eggs and dairy. These diets comprised 26% and 58% of energy from carbohydrates, 31% and 16% from protein, and 43% and 25% from fat, respectively. This finding indicates that very low carb vegan diets may improve the risk factors for heart disease. Learn more about the difference between the keto diet and the Atkins diet here. Other possible benefits of a vegan diet include a reduced risk of diabetes and some cancers. Staples of the keto diet are fish, meat, eggs, dairy, oils, and green vegetables. Pasta, rice and other grains, potatoes, and fruits are strictly prohibited. Keto works by changing the way the body turns food into energy. Typically, during digestion, we break down carbohydrates - like those found in the verboten foods above - into molecules of fructose, galactose, and glucose, the last of which serves as the body’s primary source of energy. When the body can’t draw it from carbohydrates - either because they’ve been cut out of the diet or because a person hasn’t eaten for a long time - it looks for other forms of energy. The keto diet deliberately places the body in a state of ketosis, where fat is released from cells and turned into ketones, the body’s plan B for energy production. Where did the keto diet start? The keto diet is most assuredly not a fad, at least not in the usual sense of the word. The keto-buzz is everywhere you look these days. Nutrition coaches are offering keto plans, meal prep companies have debuted keto food lines, and well-renowned blogs are digging in to what this diet is and why people are so dang curious about it. A lot of celebrities are raving about the benefits they’ve seen from shifting to a ketogenic diet, including a few Kardashians, runway models, actors, and athletes. Naturally, when people in the spotlight adopt a specific lifestyle habit, the rest of society becomes interested to try it out too. As a compliment to our stance on keto, I’m hoping to help clear some noise around the keto diet with an exploration of its history, what (and who) it helps, what the long-term prognosis of a ketogenic diet looks like, and how the diet might fit into your life. FIRST THING’S FIRST: WHAT’S KETO? The ketogenic diet is an extremely high fat and low carb diet in which people methodically consume 75% of their calories from fat, 15-20% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates.

Thousands of people every week are jumping on the keto diet bandwagon, but the basics of how to start the keto diet can be both overwhelming and simple at the same time. Simple to think of what we don’t eat on keto: bread, cereal, sugar, or even fruit. Overwhelming to figure out what we will eat in their place! Plus, what is this about electrolytes, net carbs, and what’s up with the sweeteners? Can I really eat all the low carb cake I want and be healthy? Here we are discussing the ins and outs of the ketogenic diet. Once you try it, you will see that keto is like dieting… … on easy mode! ’t been working for you, I encourage you to give it a try and see if you see the rapid results that hundreds of thousands of people also see. That means you’ll look for terms like organic, grass-fed, pasture raised, and cold-pressed. You’ll also lean heavily towards whole plant foods, Evans says. Who It's Best For This approach is for those who focus on food quality just as much as they do on macro tracking. Also, clean keto may involve more financial investment, since grass-fed meats and cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil tend to be pricier than lower-quality options, especially those packaged for convenience. Risks to Note Focusing on the healthiest possible foods - and bringing in a fridge-load worth of plants in the process - doesn’t include many cautionary notes, according to Evans. That said, because plant foods still contain carbs, you’ll need to keep your macros in mind. If you can, this can be a relatively healthier way to do the fad diet. It’s a good idea to meet with your doctor or a registered dietitian any time you switch up your diet - whether you’re on keto or another eating plan. And above all, Torchia says to listen to your body and assess your energy level and how you’re feeling on the diet. “You will be your best teacher,” she says.|Curious About the Keto Diet? Clinical dietitian Mary Montgomery explains what you need to know about this almost-no-carb diet. Save this to read later. The ketogenic diet has gotten a lot of hype recently, but is it healthy? For those looking to shed a few pounds and keep them off, the ketogenic diet may be worth exploring. Like the Atkins diet, the very-low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet - or keto diet for short - boasts effective weight-loss results. But the keto diet is also proving to be beneficial for other medical conditions, including epilepsy, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer. Health Matters spoke with Mary Montgomery, MS, RD, CDN, a pediatric clinical dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, to learn about what the diet entails, why it’s become so popular, and who might benefit from eating this way. What is the ketogenic diet? The ketogenic diet is a diet that is high in healthy fats, moderate in proteins, and low in carbohydrates. There’s an ex-Jersey Shore character who has this massive Twitter following and Instagram following. He’s called Vinny Guadagnino: The Keto Guido. So when you think about Weight Watchers, right? It’s something that middle age-ish suburban moms are doing. I don’t know if this is all sexist. But then with keto it’s sort of, it’s meat heavy. It’s something you can do by yourself. You can quantify whether you’re on the diet so it has this interesting self-quantification aspect. It’s data driven. You can buy breathalyzers, pee strips that you pee on and they tell you, wow, basically, yeah, whether you’re in ketosis or not. And there’s blood tests as well. How does it work? What are you measuring with these urine and blood tests? You’re just measuring the ketone levels in your body. When we’re eating the typical high-carb diet, our bodies are fueled primarily by glucose or blood sugar. After the adjustment period weight loss will be slower and normalize. While extensive studies of keto don’t exist, avid fans of keto and other low-carb diets effuse keto’s praise for improving not only their waistlines, but their overall health and well-being too. Is keto like other low-carb diets? Yes and no. While low-carb diets aren’t new, keto has a different macronutrient profile than other low-carb diets like Atkins. Most keto dieters start off with a diet where 70% or more of the calories come from fat- and carb intake is limited to just 5% of calories or less. The old Atkins plan allowed for up to 10% of calories to be consumed from carbs, and encourages higher levels of proteins than fat. How can I start the keto diet? Getting started with keto doesn’t have to be scary! With these three easy steps, you can be on your way to losing fat fast and feeling great. Like with most diets, it can be easy to slip back in to old ways.|“We think the majority of cancers could be metabolically managed through nutritional ketosis, either as a stand-alone pill or an adjunct to standard care,” says D’Agostino, who has published research showing that ketogenic diets can double the lifespan of mice with metastatic cancers. For a more emphatic take: Leading Boston College cancer researcher Thomas Seyfried, M.D., believes that a ketogenic diet is therapeutically even more valuable in fighting cancer than chemo. Achieving a ketogenic state could get a lot easier in the coming years. D’Agostino believes a ketone supplement will be the breakthrough, making the job of drastically cutting carbs from the diet much easier. His latest creation is KetoCana, which floods the body with ketones and eliminates the symptoms of carbohydrate withdrawal. Meanwhile, military researchers are focused on keto diets as well, believing soldiers could operate optimally on fewer, denser meals. Currently, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Department of Defense, and NASA are all running ketogenic experiments. NASA believes the diet will be important in manned missions to Mars because it protects against higher levels of radiation in space by increasing the brain’s resilience to stress. Plus, “the energy density of a ketogenic diet is higher, so you have to carry less weight,” says D’Agostino. But for evidence of the Keto Diet’s more immediate effects, Noakes brings up South African athlete Bruce Fordyce, 60, who won the country’s biggest ultramarathon, the 56-mile Comrades, a record nine times. He ate high-carb his whole life, eventually putting on weight and becoming insulin resistant. Recently, though, he switched to a high-fat diet-and has regained his former waistline and dramatically improved his marathon times. Little by little, according to Noakes, we’re learning. “This is the single most important health intervention we can make as doctors,” he says. There has been some speculation that higher dietary protein intake may prevent nutritional ketosis, but the literature does not support this. However, when you examine the data across all studies examining protein intake and blood ketone levels, there is no strong correlation. It appears as those dietary protein does not substantially affect blood ketone levels. One can also increase blood ketone levels through the use of supplementation. For example, one can consume exogenous ketones or high amounts of medium-chain triglycerides to increase blood ketone levels to a state of nutritional ketosis. There are two primary approaches to following a ketogenic diet. 65% of total calories). 75% of total calories). What Foods are Ketogenic? One of the most common questions surrounding ketogenic diets is, "what foods are ketogenic"? The answer to this question is that there are not ketogenic foods or non-ketogenic foods. The totality of your diet will dictate whether or not you are in a ketogenic state. Instead of looking for specific ketogenic foods, look at each food in the context of your overall intake, and decide if that food is in line with the overall objective. Learn more about how to calculate net carbs here. What is the Keto Diet Plan? The ketogenic diet, or keto diet plan, is a specific type of low carb diet that is focused on a specific ratio of macronutrients, or macros, with a goal of reaching a state called ketosis. Macronutrients are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet is generally 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbohydrates. Learn more about how macros work here. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. It’s very effective for weight loss, energy and mental clarity. Ketosis is the primary goal of the keto diet plan. We achieve it by severely limiting carbohydrate intake, not calories, but calories are often restricted as a byproduct. In the absence of carbs, the body switches to burning fat for fuel. Signs of ketosis include increased energy and focus, decreased appetite, and changes in smell of breath or urine. You can test yourself for ketosis using ketone test strips (use code WHOLESOME for 15% off!), or a blood monitor if you want to be super accurate (not usually necessary). Recently, many of my patients have been asking about a ketogenic diet. Is a ketogenic diet safe? Would you recommend it? Despite the recent hype, a ketogenic diet is not something new. In medicine, we have been using it for almost 100 years to treat drug-resistant epilepsy, especially in children. In the 1970s, Dr. Atkins popularized his very-low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss that began with a very strict two-week ketogenic phase. Over the years, other fad diets incorporated a similar approach for weight loss. What is a ketogenic (keto) diet? In essence, it is a diet that causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Most cells prefer to use blood sugar, which comes from carbohydrates, as the body’s main source of energy. In the absence of circulating blood sugar from food, we start breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies (the process is called ketosis). Once you reach ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until we start eating carbohydrates again. Staples of the keto diet are fish, meat, eggs, dairy, oils, and green vegetables. Pasta, rice and other grains, potatoes, and fruits are strictly prohibited. Keto works by changing the way the body turns food into energy. Typically, during digestion, we break down carbohydrates - like those found in the verboten foods above - into molecules of fructose, galactose, and glucose, the last of which serves as the body’s primary source of energy. When the body can’t draw it from carbohydrates - either because they’ve been cut out of the diet or because a person hasn’t eaten for a long time - it looks for other forms of energy. The keto diet deliberately places the body in a state of ketosis, where fat is released from cells and turned into ketones, the body’s plan B for energy production. Where did the keto diet start? The keto diet is most assuredly not a fad, at least not in the usual sense of the word. Just because the ketogenic diet is trendy doesn't mean everyone needs to-or should-hop on the bandwagon. There are other dietary patterns that are shown to promote health and a healthy weight, including Mediterranean and vegetarian dietary patterns. So, if someone chooses the ketogenic diet, should they approach it with the intention of following it long term? The reality is that many people who attempt the ketogenic diet cycle in and out of it-it ranked second-to-last on U.S. Because the diet can have health benefits for some individuals, Ayesta thinks training and certification should be options for dietitians. Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, CD, is the nutrition columnist for The Seattle Times, owner of Nutrition By Carrie, and author of Healthy For Your Life: A Holistic Guide to Optimal Wellness. 1. Abbasi J. Interest in the ketogenic diet grows for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. 2. Brouns F. Overweight and diabetes prevention: is a low-carbohydrate - high-fat diet recommendable? Eur J Nutr.

To date, there is no research examining the benefits or risks of a vegan keto diet. However, several studies have separately explored the effects of a vegan diet and those of a keto diet. A 2014 randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a vegan Atkins diet (or eco-Atkins diet). The Atkins diet is similar to a keto diet, as they both restrict carbohydrate intake and cause ketosis. In the 6 month study, participants ate either a low carbohydrate vegan diet or a high carbohydrate vegetarian diet, which included eggs and dairy. These diets comprised 26% and 58% of energy from carbohydrates, 31% and 16% from protein, and 43% and 25% from fat, respectively. This finding indicates that very low carb vegan diets may improve the risk factors for heart disease. Learn more about the difference between the keto diet and the Atkins diet here. Other possible benefits of a vegan diet include a reduced risk of diabetes and some cancers. Diets have been at the center of animated debates for decades and many claims have been made in one direction or the other by supporters of opposite camps, often with limited evidence. At times emphasis has been put on a single new aspect that the previous diets had overlooked and the new one was to embrace in order to improve weight loss and well-being. Unfortunately, very few randomized clinical trials involving diets have addressed the combined question of weight loss and cardiovascular outcomes. The recently introduced ketogenic diet requires a rigorous limitation of carbohydrates while allowing a liberal ingestion of fats (including saturated fats) and has generated a flurry of interest with many taking the pro position and as many taking the cons position. The ketogenic diet causes a rapid and sensible weight loss along with favourable biomarker changes, such as a reduction in serum hemoglobin A1c in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. However, it also causes a substantial rise in low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and many physicians are therefore hesitant to endorse it. In view of the popular uptake of the keto diet even among subjects not in need of weight loss, there is some preoccupation with the potential long-term consequences of a wide embrace of this diet by large segments of the population. On the contrary, numerous lines of evidence show that plant-based diets are associated with reduction in oncological and cardiovascular diseases and a prolonged life span. The debate reproduced in this article took place during a continuous medical education program between two cardiologists with largely differing views on the matter of effectiveness, sustainability, and safety of the ketogenic diet compared to alternative options.|Though it sounds simple enough, the process involves many biological modifications and it may take a few weeks for these changes to occur. You’ll lose weight during this process - initially mostly water weight - as your body depletes its remaining carbohydrate stores (known as glycogen) and makes this adaptation. The main challenge keto dieters face is the extreme carb limit, which is capped at about 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily calorie intake, or around 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, depending on your individual calorie level. This amount of carbs is less than the amount in a large banana and given that even non-starchy foods, like nuts and broccoli, contain some carbohydrate, you’ll reach the cap easily. That means doughy foods, like pizza, pasta and bagels, as well as sweets, are strictly off limits. That’s why keto cycling is so appealing. Though it has no official definition and there’s no actual science to back up its effectiveness, many people take it to mean following the keto diet for five or six days and then following a higher carb menu for a day or two. “Both alcoholic ketoacidosis and diabetic ketoacidosis create medical emergencies due to the rapid change in the body’s acid-base balance,” Dr. Gonzalez-Campoy says. Common complications of diabetic ketoacidosis include very low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, and swelling of the brain (cerebral edema). As such, when a person is in ketoacidosis, there is such a high level of ketones produced that can push a person into cardiac arrest (heart attack) or kidney failure. Hence, the very important reason for taking occasional keto breaks go give your body a bit more nourishing carbs. The ketogenic diet was originally formulated by doctors to help treat people with epilepsy, and it was found especially effective in children who didn’t respond to medication.1,2 Indeed, the keto diet has been found to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures, which are common complications of this condition. This high fat/low carb diet may also help improve certain other neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease,3 according to the Epilepsy Foundation. And ketosis, the process by which the body uses those fuels, is essential for survival. Here’s how it works: The body-even that of a very lean athlete- stores about 40,000 calories of fat compared with just 2,000 calories of the carbohydrate glycogen. When those carbs have been depleted, the body taps its fat stores for energy. The same is true for athletes who “bonk” during exercise-it’s because they’ve used up all their stored carbs. To go on, they must either eat more carbs (to burn as sugar) or start burning fat. When marathoners break through the so-called “wall” late in a race, they’ve begun to burn fat. Thanks to Noakes and other Keto Diet supporters, a growing number of athletes today prefer to be in that state at all times. Once they make the switch, they say, not only are their race results and game-day performances better, they report sustained energy, better moods, and clearer thinking.|Pure alcohol products like rum, vodka, gin, tequila and whiskey all contain no carbs. In addition, light beer and wine can be relatively low in carbs. Keto-friendly mixers are just as important as the alcohol itself. Watch out for common mixers like juice, soda, sweeteners and energy drinks - they can quickly turn a carb-free drink into a high-calorie carb bomb. Instead, opt for low-carb mixers like diet soda, sugar-free tonic water, seltzer or powdered flavor packets. These mixers can keep your carb intake low while boosting your beverage’s taste. Low-carb mixers like seltzer, sugar-free tonic water, diet soda and powdered flavor packets can keep your drink’s carb content minimal. Many alcoholic beverages are loaded with carbs, some varieties packing over 30 grams in a single serving. For example, cocktails and mixed drinks usually rely on high-carb, sugary ingredients like juice, soda, sweeteners or syrups. Meanwhile, regular beer is produced from starch and can contain upwards of 12 grams of carbs in just one can. Regular beer, cocktails and mixed drinks are often high in carbs, loading 10-32 grams per serving. These are best avoided if you’re on a keto diet. This will determine the nutrient density of the ketogenic diet as well as how to follow it, as different foods will have different effects on insulin and blood sugar levels. There are a number of different types of ketogenic diet with variations in the level of carbohydrates and protein allowed in the diet and/or the amount of time someone is looking to spend in ketosis. Note that some of the types of ketogenic have been designed specifically for people that are athletes or are otherwise working out very hard and often. Ketone bodies produced from burning fat for fuel have been shown to have potent weight loss effects, help lower blood glucose levels and reduce people’s reliance on diabetes medication. In addition to that, there has been a lot of interest in therapeutic ketosis for other long-term conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Do I need to measure ketones? Significant weight loss and blood glucose control benefits can be derived from even a mild state of ketosis. There are a few methods you can use to measure the levels of ketones in your blood, urine or breath - each having their pros and cons. With every change in the diet comes an adaptation period. With a ketogenic diet, the adaption is significant as the body has to switch its fuel source from glucose to fat. When this happens, it is not uncommon to experience a collection of side effects called ‘keto-flu’. This usually goes away within about four weeks.

The average person doesn’t fully understand what ketosis really means, or that it’s necessary to measure blood levels of ketones. The mere presence of a few ketones doesn’t make one in ketosis. And peeing on a stick isn’t the way to measure blood levels of ketones, because simply spilling a few ketones in urine isn’t indicative of ketosis. After all, we all produce ketones after a certain period of not eating. That doesn’t mean that our body is magically shifting gears and the ketones are changing how we’re oxidizing all the food in our bodies. The ketogenic diet’s extreme restriction of carbohydrates contributes to micronutrient deficiencies and impacts gut health. Ketogenic diets don’t just eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates; they also cut out pulses, whole grains, fruit, and starchy vegetables. All of these foods contribute vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber which include prebiotic fiber that promotes a healthy gut microbiota.|“I don’t recommend staying on the keto diet permanently. It can be really restrictive,” says Mancinelli. Long-term research on the keto diet is limited, so there’s no telling for sure what cutting out certain major food groups and cutting carbs will eventually do to your body. Registered dietitians warn that nutrient deficiencies may be possible if you’re on it for too long. Stick to the keto diet for three to six months max, says Mancinelli, noting that some people opt to cycle in and out of the diet throughout the year. Because it’s not a forever diet, there will be life after keto. But even when you go off it, you can expect that your taste preferences will have changed. “You likely won’t want as many carbs, and things will taste extremely sweet,” she says. That’s good, because the last thing you want to do is go back to your old eating habits and regain weight that you lost. While everyone’s nutrition requirements differ, generally, you may eat 40 to 45 percent fat and stick to 120 to 150 g of carbs per day to help you keep the weight off, she says. That said, the US News report noted that the long-term weight loss effects of keto aren’t clear. What is the keto diet? How does keto work? Does the ketogenic diet work? What do you eat on the keto diet? Are there any ketogenic diet side effects? Is keto like other low-carb diets? How can I start the keto diet? What is the keto diet? The keto diet, also known as the ketogenic diet, is a low-carb, high-fat and moderate-protein diet. The goal of the keto diet is to shift in to a nutritional state called ketosis - where your body changes from using carbohydrates to fat to fuel weight loss. How does keto work? The ketogenic (keto) diet works by starving the body of carbohydrates. When only fat is available, your liver uses fat as an alternative fuel and turns fatty acids in to ketones. These ketones are then used by your body and brain for clean, effective energy that keeps you full - without slowing you down.|Are beans keto at all? What are some ways you can (or can’t) incorporate them? All of these inquiries are totally understandable, especially considering there is a plethora of conflicting nutrition information out there on the Internet. For answers to all of these questions and more-all according to RDs-keep reading. Tell me: Can you eat beans on a low-carb diet like keto? “Beans are a powerhouse in terms of nutrition,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, author of My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian Recipes. So, even though they’re pretty darn good for you in general, can you eat beans on a daily basis when you’re doing a low-carb diet? Well, technically yes, but it’s hard. “Incorporating beans into a low-carb, high-fat keto diet could be challenging,” Sheth explains. Why? Well, while you can have them, technically, they will take up a significant portion of your allowed carb intake on the diet. “Success doesn’t happen overnight, and I know that working hard will eventually get me to my goals,” says Lele. And when it comes to finding motivation, being a mother certainly helps: “My son helps me stay on track. I need to get healthier for my son to make sure I’m always here for him,” she says. “Definitely try to stick with a ‘whole foods’ concept on keto,” says Lele. “Try your best to avoid convenience food. I understand that life can be busy, and that a protein bar or processed food is really tempting at first. Lele says that it’s important to remember that, while keto is a “high fat” diet, the goal is to use your body fat as an energy source, not the fat that’s on your plate. “You don’t need to necessarily add more fats to your diet to adhere to keto. For instance, if your dinner consists of avocado, bacon, and eggs, you really don’t need to add butter to that to make it ‘more keto’,” she says.|“A well-formulated keto diet includes all the food groups and therefore provides adequate intake of micronutrients,” says Dr. Goss. She adds that the research supports the safety and effectiveness of following a keto diet even in older adults with obesity as it seems to help improve body composition and improve metabolic health.6 “We saw significant reduction in body fat while lean mass was preserved and significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and the lipid profile in response to a ketogenic diet when compared to a standard ‘balanced’ diet,” Dr. Goss explains. Anyone who takes medications for diabetes or hypertension should consult with a physician before starting on the keto diet, she adds. And it is not for everyone: Individuals who are dependent on insulin (those with type 1 diabetes) should never follow the keto diet, says Dr. Goss. Additionally, since ketosis can be harmful to a fetus, the keto diet should be avoided during pregnancy. “Also, ketones are harmful to patients who cannot correct the metabolic acidosis caused by them, ie, those with liver, kidney, or pulmonary disease,” Dr. Gonzalez-Campos adds. If you decide to follow the diet, you’ll want to have an individualized meal plan, stresses Dr. Gonzalez-Campos. “The best possible clinical outcome is for each individual to meet her nutritional needs from well-balanced meals,” he says.

A standard American diet, for comparison, looks more like 50% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 35% fat. And this is where the ketogenic diet gets intimidating. You see how much fat you have to eat (and how few carbs you get to eat) and worry about what you’ll eat at your meals and avoid trying it. Or, you try it for a few days with all of the calorie counting, then give up because it takes way too much mental energy. But it doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. After doing it for six weeks now and tracking almost everything I’ve eaten, as well as my ketone levels, I’ve come up with a few simple rules that have worked for adhering to a ketogenic diet without the headache. This one is pretty self explanatory. You can’t have any foods that would be considered carbs, except vegetables and avocados. 25g per day allowance, but that will get used up by the one or two grams of carbohydrates in everything else you eat during the day. “We know that these endothelial microparticles are elevated in conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, which is why we were interested in measuring them,” he explains. Besides the potential for blood vessel inflammation, Little also cautions that the metabolic adaptations your body experiences on the keto diet means that you’re relatively glucose intolerant, so a meal (or day) of high carb eating might not be the best plan. “When you adapt to a ketogenic diet, you become a proficient fat burner and this occurs at the expense of carbohydrate metabolism. It probably isn’t the best thing for your metabolism to throw carbohydrates (especially high glycemic index carbs in high amounts - such as a glucose tolerance test drink that we used or a big 'cheat meal') into the mix if you are on a ketogenic diet,” he says. Devine agrees and shares concerns about the long-term risks of this approach. “The benefits from a ketogenic diet are a one-way street,” she says. The keto diet is being studied for mitigating symptoms for patients with progressive neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease, but scientific research has not confirmed benefits for these populations. Because of the stringent food restrictions, many find the keto diet hard to stick to. “The ketogenic diet can be effective for weight loss when used in a short time period followed by the adoption of healthier eating habits,” says Cardiologist Kameswari Maganti, MD,Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. Ketosis is difficult to achieve because it’s like a light switch: either on or off. Individuals who consistently track food intake are more likely to remain in ketosis. But the only way to tell if your body is in ketosis is a blood test. “Because the keto diet is so restricted, you’re not receiving the nutrients - vitamins, minerals, fibers - that you get from fresh fruits, legumes, vegetables and whole grains,” says Dr. Ring. Due to these deficiencies, people also report feeling foggy and tired. There’s a question making the rounds on the internet that has a spectrum of answers: Is the keto diet healthy? The truth is, while the little-to-no carb, high-fat diet can dramatically help shed pounds, there haven’t been any long-term, randomized clinical studies to help determine the long-term effects on the body. Most studies to date are smaller scale, and they’re filled with both positives and negatives. Some suggest it improves blood sugar in diabetics and lessens cardiovascular risk factors, like obesity. Others report spikes in “bad” cholesterol, heart problems, and hypoglycemia. To add to the uncertainty, its effectiveness as a weight loss treatment hasn’t even been clinically proven, experts have said. What’s left is anecdotal evidence and people from all corners of the web - including physicians, nutritionists, and celebrities - raving or ranting about it. “I am open-minded when patients come to us with diets or nutritional trends, especially because I appreciate that they have taken an interest in their health,” said Neel Chokshi, MD, MBA, an associate professor of clinical medicine and medical director of the Sports Cardiology and Fitness Program at Penn Medicine. Caffeine is fine for most people-just don’t go pouring in sugar or milk; the same goes for tea and nut milk. Lower-carb alcohol in moderation is OK, especially if you’re at the point where you’re just trying to maintain weight. Soft drinks, fruit juices, sweet wines, craft beers, and flavored liquor are filled with way too much sugar and/or carbs to be allowed if you’re serious about keto. Some people will drink diet, or “zero,” soft drinks, but avoid them if you can because the citric acid and aspartame often found in them may derail your trip to ketosis. Sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, and xylitol can be made a part of your keto diet, but try to buy only the pure versions, as the powdered products usually have a small amount of sugar added as a bulking agent. Inulin is a sweet and starchy plant fiber that helps regulate blood sugar. Monk fruit powder is 300 times sweeter than sugar and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like stevia. 70% cocoa dark chocolate and cocoa powder are packed with antioxidants. Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and agave nectar need to be ditched. Even if honey and agave are healthy whole foods, sugar is still sugar and will bump you out of ketosis. When the body’s glucose level is reduced due to the diet’s low carbohydrate content, the body acts as if it is in a starvation state - although it is not - and begins burning fats instead of carbohydrates. This process in turn yields chemicals called ketone bodies as an alternative source of fuel. When the body burns ketone bodies, tissue-protective gamma delta T-cells expand throughout the body. This reduces diabetes risk and inflammation, and improves the body’s metabolism, said Dixit, the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Comparative Medicine and of Immunobiology. After a week on the keto diet, he said, mice show a reduction in blood sugar levels and inflammation. But when the body is in this “starving-not-starving” mode, fat storage is also happening simultaneously with fat breakdown, the researchers found. When mice continue to eat the high-fat, low-carb diet beyond one week, Dixit said, they consume more fat than they can burn, and develop diabetes and obesity. “They lose the protective gamma delta T-cells in the fat,” he said. Long-term clinical studies in humans are still necessary to validate the anecdotal claims of keto’s health benefits. “Before such a diet can be prescribed, a large clinical trial in controlled conditions is necessary to understand the mechanism behind metabolic and immunological benefits or any potential harm to individuals who are overweight and pre-diabetic,” Dixit said. There are good reasons to pursue further study: According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 84 million American adults - or more than one out of three - have prediabetes (increased blood sugar levels), putting them at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. More than 90% of people with this condition don’t know they have it. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are lifestyle diseases. Diet allows people a way to be in control.