In the world of weight loss diets, eating plans that are low in carbohydrates and high in protein tend to garner the most attention. The Paleo diet, the South Beach diet, and the Atkins diet are all examples of diets that fall into this category. In some circles, these kinds of diets are also known as ketogenic or "keto" diets.
But a true ketogenic diet is different. In contrast to other low-carb diets, which emphasize protein, the ketogenic diet emphasizes fat, which can provide as much as 90 percent of the day's calorie intake. In addition, it is not the kind of diet that one should try out as an experiment.
How does the keto diet work?
The following is a simple overview of keto: The diet is designed to coerce your body into using a different kind of fuel than it is accustomed to. Ketone bodies are a form of fuel that the liver makes from stored fat. Instead of relying on sugar (glucose), which comes from carbohydrates (such as grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits), the keto diet relies on ketone bodies. The liver produces ketone bodies.
It would seem that the most effective technique to lose weight would be to burn fat. But it can be difficult to coax the liver into producing ketone bodies:
- You must abstain from carbohydrates, consuming no more than 20 to 50 grams of carbs daily (keep in mind that a medium-sized banana has about 27 grams of carbs).
- In most people, entering a state of ketosis takes a few days of strict adherence to the ketogenic diet.
- Consuming an excessive amount of protein may impede the process of ketosis.
Weight Loss
In the first three to six months of following the diet, you may experience more weight loss success with the ketogenic diet than with other diets. It's possible that this is due to the fact that converting fat into energy requires a greater number of calories than converting carbohydrates into energy. It's also likely that eating a diet that's high in fat and protein can make you feel fuller for longer, leading to decreased hunger between meals; however, this theory hasn't been verified yet.
Cancer
Ketogenic diets cause you to use this fuel more quickly, eliminating the need to store any surplus. Because of this, your body has a lower requirement for insulin and produces less of it. These lower levels might help protect you from certain types of cancer or even slow down the growth of cancer cells if they already exist in your body.
Heart Disease
Ketogenic diets are associated with higher levels of "good" cholesterol and lower levels of "bad" cholesterol, which appears counterintuitive given that these diets call for increased fat consumption. It's possible this is due to the decreased amounts of insulin from following these diets. This indicates that you have a lower risk of developing heart diseases such as high blood pressure, hardening arteries, heart failure, and other heart-related conditions.
Acne
Since carbohydrates have been related to this skin problem, reducing the number of carbohydrates in one's diet may be helpful. In addition, the reduction in insulin that a ketogenic diet can bring on might also assist in preventing acne breakouts. (Your body's production of other hormones that are responsible for breakouts may be triggered by insulin.)