SHOULD YOU TRY THE KETOGENIC DIET?

Doctors and researchers have investigated the potential benefits of ketogenic diets for decades. The ketogenic diet has also proven as a successful short-term effect on weight loss. So what is a ketogenic diet, and what does it impact our body?

What is the ketogenic diet?

The term "ketogenic diet" generally refers to a diet that is very low in carbohydrates, modest in protein, and high in fat. The dietary macronutrients are divided into approximately 55% to 60% fat, 30% to 35% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. Specifically, in a 2000 kcal per day diet, carbohydrates amount to 20 to 50 g/day. This mix of fuels aims to induce ketosis or the production of ketone bodies that serve as an alternate energy source for neurons and other cell types that cannot directly metabolize fatty acids. Urinary ketone levels are often used as an indicator of dietary adherence. 

Before you embark on the keto diet, it's essential to understand what does and doesn't count as keto diet foods and whether you're a good candidate for the diet. The keto diet may be particularly helpful for people who need to lose weight or get their blood sugar under control — especially if they've tried and failed other diets or eating styles due to hunger. So what exactly can you eat on a ketogenic diet? Here's what you should know.

What foods are allowed?

The biggest question most people have about the keto diet: How does eating beef, pork, butter and cheese all day lead you to lose weight? The keto diet is about changing the way your body processes food, which means consuming more fat and fewer carbs than the average person. Those who follow the ketogenic diet feel that it drastically reduces their appetite, making it easier to stick with the calorie restriction that promotes weight loss.

Fig 1. Ketogenic diet pyramid

Following a ketogenic diet, you should eat more fat and protein while reducing carbohydrate consumption. According to Fig 1, we can see that beer is not allowed in the ketogenic diet. Regular beer, cocktails and mixed drinks are often high in carbs. Total carbohydrate content of lager and ale beers range between 10–30 and 15–60 g/l, respectively. which may take your body out of ketosis and is not adequate for your diet. Wine and vodka can be good options if you want to drink alcoholic beverages. Wine is much lower in carbs than beer, whiskey, and vodka contains zero carbs. 

Fruits offer essential nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, which are an important part of a person's diet. But if you are following a ketogenic diet, avoid eating large quantities of fruit to achieve or maintain ketosis. Most fruit has too much sugar for keto. Guava, banana and mangoes are equally high in carbohydrates. According to USDA, a Banana contains 22.8 grams of carbohydrates in each serving. But don't worry, there are other options to substitute your daily fruit needed. Whereas most fruits primarily contain carbs, avocados are high in fats. Avocados are about 66.2% fat by calories, making them even higher in fat than most animal foods.

What is the health effect of a ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet has some health benefits for our body; It significantly reduces the body weight and body mass index of the patients. Furthermore, it decreased the level of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose and increased the level of HDL cholesterol.

The evidence also suggests that eating a high-fat diet improves lipid profiles by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and lowering triglycerides (TG). According to research, people on a ketogenic diet initially experience rapid weight loss, up to 10 lbs in 2 weeks or less. 

Is the ketogenic diet safe?

According to research published at PubMed.gov, ketogenic diet does not appear to have significant safety concerns for the general public. It can be considered a first-line approach for obesity and diabetes. Chronic ketosis might confer unique metabolic benefits relevant to cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, and other diseases associated with insulin resistance. Based on available evidence, a well-formulated 

What is the side effect of the ketogenic diet?

Very-low-carbohydrate diets may lack vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Low-carbohydrate diets are often low in thiamin, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. 

For adults following the ketogenic diet, the most common complications include nutrient deficiency, weight loss, constipation and increased cholesterol levels. Women may also experience amenorrhea or other disruptions to the menstrual cycle. The most common and relatively minor short-term side effects of the ketogenic diet include a collection of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, difficulty in exercise tolerance, and constipation, sometimes referred to as keto flu. The short-term effects (up to 2 years) of the ketogenic diet are well reported and established. However, the long-term health implications are not well known due to limited literature.