The ketogenic diet or keto diet has been practiced for more than nine decades (since the 1920s) and is based upon a solid understanding of physiology and nutrition science.
A keto diet is a popular name for the ketogenic diet, which is a high-fat + adequate-protein + low-carb diet. In essence, it is a diet that causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Because it lacks carbohydrates, a ketogenic diet is rich in proteins and fats. It typically includes plenty of meats, eggs, processed meats, sausages, cheeses, fish, nuts, butter, oils, seeds, and fibrous vegetables.
Understanding Ketosis
Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when dietary carbohydrates are in such low quantities that your body must rely almost exclusively on fatty acid oxidation and ketone metabolism to produce ATP. The keto diet works for such a high percentage of people because it targets several keys, underlying causes of weight gain – including hormonal imbalances, especially insulin resistance coupled with high blood sugar levels.
How it assists in weight loss
The ketogenic, low-carb diet takes an entirely different approach to weight loss and health improvements and it works because it changes the very “fuel source” that the body uses to stay energized. It takes more work to turn fat into energy than it takes to turn carbs into energy and because of this; a ketogenic diet can help speed up weight loss. And since the diet is high in protein, it doesn’t leave you hungry like other diets do.
The plus side
Studies suggest that the keto diet offers neuroprotective benefits with reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s and slowing down the disease’s progression. It is also known to lower the risk of cancer. Cells (including cancer cells) use glucose as fuel. However, cancer cells do not have metabolic flexibility and cannot adapt to using ketones as energy, which your regular cells can. Once your body enters a state of nutritional ketosis, the cancer cells starve to death.
How to adapt to the Keto diet
There are several variations of the ketogenic diet based on specific needs like Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD), Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD), Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD), High-Protein Ketogenic Diet, and restricted Ketogenic Diet. In short, any food that is high in carbs like Sugary foods, Grains or starches, Fruit, Beans or legumes, Root vegetables, and tubers, Low-fat or diet products, Some condiments or sauces, Unhealthy fat, Alcohol, Sugar-free diet foods should be limited.
Additionally, to the point of this article, the ketogenic diet allows us to live for long periods of time on virtually no carbohydrate intake. Thus, we can live with insulin levels much lower than normal.
