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A Beginner’s Guide to the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in recent years because of the many benefits that it offers to those who adhere to it. However, the keto diet is not new – it can be traced back to 1993 when it was introduced by the Mayo clinic to manage epilepsy.

Ketogenic is a diet rich in fats, very low in carbohydrates, and moderate in proteins. This is contrary to the recommended distribution of macronutrients of between 20-35 percent proteins, 45-65 percent carbohydrates, and between 10-35 percent fat.

The most important aspect of the Keto diet is a process referred to as Ketosis. Essentially, your body runs perfectly well on glucose. Glucose is normally produced when carbohydrates are broken down by the body.

But when carbohydrates are cut down or you fail to eat for a considerable period, the body starts exploring other sources of energy to fill the gap. Fat is normally the next alternative source of energy for the body. Fat is often released and directed to the liver when your blood sugar goes down.

Some of the foods to eat on a keto diet include:

•    Meat

•    Butter

•    Fish

•    Cheese

•    Nuts

•    Oils

•    Low-carb green vegetables

•    Avocados

•    Heavy cream

What happens when a person is on ketosis?

If you decide to start adhering to the rules of a keto diet, you will probably be anxious to see the signs after a few weeks or months.

First and foremost, many people are able to know when they are on a keto diet just from their breathing. And the breath isn’t that pleasant – you will have to do a lot of flossing and brushing.

Why the unpleasant breath?

Considering the fact that acetone is one of the by-products of ketosis, and is not useful to the body, it is usually excreted through your breath, urine, or sweat. That explains why your breath may not be that fresh while on a keto diet.

However, the use of ketone detection strips is the most accurate way to follow your progress. The strips always come with a color guide meant to help you detect the levels of ketones in the urine. If it is a positive ketosis test, then you can expect it to change from neutral beige to a shade red.

Nonetheless, you should opt for a keto diet if you are planning to go hard on fats. Try to seek medical and nutritional advice in case you are not sure of anything.

What are the benefits of the keto diet?

1.    Weight loss

This is probably one of the major reasons why many people opt to jump on the keto bandwagon. The keto diet is all about making your body a fat-burning machine. Decreasing the levels of insulin by replacing carbs with fats prevents your body from storing any more fats but burn them instead.

2.    Mental focus

Ketones are a great source of energy for the brain. This is also a big plus for anyone following the keto diet. You will notice increased levels of concentration while on a keto diet.

3.    Controls diabetes and blood sugar

The ketogenic diet has been proved to be one of the best ways of controlling blood sugar and Type 2 diabetes. It lowers your blood sugar levels and can also help improve insulin sensitivity. If you have type 2 diabetes, then the keto diet can come in handy as far as managing the condition is concerned.

4.    Cholesterol and blood sugar

Various researches have proved that ketogenic diets can significantly improve Triglyceride levels as well as the levels of LDL cholesterol related to arterial build up.

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Alex

Alex is the co-author of 100 Greatest Plays, 100 Greatest Cricketers, 100 Greatest Films and 100 Greatest Moments. He has written for a wide variety of publications including The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Telegraph.

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