Throughout its history, civilized mankind has tried to improve the quality of life, and nutrition is the basis of this. Numerous diets and fasting systems are proof of this. They are given beautiful names, among them there are understandable ones with a familiar set of products, but there are many unusual names with an exotic focus.
Recently, the keto diet, ketogenic diet (ketone diet) or low-carbohydrate diet with a high proportion of fats in the diet is gaining more and more popularity. It means a sharp reduction in carbohydrate foods and an increase in the proportion of mostly fatty foods and moderate protein intake. As a result of keto nutrition, fatty acids are broken down into ketone bodies, which nourish all organs, including the brain, in conditions of glucose deficiency.
Until recently, athletes turned to the ketogenic diet to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat to zero. However, a carbohydrate-free diet has been characteristic of mankind since the beginning of its history. Physiologically, we are all hunters and gatherers.
The human brain has evolved due to the consumption of large amounts of fat throughout evolutionary history. Ancient people ate only animal foods, which contained only proteins and fats. According to scientists, during the relatively short time of its existence, the modern human body did not have time to adapt to a carbohydrate-containing diet, moreover, which is the diet of raw foodists.
It is quite reasonable to conclude that with the emergence of carbohydrate nutrition, a process opposite to the development of human intelligence is inevitable. To understand the keto diet in more detail, you need to learn some basic concepts about this topic, which will help you find the answer to the question: what is the keto diet.
What is the keto diet, its concept, definition
Recently, there has been a lot of information about the ketogenic diet. Authors interpret the essence of the keto system in their own way, pursue different goals, but the essence of keto does not change. Let's start simple.
Keto eats certain foods in certain combinations to make the body run on ketones. Ketones are produced when the body burns fat. They are alternative fuels. This fuel is the most convenient for the human body, because the amount of "waste" is significantly reduced, such fuel is the most efficient.
If we make an analogy with car fuel, then carbohydrate foods are the cheapest fuels with a large amount of impurities, while carbohydrate-free or low-carb foods are euro fuel, premium fuel for our bodies, since they have no by-products. "tasty" impurities, keto fuel is the most effective for the living organism.
One of the main benefits of the keto diet is the lack of hunger and cravings for certain foods. You can easily stay on this diet for a long time. It is not only efficient, but also comfortable and pleasant.
Over 90% of diets fail. They cannot be followed all the time. Carbohydrate cravings and hunger do their work. Too many temptations lead to disruption and disastrous consequences. The lost weight returns and often brings friends with them - new kilograms.
There is no unpleasant feeling like hunger on keto. Yes, you can enter a state of ketosis while fasting, but why not if there is a great way to achieve this without restricting yourself from food. Keto diet does not harm the body like fasting.
By consuming a ketogenic diet, the body continues to receive all the necessary substances and does not feel hungry. At the same time, the process of breaking down fats begins - the body enters a state of ketosis, that is, it begins to produce ketones due to the reduction of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are not completely excluded from the diet (the exception is the period of entry into ketosis, it is recommended to completely exclude carbohydrates). They should be in the diet, but their protein and fat ratio should be controlled. The less carbs, the deeper the ketosis.
A ketogenic diet is a fat-burning diet. Many people want to lose weight and reduce volume. For those serious about their body condition, keto is a magic pill that's easy and enjoyable to swallow.
Many people think that eating too much fat is bad. But if you significantly reduce the amount of carbohydrates, then there is no danger in consuming fat. Because when entering ketosis, the body simply switches from sugar to fat. It takes 2 to 3 days over time. And to achieve this, you need to drastically reduce the amount of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are completely excluded for a more effective entry into ketosis. Such a restructuring in nutrition forces the body to look for other sources of energy. And such a source is oil reserves that have been carefully accumulated over many years.
With low-calorie diets, weight loss occurs due to the loss of water reserves. This can last a week, two weeks. Euphoria is coming - it worked! Weight loss continues! But at the end of the diet, the water weight returns. The meaning of such diets is reduced to zero, if not worse, the weight returns and brings extra kilograms with soda. The fat burning process has not started. Water loss and fat loss are completely different things.
If you use physical exercises to lose weight, it gives only 15% of the result, which means that it is very insignificant compared to a proper keto diet. Also, constant hunger and cravings for any food do not allow you to stick to a low-calorie diet, at least for a while.
98% of such diets end in failure, explaining the lack of willpower. When you eat carbohydrate foods, your blood sugar levels decrease due to an increase in insulin, which suppresses blood sugar. With low blood sugar, there is a feeling of constant hunger and irritability.
When following a keto or ketogenic diet, real fat will be burned. Water weight will also decrease, but the main goal of burning body fat will be achieved. And the less carbohydrates you eat, the more efficient the fat burning process will be. The feeling of hunger and the desire to eat will disappear. Due to these circumstances, you can stay on this diet for quite a long time.
Any restructuring of the body causes unpleasant symptoms. Vitamins and electrolytes should be used to prevent transient symptoms.
Along with a number of negative side effects of the keto diet, there are also positive ones:
- Improving memory;
- Energy increase;
- Intelligence increases;
- The mood is improving.
Because ketones are the best brain food. As a result, inflammation and pain or tension, if any, disappear. Keto leads to an improvement in the condition of the skin, the rash, if any, disappears.
A comparison of low-calorie low-fat diets with keto shows significant benefits of keto over other diets.
Why you should use keto nutrition
Everyone who turns to the ketogenic diet has a specific goal. And the goals can be different. These can be both aesthetic needs and a desire to improve one's health or at least improve the condition caused by a certain disease.
Often, switching to a keto diet is associated with a desire to lose weight and volume. This is the most obvious result of the keto diet. Success is guaranteed under strict system requirements. The goal is easily and happily achieved. The inevitability of positive results for losing weight is proven by a large number of positive reviews.
Once people understand how a low-carb diet works, they try to stick to keto later in life. A proper understanding of ketosis gives confidence in their actions.
However, in addition to the aesthetic result, the main goal for many is the solution to health problems. After all, the purpose of being in ketosis is to lower and normalize insulin levels.
About 80% of the world's population has problems with insulin - insulin resistance, that is, a violation of the absorption of insulin by receptors. As a result of such a failure, the body is forced to produce more and more insulin to compensate for its deficiency. This causes many health problems.
Increased carbohydrate intake leads to increased insulin production, resulting in insulin resistance. The average person with insulin resistance (prediabetes) produces 7 times more insulin than the body needs. Excess insulin causes diabetes, metabolic disorders, obesity, and high cholesterol.
The brain can burn glucose, but fats feed the brain better. The human brain is more comfortable burning fat. This state is ketosis. To achieve this state, you need to follow a categorical diet - low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Moderate ketosis is a state to strive for.
Ketone bodies in the body come from fats. You can't get them from sugar and carbohydrates. Ketone bodies are used to fuel the brain and fatty acids are used to fuel the muscles.
Insulin levels in the blood of Alzheimer's patients are known to rise.
Heart and blood vessel problems are also a result of insulin resistance. As a result, it is vasoconstriction due to the appearance of cholesterol plaques, the formation of blood clots, calcium deposition, which can lead to a heart attack or even a stroke.
As a result of insulin resistance - depression, anxiety, deterioration of emotional mood. The most serious consequences are fatty liver and cancer, because cancer cells feed on sugar.
From the material above, you can identify the entire list of reasons in favor of the ketogenic diet. The bulk of the population will find motivational factors telling them why they should go keto.
Who is on the keto diet?
Despite being a relatively young direction in the world of nutrition, keto nutrition has a large number of supporters who have solid experience in using this nutritional system. The ketogenic diet has proven itself positively not only among those who want to lose weight, but also among diabetics, whose lipid profile tends to be ideal and insulin levels fall to normal. The experience of American doctors is known all over the world.
And another interesting theory. When taking medicine, there is an effect on a certain organ in the human body. When the nutritional system is changed to keto, the brain, pancreas, liver and other organs are beneficially affected. And this fact already has a very solid and reliable foundation.
By regularly conducting the necessary tests and monitoring them, increasing the proportion of fat in the diet of the therapeutic nutrition system, moderate consumption of protein foods and practically eliminating carbohydrate foods, make sure for those who suffer from this disease. the above diseases are selected correctly.
Ketogenic diet is not limited by age among those who want to lose weight or improve their health. This diet is suitable for both athletes and non-athletes, young and old.
Pregnant women use the keto diet successfully. There are no contraindications for a low-carbohydrate diet during breastfeeding.
The results will not be long in coming. You just need to start eating right, listen to your body and follow the instructions for beginners that can be found in this resource.
And if the keto diet is used to lose weight, this process will be pleasant and effective.
Reasons to switch to keto
The first, and perhaps the most important for someone, is to get rid of food addiction, overeating, cravings for certain food groups: sweets, starchy foods. Many people have an irresistible craving for sweets. Who has not been given sweets as a reward since childhood, cakes, cookies, sweets are given for the festive table in almost all families?
The presence of sugar on the daily table has already become familiar. It so happened that the best moments are related to sweets.
The amount of sweet foods in children's diet sometimes does not scare adults. "Little ones love candy. "And they associate it with a child's subtle acceptance of the flavor. The child does not have much choice. Whatever is given to him, he takes. Over time, children develop a firm belief that candy and cake are good. Moreover, the amount of sweets consumed increases, food addiction to sweets is created.
With the appearance of health problems, most people understand that it is necessary to adjust their diet and put some restrictions on food. But not everyone can cope with the desire for sweets, which has taken root since childhood and has become stronger over time.
Moreover, for some, eating sweet stressful situations is soothing and a solution to the problem, but unfortunately not for long. Periodic attempts to give up sugar-containing products once and for all end in failure and failure.
This is where the keto diet comes in handy. I would like to sit down with something sweet, strictly observing all the conditions of a carbohydrate-free diet, there are no reviews.
If such impulses suddenly appear, then it should be reconsidered, is everything being done correctly as part of clinical nutrition?
Check the calories (KBZhU), the amount of food eaten, the "purity" of the food consumed, and whether the necessary vitamins enter the body in sufficient quantities. If you approach this issue correctly, positive results will not wait for you. By switching to keto, blood sugar levels normalize.
Another important reason for going carbohydrate-free is the condition of the skin. In the first weeks, the skin of the face is changed. No need to visit beauty salons. Over time, the use of different types of orientation creams is reduced to a minimum.
For many people with gastrointestinal problems:
- gastritis;
- cholecystitis;
- pancreatitis;
- ZhKB.
There is a great opportunity to reduce them. Cramps, pain, swelling are a thing of the past. The intestines begin to cope with their tasks perfectly without the help of pills and other drugs.
Of course, if there are serious diseases, the transition to a ketogenic diet should be done under the supervision of a specialist doctor, with the help of tests to monitor the main indicators of the state of health.
What can you eat on a keto diet?
Carbohydrates - make up 5% of all calories (vegetables are shown separately, because they do not have many calories and do not cause an insulin reaction). The proper carbohydrates that are acceptable on keto do not include flour products, sugar, grains, fruits.
Proteins - 20% of all calories (86 - 175 g). This group should include:
- meat;
- fish;
- sea products;
- Cheese;
- Egg.
Note that, if possible, preference should be given to products grown in a natural environment: pastured meat, commercial seafood. You need to buy meat broth and offal. Among the drinks, the so-called armored coffee is very popular. Although this drink is more food than drink.
Fat makes up 70% of all calories.
At first glance, the amount of fat in the diet may seem large. However, it should be understood that the indicated percentages refer to calories, not volume or weight.
Most foods are a combination of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Pure fats include butter, coconut oil, olive oil, low-carb avocados, and animal fats.
Vegetables allowed on keto are leafy greens, broccoli, lettuce, and other green vegetables. They provide the body with vitamins, trace elements and antioxidants. Remember that they contain fiber.
World-class nutritionists have developed many recipes with the appropriate keto ratio of KBJU. There are soups, side dishes, meat and fish dishes, even desserts and pastries. Using ready-made recommendations for cooking keto food, you can prepare an approximate menu for yourself for a certain period of time, for example, a week, a few days, and stick to it without tormenting yourself with the question of "what to do". cook? ".
What not to eat on keto
All grain products (bread, pasta, cereals, pastries and legumes) should be avoided.
In keto, starchy foods (potatoes, rice, corn) are eliminated, which quickly turn it into sugar.
Sugar (cane, beet, honey, fructose, any syrups and fruit juices, sweet carbonated drinks) is unacceptable on keto. Sugar substitutes are allowed if needed (stevia, xylitol, erythritol).
It is recommended to avoid GMO products (soy, corn, rapeseed oil).
Do not forget to pay attention to the composition when buying products. This recommendation applies to meat and fish products, as well as cheeses. Semi-finished products should also be refused.
Fats are very important for the body, but you have to be very selective about them. Some of them are dangerous. Multi-stage processed solid vegetable oils are industrial-scale trans fats. Keto is against this type of food processing.
Alcohol is also unacceptable on keto. Among the abundance of strong drinks, you can choose dry wines. There are times when you shouldn't advertise that you're on a keto diet. Then you should prefer sugar-free and non-carbonated drinks. At the same time, it is still necessary to observe the measure.
If you follow all the above recommendations when choosing products for a ketogenic diet, it will not seem too difficult to buy them, and over time these rules will become normal.
Disadvantages of Ketone
Along with the whole list of positives, keto also has negatives. Although it will be negative if you focus on the negative points and perceive them as a shortcoming.
It is worth paying attention to the state the body enters at the initial stage of the keto diet. This condition is called ketoflu. It is characterized by heaviness in the stomach, slight disturbances in digestion. Acetone breath, headache, weakness or depression of the body is possible. But despite all the apparent severity, these unpleasant moments are temporary. And then, they don't always accompany the introduction of ketosis and are not necessarily a complete list.
But if you have the right psychological attitude and remember that these aggravating circumstances will pass once you enter ketosis, most of the negatives won't seem so big, especially if you use techniques to work around them.
Physical activity on keto
It is known that the first supporters of keto in the modern world are athletes for whom the absence or minimal amount of fat, tight muscles and endurance play an important role. And considering that keto nutrition sharpens memory, quick thinking, and mental clarity, this nutritional system is interesting not only for athletes and people who love physical education.
As you know, a beautiful, flexible body is not only food. Sports, physical activities used by a person in connection with his type of activity, hobby or sports life play an important role in building our beautiful skin.
Exercise is quite acceptable to increase the effects of the keto diet.
The best time to exercise is not in the evening or in the morning, but after a long break after eating. That is, when the level of ketones in the body rises.
It is known that during periods of nutritional deficiency (starvation), the body produces more ketones when consuming fatty foods. If you still eat before training, it is recommended to reduce the proportion of protein in the serving. There is no need to change the ratio of carbohydrates before or after training.
Fasting days
The concept of "fasting days" is acceptable, rather, with mandatory enhanced nutrition. Everyone knows the physical state after the holidays, when abundant feasts are inevitable and physical activity is minimized.
If you approach this issue correctly, the holiday menu can be used for the benefit of your body, that is, eat selectively, only what the body needs in keto. But even with selective nutrition, overeating is not excluded, and weight is observed in the body after abundant consumption of fat-protein foods. Of course, you need to control your actions and remember that a large amount of food, even if it is carbohydrate-free, will not have a positive effect.
But nevertheless, if there is a fact of overeating, you should apply unloading for the body. Moreover, the body itself will tell you when to stop eating and when to start again. For Keto, the concept of "fasting days" does not apply at all. Among the supporters of the keto system, there is a concept of "intermittent fasting".
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is not a severe restriction of fuel intake in the body. It is known that high-calorie foods cause the body to remain without food for a long time. The intervals between meals are longer. If you listen to your body and do not follow the generally accepted breakfast-lunch-dinner regime, consuming food only when necessary, this interval can be significantly increased.
It can be extended from morning to morning or from lunch to dinner. That is, daily food can become a one-time meal. Here you should not track your time, count the minutes, try to break your own record. You just need to listen to your body. And this is more appropriate than subjecting him to forced hunger strikes and starvation.
This is what intermittent fasting means.
It should be done constantly, not occasionally. Our body will tell us when we need to refuel and when to cut off our fuel supply. You just need to learn to hear it, understand it and apply the necessary actions in practice.
Thus, the main reason for switching to a ketogenic diet is to improve health and get rid of diseases, if any. Prevention of diabetes and in some cases its treatment. Increased energy levels and appetite control. Normalization of cholesterol level and blood pressure. Improving memory and concentration. Getting rid of depression and any signs of its manifestation. Improving the quality of life in general.