The Ketogenic Diet

I’m sure by now you’ve heard someone talk about the keto diet. Also known by its more formal name, the ketogenic diet, is a low carb, high-fat diet that offers several health benefits.

In fact, the keto diet has been shown to help fight against diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and assist with weight loss.

Here is a beginner’s guide to the keto diet.

What is Keto and ketosis?

The keto diet consists of very low carb, high-fat foods that work to decrease the carbohydrates in your body and replenish them with fat. This reduction of carbohydrates in the body puts you into a metabolic state known as ketosis. When you are in the metabolic state of ketosis, your body uses fat for energy rather than using carbs.

Ketosis causes your body to become extremely productive at burning fat for energy. In addition, it also turns fat into ketones in the liver. Ketones are byproducts of the breakdown of fatty acids. When the fat is turned into ketones in the liver, more energy is supplied to the brain. The keto diet moves the body’s metabolism away from carbs and toward fat and ketones. Our exogenous ketone supplement can help your body stay in ketosis, the state where your body burns fat for fuel, rather than carbs.

Keto and weight loss

The ketogenic diet has been shown to effectively help you lose weight, preserve muscle mass, and lower the risk of several diseases. It has also been shown to be more effective on weight loss than a low-fat diet.

According to a study done with 34 adults, those that followed a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks reduced their total body fat by nearly five times as much as those who followed a low-fat diet.

Additionally, the keto diet is known to be very filing, helping you reduce your appetite and food intake and ultimately decreasing your overall calories and helping you lose weight.

A few ways the ketogenic diet helps with weight loss are by suppressing your appetite and hunger, increased fat burning, improved insulin sensitivity, and decreased fat storage.

Keto and other health conditions

The ketogenic diet started as a tool for treating neurological diseases. The keto diet has been shown to help improve various health conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and even some brain injuries.

What to eat, what to avoid, what supplements to take

Foods to eat:

Foods that are high in carbohydrates should be limited. Instead, try opting for whole foods that provide nutrients and fat.

• Meat: red meat, bacon, turkey, chicken, ham, sausage
• Fatty fish: tuna, salmon, trout
• Nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds etc
• Cheese: cheese that is unprocessed, such as cheddar, goat, blue, mozzarella, and cream cheese etc
• Oils: avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil
• Low carb veggies: tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc
• Eggs
• Avocados

Foods to avoid:

• Alcohol: beer, mixed drinks, wine, liquor
• Sauces: BBQ sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce
• Sugary food: cake, ice cream, candy, soda, smoothies
• Fruit: all fruit except berries
• Diet and sugar-free foods: low-fat dressing and mayonnaise, sugar-free syrups, candy, and sweeteners
• Grains or starches: rice, pasta, cereal
• Beans and legumes: sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, potatoes

 Supplements:

• In order to make your transition to the keto diet easier, you can make your own special keto supplements.
• These supplements should contain all the best ingredients to help with your keto journey: magnesium, calcium, and sodium BHBs which can give you a keto boost.
• It also may help fast-track your weight loss journey. It promotes a faster metabolism and helps lower fatty acids in the blood.

This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.