“The keto diet burns fat, but still maintains a very good calorie intake, which allows you to maintain muscle mass and a good metabolic rate. It is not in vain that more and more people are choosing the keto diet. It's not just the principles of nutrition, this is a biohacking tool "- these words can be read today on the social networks of keto dieters. Is it real? Let's look at this question objectively and weigh the pros and cons
The essence of a ketogenic diet is to eliminate carbohydrates as much as possible (and these are not only bakery products, pasta, sugar and its substitutes, but also honey, fruits, root vegetables, cereals and rice in any form). The diet allows a quota of 5% carbohydrates due to berries, herbs and some vegetables.
For comparison: in the standard food pyramid regulated by the World Health Organization as the basis of a balanced diet, the proportion of carbohydrates can be up to 60%.
As you know, it is not safe to practice a protein diet, but where does your energy come from? The answer is in fat. They need not be feared; The horrors of cholesterol, which frightened people during the XX century, in the XXI. They are considered intrigues of interested pharmaceutical companies. It is important to make a correction: we are talking about real fats, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and not about juicy kebabs, margarine and trans fats that are harmful to health.
WHAT IS KETOSIS? HOW DOES THE KETO DIET WORK?
Diet
The body uses carbohydrates as the main fuel for the brain. By sharply reducing carbohydrates in the diet below 20 grams per day, the amount of glucose is critically reduced - and there is not enough energy for normal functioning and oxidation of fats. In order to feed the brain, the body begins the process of obtaining alternative energy - ketosis. This is a condition that develops as a result of carbohydrate starvation of cells, when the body begins to break down fat to get energy and create a large number of ketone bodies. In the normal state, the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood is very low, because they are replaced by glucose and the body does not need additional energy. During ketosis, the concentration of ketone bodies rises sharply.
Ketosis can be achieved by fasting for several days, but it is extremely harmful. The keto diet is an alternative to complete fasting that can cause less damage to the body. Along with food we still get all the necessary substances and do not feel hungry, excluding only carbohydrates and forcing the body to start the process of breaking down fats.
The keto diet has a pretty solid scientific basis; has shown excellent results in children and adults with epilepsy - until the disappearance of the convulsive syndrome in the background of the withdrawal of anticonvulsants. It is effective for people with certain autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as for people with cancer. The fact is that tumor cells “feed” on glucose, and according to studies, switching to a low-carbohydrate but high-fat diet leads to regression of the tumor process.
Observations of patients who adhere to this nutritional model have shown that, unusually, a person begins to feel a surge of energy, brain activity increases, and mood improves. The secret lies in biochemical processes: the body switches to new energy sources - ketones, created during the breakdown of fats.
The first popularizers of the keto diet were biohackers who wanted to live a healthy and active life into old age.
They were joined by Hollywood stars, and then the world was flooded with madness for the keto diet. Removing excess fat by consuming fat may simply need to be done.
However, only an experienced dietitian should prescribe a keto diet. Neither a child counselor, nor an Insta food blogger, nor a nutritionist or keto skilled. There are certain contraindications for this food system, for example, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, familial hyperlipidemia and so on. In addition, at the beginning of the diet, when switching to other energy sources, a complex adjustment of the body is common.
KETO DIETARY FOOD PYRAMID
Main disadvantages of the keto diet:
- This is an unbalanced diet. When you completely eliminate carbohydrates, you lose a huge amount of nutrients to your body.
- There may be a tendency to constipation. For the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, such a diet is not at all useful.
- Odor of acetone may appear from the body, urine and mouth. To minimize odor, you should drink more than 2 liters of water a day to expel more acetone.
- All carbohydrates are excluded, a process that is usually not so active is artificially started, the load on the liver is increased. This is pretty unhealthy.
Key benefits of a keto diet:
- Fast weight loss. Excluding carbohydrates from the diet does not allow the body to use substances as usual: it stores fats "in reserve", and uses carbohydrates as the main energy.
- There is no constant feeling of hunger as with other diets. This means that there are no sharp spikes in blood sugar (ketone bodies play the role of glucose).
- High-calorie foods saturate and help avoid breakdowns.
- Fat is burned in the body and muscle mass is preserved.
To whom this type of diet is contraindicated:
- pregnant;
- persons with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- people with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus;
- people with endocrine pathologies;
- breastfeeding
Is it really possible to lose weight on a keto diet?
The keto diet promotes weight loss, provides energy and allows a person to stay full longer. The secret of increased satiety and energy levels lies in the fact that most calories come from fat, which is very nutritious and slow in digestion. As a result, people on a keto diet consume fewer calories because they no longer experience hunger pangs. They no longer need to eat so much or so often.
Its main goal is to continuously maintain a person in a state of natural ketosis. It usually takes about four to eight weeks for a complete keto adaptation. After that time, the level of glycogen (glucose stored in your muscles and liver) will decrease, excess water will be released from the body, muscle endurance will increase and the person will feel a strong rush of energy. When you first start eating low-carb foods in your ketogenic diet, you will need to monitor your ketosis. This way you will know exactly what you are doing right and what is wrong and whether you need to make any changes to your diet. The simplest test is ketone breath. After a few days you will feel a fruity, slightly sour or even metallic taste in your mouth. What is the reason? While in ketosis, your body synthesizes ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetone is excreted in urine and respiration, which is the reason for the appearance of "breathing ketones". Bad taste and bad breath usually decrease after a few weeks.
Dietary Side Effects
Decreased carbohydrate content causes a decrease in blood insulin levels, resulting in kidneys receiving a signal to release excess sodium. Between reducing sodium intake and flushing out excess sodium deposits, your body releases more baking soda than normal, leading to a drop in sodium and other electrolyte levels. When this happens, you may feel tired, headache, cough, runny nose, irritability and nausea. This condition is called ketoplash. It is important to understand that it was not caused by the flu virus. Such a cold is neither dangerous nor contagious. The name in this case reflects only the similarity of the symptoms. When signs of discomfort appear, many people become frightened thinking that the keto diet has negatively affected their health and start eating carbohydrates again. In fact, the keto cold is a sign that your body has finally cleared of sugar, carbohydrates and industrial foods and is regenerating to start using fats for energy. It usually only takes a few days, this is how long it takes to adapt. You can alleviate the condition by including more sodium and electrolytes in your diet, along with drinking more water.
In any case, before dieting, you should consult your doctor and during this period monitor your condition: blood biochemistry, blood pressure, condition of the cardiovascular system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
It is important to emphasize the main thing: each person is different - with a special body structure, genetically inherited constitution, stress factors, level of physical activity and acquired eating habits, which have a huge impact on health.
Thus, a ketogenic diet is a meal plan high in fat and carbohydrates, created to bring the body into a state called “ketosis” and burn stored fat. Designed for children with epilepsy, the celebrity keto diet has exploded in popularity in recent years.
However, as early as a year ago, most media outlets questioned the benefits and even safety of this weight correction method. A ketogenic diet is not a magic wand for weight loss. Avoiding carbohydrates leads to an unbalanced diet (you deprive yourself of essential nutrients), headaches, weakness, cold. A keto diet can also cause a lipototoxic condition, and as a result, cause inflammation of the liver, gallbladder and stomach upset. In the long run, this can increase the risk of atherosclerosis and insulin shock.
Listen and study your body. And then you can, if you want, lose extra pounds quickly by choosing the best weight correction method for yourself.