Keto Diet – A common observation of our daily lifestyle leads us to the fact that food we eat has an adverse effect on our health.
Today, Fast foods have acquired most of our routines, and we can’t stop them either. They are so tasty! But the gory truth that fast foods increase the chances of obesity and diabetes is still alien to many.
Therefore, it is necessary to eat food that improves our health and simultaneously ensure that we do not miss out on vital nutrients for the body.
Keto Diet: 10 Things You Must Know Before Trying Ketogenic Diet
Ketogenic diet foods are aimed at improving our body’s metabolism. A ketogenic diet is basically a low-carb, high-fat diet that reduces the dependence of the body on carbohydrates and sugars while increasing its dependence on fats and ketones. Here are 10 things that you should know about Ketogenic Foods:
1. Burning Fats Never Seemed So Easy!
Ketogenic diet foods are high in fat content while being low in sugar and carbohydrate content. Therefore, such foods promote Ketosis; a process in which the fats stored in the body is broken down to produce ketones.
So, to state it plainly, ketogenic diet foods enable our body to burn fats to produce energy. This reduces the fat deposits in your body and hence chances of obesity are considerably reduced. This gives you the freedom to loosen up on fasting to reduce fats present in your body.
2. Stability of Blood-Sugar Level
Ketogenic diet foods help lower the blood sugar levels. This indirectly helps regulate the insulin levels, and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin. This will again reduce the chances of diabetes. It helps prevent type 2 diabetes.
3. Control of Epilepsy
Ketogenic Diet foods were originally targeted for treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy is a common disorder among all age groups, has been successfully treated with the help of ketogenic diet foods.
According to some significant research, a keto diet regime for 2 years has helped eliminate 90% of the seizures among children with refractory epilepsy.Thus, ketogenic diet foods help decrease the damages done due to diseases.
4. Control of Hunger
Ketogenic diet foods have been vital in controlling hunger in several cases. A keto diet helps to tame the hunger cravings. This makes it easier for people to stick to their diet quite easily.
5. Helps in Loss of Weight
For the initial period of the first few months, ketogenic diet foods have been known to effect significant weight loss. A high-protein, low-carb diet is very beneficiary for the obese adolescent in the long run. The keto diet is generally associated with metabolic effects and hence, it helps in weight loss in the early stages.
6. Helps in Fighting Cancer
Ketogenic diet foods are known to help fight certain types of cancers and a wide range of tumors. Tumors, especially malignant tumors can be treated effectively when used in sync with radiation therapy and keto diets.
7. The Types of Ketogenic Diet Foods
There are different types of Ketogenic diets namely:
* Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)
This is suited for individuals who are not physically active most of the times. Fruits and starchy vegetables are replaced with foods containing oils, butter, vegetable oil, and cream.
* Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)
This is specifically meant for individuals who are moderately active and involved in some decent amount of physical work. This ketogenic diet food is a bit lenient on carbs allowing slightly more amounts that do not prevent ketosis.
* Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)
This is designed for individuals who are physically very active and participative in workouts and intense gym sessions. It is meant for people who have the will to strive for a healthy body by giving in a lot of efforts.
8. Improvement of Mental Well-Being
Ketogenic diet foods promote the production of neurotransmitters in rational and optimum amounts. This directly impacts the ability of a person to focus and thus, helps the person attain a state of mental wellness.
Ketones produced in the body act as a substitute for sugars resulting in the alternate availability of brain food. Sugars and processed foods, on the other hand, have been known to lead to the production of glutamate, the primary reason for brain fog and poor focus. Thus, ketogenic foods act as viable alternatives to sugars, grains, and processed foods thereby reducing our dependence on them.
9. Careful Discretion of Doctor
The presence of excess ketones and the process of ketosis are generally deemed non-harmful to the human body. However, ketones being acidic in nature, presence o excess ketones in the blood can cause a state called Ketoacidosis in which the acidity of blood is increased. This poses serious health risks in the form of organ failure. So it is advisable to consult a doctor before following a regime of ketogenic diet foods.
Also, there is an increased chance of kidney failure due to such foods. So it is also imperative and very important to drink plenty of water and keep the body properly hydrated under all conditions.
10. Long Lasting Energy Levels and Better Moods
Ketogenic Diet foods enable our body to run on fats and burn them at a faster rate. Having said that, fats are capable of providing lasting energy levels. This is the primary reason why athletes and sportspersons prefer low-carb, high-fat Ketogenic diet foods.
Ketogenic diet foods also help in stabilizing mood swings and hence it is very suitable for people who have a history of mental stress and irritation.
Ketogenic diet foods are beneficial in many ways more than one. With the type of living we have, it would be easier to follow a diet that suits our body. Ketogenic Diet foods provide us with the right direction in achieving that. That’s all about Keto Diet.
Can you please enlighten us more about what exactly is a keto diet?
Are there any significant drawbacks of following a keto diet for a prolonged time duration?
Great write-up for keto diets! Not a lot of people are aware of it, it’s good to see a beautifully written article on it. 🙂