The Ketogenic Diet: Important Things To Know

Here is a comprehensive beginner’s guide to the ketogenic diet, which is supported by numerous studies demonstrating its potential to aid weight loss and enhance overall health. Additionally, ketogenic diets have been found to offer potential advantages in managing diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Keto basics

The ketogenic diet, similar to the Atkins and low carb diets, is a high fat, very low carb diet. Its main principle is to replace carbohydrates with fat, which effectively induces a metabolic state known as ketosis.

When this occurs, the body’s fat-burning efficiency increases significantly. Additionally, the liver converts fat into ketones, which can provide energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets have the potential to markedly decrease blood sugar and insulin levels, resulting in certain health advantages due to the elevated presence of ketones.

There are various versions of the ketogenic diet, which include:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
• High protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

Extensive research has focused only on the standard and high protein ketogenic diets, whereas cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are considered more advanced and are primarily utilized by bodybuilders or athletes.

The content of this article primarily pertains to the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), but many of the same principles are applicable to the other variations as well.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body utilizes fat as fuel instead of carbs. This happens when you greatly reduce your intake of carbohydrates, which limits the amount of glucose (sugar) available for the cells, as it is their primary source of energy.

The most effective way to enter ketosis is by following a ketogenic diet.

To achieve ketosis, it is generally recommended to restrict carb intake to approximately 20 to 50 grams per day and increase consumption of fatty foods like meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. Moreover, it is essential to moderate protein intake as excessive amounts can be converted into glucose and impede the transition into ketosis.

Entering ketosis faster could be facilitated by practicing intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has several variations, but the predominant method entails restricting food consumption to approximately 8 hours daily and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.

The measurement of ketones produced by your body can be done through blood, urine, and breath tests, which are available to determine if you have entered ketosis.

There are specific symptoms that can suggest being in a state of ketosis, such as heightened thirst, parched mouth, frequent urination, and reduced hunger or appetite.

Research indicates that a ketogenic diet is a successful method for both weight loss and reducing risk factors for disease. Studies have demonstrated that the ketogenic diet might be just as effective for weight loss as a low fat diet. Additionally, the diet is highly satiating, enabling individuals to shed pounds without the need to count calories or monitor food consumption.

A review of 13 studies discovered that adopting a very low carb, ketogenic diet was marginally more successful in achieving long-term weight loss compared to a low fat diet. The individuals who adhered to the keto diet experienced an average weight loss of 2 pounds (0.9 kg) more than those who followed a low fat diet.

In addition, it resulted in decreases in diastolic blood pressure and levels of triglycerides. Furthermore, a separate study conducted on 34 elderly individuals discovered that those who adhered to a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks experienced nearly five times the weight loss in overall body fat compared to those who followed a low fat diet.

The increased role of ketones, lower levels of blood sugar, and improved sensitivity to insulin may also have a significant impact.

Diabetes is identified by alterations in metabolism, elevated blood sugar, and compromised insulin function. Adopting the ketogenic diet aids in shedding surplus fat, which is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome. An earlier study discovered that the ketogenic diet remarkably enhanced insulin sensitivity by 75%.

A study conducted on women with type 2 diabetes discovered that adhering to a ketogenic diet for a duration of 90 days resulted in significant reductions in hemoglobin A1C levels. Hemoglobin A1C serves as a measure of long-term blood sugar control.

When analyzing the connection between weight and type 2 diabetes, it is crucial to note the significant advantage found in a separate study consisting of 349 individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The results indicated that adhering to a ketogenic diet for a duration of 2 years led to an average weight loss of 26.2 pounds (11.9 kg).

Furthermore, participants also observed enhancements in blood sugar management, and the utilization of specific blood sugar medications decreased over the duration of the study.

Important things to know about keto

After gaining a clearer comprehension of what a ketogenic diet entails and its functioning, let’s now address some of its advantages and disadvantages.

The process of following a keto diet can initiate weight loss.

One of the main reasons why many people are drawn to adopting a ketogenic diet is the potential for weight loss. The reason behind this is that following a ketogenic diet often leads to a reduction in calorie intake, which can result in rapid initial weight loss. This reduction in calorie intake is typically a result of various factors associated with consuming fewer carbohydrates, such as feeling more satiated and having decreased hunger and appetite.

Loss of body water and increased energy expenditure, resulting in more calories burned, are also thought to have a role. Nevertheless, when you stop following the keto diet, there will likely be an initial regain of body weight as the body replenishes its glycogen stores, which involves retaining water (along with its corresponding weight).

After a year, the positive effects on weight loss and overall health derived from specialized diets usually diminish, proving that it is challenging to maintain the achievement of losing weight in the long run.

Research suggests that achieving the milestone of two years may be crucial for effectively maintaining weight in the long term. Regardless of whether an individual adheres to a low-carb/high-fat diet like keto or any other eating pattern characterized by lower fat and higher carbs, these unfortunate realities remain unchanged.

Sticking to any diet, such as keto, is challenging in the long run.

No matter what type of diet you follow, it is difficult to maintain weight loss because it is challenging to stick to a specialized diet for extended periods of time.

Recent research demonstrated that participants’ adherence to a well-designed ketogenic diet was comparable to their adherence to the Mediterranean diet throughout the 12-week crossover study. However, it was noted that adherence to the ketogenic diet decreased during the 12-week period that immediately followed the 24-week intervention.

A study conducted over two years found that adherence to a low-carb diet was higher in the first six months compared to low-fat and Mediterranean diets. However, by the end of the study, the low-carb group had shown lower overall compliance and a greater number of drop-outs.

Keto might have beneficial effects on certain health conditions, but not all.

The amount of research investigating the impact of a ketogenic diet on certain diseases, particularly diabetes and obesity, is increasing.

Recent research has revealed that, apart from its conventional treatment of epilepsy, a ketogenic diet has shown potential for enhancing weight loss, as well as improving insulin and blood-glucose markers in the initial phases. However, these benefits are temporary, lasting around a year, and their extent varies depending on the specific diet being compared to the ketogenic diet.

Non-ketogenic diets that substitute carbohydrates or saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats have demonstrated comparable advantages to insulin and blood-glucose markers. Additionally, ketogenic diets have been observed to elevate LDL-cholesterol levels in certain individuals, which is the type of cholesterol we aim to minimize in order to promote heart health.

It is important to monitor the health effects of a ketogenic diet on specific health conditions. If you are thinking of using a ketogenic diet for a chronic health condition, it is essential to consult a registered dietitian or your primary healthcare provider to ensure its safe implementation.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not align with keto.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) conflict with a ketogenic diet in three aspects: its focus on restricting carbohydrates, its lack of any limit on saturated fat, and its absence of a goal for fiber intake.

There is a possibility that Keto could be better or worse than your current diet.

Regrettably, the majority of Americans do not follow the recommended dietary guidelines provided by the DGA, indicating that the typical American diet has significant room for enhancement. Whether or not switching to a ketogenic diet will bring you closer to meeting DGA recommendations depends on your personal eating habits.

If you currently do not consume lean proteins, dairy, berries, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds and tend to consume excessive amounts of added sugar, calories, or sodium, following a properly designed ketogenic diet can have health benefits.

The ketogenic diet eliminates certain food groups.

A ketogenic diet entails significant limitations on carbohydrates, requiring restrictions or even complete avoidance of entire food groups, including dairy, fruits, grains, and vegetables.

The driving force to achieve and maintain ketosis is cutting carbs, but it is important to note that carbohydrate-rich foods like dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains play a crucial role in various eating patterns that have proven health benefits. However, a well-formulated ketogenic diet might incorporate small portions of specific fruits like berries and non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli.

Keto simplifies things.

To achieve and sustain ketosis, start by limiting carbohydrates. The straightforward suggestion to avoid carbs in a ketogenic diet makes it understandable why many individuals are willing to give it a shot. However, things are never as uncomplicated as they initially appear. If you desire a more balanced approach to keto, consider exploring a properly structured ketogenic diet with the guidance of a registered dietitian (or your doctor).

You will experience a feeling of sadness due to the occurrence of the “keto flu.”

The rumors you may have heard are indeed true. When starting a ketogenic diet, it is common for individuals to experience certain negative changes in how they feel. Some commonly reported symptoms during the initial weeks include constipation, fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, and an upset stomach.

The “keto flu” is known as the initial stage of starting a ketogenic diet. To mitigate these symptoms, it is recommended to maintain proper hydration and incorporate a small amount of additional salt in your meals. Fortunately, this phase is only temporary and once you have adjusted, these symptoms are expected to go away.

Be cautious of unpleasant breath odor.

Similar to the occurrence of the “keto flu,” this negative aspect of a keto diet can also be a reality. “Keto breath” is caused by the body’s generation and exhalation of acetone, a form of ketone that is not as crucial for energy during ketosis.

Improving your dental hygiene, although beneficial, will not cure Keto breath, as it is different from regular bad breath. However, there is no need to worry as this side effect of ketosis is only temporary and varies in intensity from person to person. Additionally, you will probably observe an enhancement in your breath once your body adjusts to its new primary fuel source.