We have recently heard about concepts such as ketogenic nutrition, keto, and ketogenic diets. So, do you know what happened? Is the ketogenic diet a miracle or just a fad diet?
What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The keto diet adopts a low-carb and high-fat diet. Carbohydrates and fats are nutrients found in foods. Carbohydrates provide our body with energy. Our body uses these nutrients in the first place for its energy needs. However, if there are not enough carbohydrates, the body breaks down fat into compounds called ketones. After that, our body uses these ketone compounds as a primary energy source. This state is called ketosis. In short, ketosis is when the body uses fats for energy instead of carbohydrates.
The ketogenic diet is the most effective way to get the body into ketosis. When this happens, the body burns energy rapidly. Weight loss increases rapidly. It also lowers blood sugar and insulin levels.
How is the keto diet applied?
As we mentioned above, the purpose of the diet is to limit carbohydrate intake and increase healthy fat intake. The ketogenic diet limits carbohydrate consumption to approximately 20 to 50 grams. Instead, it aims to be fed with foods containing meat, fish, eggs, and healthy fats.
One of the critical points in this diet is balancing protein consumption. Because when protein is consumed excessively, it turns into glucose. Glucose is a carbohydrate. In other words, consuming more protein than the limit can have an increasing effect on carbohydrate intake.
What is prohibited on the ketogenic diet?
When we think of carbohydrate sources, the first thing that comes to mind is foods such as bread, pasta, and pastries. However, foods such as cereals and fruits contain carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet aims to limit the consumption of all these foods. On the keto diet, it is necessary to avoid consuming foods such as legumes, root vegetables, grains, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, alcohol, most fruits, and sauces. You can say, ‘What to eat on a ketogenic diet?’ The keto diet supports the consumption of foods such as meat products, fish, nuts, cheese, and green leafy vegetables instead of the foods I just mentioned.
So, is the ketogenic diet healthy?
In many places, you have come across lists such as the ketogenic diet list and the weakening ketogenic diet example. The keto diet can indeed help with weight loss. There are even studies showing that it is good for diabetes symptoms. However, experts state that the ketogenic diet has long and short-term effects on our bodies. Short-term symptoms include nausea, headache, and fatigue. It has even been called the keto flu. Nutrition experts warn that you may encounter health problems such as kidney ailments and liver diseases in the long run.
Another point is that those who follow a ketogenic diet experience a need for more vitamins and minerals. Foods like grains, legumes, and fruits contain various vitamins and minerals. Removing these foods from the diet can cause various problems. In addition, not consuming foods with high fiber content (fruits, legumes, etc.) can also cause constipation problems.
As a result, instead of choosing popular diets when determining a diet for us, we should determine a pattern that is suitable for our lifestyle and good for our bodies. And you should get help from nutrition experts instead of people with high popularity.
Resources:
www.healthline.com
www.eatright.org