What is ketogenic diet

Ketogenic diet contains low carbohydrates, moderate protein and high in fats. The purpose of keto diet is to reduce high amount of sugar consumed, to maintain or lose weight and also to prevent and manage certain disease.

We grew up in a society where our nutrition is based mostly on carbohydrate. Carbohydrate source includes cereals, rice, grains, and starchy foods. The carbs are broken down into glucose (sugar) to provide energy. However, our body can switch to metabolizing fat for energy by eating foods that are high in fats.

• Using sugar: we burn sugar for energy when the sugar level in our body rises. The pancreas secret insulin, which is a hormone that carries sugar out of the blood stream to the cells where they are used as energy.
• Using fats for energy requires glucose level to drop. The liver begins to break down fatty acids, either from the food that we eat or the fats stored in our body. The fats metabolism leads to the production of KETONES. Ketones are water-soluble molecules that easily penetrate our body cells to provide us with energy. ketones provides us with much more energy than glucose. The process involved in metabolizing fats to produce ketones is called KETOSIS.

The ideology behind the keto diet is to reduce the intake of carbs.

Here are what you will benefit from ketogenic diet…

1. Increase fat burning:

Basically, keto diet provides us with energy through burning fats. This helps to reduce the amount of fats in our body, and greatly lead to weight loss. To increase ketone production, many people includes Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) oil to their daily diet.

2. Regulates and control blood pressure:

Since glucose level is low and no longer used as energy, the sugar in our blood stream reduces hence, less work for the insulin. Studies has shown that diabetic nephropathy can be reversed in diabetic patients who is on ketogenic diets.

3. Improves mental clarity and sharpness:

Using glucose for energy may cause brain fog, because of fluctuation of glucose in the blood. However, when ketones replaces glucose in the brain, there is a constant supply of energy. Ketones reduces the excess amino acid like glutamate that may cause brain fog.

4. Epilepsy:

Ketogenic diet has longed be used in the 1920’s for the treatment of epilepsy amongst children. The ketone bodies produced as a result of burning fats, replaces the glucose in the brain which leads to decrease in epileptic seizure. Ketogenic diet allows the patient to take less anti epileptic drugs which has side effects like drowsiness, reduce concentration and reduced IQ.

5. Abundant energy and mitochondrial production:

Mitochondria is the power house of the cell. We produce more mitochondria while on ketosis. Ketogenic diet helps to improve the amount and efficiency of the mitochondria, hence we get more energy.

6. Clear skin:

People who engage in low carbs diet may experience reduced skin inflammation and makes your skin clear from blemishes, pimple, acne and eczema.

7. Reduces chronic diseases:

Many researches has shown that ketogenic diet mproves our health by reducing the risk of diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.

8. Anti ageing effect:

Ketogenic diet helps to keep our body cell active and reduce ageing,this occurs as a result of constant mitochondrial production.

WHAT DO I EAT FOR KETOGENIC DIET?

Like we already know, Ketogenic diet requires high fat, moderate protein and low carbs. Eating healthy fats will help us get the health benefits of ketogenic diet. To start a ketogenic diet, you need to plan and prepare for your meals. You may need to have a food timetable to make it easier for you to know what to eat and starts burning fats quickly. Here are the foods to eat:

• Meats and poultry: these include foods high in protein like beef, chicken, fish.
• Diary products: They are milk, cheese, butter and cream.
• Low carbs vegetable: These are high in fibre and low in carbs. Most vegetables contains fibre which are not digestible. Examples includes brocccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflowers etc.
  

  

• Avocados are highly recommended for Keto diets.
• Nuts and seeds: Includes Almonds, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seed, flax-seed and chia seeds.
• Healthy fats: Coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil.

There are foods that you should not eat while on ketogenc diet and they includes:

• Foods high in sugar
• Starchy foods: potatoes, yam, breads etc
• Grains: Cereals, rice, corn etc.
• Fruits: Apples, citrus fruits, banana.

Here is the percentage requirements for what to eat, fats 70%, protein 25%, carbs 5%. The net carbs is required for ketogenic diet.

The total dietary carbohydrate minus the total fat is equal to NET CARBS. You can also snack on nuts and seeds, if you are hungry in between meals.

Tips for those on Ketogenic diet

1. Drink enough water: Generally, our body needs water for digestion, flushing the body system and also transportation of hormones. Keeping hydrated applies to both those on ketosis and those that are metabolizing sugar for energy.
2. Eat good salt: In ketosis, the kidney constantly removes sodium because of low insulin. this process basically reduces the amount of sodium in our body and should be replaced by eating enough good salt.
3. Fasting in between meals: This is highly recommended to burn more fats and reduce calories. Fasting help in losing weight with ketogenic diet.
4. Exercise: Getting regular exercise keep one fit and also improves ketosis.
5. Avoid much protein: Do not eat too much protein, a moderate amount of protein is required to avoid our body converting amino acids to glucose, which is not needed for ketosis.
6. Reduce stress: Our body increases sugar level during stress, which makes us to go back to metabolizing sugar. Maintaining ketosis during stress may not really be achieved.
7. Sleep:Proper sleep (between 7-9 hrs)is needed for those on ketogenic diet. Taking afternoon nap could also improve your body for ketosis.

KETO FLU

Keto flu occurs as a result of your body moving from burning sugar and trying to adapt to metabolizing fats. Individuals who just kicked off with ketogenic diet may experience one or two of these symptoms. Symptoms like dizziness, brain fog, stomach aches, irritability, lack of concentration, diarrhoea or constipation, sugar cravings, muscle cramps. The keto flu starts the first two days of ketogenic diet and last for one week or more depending on the individual. Symptoms stop as soon as the body adapts fully to ketosis.

WHO SHOULD NOT GO ON KETOGENIC DIET

• Pregnant women/ breast-feeding mothers
• children and teenagers
• Underweight individuals
• People with mental health problem.

So you want to lose weight on keto diet or prevent certain diseases, make a food time table from our keto foods listed above and be happy with your life

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