This low-carb, high-fat diet has been shown to be effective for weight loss, diabetes and epilepsy, according to medicalnewstoday and womenshealthmag .
What is the keto diet and its basics?
The keto diet is a diet that focuses on foods that provide plenty of healthy fats, adequate amounts of protein, and very few carbohydrates. The goal is to get more calories from fat than from carbohydrates.The diet depletes the body’s reserves of sugar. As a result, it will start to break down fats for energy. This results in the production of molecules called ketones, which the body uses for fuel. When the body burns fat, it can also lead to weight loss.
Planning to follow the keto diet
Planning and preparing to follow the keto diet is not difficult, it requires you to focus and patience for some time, by replacing the amount of carbohydrates you eat daily with fat and protein in your diets, some achieve a successful keto diet by eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, Others take slightly higher amounts, and the diet succeeds with them.
The keto diet does not require long planning, all it takes is to reduce the intake of carbohydrates as an easy and quick way to start and reach a successful keto diet.
What are the appropriate foods to eat on a keto diet?
The keto diet offers you a wide variety of food, which may not be allowed in most other diets, including the following:
1. Seafood
Fish and shellfish are very keto-friendly foods. Salmon and other fish are rich in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium, but are virtually devoid of carbohydrates. It is possible to include shellfish in a ketogenic diet, but it is important to consider these carbohydrates when trying to stay within a narrow range.Here are the carbs in 3.5 servings (100 grams) of some popular types of shellfish
- Oysters: 4 g
- Mussels: 4 g
- Octopus: 4 g
- Squid: 3 grams
2. Low-carb vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables are low in calories and carbohydrates, but rich in many nutrients, including vitamin C and several minerals.Vegetables and other plants contain fiber that your body doesn’t digest and absorb like other carbohydrates, as well as antioxidants that help protect against free radicals.
List of keto vegetables:
- asparagus
- avocado
- Broccoli
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- Option
- Green beans
- eggplant
- cabbage
- lettuce
- olive
- green pepper
- spinach
- tomatoes
- zucchini
3. Cheese
There are hundreds of types of cheese, most of which are very low in carbohydrates and high in fat, which makes them very suitable for a ketogenic diet.Keto Cheese List:
- blue cheese
- white cheese
- cheddar
- code
- Jack Colby
- cream cheese
- Vita
- Goat cheese
- halloumi
- Havarti
- Limburger
- mozzarella
- Monster
- Parmesan cheese
- pepper jack
- Provalon
4. Avocado
Avocados are incredibly healthy, as 100 grams, or about half of a medium avocado, contains 9 grams of carbs.Avocados are high in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, an important mineral that many people may not get enough of.
5. Meat and poultry
Meat and poultry are staples of the ketogenic diet, and are a great source of high-quality protein, which has been shown to help maintain muscle mass while on a low-carb diet.
6. eggs
Eggs are one of the healthiest and most versatile foods on the planet. One large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates and about 6 grams of protein, making eggs an ideal food for a keto lifestyle.
7. Coconut oil
Coconut oil has unique properties that make it well suited to the keto diet. It contains medium chain triglycerides, unlike long chain fats, medium fats are absorbed directly by the liver and converted into ketones or used as a quick source of energy. Coconut oil may help obese adults lose weight and belly fat.
8. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are healthy, protein-rich foods. Although they contain some carbohydrates, they can still be included in a keto lifestyle in moderation.Half a cup (105 grams) of plain yogurt provides 4 grams of carbs and 9 grams of protein, while this amount of cottage cheese provides 5 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein.
9. Olive oil
Olive oil offers great benefits for your heart. It is high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has been found in several studies to reduce heart disease risk factors.In addition, extra virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants known as phenols, which further protect heart health by reducing inflammation and improving arterial function.
10. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are healthy, high-fat, low-carb, high-fiber foods that help you feel full and absorb fewer calories overall.
11. Butter and cream
Butter and cream are good fats to include in a keto diet. Each contains only trace amounts of carbohydrates per serving.Butter and cream were once thought to cause or contribute to heart disease due to their high saturated fat content, but several large studies have shown that for most people, saturated fat is not linked to heart disease.
12. Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
Dark chocolate and cocoa are delicious sources of antioxidants. They contain flavanols, which may help reduce heart disease risk by lowering blood pressure and keeping your arteries healthyIt’s somewhat surprising that chocolate can be part of a keto diet, but it’s important to choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids and preferably more, and eat it in moderation.
see also: What do you eat on Dukan diet?
What drinks can be consumed during the keto diet
You will be surprised by the list of drinks that can be used during the keto diet, which in general does not deprive you of your best daily drinks, but you need to avoid drinks with high carbohydrate content just like food.
Consuming sugary drinks in general is also associated with the occurrence of many health problems, ranging from obesity to an increased risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes. Fortunately, there are many sugar-free drinks that can be a good friend to keto diet followers, and we mention the most important of them:
1. water
The first and agreed-upon choice in all internationally recognized diets, where consuming an ample amount of water throughout the day, keeps the body hydrated and feeling full for a longer period.
2. Flavored water
Putting pieces of cucumber, lemon, mint leaves, or some fruits in the water and eating it throughout the day, is one of the best drinks to help you in the keto diet, as an alternative to soft drinks.
3. Unsweetened coffee and tea
Hot drinks, such as coffee and tea, without sugar or sweetener in general, are among the good drinks on the keto diet.
4. Herbal drinks
Anise, mint, green tea, boiled parsley, and other herbs that do not contain high levels of carbohydrates, are very suitable in the keto diet, and are allowed to be eaten in abundant quantities throughout the day, because they are also free of additional calories.
see also: How can I really lose weight?
Weekly plan template for keto diet
A suitable or near ideal form of the keto diet contains less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, and if you are looking for a weekly keto eating plan, follow the following lines:
Sunday
- Breakfast: Fried eggs in two tablespoons of butter – 2 pieces of tomatoes and lettuce leaves.
- Lunch: 2 cooked meat slices with some cheese, mushrooms, avocado and lettuce.
- Dinner: a slice of fish meat cooked in olive oil – a cup of spinach cooked in coconut oil.
Monday
- Breakfast: a bowl of omelette with mushrooms.
- Lunch: a slice of tuna in water or olive oil with pieces of tomatoes and lettuce on top.
- Dinner: a piece of grilled chicken meat with lettuce leaves on top.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: a boiled egg and two tablespoons of full-fat labneh with a capsicum.
- Lunch: a piece of grilled chicken – a cup of full-fat and low-carb Greek yogurt with some walnuts and a cup of green salad
- Dinner: a piece of grilled salmon – a cup of spinach cooked in coconut oil with a cup of green salad.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: a cup of full-fat and low-carb Greek yogurt or 3 tablespoons of full-fat Labneh with some almonds.
- Lunch: a slice of tuna with olive oil or water – an avocado.
- Dinner: a plate of sheep or camel liver cooked in olive oil with onions, peppers, salt and spices, with a cup of green salad.
Thursday
- Breakfast: a boiled egg with an avocado.
- Lunch: a piece of grilled chicken meat with a plate of vegetable salad containing “lettuce leaves with cucumbers, tomatoes, green olives with parsley, lemon juice and mashed garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper.”
- Dinner: grilled meatballs with parsley and a cup of green salad.
Friday
- Breakfast: Pieces of cauliflower or tomato with a piece of cheese and an avocado.
- Lunch: Two slices of salmon, cooked in olive oil, with cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Dinner: Several balls of minced meat, two tablespoons of full-fat labneh, and a cup of green salad.
Saturday
- Breakfast: a cup of coconut milk with some nuts.
- Lunch: a bowl of cooked zucchini stuffed with meat cooked in butter, onions and parsley.
- Dinner: a piece of chicken meat cooked in coconut oil with some spices and a cup of green salad.
Choosing snacks for the keto diet
Any diet, it is recommended to eat 5 daily meals, including 3 basic meals and 2 snacks, to maintain the constant burning rate, and reduce the feeling of hunger, so you need a list of snacks allowed within the keto diet, which are as follows:
- Cheddar cheese slices
- Some almonds
- ½ avocado
- A cup of coconut milk with a handful of liqueur
- Some chopped capsicum
- Some keto biscuits (you can find them at the supermarket)
What are the benefits of the keto diet?
In the following lines, we explain the benefits of the keto diet on the human body
1. Supports weight loss
The ketogenic diet may help promote weight loss in several ways, including increasing metabolism and reducing appetite.Ketogenic diets consist of foods that fill you up and may reduce hunger-stimulating hormones. For these reasons, a keto diet may reduce appetite and promote weight loss.
2. Acne treatment
Acne has many different causes and may be related to diet and blood sugar in some people. A diet rich in processed and refined carbohydrates may alter the balance of gut bacteria and cause blood sugar to rise and fall significantly, both of which can negatively affect skin health.
3. Reducing the risk of some types of cancer
Researchers examined the effects of the keto diet in helping to prevent or even treat some types of cancer, and the study found that the ketogenic diet may be a complementary therapy along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in people with some cancers, because it causes oxidative stress. There are more cancer cells than normal cells, which leads to their death.
4. Improved heart health
When a person is on the keto diet, it is important to choose healthy foods. Some evidence shows that eating healthy fats, such as avocados, can help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol.
5. Protect brain function
Ketones generated during a keto diet provide neurological benefits, meaning they can strengthen and protect the brain and neurons. For this reason, a keto diet may help a person prevent or manage conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.6. Reduce potential seizures
The proportion of fat, protein, and carbohydrates in a keto diet changes the way the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis, the metabolic process in which the body uses ketone bodies for fuel.The Epilepsy Foundation notes that ketosis can reduce seizures in people with epilepsy — especially those who haven’t responded to other treatments.
7. Improve PCOS symptoms
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can lead to excess male hormones, poor ovulation, and polycystic ovaries. A high-carb diet can cause adverse effects in people with PCOS such as skin problems and weight gain.
Are there any side effects or harms to the Keto Diet?
The keto diet may have a range of health benefits, however, continuing to follow it long-term can have a negative impact on health, including increasing the risk of the following health problems:
- kidney stones
- Increased protein in the blood
- Deficiency of minerals and vitamins
- Fat accumulation in the liver
The keto diet can cause harmful side effects that many people know as the keto flu. These harmful effects may include:
- Constipation
- fatigue
- low blood sugar
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
- Inability to exercise
These symptoms are especially common at the beginning of the diet as the body adjusts to the new energy source.Some people should avoid the keto diet, including:
- People with diabetes who depend on insulin
- People with eating disorders
- People with kidney disease or pancreatitis
- Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- People who take a type of medicine called sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for type 2 diabetes should not follow the keto diet, because this drug increases the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition that increases acidity in the blood.