One of the most optimal diets based on a good scientific and medical basis is ketogenic. Originally developed for the treatment of childhood epilepsy, this diet is low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and moderate in protein. Such a diet leads to ketosis, during which the body's own fats are burned.
The essence of ketosis
With a diet in which carbohydrate intake is limited, external resources for glucose production are excluded. The brain is forced to give the body an order to compensate for its absence, and its own fats act as a compensatory resource. They are converted into fatty acids and ketone bodies. It is the ketones that replace the missing glucose. An increase in its concentration in the blood is called ketosis. In reality, this is the process of survival of the body and salvation of the brain with insufficient intake of carbohydrates and fats from outside.
The ketogenic diet for weight loss
Originally created to prevent epileptic seizures, the ketogenic diet can be used as an effective weight loss system. Its use causes the liver to produce ketones and a sharp drop in insulin levels. Insulin is responsible for organizing fat stores in the body. A drop in insulin concentration leads to weight loss: fat is not stored, but consumed by the body for energy.
In addition to the main benefit of being in ketosis, this diet has additional properties:
- hunger decreases;
- the body contains a supply of a constant source of energy;
- following a ketogenic diet can be quite long;
- is ideal for sports that require a lot of endurance, as it conserves glycogen stores.
The Low Carb High Fat ("low carbohydrate, high fat") principle, first implemented by dieticians in Sweden, became confirmation of the correctness of the idea of "fat diets"".
LCHF diets, which appeared in the early 2000s, have already proven their relevance and safety to the body.
BUCH works very similarly: the abbreviation stands for food alternation between protein and carbohydrates. Due to this alternation, the body resorts to the emergency burning of stored glycogen and then its own fat.
On the classic antiepileptic ketogenic diet, the ratio of fat to protein-carbohydrate is 4: 1. The ketogenic version for weight loss is biased towards higher protein content and lower carbohydrate content.
Avoiding carbohydrate-rich foods is a practical step. This:
- sweet fruits and vegetables;
- bakery products;
- pasta;
- sugar;
- starchy vegetables and legumes.
A large number of foods saturated with fat are introduced into the diet: cheeses, fatty cottage cheese and butter. Since MCFAs are preferred for the keto diet, one option is a diet that includes coconut oil. In this product, the concentration of MCT (oil, consisting of medium chain elements 6-12 atoms long) is maximum (15%).
For a daily ketogenic diet, 20-30 grams of carbohydrates are sufficient. This means net weight, that is, NET.
Calculating NET carbs is easy - subtract fiber from total carbohydrate intake.
There are no significant protein restrictions. Your intake should be within 25% of all food consumed.
There are three types of ketogenic diet:
- Standard. This option implies an almost total rejection of carbohydrates while it lasts.
- Destination. Allows the intake of small amounts of carbohydrates to restore glycogen after intense training or after physical activity.
- Loop. Assume carbohydrate intake as needed, in direct relation to the body's degree of exhaustion.
Stages of the diet
It will take a week for the body to adapt to this diet. This process is carried out in three stages. The first two stages usually take two days and include:
- twelve-hour stage of glycogen production from carbohydrates in the food consumed;
- the body's use of glycogen stored in liver tissue and muscles.
This is followed by a stage lasting three to five days, during which the body tries to obtain the missing energy from protein in the daily diet and from the body's muscles. This stage is harder than the previous ones both psychologically and purely physically.
The next step is the end of the adaptation of the metabolism to an artificially created extreme regimen, the burning of its own triglyceride supply and the production of ketone bodies. With the onset of ketosis, the breakdown of body proteins slows down.
Under these conditions, the weight loss is between 0. 5 and 2. 5 kg per week.
Planning for the first week involves eating 50/50 protein and fat. To maintain muscle mass and not expose body proteins to breakdown, at least 4 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight should be ingested with food.
The second week assumes this proportion:
- fats - 65-75%;
- proteins: 25-30%;
- carbohydrates - 5%.
Benefits of the ketogenic diet
While the weight loss is comparable, the ketogenic diet has a number of advantageous differences over low-calorie diets.
- Reduces insulin levels more markedly.
- Reduces sugar levels in the body, being an excellent prevention of diabetes and one of the methods of its treatment.
- It promotes greater brain performance by helping to avoid spikes in blood sugar and increasing the amount of fatty acids that are beneficial in this regard.
- Weight loss during the ketogenic diet leads to stabilization of blood pressure.
- Skin condition improves, which is especially important for women.
- There is a classic version of the diet that effectively counteracts the development of epilepsy.
- Excellent for endurance sports as it conserves insulin stores.
Contraindications and side effects
For most healthy people, a ketogenic diet is safe. Along with this, in the presence of a number of diseases, a preliminary consultation with a nutritionist is necessary.
Keto restrictions can be due to:
- taking antidiabetic medications;
- high blood pressure;
- the need to breastfeed;
- the presence of liver disease, kidney disease or pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
Uncommon side effects of practicing the ketogenic diet include:
- muscle cramps;
- constipation;
- drop in fitness level for first-time keto users;
- hair loss;
- lack of breast milk or decrease in its quality during lactation;
- aggravation of gallstone disease symptoms;
- dyspepsia;
- the appearance of itchy skin;
- decreased mental alertness and prolonged ability to concentrate;
- imbalance in diet.
The Ketogenic Diet Menu
To quickly enter a state of ketosis, carbohydrate intake should be limited to a daily requirement of 15 grams. The diet consists of obtaining these nutrients mainly from nuts, vegetables and dairy products.
SoWhat can you eat on the ketogenic diet, food list:
- meat, fish and eggs in any form: they are the main suppliers of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids;
- seafood - due to its saturation with microelements;
- fiber-rich leafy greens;
- ground vegetables;
- dairy products: they contain a lot of calcium, vitamins and minerals;
- berries with a low glycemic index: blackberries, raspberries;
- low carbohydrate sweeteners;
- coconut oil and other saturated fats;
- sour apples, cherries, pomegranates.
How to replace bread
The question is what to eat instead of bread? It can be a thin toasted omelette made with eggs. You can also buy almond and coconut flour and make your "bread" with them. Fried cheese or plain cheese will also serve as the base for a sandwich with vegetables, fish, or meat.
Food distribution throughout the day
- Breakfast. The approximate caloric content is in the range of 550-600 kcal. Cheese, vegetables, scrambled eggs, or a protein shake. During breakfast, you should not consume more than 15 g of carbohydrates.
- Lunch in terms of carbohydrates is limited to the same 15 g, but the calorie content is lower: 350-400 kcal. Lunch includes meat soup or meatballs without pasta. Another option is rice and chicken breast.
- Dinner is possible with meat or fish with vegetables. Caloric content - 300 kcal.
- Snacks in total should not contribute more than 5g of carbohydrates to the body. Includes cheese, fish, nuts, cottage cheese.
Rules for entering ketosis
The following steps can help you get into ketosis optimally:
- refusal of frequent short-term snacks, leading to a rise in insulin;
- dosed execution of physical exercises;
- a menu with priority to fat as the main source of energy in a ketogenic diet;
- reduce protein intake to 1. 5 g per 1 kg of body weight;
- consumption of net carbohydrates in doses not exceeding 20 g per day;
- significant fluid intake: up to four liters per day. In addition to water, you can drink green tea, coffee without sugar;
- competent planning of energy consumption for the week.
The signs of ketosis are:
- natural loss of appetite;
- burst of energy and better mood;
- the appearance of the smell of acetone from the mouth and body;
- detects the presence of ketones in the urine.
Doctors testimonials about the downsides of the keto diet
The keto diet is categorically contraindicated in ferment diseases (conditions with deficiency of enzymes that break down fats and proteins), in chronic adrenal insufficiency, in chronic liver and kidney failure. Such a load of protein and fat can be simply unbearable for people with similar pathologies.
Diseases of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder can also worsen or appear for the first time during a ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet is also not suitable for people with high cholesterol levels, as it will increase the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and, as a result, the deterioration of the vascular condition. Also, this method of losing weight is not suitable for some endocrine diseases (eg hypothyroidism).
But healthy people should also be very careful when eating these types of foods. Due to the shift in diet towards protein and fat, the microbial landscape of the gut can change. An excess of protein and a lack of vegetables and fruits can lead to the growth of unwanted microflora in the intestines, leading to bloating, constipation and poor digestion. Again, due to the restriction in the diet of vegetables and fruits, hypovitaminosis and a lack of some trace elements can naturally be feared, which, in turn, can lead to a decrease in immunity.
There is only one conclusion: before deciding on a ketogenic diet, you should consult with a competent specialist about whether it is safe for you, taking into account the anamnestic data. And if a decision is made in favor of adhering to a diet, current monitoring of the patient's condition will be required to prescribe vitamins, trace elements and probiotics, if necessary.
Summary:
- The low carb regimen is noteworthy because it is scientifically based and empirically proven to be effective.
- Compared to low-calorie protein diets, the results of such a system are more humane in relation to the physical and mental resources of the body.
- In the course of a diet, calculating the layout of the table for each day and buying the necessary quality products is not difficult.
- Such nutrition practically does not impose restrictions on the usual way of life.
- Suitable both for men who do hard physical work and are used to eating a lot of meat, and for women who solve their aesthetic problems.
- Additional results of the diet are prevention of pressure spikes, normalization of cholesterol levels, and improvement of brain function.