"The keto diet burns fat, but still retains a very good caloric intake, which allows you to maintain muscle mass and good metabolic rate. Not in vain more and more people choose the keto diet. These are not just nutritional principles, this is a tool for biohacking ”- these words can be read today on the social networks of keto dieters. Is it really? Let's look at this question objectively and weigh the pros and cons
The essence of the ketogenic diet is to exclude as many carbohydrates as possible (and these are not only baked goods, pasta, sugar and their substitutes, but also honey, fruits, root vegetables, cereals and rice in any form). The diet allows a 5% quota of carbohydrates due to fruits, herbs and some vegetables.
For comparison: in the standard food pyramid, regulated by the World Health Organization as the basis of a balanced diet, the proportion of carbohydrates can be up to 60%.
As you know, it is not safe to practice a protein diet, but where do you get your energy from? The answer is in fat. You don't have to be afraid of them; the horrors of cholesterol that frighten people in the 21st century are seen in the 21st century as intrigues by interested pharmaceutical companies. It is important to make a correction: we are talking about the right fats rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, not juicy kebabs, margarine and trans fats, which are harmful to health.
WHAT IS KETOSIS? HOW DOES THE DIET WORK?
Principle of the diet
The body uses carbohydrates as the main fuel for the brain. With a sharp reduction in carbohydrates in the diet below 20 grams per day, the amount of glucose is critically reduced - and there is not enough energy for normal functioning and fat oxidation. To nourish the brain, the body begins the process of receiving an alternative energy - ketosis. This is a condition that develops as a result of carbohydrate starvation of cells, when the body begins to break down fats for energy to form a large number of ketone bodies. Normally, the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood is very low, as they are replaced by glucose and the body does not need extra energy. During ketosis, the concentration of ketone bodies rises sharply.
Ketosis can also be achieved by fasting for several days, but it is extremely harmful. The keto diet is an alternative to complete fasting, which can cause less damage to the body. Along with nutrition, we continue to receive all the necessary substances and do not feel hungry, excluding only carbohydrates and forcing the body to begin the process of breaking down fat.
The keto diet has a pretty solid scientific basis; it showed excellent results in children and adults with epilepsy - until the disappearance of the convulsive syndrome against the background of withdrawal of anticonvulsants. It is effective for people with certain autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer's disease, as well as for people with cancer. The fact is that tumor cells "feed" on glucose, and studies suggest that switching to a low-carb but high-fat diet leads to a regression of the tumor process.
Observations of patients adhering to this diet model show that, oddly enough, a person begins to feel a surge of energy, brain activity increases and mood improves. The secret lies in biochemical processes: the body switches to new sources of energy - ketones, formed during the breakdown of fats.
The first promoters of the keto diet were biohackers who wanted to live a healthy and active life into old age.
Hollywood stars joined them and then the madness of the keto diet spread around the world. Removing excess fat by consuming fat can simply be a challenge.
However, only an experienced nutritionist should prescribe a keto diet. Not a diet consultant, not an Insta food blogger, not a dietitian or keto specialist. There are certain contraindications to this food system, such as diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, familial hyperlipidemia, etc. In addition, at the beginning of the diet, when switching to other energy sources, there is often a complex adaptation of the body.
KETO DIET FOOD PYRAMID
The main disadvantages of the keto diet:
- This is an unbalanced diet. When you completely eliminate carbohydrates, you lose a huge amount of nutrients to the body.
- Constipation may occur. For the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, such a diet is not useful at all.
- Odor of acetone may appear on the body, urine and mouth. To minimize the odor, you should drink more than 2 liters of water a day so that acetone is removed more actively.
- All carbohydrates are excluded, a process that is usually not as active is triggered artificially, the load on the liver increases. This is quite unhealthy.
Main benefits of the keto diet:
- Fast weight loss. Excluding carbohydrates from the diet does not allow the body to use substances as usual: to store fat "in reserve" and to use carbohydrates as the main energy.
- There is no constant feeling of hunger, as with other diets. This means that there are no sharp spikes in blood sugar (the role of glucose is played by ketone bodies).
- High-calorie foods saturate and help avoid damage.
- Fat is burned in the body and muscle mass is maintained.
For whom this type of diet is contraindicated:
- pregnant;
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- people with type 1 and 2 diabetes;
- people with endocrine pathologies;
- breastfeeding
Is it really possible to lose weight on a keto diet?
The keto diet promotes weight loss, energizes and allows a person to stay full longer. The secret of increased satiety and energy levels lies in the fact that most calories come from fats, which are very nutritious and slowly digestible. As a result, people on a keto diet consume fewer calories because they do not experience bouts of hunger for longer. They no longer need to eat so much or so often.
Its main purpose is to keep a person in a state of natural ketosis. It usually takes about four to eight weeks for the keto to fully adapt. After this time, the level of glycogen (glucose stored in the muscles and liver) will decrease, excess water will be excreted from the body, muscle endurance will increase and the person will feel a powerful surge of energy. When you first start eating low-carb foods in your ketogenic diet, you will need to monitor your ketosis. This way you will know what you are doing right and what is wrong and whether you need to make changes to your diet. The simplest test is the ketone breath test. After a few days you will feel a fruity, slightly sour or even metallic taste in your mouth. What is the reason? While you are in ketosis, your body synthesizes ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetone is excreted in the urine and respiration, which is the cause of "ketone respiration". Usually bad taste and bad breath decrease after a few weeks.
Dietary side effects
Decreased carbohydrate intake causes a decrease in insulin levels in the blood, as a result of which the kidneys receive a signal to release excess sodium. Between reducing your sodium intake and washing away excess sodium deposits, your body secretes more baking soda than normal, and as a result, levels of sodium and other electrolytes fall. When this happens, you may experience fatigue, headache, cough, runny nose, irritability and nausea. This condition is called ketoplash. It is important to understand that it is not caused by the flu virus. Such a cold is neither dangerous nor contagious. The name in this case reflects only the similarity of the symptoms. When signs of discomfort appear, many people become frightened, thinking that the keto diet has negatively affected their health, and start eating carbohydrates again. In fact, the keto cold is a sign that your body has finally cleared sugar, carbohydrates and industrial foods and is recovering to use fat as an energy source. It usually only takes a few days, that's how long it takes to adapt. You can alleviate the condition by including more sodium and electrolytes in your diet by drinking more water.
In any case, before dieting, you should consult your doctor and during this period to monitor your condition: blood biochemistry, blood pressure, the state of the cardiovascular system and the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
It is important to emphasize the basics: each person is different - with a special body structure, genetically inherited constitution, stressors, level of physical activity and acquired eating habits that have a huge impact on health.
Thus, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet designed to bring the body into a state called "ketosis" and burn the accumulated fat. Designed for children with epilepsy, the keto diet of celebrities has exploded in popularity in recent years.
However, a year ago, most media questioned the benefits and even safety of this weight correction method. The ketogenic diet is not a magic wand for weight loss. Avoiding carbohydrates leads to an unbalanced diet (deprivation of essential nutrients), headache, weakness and chills. And the keto diet can also cause a lipotoxic condition and as a result provoke inflammation of the liver, gallbladder and stomach. In the long run, this may increase the risk of atherosclerosis and insulin stroke.
Listen and study your body. And then you can, if you wish, quickly lose those extra pounds by choosing the best method of weight correction for yourself.