“The ketogenic diet burns fat, but still maintains a very good caloric intake, allowing you to maintain muscle mass and a good metabolic rate. Not surprisingly, more and more people are choosing the ketogenic diet. These are not just the principles of nutrition, this is a biohacking tool ”- these words can be read today on the social networks of the followers of the keto diet. Is really? Let's look at this question objectively and weigh the pros and cons
The essence of the ketogenic diet is to exclude carbohydrates as much as possible (and this is not just baked goods, pasta, sugar and their substitutes, but also honey, fruits, root vegetables, cereals and rice in any form). In the diet, a 5% carbohydrate quota is allowed due to berries, herbs, and some vegetables.
By way of comparison: in the standard food pyramid, regulated by the World Health Organization as the basis of a balanced diet, the proportion of carbohydrates can go 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 should not be afraid of them; The horrors of cholesterol, which frightened people throughout the 20th century, are considered intrigues by interested pharmaceutical companies in the 21st. It is important to make a correction: we are talking about the right fats, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and not juicy kebabs, margarine and trans fats, which are harmful to health.
WHAT IS KETOSIS? HOW DOES THE KETO DIET WORK?
Diet Principle
The body uses carbohydrates as the main "fuel" for the brain. With a strong reduction of carbohydrates in the diet below 20 grams per day, the amount of glucose is critically reduced and there is not enough energy for normal function and fat oxidation. To nourish the brain, the body begins the process of obtaining alternative energy: ketosis. This is a condition that develops as a result of the cells' lack of carbohydrates, when the body begins to break down fat for energy and form a large number of ketone bodies. In a normal state, the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood is very low, since they are replaced by glucose and the body does not need additional energy. During ketosis, the concentration of ketone bodies increases sharply.
Ketosis can also be achieved by fasting for several days, but this is extremely harmful. The ketogenic diet is an alternative to a complete fast that can cause less damage to the body. Along with food, we continue to receive all the necessary substances and do not experience hunger, excluding only carbohydrates and forcing the body to start the process of breaking down fats.
The ketogenic diet has a pretty solid scientific basis; showed excellent results in children and adults with epilepsy, up to the disappearance of the convulsive syndrome in the context of abstinence from anticonvulsants. It is effective for people with certain autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer's disease, as well as for people with cancer. The fact is, tumor cells "feed" on glucose and, according to studies, switching to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet leads to regression of the tumor process.
Observations from patients who adhere to this nutritional model have shown that, strangely enough, a person begins to feel a surge of energy, increases brain activity, and improves mood. The secret lies in the biochemical processes: the body switches to new sources of energy - ketones, which are formed during the breakdown of fat.
The first popularizers of the ketogenic diet were biohackers who wanted to live healthy and active into old age.
Hollywood stars joined them, and then the ketogenic diet craze spread around the world. You may simply have to remove excess fat by consuming fat.
However, only an experienced dietitian should prescribe the ketogenic diet. He is not a diet consultant, not an Insta-food blogger, not a nutritionist or a keto hobbyist. There are certain contraindications to this food system, for example, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, familial hyperlipidemia, etc. In addition, at the beginning of the diet, when switching to other sources of energy, a complex adaptation of the body is common.
KETO DIET FOOD PYRAMID
The main disadvantages of the ketogenic diet:
- This is an unbalanced diet. When you completely eliminate carbohydrates, you lose a large amount of nutrients for the body.
- A tendency to constipation may occur. For the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, such a diet is not at all useful.
- Acetone odor may occur in the body, urine and mouth. To minimize the odor, you should drink more than 2 liters of water a day to remove more acetone.
- All carbohydrates are excluded, a process that is generally not so active is artificially triggered, the load on the liver increases. This is pretty unhealthy.
Key benefits of the ketogenic diet:
- Rapid weight loss. The exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet does not allow the body to use substances as usual: storing fats "in reserve" and using carbohydrates as its main energy.
- There is no constant feeling of hunger as with other diets. This means there are no sudden jumps in blood sugar (glucose's role is played by ketone bodies).
- Foods high in calories are filling and help prevent spoilage.
- Body fat is burned and muscle mass is preserved.
For whom this type of diet is contraindicated:
- pregnant;
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- people with diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2;
- people with endocrine pathologies;
- breastfeeding
Is it really possible to lose weight on a ketogenic diet?
The ketogenic diet promotes weight loss, energizes and allows a person to stay full longer. The secret to increasing satiety and energy levels lies in the fact that most calories come from fat, which is highly nutritious and slow to digest. As a result, people on a ketogenic diet consume fewer calories, as they do not experience hunger attacks for longer. They no longer need to eat as much or as often.
Its main objective is to continuously keep a person in a state of natural ketosis. In general, full ketogenic adaptation takes between four and eight weeks. After this time, the level of glycogen (glucose stored in the muscles and liver) will decrease, the body will release excess water, muscular endurance will increase, and the person will feel a powerful burst of energy. When you start eating low carb foods on the ketogenic diet, you will need to control your ketosis. This way, you will know exactly what you are doing right and what is wrong, and if you need to make any changes to your diet. The simplest test is the ketone breath test. After a couple of days, you will experience a fruity, slightly sour, or even metallic taste in your mouth. Which is the reason? While in ketosis, your body synthesizes ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetone is excreted in the urine and in the breath, which is why "ketone respiration" appears. Bad taste and bad breath usually subside after a couple of weeks.
Diet Side Effects
The reduction of the carbohydrate ratio causes a decrease in insulin levels in the blood, as a result, the kidneys receive a signal to release excess sodium. Between reducing your sodium intake and removing excess sodium deposits, your body releases more bicarbonate of soda than normal, as a result of which sodium and other electrolyte levels drop. 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 was not caused by the flu virus. Such a cold is not dangerous or contagious. The name in this case only reflects the similarity of symptoms. When signs of discomfort appear, many people freak out, think the ketogenic diet has negatively affected their health, and start eating carbs again. In fact, the keto cold is a sign that your body has finally eliminated sugar, carbohydrates, and industrial foods and is rebuilding itself to start using fat for energy. It usually lasts only a couple of days, this is how long it takes to adjust. You can alleviate the condition by including more sodium and electrolytes in your diet and drinking more water.
In any case, before a diet, you should consult with your doctor and during this period 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 main thing: each person is individual, with a special body structure, genetically inherited constitution, stressors, level of physical activity and acquired eating habits that have a tremendous impact on health.
So, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan designed to put the body into a state called "ketosis" and burn stored fat. Designed for children with epilepsy, the celebrity ketogenic diet has exploded in popularity in recent years.
However, a year ago, most of the media questioned the benefits and even the safety of this weight correction method. The ketogenic diet is not a magic wand for weight loss. Avoiding carbohydrates leads to an unbalanced diet (you are depriving yourself of essential nutrients), headaches, weakness, chills. And the ketogenic diet can also cause a lipotoxic state and as a result lead to inflammation of the liver, gallbladder, and hitting the stomach. In the long term, it can increase the risk of atherosclerosis and insulin infarction.
Listen and study your body. And then you can, if you wish, quickly lose those extra pounds by choosing the best weight correction method for you.