KETO DIET: A DETAILED KETO GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) is a low fat carbohydrate diet and a fat that has numerous benefits for the body.

In fact, many studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve your health.

The ketogenic diet can even be useful in the treatment of diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.

Here's a comprehensive guide to the keto diet for beginners.

What is a ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet is a diet low in carbohydrates and fats that has many similarities to the Atkins and low carb diets.

Includes a dramatic reduction in carbohydrate intake and fat replacement. This reduction in carbohydrates brings your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also converts fat into ketones in the liver, which can provide energy to the brain.

A ketogenic diet can cause significant drops in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketone content, brings certain health benefits.

Output: The keto diet is a low-carb, low-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels and shifts metabolism in the body from carbohydrates to fats and ketones.

Different types of ketogenic diet

There are several options for a ketogenic diet, including:

• Standard ketogenic diet. This is a diet low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fat. It usually contains 70% fat, 20% protein and only 10% carbohydrates.
• Cyclic ketogenic dieta. This diet includes periods of re-eating with a high carbohydrate content, such as 5 ketogenic days, followed by 2 days with a high carbohydrate content.
• Targeted ketogenic diet. This diet allows you to add carbohydrates during training.
• High protein ketogenic diet. It is similar to the usual ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates.

However, only the standard ketogenic diet and the high-protein ketogenic diet have been extensively studied. Cyclic or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods mostly used by bodybuilders or athletes.

The information in this article mainly applies to the standard ketogenic diet, although many of the same principles apply to other versions.

Exit: There are several options for the keto diet. The standard version is the most studied and most recommended.

What is ketosis?

Ketosis is a metabolic condition in which your body uses fat as a source of energy instead of carbohydrates.

This happens when you significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake by limiting your intake of glucose (sugar), which is the main source of energy for your cells.

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Typically, to achieve ketosis, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake to about 20-50 grams per day and include fatty foods like meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils in your diet.

It is also important to reduce protein intake. This is because proteins can be converted to glucose when consumed in large quantities, which can slow down your transition to ketosis.

The practice of intermittent fasting can also help you enter ketosis faster. There are many different forms of intermittent fasting, but the most common method is to limit food intake to about 8 hours a day, and the remaining 16 hours of fasting.

To determine if you have entered a state of ketosis, you can use special blood, urine, and breath tests that measure the amount of ketones your body produces.

Certain symptoms may also indicate that you are in ketosis, including increased thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, and decreased hunger or appetite.

Output: Ketosis is a metabolic condition in which your body uses fat as an energy source instead of carbohydrates. Changes in diet and intermittent fasting can help you enter ketosis faster. Certain tests and symptoms can help determine if you have entered ketosis.

Ketogenic diet can help you lose weight

Ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and reduce risk factors for disease.

In fact, research shows that a ketogenic diet can be just as effective for weight loss as a low-fat diet.

Moreover, the diet is so satisfying that you can lose weight without counting calories or monitoring your food intake.

One review of 13 studies found that a ketogenic diet with very few carbohydrates was slightly more effective for long-term weight loss than a low-fat diet. People on a keto diet lost an average of 0. 9 kg more than a low-fat diet.

Moreover, it resulted in both lower diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

Another study on 34 older adults found that those who followed a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks lost nearly five times more total fatty acids than those who followed a low-fat diet.

Elevated ketones, lower blood sugar and increased insulin sensitivity may also play a key role.

Output: A ketogenic diet can help you lose a little more weight than a low-fat diet. That way you will feel full throughout the day.

Ketogenic diet for diabetes and prediabetes

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by metabolic changes, elevated blood sugar and impaired insulin function.

A ketogenic diet can help you get rid of excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome.

An earlier study found that a ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by as much as 75%.

A small study on women with type 2 diabetes also showed that a 90-day ketogenic diet significantly reduced hemoglobin A1C, which is an indicator of long-term blood sugar control.

Another study of 349 people with type 2 diabetes found that those on a ketogenic diet lost an average of 11. 9 kg over a two-year period. This is an important advantage when looking at the link between body weight and type 2 diabetes.

Moreover, they also had improved blood sugar control, and the use of certain blood sugar lowering drugs decreased among participants during the study.

Output: A ketogenic diet can increase insulin sensitivity and cause fat loss, which will provide significant health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

Other benefits of a ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet actually originated as a means of treating neurological diseases like epilepsy.

Studies have shown that diet is beneficial for a wide range of conditions:

• Heart Disease. A ketogenic diet can help improve risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Cancer. Diet is currently considered a complementary treatment for cancer because it can help slow tumor growth.
• Alzheimer's disease. A keto diet can help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and slow its progression.
• Epilepsy. Research has shown that a ketogenic diet can cause a significant reduction in seizures in children with epilepsy.
• Parkinson's disease. Although more research is needed, one study found that diet helps alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. A ketogenic diet can help lower insulin levels, which may play a key role in polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Brain injury. Some studies show that diet can improve the outcome of traumatic brain injury.

However, keep in mind that research in many of these areas is not far from final.

Output: A ketogenic diet can provide many health benefits, especially for metabolic, neurological, or insulin-related diseases.

Foods to avoid

Any carbohydrate-rich foods should be restricted.

Here is a list of foods to reduce or eliminate on a ketogenic diet:

• Sweet food: carbonated drinks, fruit juices, frappes, cakes, ice cream, sweets, etc.
• Cereals or starch: products based on wheat, rice, pasta, cereals, etc.
• Fruit: All fruits except small pieces of berries like strawberries
• Beans or legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Roots and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
• Low fat or diet food: low fat mayonnaise, salad dressings and spices
• Some spices or sauces: BBQ sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc.
• Unhealthy fats: refined vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
• Alcohol: beer, wine, spirits, mixed drinks
• Sugar-free diet foods: sweets, syrups, puddings, sweeteners and sugar-free desserts, etc.

Exit: Avoid carbohydrate-based foods like grains, sugars, legumes, rice, potatoes, sweets, juices, and even most fruits.

What foods should you eat

Most of your meals should be based on the following foods:

• Meat: red meat, ham, sausages, bacon, chicken, turkey
• Fatty fish: mackerel, herring, anchovies, trout, salmon, tuna
• Eggs: Chicken and quail eggs
• Butter and Cream: Organic Butter and Heavy Cream
• Cheese: Unprocessed healthy cheeses such as cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
• Healthy oils: Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil
• Avocado: Whole avocado or freshly prepared guacamole
• Low carb vegetables: green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
• Spices: salt, pepper, herbs and spices

It's best to base your diet on whole foods from one ingredient.

Exit: Base most of your diet on foods like meat, fish, eggs, butter, nuts, healthy oils, avocados, and lots of low-carb vegetables.

Example menu for 1 week

To make it easier to get started, here's an example of a one-week ketogenic diet plan:

Monday

• Breakfast: vegetable and egg muffins with tomatoes
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives and side dish
• Dinner: salmon with asparagus in butter

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil and spinach omelette
• Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, spinach, cocoa powder and milkshake with strawberry pieces and stevia
• Dinner: cheese tacos with salsa

Wednesday

• Breakfast: nut and chia pudding sprinkled with coconut and blackberries
• Lunch: Avocado Shrimp Salad
• DinnerPork chops with parmesan, broccoli and salad

Thursday

• Breakfast: Omelette with avocado, salsa, pepper, onion and spices
• Lunch: a handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa
• Dinner: chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese and grilled zucchini garnish

Friday

• Breakfast: Greek sugar-free yogurt, whole milk yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder and berries
• Lunch: Tacos with salad and ground beef with chopped peppers
• Dinner: Cauliflower cooked with cheese and ham and a mixture of vegetables

Saturday

• Breakfast: cheesecakes (without flour) with blueberries and grilled mushroom decoration
• Lunch: zucchini and beetroot salad
• Dinner: white fish cooked in coconut oil with cabbage and fried pine nuts

Sunday

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs with mushrooms
• Lunch: Chicken with sesame and broccoli
• Dinner: Pumpkin Spaghetti with Bolognese

Always try to alternate vegetables and meat over a long period of time, as each species provides different nutrients and health benefits.

Output: On a ketogenic diet, you can eat a wide range of delicious and nutritious meals. You don’t have to eat meat and fat alone. Vegetables are an important part of the diet.

Healthy keto snacks

If you're hungry between meals, here are some healthy snacks approved for the ketogenic diet:

• fatty meat or fish
• sir
• a handful of nuts or seeds
• keto sushi
• olives
• one or two eggs, hard boiled or stuffed
• keto-friendly bars
• 90% dark chocolate
• full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder
• peppers and guacamole
• strawberries and plain curd
• celery with salsa and guacamole
• beef beef
• smaller portions of leftover food

Output: Great snacks for the keto diet are pieces of meat, cheese, olives, boiled eggs, nuts, raw vegetables and dark chocolate.

Side effects and how to reduce them

Although a ketogenic diet is generally safe for most healthy people, some initial side effects can occur during your body’s adaptation period.

There is some anecdotal evidence for these effects, often referred to as keto flu.

Based on some people's reports on the meal plan, it usually ends within a few days.

The most common symptoms of keto flu are diarrhea, constipation and vomiting.

Other less common symptoms include:

• low energy and damaged
• mental function
• headache
• increased hunger
• sleep problems
• nausea
• discomfort in the digestive tract
• reduced performance

To keep this to a minimum, you can try a regular low-carb diet for the first few weeks. This can teach your body to burn more fat before you completely eliminate carbs.

A ketogenic diet can also change the balance of water and minerals in your body, so adding salt to food or taking mineral supplements can help. Talk to your doctor about your nutritional needs.

When starting a keto diet, it’s important to eat until you’re full and don’t limit your calorie intake too much. Typically, a ketogenic diet results in weight loss without intentionally limiting calories.

Output: Many of the side effects of starting a ketogenic diet can be limited. Try a regular low-carb diet and mineral supplements before keto for the first few weeks.

Risks of the keto diet

Long-term adherence to a ketogenic diet can have several negative consequences, including the following risks:

• low blood protein levels
• excess liver fat
• kidney stones
• micronutrient deficiency

A type of medication called sodium glucose cotransporter inhibitor type 2 (SGLT2) for type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that increases blood acidity. Anyone taking this medication should avoid the keto diet.

More research is currently being conducted to determine the long-term safety of the keto diet. Tell your doctor about your meal so he can make the right choice.

Exit: The keto diet has some side effects that you should discuss with your doctor if you plan to stay on the diet for a long time.