What is the keto diet?

QUEK CHOON GUAN, PETER
7 min readJun 30, 2023

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A keto or ketogenic diet means a diet that is low in carbohydrates or carbs but high in fat, that aims to put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, your body burns fat instead of carbs for energy, and produces ketones that can be used by your brain and other organs. This can have various health benefits, such as weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and protection against some chronic diseases.

A keto or ketogenic diet also trim our body weight to a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index), in doing so, it will enhance our health performance by lower our blood sugar level to a healthier level (7 or less).

There are different versions of the keto diet, but the most common and well-studied one is the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), which consists of 70–75% fat, 20% protein, and 5–10% carbs. Other variations include the cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD), which involves alternating between low carb and high carb days, the targeted ketogenic diet (TKD), which allows you to add carbs around your workouts, and the high protein ketogenic diet, which increases the protein intake to 35%.

Macronutrient distribution: The typical macronutrient distribution for a keto diet is around 70–75% of calories from fat, 20–25% from protein, and 5–10% from carbohydrates. This ratio is designed to induce and maintain a state of ketosis.

A keto or ketogenic diet also, in addition, transforms our body into a fat burning machine by depleting or lowering the carbohydrates level (our primary source of energy), so as to get rid of those excessive fat’s deposits by burning fats in order to obtain energy. Since our primary source, the carbohydrates are being reduced or near depletion, we need to burn fat to obtain energy so that the reduce carbs, our primary energy source can be substituted by burning fats.

The keto diet can be effective for losing excess body fat without hunger, as well as for improving type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. However, it is not suitable for everyone, and it may have some side effects, especially in the beginning. Some people may experience keto flu, which is a collection of symptoms such as headache, fatigue, nausea, and constipation that occur as your body adapts to ketosis. Other potential risks include nutrient deficiencies, kidney stones, liver problems, and mood swings. When we consume a keto diet, our insulin levels often lower tremendously. This facilitates you to have access to your body fat stores of energy easily.

The ultimate goal of keto diet is to not achieve through lessen the number of calories inputted into our body but to cut down on the amount of carbohydrates consumed.

The ultimate goal of keto diet is to not achieve through lessen the number of calories inputted into our body but to cut down on the amount of carbohydrates consumed.

Carbohydrates or carbs, its meaning and uses.

Carbohydrates or carbs are a type of macronutrient, fiber cum sugar molecules found in one of the three main nutrients in many foods and beverages. Macronutrients are what give the body energy, with carbs being the main source of energy supply. We must eat, protein, fat and carbs, since our body can’t produce macronutrients (energy source) on its own.

Our body, process Carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose or blood sugar is the main source of energy for your body needs which includes body’s cells, tissues and organ. Glucose can then be used immediately or stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

There are 2 types of carbs, they are:

  1. Complex carbs (good carbs, beneficial to the body)
  2. Simple carbs (bad carbs, with refined sugars that damage our health conditions)

We first discuss about the beneficial carbs which is the Complex carbs.

Complex carbs are beneficial to the body because it provides the body with additional nutrients to use, and the energy source lasts longer.

Some sample examples are provided below as containing complex carbs:

  1. Grains, such as bread, noodles, pasta, oats, cereals, and brown rice
  2. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, and peas

Next, we described what is a simple carbohydrate (the bad carbs, simple sugars).

Simple carbs are similar to processed food, they are regarded as simple sugars. Simple carbs get separated in the body very quickly and are used as an immediate source of energy that burn out faster, they can be dangerous to the body when consumed very frequently, since they are comprised of refined sugars with minimal vitamins or nutrients.

Some examples of simple carbs the bad ones are:

  • Dairy products, such as milk
  • Snack foods and sweets, such as cakes, cookies, candy, chocolate and other biscuits
  • Juices, regular sodas, honey, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks that contain sugar.
Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash
Photo by Art Rachen on Unsplash

To follow a keto diet, or food choices:

You need to drastically reduce your intake of carbohydrates and replace them with healthy fats and moderate amounts of protein.

You also need to avoid foods that are high in carbs, such as grains, legumes, fruits, starchy vegetables, banana, honey and sugary foods.

Instead, you should focus on foods that are low in carbs and high in fat and protein, such as meat, eggs, avocado, cheese, nuts, seeds, olive oils, coconut oil, fatty fish, butter, cream, and non-starchy vegetables.

COCONUT OIL

Here is a sample meal plan for one day on a keto diet:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese and avocado

Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil dressing

Dinner: Salmon with broccoli and butter

Snacks: Almonds, cheese cubes, celery with peanut butter

Benefits: The ketogenic diet has been studied for its potential benefits in weight loss, blood sugar control, and improving certain health conditions such as epilepsy, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and metabolic syndrome. It may also provide increased mental focus and energy levels for some individuals.

A keto diet can be a powerful tool for improving your health and well-being. However, it is not a magic bullet that works for everyone. You need to consult your doctor before starting a keto diet, especially if you have any medical conditions or take any medications. You also need to monitor your blood sugar and ketone levels regularly to make sure you are in ketosis and not harming your health. Finally, you need to enjoy the foods you eat and find a way to make the keto diet sustainable for you.

Potential side effects: When starting the keto diet, some people may experience what is commonly known as the “keto flu,” which includes symptoms like headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and irritability. These usually subside within a few days as the body adapts to using ketones for energy. It’s important to note that the long-term effects of the keto diet are still being researched, and individual experiences can vary.

Monitoring ketosis: Some individuals on the keto diet use urine strips, blood tests, or breath analyzers to monitor the level of ketones in their body and ensure they are in a state of ketosis.

As with any diet or lifestyle change, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before starting the ketogenic diet, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns. They can provide personalized guidance and help ensure the diet is followed safely and effectively.

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Credential and source of information:

I researched, consulted, summarized and paraphrased using my own words from the below mentioned websites:

A Keto Diet for Beginners: The #1 Ketogenic Guide — Diet Doctor

https://www.ketomei.com

Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet — Mayo Clinic

Carbohydrates: MedlinePlus

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QUEK CHOON GUAN, PETER

i am a freelance affiliate marketer, graduated from the Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada. I am a Singaporean. Writing is my hobbies.