Following the Keto diet is similar to marrying. It never works if you cheat. So, have an idea of what is Keto diet.
The Keto or Ketogenic diet consists of low-carb and high-fat foods. Adequate proteins also form a part of the Keto diet. Studies indicate that the Keto diet helps to lose weight and improve overall health. It also delivers many other health benefits. Scroll down to have an idea of what is Keto diet.
What is Keto diet?
If you wish to kick-start your health and fitness goals, you may consider trying the Keto diet. The specialty of this is that it starts ketosis in the body. It is a condition when the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. The early 1900s have seen the introduction of the Keto diet for managing diabetics and epilepsy. Although abandoned with the arrival of anticonvulsant drugs, it is again gaining popularity. The Keto diet plan involves a drastic reduction of carbohydrates and replacing the same with fat. It is almost similar to the Atkins diet plan. Generally, a Keto plan ensures that the body gets at least 70 percent of calories from fat, a maximum of 10 percent from carbohydrates, and less than 20 percent from protein sources.
How Keto diet plan works?
It works on the principle that if we cut off the major source energy, it will use the alternate source. Glucose, obtained from carbohydrates, is the prime source of energy for the body cells. When one follows the Keto diet rules, it deprives the body of glucose. As a result, Ketosis starts in the body. Then the liver produces ketones from fat, and our brain and other organs use that for energy. In this way, our body burns fat for fuel. Healthy individuals also pass through mild ketosis when they fast, sleep or do strenuous workouts.
Types of Keto diets
Queries for what is Keto diet remains incomplete without the knowledge of different types. The Keto diets have several versions that include
- Standard Keto Diet (SKD): It is the most common version and contains low-carb, moderate protein, and high protein. A typical combination is 10% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 70% fat.
- Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): It combines two higher-carbohydrate days after five Ketogenic diet days.
- Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): It permits the addition of carbohydrates around intensive workout periods.
- High Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD): It consists of around 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.
How to start the Keto diet?
As you already know what is Keto diet and how it works, it is time to know about starting the same. While there are different approaches, all of them follow these basic simple steps.
- Eat the right food
- Eat the right amount
When you eat Keto-friendly foods only, your calorie intake becomes less than before and it helps improve the overall health with weight loss achievements.
Keto diet plan for beginners
Being on the Keto diet is one of the most popular global ways for shedding extra pounds with health improvement. While searching for elaborate answers for what is Keto diet, one must have knowledge of Keto diet for beginners.
A typical Keto diet includes 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates every day. For this, some people take the total carbohydrate intake into consideration. Others count net the carbohydrate which is equal to total carbohydrates minus fiber.
The following Keto diet foods yield good results.
- Fatty fish: salmon, herring, and mackerel.
- Poultry: Chicken and Turkey
- Eggs: Organic whole eggs duly pasteurized.
- Meat: Grass-fed beef, venison, pork, and bison.
- Dairy & Dairy Alternatives: Yogurt, butter, cream, and unsweetened plant-based milk.
- Cheese: Full-fat cheese like Cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese, and cream cheese.
- Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables, Peppers, Summer squash, High fat veggies, and other non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, flaxseeds, Macadamia nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
- Other plant-based foods: Berries, Shirataki noodles, Dark chocolate, and cocoa powder.
- Fats and oils: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Butter, Clarified butter, Sesame oil.
- Beverages: Unsweetened coffee & tea, Unsweetened sparkling water.
Foods for to be avoided
One must restrict the following foods while on a Keto diet
- Bread and baked goods
- Sweets and sugary foods
- Sweetened beverages
- Pasta
- Grains and grain products
- Starchy vegetables
- Beans and legumes
- Fruit
- High-carb sauces
- Alcoholic beverages
One should also avoid all types of unhealthy fats, processed foods, and foods with color, sweetener, and preservatives. Plenty of free Keto diet plans is available on the internet. Consult those for choosing the plan that suits you best.
Preparing Keto meals
For following a Keto meal plan one has to severely cut down the carbohydrate association. Otherwise, it is impossible to follow. To put the body in the ketosis state, the carbohydrates should be drastically cut down, and the fat content should be raised. Your major part of calories should come from fat and one should make the recipe accordingly. A box load of Keto diet recipes is available on the web. You can have one that satisfies your palate.
Benefits of Keto diet
The most vital part of discussing what is Keto diet is the Keto diet benefits. Keto diets have many health benefits and are ideal to boost your health. The following are the benefits you may have.
- It reduces appetite
- Helps to lose weight
- Reduces the harmful abdominal fat
- Reduces blood triglycerides
- Improves the good Cholesterol level
- Reduces blood sugar and insulin level
- Helps improve the blood pressure level
- Helps to manage metabolic syndromes
- Helps in maintaining brain disorders
The bottom line
So, you know what is Keto diet, and the eating pattern. It accommodates a broad range of nutritious and tasty foods. Although several versions of the Keto diet are there, most people follow the standard (SKD) version. It is a viable option for those who face difficulties in shedding pounds by other methods.
0 Comments