Have you ever heard of a ketogenic diet or a keto eating? If so, it may have sounded a little scary or intimidating.. let me explain. I’ve been talking a lot about this on Facebook and even did a live video recently on this topic, which you can watch here.
What is Keto Eating?
The ketogenic diet is a way of eating that is high in fat (*gasp*), moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates (aka “carbs”). The breakdown of the percentage of the daily intake of calories is roughly…
- 70-80% Fat
- 10-15% Protein
- 5-10% Carbs
To put those numbers into perspective the typical American is eating upwards of 60% of calories from carbs.
What happens when we significantly decrease carb intake?
The body breaks down carbs into sugar producing glucose, which is your body’s go-to source of energy. With moderate protein intake and very little carbs, there is no glucose being produced for fuel, and the body goes into a state of ketosis.
Ketosis is a metabolic process that uses your fat stores to make ketones, which are then used for fuel. Yes, you read that correctly! In a state of ketosis, the body goes from burning sugar (glucose) to burning fat (ketones)! The goal of keto eating is for the body to enter a state of ketosis and start burning fat!
Eating for Ketosis
Often the ketogenic diet gets lumped in with other popular low carb, high protein diets, when in fact it is a very unique way of eating.
Protein is eaten in moderation in the ketogenic diet, because of the body’s ability to convert protein to glucose. Therefore, if too much protein is eaten, the body will never enter ketosis. I mention gluconeogenesis in my facebook video below.
The phrase “high fat” may make you run for the hills, but it shouldn’t! We’ve been conditioned for so long to believe that high fat foods are “bad” for us, when in reality, it isn’t. There are healthy ways to meet your fat goal that do not involve highly inflammatory foods like processed meats and dairy. Some examples of healthy fats are avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, and ghee. Please watch my video training to hear about avoiding inflammatory foods while eating ketogenically and why I don’t recommend the “Keto eating” you see on pinterest.
Why Eat a Ketogenic Diet?
Studies show keto eating has a positive effect on
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar control
- Appetite control and cravings
- Neurological diseases such as epilepsy, alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, etc.
- Blood pressure and cholesterol
Be aware the ketogenic diet may cause temporary side effects like digestive discomfort, constipation, heartburn, and headaches, etc. It is recommended to review your medical history with a nutritional expert to ensure it is safe to begin a ketogenic diet and follow up with them throughout the diet to ensure that all of your nutritional needs are being met.
Keto eating is not for everyone and not intended for the long-term use. We use the ketogenic diet as a tool to prepare for fasting in Diet Beta Testing , the program I am creating with expert Chalene Johnson. Check out this program out for more information on keto eating!
Read my article titled KetoDiet Mistakes!
Ketogenic Diet & Long-Term Safety/Efficacy
There have been no adverse effects with a long term ketogenic diet shown in research. Improvements in brain/cognitive function, as well as many other health benefits have been well documented for a ketogenic diet’s safety (Cannane, 2016). It’s important to remember that our recommendations for following a low carb high fat diet does not mean it is a high protein diet, which has been associated with adverse health effects and damage to kidneys (Paoili, 2013).
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Cunnane SC, Courchesne-Loyer A, Vandenberghe C, et al. Can Ketones Help Rescue Brain Fuel Supply in Later Life? Implications for Cognitive Health during Aging and the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 2016;9:53. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2016.00053. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4937039/
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Paoli A, Rubini A, Volek JS, Grimaldi KA. Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013;67(8):789-796. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2013.116. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3826507/
Danahy MS RD LDN, A. (2017, January 11). Is There Any Evidence Behind the Ketogenic Diet? Retrieved May 2, 2017, from consultant360.com