In recent years, Ketogenic (keto) diet has gained significance among the weight-loss aspirants across the world.
There are several dietary options out there, but keto diet has become the most popular dietary trend in countries such as the US, Canada, Germany, China and India, among others.
The growing popularity for keto diet can be easily fathomed from the keto diet market size.
According to the market research reports, the global keto market accounted to USD 9.7 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow by USD 1.11 billion per year during 2019-2023..
The ketogenic diet is certainly not for everyone, but the statistics show that the hype is not going away anytime soon.
Here is a detailed guide to the Keto diet-
1) Defining Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diet.
The diet involves the drastic replacement of carbohydrates intake by fats and proteins. This, in turn, puts the body in a metabolic state known as ketosis.
In this state, the body burns fat, instead of carbohydrates, to produce energy. The body creates ketones that energize body in absence of carbohydrates.
2) Keto for Weight Loss
The keto diet is an effective way than any other recommended calorie-restricted low-fat dietto lose weight.
It was found that ketogenic diet helps in losing 2.2 times more weight than low-fat dietary.
Another study compared keto diet to the Diabetes UK’s dietary guidelines. After 3 months, it was found that keto diet caused 3 times more weight loss than diabetes diet.
The ketogenic diet typically restricts carbs to 20–50g per day. A daily 2,000-calorie ketogenic diet has 165g of fat, 75g of protein and 40g of carbs.
The food items allowed in the keto diet are as Follows:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Oils
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Seeds
- Low-carb vegetables
The food items that need to be limited or eliminated in a ketogenic diet are
- Grains
- Sugars
- Legumes
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Candy
- Juice
- Fruits
- Beans
- Alcohol
Apart from burning fat, keto diet also reduces blood sugar and insulin levels, and provides numerous health benefits.
The ketogenic diet has benefits for a wide variety of health conditions including cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart diseases, brain injuries and acne, among others.
3) Side Effects of Keto
Although keto diet is effective for weight loss, it is associated with numerous health risks.
Some of the health risks include:
- High Content of Saturated Fat
- High LDL cholesterol
- Liver Problems
- Kidney Problems
- Constipation
Moreover, keto diet is associated with increased hunger, sleep disorders, nausea, digestive issues, decreased energy levels and mineral imbalance in the body.
4) Minimizing Keto Risks
It is advised to prefer a regular low-card diet for the first few weeks before starting a typical keto diet to reduce the side effects.
This process helps your body to burn more fat before you limit the carbs.
To balance the water and mineral content in the body, you can try adding extra salt to your meals or taking mineral supplements.
It is preferred to take 3-4g of sodium, 1g of potassium and 3g of magnesium per day to minimize side effects.
Try to avoid limiting calories too much during the early stage of your keto dietary.
Want to Try Keto?
Keto diet is effective for people suffering from obesity, diabetics and metabolic syndrome. However, it is not suitable for everyone.
Fitness freaks or athletes looking to gain large amounts of muscle or weight are not recommended to prefer keto diet.
Moreover, the decision to attempt keto diet comes at a price. It was found that keto diet is 5-10% more expensive than any regular diet.
So, ensure that you have consulted a doctor or an authentic dietitian before following ketogenic diet.
Final Words
Irrespective of any diet plan, you can see amazing results only if you are consistent and stick with it in the long term.
You should find the proper balance of foods to make the most of a keto diet and it is quite challenging to maintain the delicate balance.
One should regularly track calorie intake, plan meals, set goals, monitor metrics like total carbs, fats, ketones, blood glucose and insulin, and check body weight, among many.
Don’t worry! A right technology can help you with that.
Fitness Online Tracking Apps guide you through the transition to the keto diet and help you to maintain an overall health.
The fitness app motivates you by offering thousands of healthy recipes, educational content, community platform, workout plans, instructional videos, and much more.
Stay Motivated!
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