The Keto Diet: What You Need to Know Before You Try

The keto diet was created to treat patients with diabetes, but some doctors decided to try it for weight loss.Let's figure out who is suitable for and what dangers such a diet can pose, how to choose products and create a menu.

What is the keto diet

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.This diet helps lower blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity, improve well-being and lose weight by changing metabolism.

A change in diet causes a state of ketosis - a metabolic mode in which the body obtains fuel from animal foods.The main source of energy are ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyric acid.These are substances that are formed in the liver from the body’s fatty tissues and consumed fats.Ketone bodies nourish internal organs, muscle tissue and the brain instead of glucose.

The process of ketosis can be triggered by fasting, but the keto diet allows you to enter this state and maintain it constantly without risk to health.

Signs of ketosis:

• acetone or fruity breath odor;
• increased levels of ketone bodies in the blood, urine and breath;
• decreased appetite and hunger;
• loss of strength, which after a few days may be replaced by normal well-being and increased brain activity;
• gastrointestinal disturbances, thirst and frequent urination;
• weight loss;
• irritability;
• insomnia.

Ketosis is a natural metabolic state of the body in which fats and adipose tissues of the body become the main source of energy instead of glucose.

Types of diet:

• standard: 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates of the total caloric intake;
• cyclical: five days on keto alternating with two days on high-carbohydrate foods;
• target: suitable for those who play sports;
• high in protein: differs from the standard version in the ratio of elements (60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates).

Most studies and expert articles focus on standard and high-protein regimens.The cyclic and target options have been less studied and are recommended for athletes and bodybuilders.

The keto diet is a diet with a high percentage of fats and a minimum of carbohydrates.The body gets energy from animal foods instead of glucose.This diet can help lower blood sugar and insulin levels and help you lose weight.

Foods to Avoid

The keto diet cannot be called carbohydrate-free: their daily amount is 5% of the diet or 20-50 grams of product.

But to start and maintain a state of ketosis, you need to remove or reduce the amount of high-carbohydrate foods from the menu:

• cereals and starch products: rice, pasta, cereal, potatoes;
• sugar-containing foods and drinks: soda, fruit juices, baked goods, etc.;
• any fruit except berries;
• beans and beans;
• dietary products and low-fat foods;
• sauces and flavorings that contain sugar and unhealthy fats;
• alcohol.

Foods to include in your diet

Key foods included in the keto diet:

• meat: steaks, sausages, bacon, chicken and turkey;
• fish: salmon, tuna, mackerel;
• seafood;
• eggs;
• butter and sour cream;
• cheeses: cheddar, goat, cream, mozzarella or blue cheese;
• nuts and seeds;
• olive, coconut and avocado oil;
• fresh avocado and guacamole;
• low-carb vegetables: most green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, peppers;
• seasonings: salt, pepper, spices and herbs.

Low carb foods that are suitable for the keto diet:

• 0% carbs: beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, pork (including bacon), jerky, salmon, sardines, trout, butter, olive, coconut and avocado oils, water, coffee, tea.
• 0-5%: liver, shellfish, shrimp, tuna, lobster, cod, tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, asparagus, mushrooms, cheese, sour cream, yogurt (including Greek yogurt).
• 5-10%: Broccoli, onions, Brussels sprouts, kale, eggplant, bell peppers, green beans, avocado, olives, strawberries.
• 10-15%: grapefruit, apricot, walnuts.
• 15-25%: almonds, peanuts.

For snacks, experts recommend eating seafood, cheese, olives, meat, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, berries, dark chocolate, and small portions of leftovers from breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Menu for the week by day

Monday

• Breakfast: bacon, eggs, tomatoes.
• Lunch: Chicken salad with feta cheese and olive oil.
• Dinner: salmon and asparagus in butter.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: omelet with goat cheese, tomatoes, basil.
• Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter and cocoa smoothie with sugar substitute.
• Dinner: meatballs, cheddar cheese and vegetables.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Keto milkshake - such as peanut butter or strawberry.
• Lunch: shrimp salad with avocado and olive oil.
• Dinner: Pork ribs with broccoli, salad and Parmesan.

Thursday

• Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, bell peppers, onions and spices.
• Lunch: nuts, celery sticks with salsa and fresh guacamole.
• Dinner: Pesto chicken with cream cheese and fresh vegetables.

Friday

• Breakfast: Yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa and sweetener.
• Lunch: beef in coconut oil with vegetables.
• Dinner: bunless burger with bacon, cheese and egg.

Saturday

• Breakfast: mushroom omelette with ham and cheese.
• Lunch: ham, cheese, nuts.
• Dinner: white fish, egg and spinach in coconut oil.

Sunday

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon and mushrooms.
• Lunch: Burger with salsa, cheese and guacamole.
• Dinner: steak, salad, egg.

Natural foods suitable for the keto diet include meat, fish, butter, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, low-carb vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The effectiveness of losing weight on a keto diet

No diet on its own provides long-term weight loss and can be harmful to your health.After temporary weight loss, people return to their previous state, and sometimes gain more weight than before changing their diet.A safe and effective way to achieve your desired weight and maintain health and fitness is to find a suitable lifestyle and diet plan that you can follow with the help of experts.

Experts confirm that the keto diet is 2.2 times more effective for weight loss than a low-fat diet.Weight loss occurs due to:

• increasing the amount of protein in the diet;
• decreased appetite;
• changes in eating habits;
• getting energy from fats instead of glucose;
• rapid fat burning;
• improved metabolism due to increased insulin sensitivity.

The keto regime does not require constant calorie counting, creates a feeling of satiety, accelerates the process of burning fat and prevents its formation.

Harm of the keto diet

In 2018, Polish professor Maciej Banach presented a report on the dangers of low-carbohydrate diets at the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology.The study found that in a control group of 24,000 participants, the risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and cancer was 50%, 51% and 35% higher among those who ate a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.

In January 2020, the international organization Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recommended that low-carbohydrate diets, including the keto diet, be removed from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Doctors have indicated that such a diet increases the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, the state of ketosis has side effects that you need to be aware of.

Keto flu

General deterioration of the condition that occurs when changing diet and lasts several days.Symptoms:

• physical fatigue,
• headache and dizziness,
• decreased attention and performance,
• feeling hungry
• sleep disorder,
• irritability,
• digestive disorders,
• increased thirst,
• frequent urination,
• muscle cramps,
• rapid heartbeat.

In the first weeks, it is necessary to strictly follow the diet in order to accustom the body to the new regime.When experiencing keto flu symptoms, it is important to eat well and drink at least 2 liters of fluid, preferably containing electrolytes, daily.Experts recommend adding MCT oils (fatty acids obtained from coconut and palm oil), minerals (salt, soda, magnesium), caffeine, creatine, whey protein and foods containing fiber to your diet.In addition, you need to reduce physical activity.

Risk group: anyone who switches to a keto diet.

Ketoacidosis

Ketosis is a natural physiological mode in which the body produces the amount of ketone bodies required by the body.Ketoacidosis is a pathological condition where the levels of glucose and ketone bodies are excessive, which can lead to coma and death.Ketoacidosis can be caused by diabetes, prolonged fasting, or a reaction to increasing the amount of fat in the diet.

Risk group: people with type I and type II diabetes, children aged 1-13 years, nursing mothers.

Kidney stones

According to studies, the ketogenic diet can trigger the formation of kidney stones in 6.7% of patients.

Risk group: children suffering from epilepsy.

Keto diet for diabetes

Scientists have confirmed the benefits of the keto regime for people suffering from type II diabetes.In one case, 95% of patients reduced or eliminated medications, compared to 62% of participants who followed a high-carbohydrate diet.In another, 75% of study participants improved insulin sensitivity.

In addition, research is being conducted on the possible use of ketosis to combat the formation of cancer cells, treat acne, childhood epilepsy, heart and brain diseases, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's syndromes.But the collected scientific material is not yet enough to make a substantiated conclusion.

The keto diet is effectively used in the treatment of type II diabetes.In other cases, the medical benefits of low-carbohydrate nutrition require additional research.

Doctor's opinions

We asked several questions to Evgenia Mayevskaya, candidate of medical sciences, gastroenterologist, nutritionist.

Is the keto diet beneficial or harmful?

"It's all about the dose."Today, this nutrition strategy is not recognized by any global nutritional community, and accordingly, cannot be recommended by official medicine.

With this type of nutrition, more than 80% of the energy content of the diet is provided by fats, and the consumption of carbohydrates is limited to 20 g per day or up to 50 g, which is more gentle and somewhat better tolerated.Essentially, most often the keto diet is low-carb (and the transition into ketosis is associated with this) and often high-protein.With this type of diet, the body has an abundance of saturated fats, including trans fats, as well as protein.

It often happens that most followers of the keto diet at the initial stage do not have a clear understanding of what foods are acceptable on a ketogenic diet, but it is more or less clear what should be avoided.Therefore, meat products are used, which has its consequences.

This can provoke a deficiency of dietary fiber, which is contained in carbohydrate foods, and a deficiency of water-soluble vitamins, such as C, and minerals.Such food can hardly be considered safe.And it is extremely difficult to stick to it all your life, but only this option allows you to ensure a stable weight, if we talk about losing weight.

What are the consequences and dangers of the keto diet?

Weight loss at the initial stage can really be impressive, even before the body switches to ketosis and the actual fat burning due to water has not begun.1 g of carbohydrates retains four times more fluid in the body than protein, and the first thing you notice is a decrease in body volume.If there is really a lot of excess weight, then the result is initially encouraging.

But it is worth remembering that everything will return if the diet remains the same.And not everything is so rosy.Here are some negative consequences:

• general weakness, fatigue during adaptation;
• hypoglycemia;
• bad breath and sweat odor (due to the abundance of meat foods);
• stool disorders (constipation or tendency to diarrhea);
• nausea;
• disruption of the pancreas and gallbladder, especially if there is gallstone disease of any stage;
• gastric dyspepsia;
• kidney stones (for long-term adherence) and dysfunction;
• possible deterioration of the lipid profile towards atherogenic;
• weight gain when switching to a regular mixed diet.

I also associate this strategy of eating behavior with an increased risk of osteoporosis and deterioration of brain activity.

There are a number of authoritative foreign studies, with which cardiologists are more familiar, indicating that when replacing carbohydrates in the diet with fats and protein for the purpose of weight loss, the risks of cardiovascular diseases increase significantly, by approximately 3.5-5%.That is, the risk of stroke and heart attack may increase if you just change the type of diet.

Accordingly, if a person does not have the above-mentioned disorders, then, if desired, you can try the keto diet and evaluate the effect.

A similar strategy, but without introducing ketosis, but with a significant limitation of the proportion of carbohydrates (precisely due to the reduction of simple carbohydrates), is advisable to use to start in patients with impaired carbohydrate metabolism, when, for example, the level of glucose or insulin is increased.Once inspired by the first results in reducing body volume, it is always easier to continue.

Maybe just don't eat sweets and simple carbohydrates?Does it also help lower sugar and lose weight without ketosis?

Considering the data on long-term and most effective dietary strategies, as well as my own experience, I can say that if you give up sweets, you can actually lose weight: sweet foods are not only high in calories, but also stimulate the appetite.

But for most, the effect is unlikely to last and the lost kilograms will return.A person always wants what is forbidden to him, and in a fit of momentary weakness he allows himself to do it and overeats.

But such a diet, which is by no means low in carbohydrates, but with a limit on simple sugars, can also lead to weight loss and, accordingly, to normalization of blood glucose levels.