Why keto

This dietary alteration will put your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. Ketosis is a completely normal metabolic function. Glucose is created when carbohydrates are broken down inside your body. Cutting carbs from your diet means less glucose for your body to burn up.

Replacing carbs with fats will cause acids called ketones to build up in your body. The goal is to force the body to derive its fuel from fat, rather than carbs. No waiting in line or uncomfortable swabs. While your body is in ketosis, it becomes extremely efficient at burning fat. Ketogenic diets can trigger major reductions in your blood sugar and insulin levels, which has additional health benefits.

Ketogenic diets are effective for losing weight and lowering risk factors for certain diseases. While low-fat diets are traditionally recommended for those looking to shed pounds, research shows that keto is, in fact, a superior approach to weight loss. Unlike many diets, keto will not leave you feeling hungry after eating a pre-set number of calories for the day. Keto is a satisfying and filling method of dieting.

In fact, you can lose weight without tracking calories—something that deters many people from adhering to other diets. There are several reasons why keto is more efficient than a low-fat diet, including increased protein intake. Higher protein intake is advantageous for weight reduction and metabolic health. Only the classic and high-protein ketogenic diets have been researched and studied extensively by professionals.

Other, more advanced, versions of keto are primarily used by bodybuilders and elite athletes. Since the classic method is the most researched, it is often the most recommended. The ketogenic diet was originally created to treat neurological diseases like epilepsy. Over the last century, countless studies have been performed to examine the other health benefits of ketogenic diets. Keto has been shown to offer benefits for a myriad of health conditions:.

It is quite intriguing, though, that a diet originally developed to treat neurological disorders has been adapted for weight loss, and could potentially be further developed to treat a large number of human ailments. Any food that is high in carbohydrates should be limited or removed while attempting to achieve ketosis.

Some of these foods include:. You should base most of your meals on these types of foods:. To learn more about keto-friendly, low-carb foods, check out this list: Ketogenic diet foods — what to eat. Always try to rotate your vegetables and meats to reduce boredom and maximize your nutritional intake. You can eat a variety of delicious and nutritious meals when following a ketogenic diet plan. As with any dietary plan, you might get hungry between meals. When those snack cravings hit, make sure you reach for something that is keto-friendly, so as to maintain the state of ketosis achieved through your regular meals.

With so many competing — and often contradictory — diet trends, it can be tough to cut through the hype to find a healthy-eating plan that works for you. Check out the evidence behind each of these four increasingly popular eating styles to uncover the real deal.

How it works: For 30 days, no sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy or treats in general are allowed. What's on the menu? Moderate amounts of meat, seafood and eggs; vegetables aplenty; some fruit; and natural fats such as nuts and avocado.

Herbs and seasonings are A-OK. What it promises: A reboot for your eating habits and your cravings. Plus, the founders say that eliminating these food groups may help with a number of ailments they blame on food sensitivities, such as skin problems, digestive issues, low energy and chronic pain. The upsides: No doubt the Whole30 is strict. But for some people, a black-and-white list of rules stating what you can — and can't — eat, makes it easier to follow at least for 30 days.

Plus, the growing popularity makes recipes and meal plans easy to find. Cutting out snacks and processed foods such as chips and crackers is part of the plan. The downsides: Though the internet is full of anecdotal success stories, there's no scientific evidence of health benefits — particularly in the long term.

Most people return to their previous eating habits after completing the challenge. Mayo's verdict: Not only does it cut out foods that most Americans should eat less of, like added sugars, but it also eliminates healthy foods, including whole grains, dairy and legumes. A more sustainable approach: Don't cut out food groups. Enjoy the variety, including dessert — as long as it's occasional.

How it works: Bring on the bacon. This high-fat, very low carbohydrate diet typically means eating fewer than 50 grams of carbs a day — less than four slices of bread's worth. What it promises: Getting most of your calories from fat forces your body to use different energy pathways.

Instead of carbs for energy, the body burns fat, entering a state called ketosis. The upsides: While the precise mechanisms are unclear, ketosis is thought to have brain-protecting benefits: As many as half of young people with epilepsy had fewer seizures after following the diet.

And some early research suggests it may have benefits for blood sugar control among people with diabetes. An upcoming study will look at the ketogenic diet as a weight maintenance strategy.

The downsides: While the research is exciting, there's very little evidence to show that this type of eating is effective — or safe — over the long term for anything other than epilepsy. Plus, very low carbohydrate diets tend to have higher rates of side effects, including constipation, headaches, bad breath and more. Also, meeting the diet's requirements means cutting out many healthy foods, making it difficult to meet your micronutrient needs.

However, that difference in weight loss seems to disappear over time. A ketogenic diet also has been shown to improve blood sugar control for patients with type 2 diabetes, at least in the short term. There is even more controversy when we consider the effect on cholesterol levels. A few studies show some patients have increase in cholesterol levels in the beginning, only to see cholesterol fall a few months later.

However, there is no long-term research analyzing its effects over time on diabetes and high cholesterol. A ketogenic diet could be an interesting alternative to treat certain conditions and may accelerate weight loss. But it is hard to follow, and it can be heavy on red meat and other fatty, processed, and salty foods that are notoriously unhealthy.

It is also important to remember that "yo-yo diets" that lead to rapid weight loss fluctuation are associated with increased mortality. Anything under a 1,calorie daily diet is considered a starvation diet and is not meant for long-term weight loss.

Just say no to this idea. Marketing this diet to brides just plays into our weight-obsessed society, according to Hemmelgarn. Instead, anyone preparing for marriage should nourish herself well, engage in plenty of physical activity like walking, jogging, or bike riding, and be good to herself by eating fresh, whole, minimally processed organic foods.

There is no magic bullet for long-term weight loss, said Blinten. For long-term weight control, a Mediterranean style diet focused on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, and olive oil, is one that can be healthy for life. Cimperman said the healthiest approach to weight loss is to set realistic goals and ask yourself if your diet plan is:. Blinten advised dieters not to skip meals because your body goes into overdrive the next time you eat.

That can actually cause you to eat more, not less. She suggested eating your largest meal at midday, then having a healthy afternoon snack.

Exercise, of course, is also vitally important. Every pound of muscle equals 50 calories burned, so a plan that includes a muscle enhancing regimen will help you reach your goal faster. They make us feel inadequate.

If you are even considering this insane approach to weight loss, go for a walk … right now! It has been updated several times since then. Researchers say the ketogenic diet does a better job controlling metabolic syndrome. The ketogenic diet is a popular very low carb, high fat diet favored by many people for its ability to promote quick weight loss.

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