What Is The Ketogenic Diet

Dr. Russell Wilder developed the ketogenic – or “keto” – diet as early as 1924 to treat epilepsy in his patients effectively. The diet aims to accomplish weight loss by burning fat, emphasizing high-fat and low-carb intake. The goal of the keto diet is to quickly shed weight without hunger or cravings, with proponents claiming it can boost mood, improve mental focus, and increase energy.

How Does it Work

On the ketogenic diet, individuals consume minimal carbohydrates or sugar. Instead of relying on carbohydrates and sugars (glucose) as its primary source of fuel, the body shifts to using ketones. Ketones, a byproduct produced when the liver begins burning fat, serve as an alternative energy source when glucose is unavailable. 

This dietary approach is not meant for long-term use but rather as an intermittent strategy for sustained weight loss. After a few months on keto, reintroducing smaller portions of carbohydrates becomes necessary to restart the process of ketosis.

This diet emphasizes limited carbohydrate and sugar intake, moderate protein consumption, and high fat intake. Excessive protein intake is discouraged as the body can convert excess protein into glucose, hindering or delaying the achievement of ketosis.

Types of Keto Diets

Several versions of the ketogenic diet exist, and the type of diet you follow determines your food intake. These versions include:

Standard ketogenic diet

This diet features very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat intake. Typically, it comprises 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbohydrates.

Cyclical ketogenic diet

This diet involves alternating periods of high carbohydrate intake. Such as 5 days of following a ketogenic regimen followed by 2 days of high carbohydrate intake.

Targeted ketogenic diet

With this diet, individuals can incorporate carbohydrates around their workout sessions.

High protein ketogenic diet

Similar to the standard ketogenic diet, this variant includes higher protein intake. The typical ratio is 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

Extensive research has primarily focused on the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are considered more advanced methods and are predominantly utilized by bodybuilders or athletes.

Benefits of The Keto Diet

Weight Loss

Research suggests that the ketogenic diet can effectively promote short-term weight loss. However, in the long run, it may not offer significant advantages over low-fat diets that permit higher carbohydrate intake. 

Short-Term Weight Loss

Initially, weight loss on the ketogenic diet primarily stems from the depletion of glycogen stores, which results in the loss of associated water weight through increased urination or sweating.

A review of 53 clinical trials found that individuals following keto-type diets experienced greater weight loss and more favorable health outcomes compared to those on calorie-counting, low-fat diets. Researchers concluded that low-carb, high-fat diets composed of unprocessed, whole foods represent a viable, effective, and safe approach to weight loss.

Reports from peer-reviewed medical education studies indicate that individuals on the ketogenic diet may experience rapid initial weight loss of up to 10 pounds within two weeks or less.

Weight Maintenance 

Due to its highly restrictive nature, experts do not recommend the ketogenic diet for long-term weight maintenance and management. This approach may result in deficiencies of essential vitamins and nutrients.

Diabetes

Diabetes involves metabolic changes, high blood sugar levels, and impaired insulin function.

The ketogenic diet can aid in shedding excess fat, which is closely associated with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

In a small study involving women with type 2 diabetes, adherence to a ketogenic diet for 90 days led to a significant reduction in hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels, indicative of improved long-term blood sugar management.

Other Benefits

Research has indicated that the ketogenic diet offers benefits for various health conditions:

• Epilepsy: Studies have demonstrated significant reductions in seizures among epileptic children following the ketogenic diet.
• Heart disease: The ketogenic diet has been shown to improve risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
• Cancer: The diet is being explored as an adjunctive treatment for cancer due to its potential to slow tumor growth.
• Alzheimer’s disease: The ketogenic diet may help alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and delay its progression.
• Parkinson’s disease: While further research is necessary, one study suggested that the diet helped improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome: The ketogenic diet can aid in reducing insulin levels, which may be influential in managing polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Brain injuries: Preliminary research suggests that the diet could enhance outcomes in cases of traumatic brain injuries.

However, it’s important to note that research in many of these areas is still inconclusive.

Keto Food List

Foods To Avoid

Limiting or eliminating high-carb foods is crucial on a ketogenic diet. Here’s a list of foods that should be reduced or eliminated:

• Grains or starches: Avoid wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
• Sugary foods: Examples include soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
• Fruits: Exclude all fruit except small portions of berries like strawberries.
• Beans or legumes: Avoid peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Root vegetables and tubers: Exclude potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
• Low-fat or diet products: Avoid low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, and condiments.
• Some condiments or sauces: Steer clear of barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc.
• Unhealthy fats: Avoid processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
• Alcohol: Limit or avoid beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks.
• Sugar-free diet foods: Avoid sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts, etc.

Foods To Eat

The foundation of your meals should primarily consist of the following foods:

• Meat: Incorporate red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey.
• Fatty fish: Include salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel.
• Eggs: Opt for pastured or omega-3 whole eggs.
• Butter and cream: Utilize grass-fed butter and heavy cream.
• Cheese: Choose unprocessed cheeses such as cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella.
• Nuts and seeds: Incorporate almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
• Healthy oils: Use extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.
• Avocados: Enjoy whole avocados or freshly made guacamole.
• Low-carb veggies: Include green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
• Condiments: Season with salt, pepper, herbs, and spices.

Keto Diet Meal Plan

Pantry

To begin, stocking the pantry with keto-friendly foods is essential. These include herbs and spices, low-carb flours like almond flour, sweeteners such as stevia, canned sardines and tuna, tea, coffee, starch substitutes like cauliflower rice, and low-carb noodles.

Food Diary

Maintaining a food diary can be beneficial for adhering to the keto regimen. Utilizing an app to track daily food consumption is recommended. This practice helps individuals determine if they are consuming the appropriate foods and macronutrient ratios to induce ketosis effectively. 

Additionally, ketone urine strips or blood test monitors can aid in monitoring one’s state of ketosis. Food diaries also facilitate tracking any symptoms that may arise or progress while following a new dietary regimen.

Keto Diet Menu For Beginners

To assist you in getting started, here’s a sample ketogenic diet meal plan for one week:

Monday

• Breakfast: Cheese, Ham and egg muffins
• Snack: Ketochai Latte
• Lunch: Buffalo Chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese and olives
• Dinner: Salmon with asparagus grilled in butter

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil, and onion omelet
• Snack: Bulletproof coffee
• Lunch: Chicken Jalapeno Poppers
• Dinner: Bacon-wrapped cod

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Fried eggs with mushrooms
• Snack: Ketochai Latte
• Lunch: Avocado salad and salmon
• Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs

Thursday

• Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion and sour cream
• Snack: Bulletproof coffee
• Lunch: Shrimp with guacamole and salsa
• Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, and a side of grilled zucchini

Friday

• Breakfast: Cheese, Ham and egg muffins
• Snack: Ketochai Latte
• Lunch: Chicken Jalapeno Poppers
• Dinner: White fish cooked in olive oil with kale and toasted pine nuts

Saturday

• Breakfast: Pancakes
• Snack: Bulletproof coffee
• Lunch: Avocado salad and salmon
• Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs

Sunday

• Breakfast: Sour cream and spinach omelet
• Snack: Bulletproof coffee
• Lunch: Buffalo Chicken salad and broccoli
• Dinner: Grilled Salmon with side salad

Always aim to rotate vegetables and meat over the long term to ensure a variety of nutrients and health benefits.

Is Ketogenic Diet Risky?

While the ketogenic diet offers benefits, adhering to it in the long term may pose certain risks, including:

• Low protein levels in the blood
• Accumulation of excess fat in the liver
• Formation of kidney stones
• Micronutrient deficiencies

Further research is underway to evaluate the long-term safety of the diet. It’s advisable to keep your doctor informed about your dietary choices to receive appropriate guidance.

People Who Should Avoid The Keto Diet

Before embarking on the ketogenic diet, it’s imperative to ensure that you are medically suitable to follow it without encountering adverse effects. The best approach to verify your suitability for the ketogenic diet is to consult with your doctor.

Avoid adopting the ketogenic diet if you fall into any of the following categories:

Pregnant or breastfeeding

Expectant and nursing mothers require an increased intake of nutrients. Restricting your diet, as the ketogenic diet does, can lead to complications for both you and your developing baby.

Dependent on insulin

If you manage your diabetes through regular insulin injections, drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake may result in dangerously low blood glucose levels, leading to further health complications. It’s crucial to discuss with your doctor to determine the best approach to initiating the ketogenic diet in this scenario.

Prone to yo-yo dieting

If you have a history of yo-yo dieting and crash diets, you may struggle to maintain adherence to the ketogenic diet consistently. Achieving and sustaining ketosis, the cornerstone of the diet’s effectiveness requires consistent commitment over several months, which may be challenging if you’re accustomed to erratic dieting patterns.

Family history of osteoporosis

Epileptic children following the ketogenic diet have demonstrated a heightened risk of compromised bone health. While the reasons are not fully understood, it’s advisable to refrain from the diet if you have a family history of osteoporosis, increasing your susceptibility to the condition.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or digestive issues

The ketogenic diet, being low in fiber due to its exclusion of whole wheat and most whole grains, can exacerbate digestive problems such as chronic constipation or IBS. Additionally, fiber is essential for nourishing the gut microbiome, a crucial component of physical and mental well-being. If you are genetically predisposed to an imbalanced microbiome, it’s prudent to avoid the diet.

Difficulty digesting fats

Some individuals experience challenges in digesting fats, which can pose a significant obstacle to a fat-dependent diet like keto. Factors contributing to difficulty in fat digestion include surgical removal of the gallbladder, fatty liver disease, inadequate bile production by the liver, or blocked bile ducts causing bile congestion. If your doctor deems the ketogenic diet beneficial for you, they may prescribe nutrients to facilitate fat digestion and absorption.

Summary

While adhering to the keto diet, you lower your carbohydrate intake and substitute it with healthy fats. This shift can prompt your body to utilize fat for energy, facilitating weight loss and potentially lowering the risk of developing certain health conditions.

However, it’s essential to consult your doctor before committing to the diet for an extended duration, as it may entail some side effects. Further research is required to comprehend its long-term impact on the body.

References

1. Costa,E. Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: the Essential Keto Guide to Rapid Weight Loss! Using Intermittent Fasting, Low Carb Recipes, Vegan & Vegetarian Techniques, and a Low Budget 7 Day Meal Plan.2022
2. McGaugh, E., & Barthel, B. (2022). A review of ketogenic diet and lifestyle. Missouri medicine.
3. O’Neill, B., & Raggi, P. (2020). The ketogenic diet: Pros and cons. Atherosclerosis, 292, 119–126. 
4. Verde, L., Camajani, E., Annunziata, G., Sojat, A., Marina, L. V., Colao, A., Caprio, M., Muscogiuri, G., & Barrea, L. (2023, December). Ketogenic diet: A nutritional therapeutic tool for lipedema?. Current obesity reports.