
The keto diet is a low carbohydrate way of eating that Swiss changes your body from using carbohydrates as it’s main fuel source to using fat. Keto is about getting your body to use ketones for fuel instead of glucose. When your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates, your cells start to burn fat to produce energy. As part of this process, it makes ketones from the stored fat, which can fuel the brain and body. This change in working can lead to a range of benefits, like avoiding the post-lunch slump after a sugar high, improved mental clarity throughout the day and an increased sense of consistent energy. If you want to switch to a keto diet, you need your daily menu to consist of 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein and 5-10% carbohydrates.
About Carbs
If you are interested in weight loss then carbs are not good for you. Carbohydrates are macro nutrients found in starches, foods with high sugar content, bread, flour, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals, bagels. These foods are so much available and delicious that they can be easily over consumed. Carbohydrates break down to glucose which is in turn used by the body to release energy. When carbs are discarded for a long time from our diet then our body enters into a phase called ketosis. In a normal condition, the body burns glucose for energy. But once our body enters ketosis, then it starts burning fat for energy. Fats should replace the majority of cut carbs and deliver approximately 75% of your total calorie intake.
Ketosis
Ketosis is a state of metabolism where the body predominantly burns fats. Our body is an intelligent system that seeks the easiest way to get the necessary substances for its survival. If we eat mainly carbohydrates, they are processed into glucose, which is very easy to absorb from the body. This is the reason that our body focuses first on this. Being in ketosis will switch your main fuel source from glucose to ketones, which is fat-burning mode. When in ketosis the body breaks down carbohydrates into glycogen which it stores in the muscles and liver. Attached to each gram of glycogen is approximately 4 grams of water. Your body is forced to use up these glycogen stores as energy. Since you’re no longer eating carbohydrates in your diet and the water molecules have nothing to attach to so are therefore flushed from your system.
Benefits Being in Ketosis
- Fat loss
- Less headaches
- Improvement in blood sugar readings
- Improved blood pressure
- More balanced emotional state
- Regulation of menstrual cycles
- Dramatic decrease in hunger
- Improved sleep
- Increased energy
- Improvement in mental clarity
- Elimination of joint pain
- No more snoring
Eating lots of carbs, which produces glucose in the body, increases your blood sugar level. Keto diet controls your sugar levels which helps in avoiding diabetes. If you have had a meal before where your stomach just wasn’t the same after the meal, then you will appreciate the keto diet as it calms your stomach. Constipation and diarrhea are further signs you are in ketosis. If you’re lucky, you may not experience digestive issues at all. However, these symptoms usually subside as your body adapts. Make sure you add plenty of keto approved veggies and fruits to minimize effects further.
Keto diet gives you an all access to your stored energy as fat which makes you endure physical activities more. When you’re in ketosis, your body starts producing ketones. Ketones are a much more efficient fuel source for the brain than glucose. This increased energy and concentration will have a hugely positive impact on all areas of your lifestyle. One study found that athletes who had switched to a keto diet burned as much as 230% more fat when they exercised, compared to athletes who were not on a keto diet.
Keto Diet For Weight Loss
Since your body burns your fat when you start a keto diet, you lose weight in the process. Keto diet gets more ketones (fuel) to your brain, this helps you get more energy and makes you mentally focused, which means you will have more focus. In addition to losing weight, the ketogenic diet improves cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Scientists have the opinion that fat does not lead to accumulation of bad cholesterol in the body. There are different kinds of fats and not all of them should be consumed. We need to consume saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Such fats are contained in all nuts, pure meat and fish of proven origin. The fats that we should avoid taking are trans fats.
Food You Can Eat on Keto Diet
Duck, Lamp, Mutton, Pork, Tuna, Trout, Sword Fish, Salmon, Carp, Catfish, Sardines, Crabs, Lobster, Shrimp, Squid, Oysters, Blueberries, Avocado, Strawberries, Coconut, Cranberry, Lemon, Raspberries, Olives, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Chives, Egg Plant, Kale, Green, Onion, Lettuce, Radish, Turnip, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Red Cabbage, Spinach, Brocolli, Bell Peppers, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Brazil nuts, Peanuts, Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Hemp seeds, Butter, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Goose fat, Red Palm Oil, Creme, Cottage Cheese, Ghee, Sour Cream, Whipped Cream, Yogurt, Eggs, Bacon, Beef, Chicken.
Food To Avoid on Keto Diet
Soda, Papaya, Mango, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Rice, Pasta, Chips, Bread, Oats, Beans, Honey, Wheat, Barley, Sugary Foods, Milk Chocolates, Milk, Cookies, Beer, Cakes, Banana, Sweetened drinks, Starchy Vegetables.
Food Rich in Protein
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Tuna
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Salmon
- Sardines
Eggs are a great keto option. The most important thing with eggs is to eat both the yolk and the white. Please, no egg white omelettes here. The yolk is so nutritious and also full of flavor, and fish is also a great food for this, and you can even see this Review thier list of frying pans for cooking fish here.
Healthy Fats and Oils
When you start a keto diet it can be really difficult to understand which fats are healthy and which are not. We have been taught our whole lives that saturated fats are bad for us and cause cholesterol. This research has since been proven wrong. There are different kinds of fats and not all of them should be consumed. We need to consume saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Such fats are contained in all nuts, pure meat and fish of proven origin. The fats that we should avoid taking are trans fats.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is predominately a saturated fat made from the flesh of the coconut. When looking for coconut oil make sure its extra virgin cold pressed. Coconut oil should be solid at room temperature.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is great to use for salad dressings and we like to use the light olive oil for cooking and making homemade mayo.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is similar to olive oil and is liquid at room temperature. It’s great to use for dressings on salads and is also heat stable so good for cooking with as well.
Lard
Lard is clarified fat from pork and it is solid at room temperature. We love to use lard to cook vegetables like asparagus and spinach, as it adds an incredible flavor to those vegetables. While you prepare yourself for a high fat and low carb diet, do not forget to take the protein intakes in between.