What Is a Keto Diet?
The keto diet may sound trendy, but it has been around for a while. It first surfaced in the 1920s. Originally, doctors recommended it to help with conditions like epilepsy and diabetes. But today, some people use the keto diet to lose weight.For many Americans, carbs like breads, pasta, or potatoes make up more than 50% of their daily diet. Your body breaks down the glucose (sugars) found in carbs to fuel your body with energy.In the keto diet, the goal is to swap out the glucose calories with fat. In a typical keto diet, your nutrition centers on fatty foods. They'll make up anywhere from 60% to 80% of your daily calories. Proteins make up 15% to 20%. Carbs are restricted to no more than 50 grams. This makes it quite a restrictive diet.How Does the Diet Work?
When you're on the keto diet, you’re eating too few carbs to support your body's energy needs. As a result, your body turns to burning your stores of body fat to fuel your energy. If you follow the keto diet strictly, your body will reach ketosis in about 4 days. You will likely even see several pounds of weight loss the first week.Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD). This diet allows you to add carbs around intense workouts.
High-protein ketogenic diet (HPKD). It's similar to the SKD, but you can eat more protein. The ratio is usually 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.
The standard and high-protein diets have been researched and studied the most. They're also the most common. The cyclical and targeted keto diets are recent additions and are mostly used by athletes or bodybuilders
What Is the Keto Diet Used For?
At first, the keto diet was primarily used as a way to help people with seizures. Over time, experts applied the benefits to several other health conditions, including:- Cognitive and memory improvement
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancer such as glioblastoma
- Psychiatric disorders
- Alzheimer's disease
- Autism
- Obesity
- Will the keto diet help manage certain health conditions?
- Do you need to lose weight?
- What are some of the side effects?
- Should you take or continue vitamins or supplements during the diet?
- How long should you stay on the keto diet?
- Should you exercise? If so, how much?
What Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?
Some keto-friendly foods are:- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Leafy greens
- Asparagus
- Green beans
- Bread
- Baked goods
- Sugary sweets
- Pasta
- Rice
- Breakfast cereals
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and beans
- Fruits high in sugars
- Wine
- Beer, unless it's low-carb
What Snacks Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?
Keto-friendly snacks are a good balance of healthy fats and moderate protein with low-carb content. You can make some at home or use store-bought versions.This includes snacks such as:- Brazil nuts
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Peanuts
- Coconut yogurt
- Guacamole
- Cheese
- Canned tuna
- Meat jerky
- Olives
- Pork rinds
- Seaweed snacks
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Jicama (low-carb root vegetable).
- Stomach aches or pains.
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sugar cravings
- Cramping
- Muscle soreness
- Feeling cranky
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- Poor focus and concentration
- Brain fog
- Low bone density and bone fractures
- Constipation
- High cholesterol
- Kidney stones
- Slower growth than typical
- Fatigue