Find out everything you ever wanted to know about the ketogenic diet. This article explains how the ketogenic diet works, what foods are allowed and the benefits.
1. DEFINITION OF THE KETOGENIC DIET
To understand how the keto diet works, you must first understand the underlying biochemical process in your body. The ketogenic diet puts the body into a state of ketosis. This is a metabolic state in which your body burns ketones and fatty acids for energy instead of glucose.
You will need to change your diet to achieve this, as you will need to significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake to achieve ketosis. Because the ketogenic diet is based on diet-induced ketosis (« starvation metabolism »), your diet will be high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates. You can still eat protein, but only in moderation, because your body also metabolizes protein into glucose.
2. WHO IS THE KETOGENIC DIET FOR?
Humans are naturally omnivorous, and their flexible metabolism is the ideal foundation for a ketogenic diet. Under normal circumstances, anyone in good health can go on a ketogenic diet.
However, if you are vegetarian or vegan, this diet may be more difficult to follow, but not impossible. This is because certain fruits, as well as some vegetables, contain carbohydrates. Regardless of how you eat, the basic ketogenic rules are always the same: lots of (good) fats, moderate protein, and very few carbohydrates.
Eggs, fish, and meat are important sources of macro and micronutrients in the ketogenic diet. If you are vegetarian and do not eat these foods, you will need to get them from other sources, such as supplements. You just need to make sure that your diet includes enough healthy, low-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetables.
As a vegan, it will be very difficult to follow the rules of a ketogenic diet. Because you completely avoid animal products, certain high-fat foods that are good for the ketogenic diet (including butter and cheese) cannot be consumed, and the idea of a low-carb, high-fat diet falls apart. You will need to be extra careful to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals. This is why we recommend intermittent fasting.
Flexitarianism is the lifestyle best suited to the keto diet. Although meat consumption is not the main focus of your diet, high-quality meat products will occasionally find their way onto your plate. This ensures that you get the protein and micronutrients you need.
3. KETOGENIC DIET: 8 PERMITTED FOODS
You’re probably wondering which foods are allowed on a ketogenic diet and which ones are best. There are foods you can eat every day in large quantities without any problems. Other foods should be eaten with caution because they contain too much fat or protein.
- Avocados – Very high in healthy fats
- MCT oil or powder, coconut oil, and olive oil – Virtually pure fat
- Eggs – High in fat, but also high in protein
- Low-carb vegetables – Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, etc.
- Fish and meat – seafood, beef, pork, but be careful with poultry
- Nuts – macadamia, almonds, pecans
- Butter – made from pasture-fed milk
- Water, coffee, and tea – all three pure
5. KETOGENIC DIET: PROHIBITED FOODS
You should avoid foods that are high in sugar throughout the ketogenic period. This will make it easier to start and stop the ketogenic diet, and it will allow you to stay on the diet longer. More treacherous than cutting out sugar is that some vegetables are basically healthy, but reveal « hidden carbs » when cooked or fried. Any vegetable that becomes sweeter when cooked contains more carbohydrates than before.
You should especially avoid the following vegetables and foods:
- Carrots
- Pumpkin
- Potatoes (sweet)
- Corn
- Beans
- Peppers
- Rice
- Noodles
Fruits are also almost completely omitted from the ketogenic diet, as they generally contain a lot of fructose. Exceptions are low-sugar berries such as the following:
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
Prohibited snacks and drinks:
- Non-alcoholic drinks: Cola, Sprite, and soda
- Fruit juices: apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, etc.
- Mixed drinks
- Beer
- Wine (sweet)
- Flavored water
- Chips
- Chocolate
- Energy drinks
- Sweetened tea or coffee
- Milk
Here is a brief overview of foods that are prohibited on the ketogenic diet. We recommend that you always pay attention to the nutritional information on the packaging when purchasing foods.
6. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE KETOGENIC DIET?
1. Ketogenic diet and weight loss
When in ketosis, your body burns existing body fat and uses the ketogenic diet for external energy. This means you can lose weight faster with the help of keto.
In addition, the ketones produced affect important hormones in your body that are responsible for feelings of hunger. Ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” is suppressed, while cholecystokinin (CCK) signals to your brain that you are full.
2. Ketogenic diet and productivity
Ketones also give you greater mental clarity. During periods of hunger, they provide up to 50% of the basic energy you need and supply your brain with sufficient pure energy.
3. Ketogenic diet and athletic performance
You can also use the ketogenic diet to improve your performance during training. Once you have adapted your metabolism to ketogenic, you can achieve results in muscle building and endurance sports that are at least comparable to those achieved with a normal diet containing carbohydrates.
Studies conducted with professional gymnasts and taekwondo athletes have proven that the ketogenic diet has no negative effects on athletic performance. Furthermore, American researchers from Ohio and Florida in 2014 were able to show in their study that the ketogenic diet was even better suited to muscle building than a normal Western diet.
And what can the keto diet do for endurance performance? Scientists at Oxford University answered this question in five independent studies involving 39 elite athletes each. They found that both ketosis and the diet could help improve performance.
In another study, Polish scientists from the Department of Sports Training at the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice proved that mountain bikers were able to significantly improve their VO2max values through ketogenic nutrition.
4. Ketogenic diet and oxidative stress
4. Ketogenic diet and oxidative stress
Oxidative stress can be reduced by a ketogenic diet. The reason for this is the body’s mitochondria. These work at full speed when burning glucose, which produces a large proportion of aggressive free radicals. This promotes oxidative stress in the brain and causes your mitochondria to age. With ketosis, these processes are reduced because the low carbohydrate intake causes glucose metabolism to be replaced by fat metabolism.
7. WHAT SHOULD YOU BE AWARE OF WHEN FOLLOWING A KETOGENIC DIET?
Contrary to what its name suggests, the ketogenic diet is not a “classic diet” that you follow for 4 to 8 weeks. The ketogenic diet is a diet where 70% of energy comes from healthy fats, 20% from protein, and a maximum of 10% from usable carbohydrates. Your individual distribution may vary slightly due to factors such as health, physique, age, and gender. However, with the above distribution, which is recommended by experts, a successful start is easily possible.
You should be aware that your body first has to adapt to the new diet. For years, it has been used to supply the brain, muscles, and all other cells with glucose. On the other hand, if you follow a ketogenic diet, healthy fatty acids are your new energy source.
There is therefore a change in your metabolism and this takes time – usually several weeks. The longer you use the ketogenic diet, the easier the change will be for you. With sufficient training, you will become a pro and be able to change your metabolism as you see fit.
8. CONCLUSION
Wherever you are and whatever you do, the ketogenic diet can help you get to know yourself better. The added mental clarity makes you ready to tackle even the most stressful projects.
The energy from healthy fatty acids can increase your muscle strength and endurance. It’s important to be patient at first, watch your macronutrient distribution, and avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies.