Keto Diet Guide

The ketogenic or keto diet is a very low-carb diet with numerous health benefits. It helps to lose fat, increase energy, enhance brain health and improve your overall health, if you want quick results may be keto is the diet you are looking for.

However, before we learn how to start a keto diet, we must develop a deeper understanding of what it is and why it is so effective. Knowing the what and why plays an important role in your keto diet success.

This post will provide you with the answer to common keto questions like.
What is Keto Diet ?
Benefits of Keto Diet
What to eat on a Keto Diet ?

What is a Keto Diet ?Trusted Source

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat and moderate protein diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat.

The keto diet changes the way your body converts food into energy. Normally, your body turns carbohydrates (think bread and pasta) into glucose for energy. Eating a lot of fat and very few carbs puts you in ketosis, a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel. 

Normally it takes 3 to 4 days to kick start ketosis in your body. 

Benefits of Keto Diet

• Fat Loss: When you’re on keto, your body uses stored body fat and fat from your diet as fuel. The result? Rapid weight loss.
• Reduces appetite: Ketones suppress ghrelin — your hunger hormone and increase cholecystokinin (CCK), which makes you feel full. Reduced appetite means it’s easier to go for longer periods without eating, which encourages your body to dip into its fat stores for energy. 
• Fuels your brain: Ketones are so powerful that they can provide up to 20 percent of your brain’s energy needs, which is way more efficient than the energy you get from glucose. 
• Increases energy: When your brain uses ketones for fuel, you don’t experience the same energy slumps as you do when you’re eating a lot of carbs. When your metabolism is in fat-burning mode, your body can simply tap into its readily available fat stores for energy. That means no more energy crashes or brain fog.  
• Curbs cravings: Fat is a super satiating macronutrient. You eat a ton of good fats on keto, so you feel fuller, longer.

What to eat on a Keto Diet ?

What’s the most important thing to do to reach ketosis? Avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll likely need to keep carb intake ideally below 20 grams. The fewer carbs, the more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis.

Do Eat

• Meats – fish, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
• Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, Asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, olives, radish, spinach, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, green beans, okra, onion, tomato.
• High Fat Dairy – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter, etc.
• Nuts and seeds –  raw almonds, walnuts, coconut, black soybeans, brazil nuts, chia seed, flaxseed, hemp seeds,  pine nuts, pistachios
• Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries
• Sweeteners – stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, (available easily on Amazon)
• Other fats – coconut oil, olive oil, almond Oil, etc.

Do Not Eat

• Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
• Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
• Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
• Tubers – potato, yams, etc.

A Ketogenic diet is good, but not for-

• If one is taking medication for diabetes. example- insulin or more
• If one is taking medication for high blood pressure.
• If one is pregnant or breastfeeding.