A ketogenic diet is a short form of a low-carb diet (similar to the Atkins diet). The goal is to get fewer calories from carbohydrates and more from protein and fat.
You reduce your intake of easily digestible carbs such as sugar, pastries, soda, and white bread.
When you consume less than 50 grams of carbs daily, your body will eventually run out of blood sugar (fuel) it can use quickly.
Typically, this takes 3-4 days, and then your body begins to break down fat and protein for energy, which can make you lose weight. This action is called ketosis.
Besides helping you lose weight, ketogenic diets may even have benefits against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and epilepsy.
Let’s look at a beginner’s guide to the keto diet.
Read more: Keto diet: Benefits and nutrients
What is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate diet that drastically lowers your carbohydrate intake and substitutes it with fat.
The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. And when this happens, your body becomes amazingly effective at burning fat and protein for energy.
This also turns fat in the liver into ketones to supply energy for the brain.
Keto diets can cause tangible reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, together with the increased ketones, shows some health benefits.
Read also: 20 Top Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet
Different Types of Keto Diets
There are various types of the ketogenic diet, including:
- Standard Keto Diet (SKD):
This is a very reduced carb, moderate protein, and high fat type of diet. Typically, it contains only 10% carbs with 70% fat and 20% protein.
- Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD):
This ketogenic diet involves durations of higher-carb refeeds like five ketogenic days followed by two high carb days.
- Targeted Keto Diet (TKD):
This type of keto diet plan allows you to add carbs to your workouts.
- High Protein Keto Diet:
This is the same as a standard ketogenic diet; however, it includes more protein. The ratio for this type of keto diet is often 5% carb, 60% fat, and 35% protein.
Only the standard and high protein ketogenic diets have been researched extensively. Targeted and cyclical keto diets are more advanced techniques and are commonly used by athletes or bodybuilders.
Are you ready to begin a ketogenic diet? Reach out to us at Keto Creator to create your keto diet.