The ketogenic (or keto) diet is a diet, which includes foods low in carbohydrates and high in fat.
This diet is suitable and has benefits for certain groups of people, by applying it as a medical treatment. However, there are few studies that recommend it as a long-term weight loss technique for healthy people.
People on a ketogenic diet consume very few carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein and high amounts of fat per day. This means that the body burns fat as the main source of energy and breaks it down into "ketone bodies" (or "ketones") in a process called ketosis.
With this type of diet, you usually eat 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day or even less. 50 g carbohydrates, for example, equals 2 slices of bread and one banana.
Because carbohydrates make up about one-tenth of the daily intake of kilojoules in a ketogenic diet (kilojoules are a measure of how much energy we get from food), the human body remains in a constant state of ketosis, a condition in which the body uses fats and ketones rather than glucose as the main source of energy).
The standard keto diet significantly reduces a person's intake of rice, pasta, fruit, grains, bread, beans and starchy vegetables such as peas and potatoes.
Many people find it difficult to meet the recommended daily intake of whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit per day. Many nutritionists believe that a ketogenic diet can make it difficult to achieve these goals without supplements.
The ketogenic diet should always be followed in consultation with your doctor or accredited practicing nutritionist to ensure that you are getting the right amount and types of fats, fiber and vitamins, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.
This type of diet usually leads to rapid weight loss. This may be due to water loss and the fact that you are less hungry, because the diet is rich in foods containing fats and proteins.
Some short-term side effects may occur with the keto diet:
- fatigue;
- constipation;
- headache;
- bad breath;
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- dehydration;
- bad sleep.
The ketogenic diet can be fast and effective short term, but it is difficult to implement, because it is very restrictive. The key to maintaining a healthy weight in the long run is a diet, which you can maintain over time.
It is important to remember that all people have different needs and that no weight loss diet meets all of these needs.
The keto diet may be an option for some people who have had difficulty losing weight with other diets, but if you decide to switch to a ketogenic diet, it is best to be under the supervision of a doctor and an accredited practicing nutritionist.
