All you need to know about the ketogenic diet

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet (or keto) is a diet that advocates a very low consumption of carbohydrates in favor of a higher intake of lipids.

The person who follows a ketogenic diet will have to exclude almost completely from his diet foods rich in carbohydrates (less than 50g per day) such as cereal products (bread, pasta, cereals, etc.), starchy foods, legumes, products that contain added sugar (cookies, pastries) as well as fruits and many vegetables too "sweet".

The menu will include meat, fish, seafood, eggs, nuts, high-fat natural yogurt, dairy products, vegetable oils and leafy greens.

The principle of the ketogenic diet is simple: by decreasing the intake of carbohydrates, our body will tap into our fats to find energy.

Our liver will then produce acetone and acetylacetate which will be converted into ketone bodies. The fat thus metabolized creates what is called a state of "nutritional ketosis". Fats become our main source of energy.

 Here are the foods to consume during a ketogenic diet

Dairy products without sugar (cheese, yogurt, cream, butter, etc.)

Vegetal oils

Nuts and peanuts

eggs

Fish ( salmon , tuna , sardines , sole, trout )

Poultry ( chicken , duck , turkey )

Meat ( beef , veal , lamb , pork )

Seafood ( shrimp , lobster , crab )

Unsweetened fruits:

Blueberries
Lemon
Olives
Raspberries
Strawberries
Coconut

Unsweetened vegetables:

Spinach
Chard
Broccoli
Green beans
Salad
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Avocado
Tomato

The origin of the ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet was originally used in children with epilepsy. It was indeed developed in the 1920s and helped reduce crises. It has then gained popularity in recent years, not only for weight loss, but also in improving symptoms of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Caution

The ketogenic diet actually causes rapid weight loss. However, things must be put into perspective. According to Laval University , weight loss can be explained by calorie restriction and water loss. "A severe carbohydrate restriction causes the body to draw on its reserves and their degradation is responsible for a large elimination of water, which explains the rapid change in weight." In addition, "people who adopt this diet tend to regain their initial weight or sometimes even more in the long run. This is not a sustainable solution.

A little reading before you start

Lose weight by eating fat , here is a book that provides explanations of the main principles of low carbohydrate diets and high content of good natural fats and also gives examples of recipes and guidelines to follow a diet properly food of this type.

Reflex consultation

Be careful, whatever it is, a diet is never done lightly. We advise you to consult a doctor or a nutritionist before starting it.