In the world of weight loss tips and diets, being advised to consume low levels of carbohydrates in exchange for high amounts of protein is usual already. In fact, one more time people ask you to drop the pasta and the rice, you might feel like tuning out already. You might have heard recently of the keto diet though and how effective it has for many people, but then wrongly assumed that it is just like any low carb-high protein diets out there. You cannot be more wrong.
Mechanics of Keto Diet
So what is the ketogenic diet really and what can it do for you? A true ketogenic diet is also a low carb diet, but it does not focus mainly on replacing carbs with protein. Instead, the keto plan centers on fat, which will supply as high as 90% of your body’s calorie or energy demand. Moreover, unlike the other popular low-carb diets out there, such as the Paleo, the South Beach diet, and the Atkins diet, this is not a fad diet, i.e. it is not to be tried merely as an experiment.
In other words, this diet forces your body to look for a different type of fuel than sugar from carbs, which is the usual. the Keto diet depends for energy the so-called ketone bodies, a type of fuel sourced from the liver, which is produced from stored fat. If you have more fats, then you have more ketone bodies to use.
Sounds complicated? It isn’t. Not convinced yet why you should do this diet? Maybe these three major reasons will!
Apart from the obvious weight loss that is going to happen here, there are three more major benefits that can surely convince you to do the keto diet.
Improvement in Blood Glucose Control
There is a reason why people diagnosed with diabetes are recommended to follow the keto diet. This is because there exists growing evidence that it can lower and stabilize blood sugar levels. It makes sense, considering how carbohydrate is the main nutrient causing blood sugar to rise in the first place.
The keto diet has been found to reduce HbA1c levels, which has been a traditional indicator of average level of blood sugar. People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can benefit from this diet. Even if you do not have diabetes, you will benefit from the reduction in blood sugar levels. Too much sugar in the blood for long periods can lead to serious and complicated health risks beyond diabetes because hyperglycemia can cause damage on vital organs, making you at great risks of heart, kidney, and nerve problems!
More Energy, More Work Done!
When you are not on a keto diet and your energy source is sugar from carbs, then you will need to constantly refuel. Your body can only store so much glycogen though, so in bouts of deficiency, your energy levels can fall. However, your body already has plenty of fat to work with in the first place, and is also designed to store more fats. If you achieve ketosis and your body knows to use fats as its main energy source, then you are less likely to run out of energy. Hello productive days! Hello not wasting time lying in bed all day!
Better Mental Focus
The problem with carbs as the main energy source is that it can make your brain foggy at times. As said, the body can only store so much glycogen, so your energy level is going to be inconsistent, affecting how consistently sharp your mind is going to be. When your energy source is not carbs but ketones instead, your mind is going to be much more consistently sharp, without the bouts of deficient energy source you can experience when your body is relying on carbs/sugar. People on this diet noted that when they eat carbs, they did not really notice that their minds were not at 100%, but when they switched to the keto diet, they were surprised with just how much sharper they are. The difference is highlighted further when they started to eat carbs again, so they know that the sugar from the carbs must really be the culprit behind their foggy minds.
Ready for the Keto Diet? Remember this!
Just reducing he carbs will not get the liver to make ketones bodies immediately. Instead, you need to totally deprive yourself of carbs, not just the obvious carbs you know off, but everything. A medium-sized banana already has 27 grams of carbs! If you are going to do this diet, you need to consume fewer 20 to 50 grams of carbs. Apart from monitoring your carbs, you cannot consume too much protein either, although protein is needed in this diet still. Too much protein can interfere with the ketosis. Your best bet is to take keto protein powder, so you do not go beyond nor go too low on your protein intake. If you’re looking for a keto protein powder, visit site for a range of great options.
