Best Foods vs. Worst Foods For Keto Diet

Posted by Wen Dan Jiang on

Keto Diet - Best Keto Foods vs. Worst

In a time of abundance of food and information, people around the world began to clog their heads with ideas about proper nutrition and wholesome food. The extreme demand for such topics has formed an appropriate proposal. Now there are dozens of different diets, each of which strives to be the most "healthy" and offers people a "cure for everything."

Judging by Google's analysis , one of the most popular searches of 2018 was the keto diet. This type of food was ahead of the rest and became a real trend among people of different ages. (Gans, 2019)

What is a keto diet?

Short for ketogenic - keto diet appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, as one of the diet options for the treatment of childhood epilepsy. Keto diet involves the consumption of low-carb foods with high-fat content and an average level of protein.

The creators of the ketogenic diet are interested in the protective function of the body, which allows the use of fats as a food source for the brain instead of glucose derived from carbohydrates. As a result of such a diet, the level of ketone bodies increases in the blood, which reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures.

A lightweight version of the keto diet is the Atkinson diet, which has become popular in recent years. It is believed that such diets help burn fat more efficiently, have anti-inflammatory effects, and also reduce the likelihood of neurological diseases.

What foods does the keto diet provide?

To maintain a ketogenic diet, you need to eat foods that contain a large amount of fat. It can be various cheeses, oils, meat, and dairy products. At the same time, the keto diet provides the rejection of foods with a high level of carbohydrates, which are found in most fruits and vegetables, bread and pasta, alcohol, as well as cereals and sugar.

Despite the high-calorie diet of foods that can be consumed with a keto diet, it is considered useful for people who want to lose weight. That is why diet became one of Google's search trends.

List of allowed products:

  • meat;
  • green vegetables;
  • seeds;
  • fish, seafood;
  • vegetable oil;
  • nuts
  • eggs
  • mushrooms;
  • dairy products in small quantities;
  • salt.

Eating can be at any time of the day, but it is better not to eat 2-3 hours before bedtime.

List of prohibited products:

  • sugar;
  • fruits and dried fruits;
  • processed meat products: sausages, sausages, sausages;
  • semi-finished products;
  • flour;
  • any sweets;
  • high starch vegetables: potatoes, corn, beets;
  • alcohol.

Does a keto diet work?

According to Healthline, a ketogenic diet is one of the most effective ways to lose weight (Mawer, 2018). Citing a study published in the US National Medical Laboratory, Healthline writes that a ketogenic diet was able to lose 11.1 kg over the study period, unlike a group that consumed more carbohydrates and dropped only 6.9 kg

The publication also refers to several works that confirm the association of keto diets with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and even malignant tumors. (Westman, Yancy, Mavropoulos, Marquart, & Mcduffie, 2008)

Benefits keto diet

Some of the proven benefits of Keto diet are:

General health improvement 

A person on a keto diet feels a surge of energy, increased brain activity, and concentration, as well as an emotional upsurge. You want to live, work, and train to the fullest.

Nervous system diseases recede

Keto diets alleviate the suffering of people with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis.

You are losing weight

If you cut calories, then the keto diet will give a very noticeable effect. However, nutritionists still do not recommend such a diet as a way to lose weight: many other methods work without severe physiological adjustment.

If you like this particular option, use a keto diet with an expanded list of products. Then it will be more like proper nutrition, and ketosis flu does not threaten you.

You are weaning from sweets

A large amount of fat in the diet allows you to achieve a feeling of fullness in a short time and for a long time. So the thought of recharging yourself with a bun or chocolate no longer visits you.

Cancer Prevention 

A keto diet is often recommended for cancer patients. A known fact: cancer cells can only eat glucose - and nothing more. Almost completely eliminating carbohydrates from the diet, you deprive the body of glucose and cancer cells - "fuel."

Some side effects of a keto diet

There are some side effects of the keto diet:

Diabetes

For example, according to a study by the US National Institute of Diabetes, the rejection of carbohydrates can lead to improper regulation of blood glucose and diabetes. (Swinburn, Boyce, Bergman, Howard, & Bogardus, 1991)

""Whole grains, fruits, and legumes are some of the healthiest foods. They are not responsible for type 2 diabetes epidemics or obesity, and abandonment of them can be harmful," the authors of the study write.

You may feel tired

When the body starts ketosis, headaches can begin, as well as muscle discomfort, nausea and diarrhea. 

Part of the weight may return

At first, weight decreases quite quickly, but if you leave the diet, you can gain weight again.

Premature Death

According to some studies, a ketogenic diet can lead to premature death due to the increased risks of several diseases at once.

""Whole grains, fruits, and legumes are some of the healthiest foods. They are not responsible for type 2 diabetes epidemics or obesity, and abandonment of them can be harmful," the authors of the study write.

Some tips to follow

In recent years, this diet has received much attention in the media in connection with its alleged benefits for losing weight. But, the question is, does it work? As with many diets, reducing calorie intake can lead to weight loss. However, the diet is very restrictive and should not be used for a long time.

If you want to lose weight, exclusive diets usually don't work. It's best to consult a nutritionist to develop a healthy weight loss plan that doesn't exclude whole food groups and includes the necessary diet and exercise.

If you decide to switch to this type of food, get ready for the difficulties. In the first week, the body will have a real "breaking." Experts call this phenomenon ketosis because a person can observe fever and cold.

At this time, you need to drink more water and be under the supervision of a doctor - to control the transition period. And you also have to measure the level of ketones and glucose in the blood 3-5 times a day (there are special test strips for this) - to adjust the diet.

References

Gans, K. (2019, January 15). The 10 Most Popular Diets of 2018, According to Google. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/2019-01-15/the-10-most-popular-diets-of-2018-according-to-google

Mawer, R. (2018, July 30). The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide to Keto. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101

Westman, E. C., Yancy, W. S., Mavropoulos, J. C., Marquart, M., & Mcduffie, J. R. (2008). The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition & Metabolism, 5(1). doi:10.1186/1743-7075-5-36

Swinburn, B. A., Boyce, V. L., Bergman, R. N., Howard, B. V., & Bogardus, C. (1991). Deterioration in Carbohydrate Metabolism and Lipoprotein Changes Induced by Modern, High Fat Diet in Pima Indians and Caucasians. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 73(1), 156-165. doi:10.1210/jcem-73-1-156

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