The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.Magical properties are attributed to it: they say that it will not only help you lose weight forever, but it will also rebuild your metabolism and eliminate health problems.What is it really?
The popularity of the ketogenic diet is off the charts: this application shows almost half a million links with tips, meal plans, and a list of allowed foods.
Many famous actresses and actors follow the ketogenic diet.But is it worth doing for a person who doesn't plan to shock Hollywood and rob graves?For example, someone like me?
What is the ketogenic diet?
There are several types of low-carbohydrate nutrition, from the liberal LCHF (low-carbohydrate and high-fat) to the extreme carnivorous, "carnivore diet", in which the diet contains only animal products.
The ketogenic diet falls roughly in the middle between these extremes.This is a low carbohydrate and very high fat diet.According to various estimates, fats should occupy up to 70-80% of the diet.To do this, we are promised an increase in life expectancy of 10 years, greater energy and productivity, and a cure for cancer.
How does keto work?
We normally get energy from glycogen, which is obtained from carbohydrates and stored in the muscles and liver.When you switch to a high-fat diet, your metabolism changes.Instead of glucose, the body begins to consume ketones as an energy source, molecules that the liver produces in the absence of glycogen.That is, in fact, in the absence of carbohydrates, our body will receive energy from an alternative source: fats and proteins.
To switch to this alternative source of nutrition, it is necessary to remove glycogen waste from the body and force it into a state of ketosis.This is exactly what a high-fat, moderate-protein, minimal-carb diet should help.Different sources determine that the carbohydrate dose is 20 to 30 g per day.This is approximately equivalent to one and a half slices of bread or 50 g of buckwheat.The rest of the diet is fatty meats, fish, butter, nuts and eggs.
In the 1920s, the ketogenic diet was used for children with epilepsy.However, almost a hundred years have passed since then and today, according to the report, the ketogenic diet is one of the most underused ways to combat this disease.
A new round of popularity for the ketogenic diet came from studying the nutrition of people living in extreme cold conditions."Their diet consists almost exclusively of meat and fat. Interest in this diet grew when it became clear that these people have extremely low rates of cardiovascular disease, degenerative brain diseases (dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) and type 2 diabetes."
But it is impossible to say with certainty to what extent this depends on nutrition, where is the cause and where is the effect.There are no scientific studies that confirm this connection.
How to get into the ketogenic diet?
Switching to keto is not exactly a pleasant procedure.In the process of giving up carbohydrates, many people experience a phenomenon called "keto flu.""This condition is similar to a cold; pain and drowsiness appear, the throat may be sore, and problems with stool may occur. Most of the time, symptoms disappear within 1 to 3 days."
...Or last much longer."It happens that the adaptation lasts from 1 to 6 months, depending on the nutritional system that the person followed before and to what extent he is overweight. Often, unpleasant symptoms are associated not so much with the transition to another type of diet, but with one of its consequences - the death of candida in the body: "As it decomposes, it releases toxic substances and this makes the person feel bad."
As for vitamins: "When switching to a ketogenic diet, a person initially loses a lot of water, which is retained, among other things, by glycogen in the muscles. Water carries with it minerals - electrolytes: magnesium, potassium, zinc and sodium. Therefore, its deficiency must be replenished."
Contraindications of the ketogenic diet
"It is not at all suitable for thyroid diseases or for carbohydrate lovers. "And also for those who expect quick results, because it is not always possible."
"Also, you should not try it yourself if you have acute kidney and liver problems, pancreatitis, liver dysfunction, porphyria, or type 1 diabetes."
Ketogenic diet menu
It will also be difficult for those who, in principle, love to eat. The list of permitted foods is small, the variety of proteins is usually very limited by their quantity, and the daily protein intake should not exceed 20%.But not everyone wants to eat exclusively fats.
Harmful?Healthy?Or is it still harmful?
There are conflicting opinions on this matter.Supporters of evidence-based medicine often speak out against it.According to a well-known nutritionist, the keto diet can be fatal for some: "People with diabetes can develop ketoacidosis when they switch to this type of diet instead of ketosis. This is a condition that develops when there is a deficiency of insulin. In this case, death can occur within 24 hours. The person loses consciousness, then resuscitation. And only if someone finds the victim in time and realizes that he needs help. The fact is that with ketoacidosis, a person emits an odorto acetone, similar to what happens after alcohol abuse. It is easy for strangers to confuse one with the other, so the attitude toward a person lying unconscious on the street may be appropriate.”
But we emphasize that this is only true for people with diabetes.A normal, healthy person cannot develop ketoacidosis.
"Yes, ketoacidosis can affect people with certain medical conditions, for example, type 1 diabetics, whose body cannot cope with large amounts of ketones. However, insulin-dependent people are people with a serious and sometimes congenital disease. They should also not eat foods rich in carbohydrates. Based on this alone one cannot conclude that the ketogenic diet is dangerous for everyone else."
In general, there is no scientific evidence that the ketogenic diet is harmful to a healthy person.(Unless, of course, we take into account digestive problems: for some this diet causes constipation and for others, diarrhea.)
But there is no evidence that it is useful.
Perhaps because, as a way of life, it is still very young. "The ketogenic diet has become more widespread recently. And it's hard to find people who follow it for a long time."
"The longest studies I've seen on Keto lasted 24 weeks. — As for the statements from people who say they've been doing this for 50 years... People say what they want! Every day I see those who claim that they don't eat anything at all and for some reason they don't lose weight."
In addition, there is a difference between a therapeutic keto diet, that is, one that is prescribed for medical reasons, and a regular nutritional one.The second is gentler, does not require extremes and is often combined with a regular low-carb diet: "Many people switch to keto in periods: after 2 or 3 months, they return to a more liberal version of a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) nutrition."The amount of carbohydrates allowed with low carbohydrate consumption is higher: from 50 to 70 to 100 to 120 g per day.But, of course, not at the expense of sweet rolls, but at the expense of high-quality whole foods: vegetables, fruits, berries, and sometimes some cereals.
Who needs a ketogenic diet anyway?
Research shows that ketosis, without which there is no ketogenic diet, is effective in situations of extreme stress: it prevents oxygen poisoning among deep-sea divers and makes ultramarathon runners more resilient.
However, there is no consensus on this matter either.One study found that the ketogenic diet may slightly improve endurance performance (specifically in mountain bikers).And according to another study, it does not improve, but, on the contrary, reduces performance.
Does the ketogenic diet protect against disease?There are also conflicting opinions on this matter.There appears to be evidence that it may help treat cancer.However, according to information, the ketogenic diet not only helps in this, but can also cause unwanted side effects.
However, ordinary people are not athletes!– still switch to the ketogenic diet.
So that? "Even for the sake of mental clarity, good health and mood, and restful sleep."Although, as a health benefit, sometimes it is enough to follow a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet: eat 50-70 g of carbohydrates per day: "Some, even on such a diet, lose weight and solve certain health problems."
The doctor believes that it is not worth doing: "As a lifestyle, the ketogenic diet is a dubious decision. The ketogenic diet is used only for medical reasons, that is, for epilepsy, and only under the supervision of a doctor. As a permanent diet, it is not physiological, because the constant lack of carbohydrates is not natural. I understand that people who follow a ketogenic diet do not think of not eating carbohydrates as hunger, but for the brain, that is exactly what it is. After all, the brain is fedmainly carbohydrates. And they should be in the diet.
Will the ketogenic diet help you lose weight?
The ketogenic diet does not promise exact figures: “in X days you will lose Y kg”, but its followers assure that as soon as you adopt it, excess weight will begin to disappear.
If only because people on a ketogenic diet obviously eat less.Many do it only twice a day: in the morning and at night.During the day they do not eat lunch because they are not hungry.Fats become saturated and decompose longer.
Scam or truth?
According to a recent study, all diets in the world work exactly the same: they simply create a calorie deficit.That is, to lose weight it is not so important what exactly you stop eating: carbohydrates, fats, proteins or simply reducing the amount of food."But a person is designed in such a way that it is easier for him to believe in a miracle diet, rushing to extremes, than to come to terms with himself once and for all and constantly eat rationally. Therefore, all kinds of diets were, are and will be popular. And each new one promises ultra-rapid weight loss once and for all."