20 years ago, dietitians preached avoiding fat. 10 years ago, carbohydrates were declared the main enemies. In both cases, the amount of calories and nutrients that the body receives from protein foods was assumed. Both methods are effective and are still applied. But more recently, fats have begun to be rehabilitated, becoming part of a new diet.
This method of eating requires the elimination of most carbohydrates from the diet (including fruits and vegetables) and a concentration in fatty and, to a lesser extent, protein foods. The amount of calories consumed daily is not greater than in other diets. The trick is that with a ketogenic diet, satiety lasts longer, appetite is reduced, and hunger lasts a long time. Recommended for a ketogenic diet: fatty meats and fish, lard, eggs, nuts, animals and coconut with olive oil.
Studies suggest that it not only allows you to lose weight quickly, but it also prolongs life and even inhibits the growth of cancer cells. However, there are other studies that warn about the dangers of this way of eating. Hollywood stars Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow played a significant role in promoting the ketogenic diet. Men will be more interested in the fact that the famous basketball player LeBron James, a man with the ideal body of an athlete, declared his adherence to this diet.
The ketogenic diet is extremely popular with programmers and managers in the American Silicon Valley. It is generally accepted that this is a necessary component of smart biohacking. This expression is understood as a system that combines a special brain training, a special diet and "smart pills", which are more and more every year.
How does it work?
The main source of energy for cells is glucose, which enters the body with carbohydrates. It is stored in the muscles and the liver as a substance called glycogen. If there are few carbohydrates from food, glycogen is quickly consumed and glucose begins to be produced from protein and fat.
Fats are oxidized to form ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetic acids, and beta-hydroxybutyric acids. With a lack of glucose, they act as an alternative source of energy for cells, including nutrition for the brain. Later, ketone bodies are easily excreted in the urine, transporting many calories from the body. This forced adaptation of the body is called ketosis.
Short-term weight loss with this diet is greater than with other diets. The depletion of glycogen stores causes the body to retain less water. The calorie content of food is also lower due to decreased appetite. But the diet has enough contraindications.
Why is it dangerous?
It is unbalanced - it excludes the intake of a number of nutrients, vitamins and microelements in the body. It requires motivation and responsibility: you need to give up your favorite dishes, regularly calculate the number of calories. The diet lasts for several years and requires the constant supervision of a nutritionist. It has many side effects: constipation, nausea and vomiting, impaired growth, kidney stones, and changes in blood lipids.
In a few months, a ketogenic diet provides a great weight loss. But if it lasts a year or more, then it offers no advantage over balanced diets. The lack of certain B vitamins and fiber, necessary for the nutrition of the intestinal microflora, can affect health.
The consequences of long-term adherence to this diet for healthy people are poorly understood. Nutritionists advise you to choose a diet that can be maintained throughout your life. And following a ketogenic diet for years is next to impossible.
The short-term effect may be successful, but the method may not work for everyone. Dietary recommendations are selected individually for everyone and we do not recommend following the following trend without consulting a doctor.