As interest in the ketone diet grows and research continues - a lot of information is emerging on this subject - this is all a bit confusing. Let's try to find out how this energy system works and why so little is known about it.
What is the ceto diet?
The ketogenic diet, or ketone diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Simply put, there are very few carbohydrates on such a diet - 2-4%, not as much protein - 6-8% and above all fats - 85-90%. All sweets, cereals, fruits, vegetables are excluded from the diet and only healthy fats remain - meat, fish, eggs, nuts. For the body, this proportion of nutrients is not standard, as it normally extracts energy from carbohydrates.
When the body loses its main food source, the liver begins to break down fats, including from fat deposits, and convert them into ketone bodies (ketones) - acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyric acid and acetone. Some of them are spent with the energy needed by cells and some are accumulated in the blood. This process is called ketosis - a state in which the body uses fat as an alternative source of energy. Because of this, you start to lose weight quickly, but you get many "side effects".
Why then was the ketone diet invented?
The nutritional principles of the keto diet date back to 460 BC. So, in the human diet, there were only animal foods, while there were almost no carbohydrates. But initially, the ketone diet was developed and used to treat patients with epilepsy and diabetes.
It all started with the publication of the first book on a carbohydrate free diet in 1864 by William Bunting. Following the advice of physician William Harvey, he abandoned carbohydrates (beer, sweets, potatoes) in favor of protein and fat and lost 50 pounds. So it was common propaganda and nothing more - the scientific evidence for this only appeared in 1921, when Dr. Wilder released the first work on the ketogenic diet. In it, he describes the effectiveness of this nutrition for patients with epilepsy. Then other doctors began to study the diet and found other advantages to it. For example, in addition to treating various diseases, diet helps to lose weight quickly.
So the ketone diet went beyond medical goals and became popular - of course, who doesn't want to lose weight on a healthy diet? Interest in the ketone diet is still ongoing, research continues, but little is known about the benefits of avoiding carbohydrates for a healthy person. Therefore, it is not safe to start this diet on your own, as the health consequences can be unpredictable.
What types of ketone diets are there?
- Classic:70% fat, 20% protein and 10% carbohydrates.
- Cyclic:5 days - strict ketone diet, 2 days - carbohydrates allowed. Bodybuilders use this technique to gain lean muscle mass quickly.
- Target:Carbohydrates with this diet are allowed on training days, but only on high-intensity workouts - in this case, the carbohydrates are burned before they have time to stop the ketosis process.
- High protein:60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
In fact, there are many more types of ketogenic diets than on this list - among them, for example, vegan, lazy, limited. But above all, only these 4 types have been studied - 2 of which (cyclic and target) are not designed for a long time and are mostly used by professional athletes.
For whom is the ketone diet contraindicated and what are its pros and cons?
Pros:
- appetite control and, at the same time, weight loss - fatty and protein foods are very satisfying - overeating is definitely not threatened here. Also, the absence of sugar "jumps" without fast carbohydrates reduces hunger;
- Increased energy - mitochondria work best on a ketone diet - provide energy to cells. The fact is, ketone bodies are harder to metabolize than carbohydrates, so they provide more energy;
- prevention of cardiovascular disease - ketosis controls blood pressure and triglyceride levels - fats closely related to the level of "bad" cholesterol. As long as you stick to carbohydrates, triglycerides are spent for energy, not building up in fat cells;
- blood sugar control - studies show that the ketone diet increases insulin sensitivity by 75% (assuming there are no trans fats in the diet) - this is due to the elimination of simple carbohydrates (sweets, fruits). This nutrition also reduces the concentration of glycated hemoglobin in the blood - with its help it is possible to monitor the development of diabetes mellitus;
- Treatment of neurological disorders (eg, epilepsy) - Ketones provide brain cells with more energy, which further strengthens neural connections. Research also shows that ketones suppress the work of glutamate, an amino acid that stimulates the nervous system.
Disadvantages:
- The risk of developing ketoacidosis in diabetes is a potentially fatal condition associated with impaired carbohydrate metabolism. The consequences can be the worst (coma, death) - the body only uses these measures if too many ketone bodies enter the bloodstream.
- dehydration - without a major source of energy, the body begins to break down muscle glycogen - and it's 75% water. Fluid reserves at this time are depleted;
- lack of vitamins, which leads to fruit rejection;
- unbalanced nutrition and at the same time constipation and bloating: an excess of fatty and protein foods for the digestive tract - stress;
- there is no guarantee that you will lose weight - the process of losing weight does not work without sports, and the ketone diet, like any other diet, does not provide long-term results. And not everyone will be able to limit themselves on carbohydrates for very long - as soon as you eat something sweet, the ketosis process will stop immediately.
Before starting a ketonic diet, the ideal is to consult a doctor and pass the necessary tests - after all, in some cases, a ketogenic diet is contraindicated:
- pregnancy and nutrition;
- gout and joint disease;
- cholelithiasis;
- thyroid gland disorders;
- diabetes;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- Gilbert's Syndrome;
- Low pressure;
- lack of weight.
It is not recommended to follow a ketone diet for a long time - there is a risk of health problems:
- low level of protein in the blood (may lead to liver, kidney, intestinal diseases);
- accumulation of fat in liver tissue;
- kidney stones;
- vitamin and mineral deficiency;
- constant hunger;
- sleep problems;
- nausea, lethargy and dizziness;
- abdominal pain and headaches.
Dos and Don'ts During the Ceto Diet
It's forbidden:
- sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, ice cream, chocolate, sweets;
- cereals: rice, pasta;
- fruits: almost all fruits except avocado, lime, lemon, asparagus, celery;
- legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas;
- root and tuber crops: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips;
- diet foods: low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings;
- some condiments and sauces: barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup;
- unhealthy fats: refined oils, mayonnaise, fast food;
- sweet alcohol: beer, sweet wine, liquor, cocktails;
- Sugar-free diet foods: sugar-free sweets, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts.
Tin:
- meat: steak, ham, bacon, chicken, turkey;
- oily fish: salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel;
- seafood: shrimp, mussels, squid;
- eggs: farm, quail;
- butter and cream: butter and ghee, sour cream;
- cheese: creamy, mozzarella, gouda, brie, parmesan;
- nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds, chia seeds;
- healthy oils: olive oil, coconut, sesame, avocado oil;
- some fruits: avocado, lime and lemon;
- low-carb vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, peppers;
- greens: arugula, spinach, parsley, basil;
- berries: raspberries, gooseberries, black currants;
- seasonings: salt, pepper and other spices;
- beverages: water, tea, coffee, sugar-free soft drinks;
- alcohol: dry white and red wine, whiskey.
Weekly Ketone Diet Menu (this is just an example)
- Monday
- breakfast: scrambled eggs, lettuce, avocado;
- snack: sunflower seeds;
- lunch: spinach salad with grilled salmon;
- Snack: celery and pepper strips with guacamole sauce;
- dinner: pork chop with cauliflower puree.
- third
- breakfast: unsweetened coffee, boiled egg;
- snack: macadamia nuts;
- lunch: tuna salad with tomato;
- snack: sugar-free cookies with almond flour (a few pieces);
- dinner: zucchini pasta with meatballs in creamy sauce.
- Wednesday
- breakfast: scrambled eggs with parsley sauce (optional) and pieces of cheese;
- Snack: whole Greek yogurt, walnuts
- lunch: miso soup or pureed broccoli soup;
- snack: a cocktail of almond milk and butter, raspberries;
- dinner: stewed chicken with asparagus and mushrooms.
- Thursday
- breakfast: ketone pancakes (60 g almond flour, 4 eggs, 120 g cottage cheese);
- snack: two boiled eggs;
- lunch: chicken cutlets breaded with almonds (flour), herbs, cucumbers, a slice of goat cheese;
- snack: a few slices of cheese and peppers;
- dinner: grilled shrimp with lemon sauce and asparagus garnish.
- Friday
- breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon and herbs;
- snack: a handful of nuts and berries;
- lunch: roast beef;
- snack: celery with almond sauce;
- dinner: roasted tofu with cauliflower, broccoli, pepper and peanut sauce.
- Saturday
- breakfast: baked avocado with egg;
- snack: cabbage chips;
- lunch: salmon and avocado roll, wrapped in seaweed (without rice);
- snack: meat sticks, olives;
- Dinner: grilled meat skewers with pepper and broccoli.
- sunday
- breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon and avocado;
- snack: dried seaweed, a piece of cheese;
- lunch: avocado stuffed with sardines;
- snack: dry turkey (no added sugar);
- dinner: roasted trout.
But:almost all diet plans on the Internet are not safe and do not guarantee results - only a good specialist or doctor can devise a competent nutrition plan. Here are some more tips:
- Start with a low carb diet- with a ketone diet, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced to 50 g per day. Eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates is a good start for the body. So you can still understand how this type of food suits you.
- combine products- add non-starch vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers) to the diet - a sudden change from the normal diet can cause constipation - the intestine needs time to get used to fatty foods.
- drink more water(preferably with ½ teaspoon of salt) - Along with the depletion of energy reserves, the water-salt balance is also disturbed.
- Don't limit yourself to servings (within reason, of course)- Avoiding carbohydrates and reducing the amount of protein in a calorie deficit can lead to hormonal disturbances.
Have questions? Here are answers to the most popular ones.
- Is it possible to go back to carbs after a while?
Yes, 2-3 months after starting, you can add some carbs, but not often.
- With carbohydrates, everything is now clear - they need to be reduced as much as possible. What about proteins?
The amount of protein should not exceed 35% of the total diet. More is possible, but the ketosis will stop and you will have to start all over again.
- Will the muscles disappear with the weight?
On any diet, there is a risk of the muscles "blowing out". But proteins and fats together with physical activity can slow this process down a bit.
- Can you build muscle on a ketone diet?
Yes, but this will be more difficult than with a balanced diet.
- Wouldn't that amount of fat make me sick?
It depends on the type of fat you eat. If it's trans fats - fast food, sausages, chips - then yes, there will be more harm than good. They must be eliminated from the diet.
