The keto diet plan has been the go-to weight loss remedy for a lot of people in recent years. Especially for those who find it hard to give up meat or dairy during a diet, keto seems like a great choice.
Promoting a high-fat low-carb diet, the ketogenic diet follows the principle of ‘maintaining ketosis’, a metabolic state that uses fat and protein to produce energy rather than glucose sourced from carbohydrates.
The keto diet plan for weight loss was actually discovered accidentally, not for weight loss, but as a cure for diabetes and epilepsy. However, more popular for its weight loss benefits, the keto diet plan is an ideal choice for those wanting to burn fat and boost their metabolism.
Why Keto?
Bursting the age-old myth, the keto diet proves a lot of us wrong by promoting the consumption of fats. Over the years, fat has gotten a bad reputation all around the world. Fat consumption was seen as dangerous to human health and was on the wrong side of the balanced diet chart all this while. However, the ketogenic diet insists otherwise.
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The keto diet plan, for beginners, works wonders in the first 3-6 months of incorporating it. There is no ‘best keto diet plan’ out there since each person’s body conditions and requirements can vary from the others. It is always advised that you do thorough research and even better, consult a nutritionist before you jump in on the trend.
If you’re someone who is planning to transition to keto, here are 9 things about the ketogenic diet that no one probably told you about:
1. High-fat does not mean all fats
Sorry to burst the bubble already but if you were excited about the higher-than-normal consumption of fats in this diet, make sure you get this point right. Yes, fat consumption is the crux of a ketogenic diet but that DOES NOT mean you can consume any fat. You need to choose the right ones.
The ketogenic diet insists that you eat monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and naturally occurring saturated and trans fats that are found in items like meat and poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, butter, cheese, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds. You cannot eat artificial trans fats like the ones in many processed vegetable oils or in fast food, margarine, cookies and crackers.
2. The ‘Keto Flu’ is real
If someone told you that the keto diet is not healthy and made you wonder why keto diet is bad, they were probably talking about the ‘keto flu’. A common side effect of the ketogenic diet, the ‘keto flu’ is something that you might experience during the first week of switching to keto.
Don’t panic, it is a natural reaction from your body when it switches from burning sugar (glucose) to burning fat for fuel. It might also be the impact of a possible electrolyte imbalance. You may experience flu like symptoms such as nausea, body aches, fatigue, light-headedness, mental fog, headaches, gastrointestinal issues or insomnia.
Once these symptoms subside (which they definitely will), you can experience the real good benefits of keto like increased brain power, higher metabolism and so much more.
3. Keto diet is very much an option for vegetarians
You might have heard or read about keto a lot of times before and the one thing that would’ve stuck on to you is the constant emphasis on the consumption of meat, fish, seafood and eggs. If you are a vegetarian, that is not something you want to hear.
Well, fortunately, that is not the case. The keto diet plan is a practical and enjoyable choice even for vegetarians and vegans. You can choose your daily fat and protein intake from a range of options like cheese, butter, low-carb vegetables and leafy greens, yogurt, selected fruits and berries, nuts and seeds and other options.
4. Yes, you can consume alcohol on a ketogenic diet
This just keeps getting exciting. Unlike other diets, the ketogenic diet does not entirely restrict you from consuming alcohol. Though not all kinds of alcohol are permitted in the diet, certain ones like low-carb beer, vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, dry wine, champagne, and cognac are good-to-go. All of these beverages do not contain carbs and are safe options during the diet.
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You can also drink other beverages like unsweetened coffee and tea, plant-based milk or lime juice.
5. Keto diet foods can reduce inflammation
Ketosis fights inflammation by lowering the sugars that are directly correlated with inflammation. Inflammation stimulates diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer and coronary artery diseases. So, when you are following a ketogenic diet plan, the chances of getting an inflammation are significantly reduced.
It is also said that the keto diet is linked with the suppression of bacterial infections without the help of any antibiotics.
6. Treat neuro-degenerative diseases
When it comes neurological disorders, keto diet is considered to be an effective treatment. The burning of ketones helps in shifting the metabolism of brain cells that in turn help to prevent and cure neuro-degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
7. Promotes lower blood sugar levels
By now, keto diet looks like the best weight loss option, doesn’t it? Well, here’s one more advantage of transitioning to a ketogenic diet. The diet helps in improving your insulin sensitivity by a large amount. When you dutifully follow a diet full of low carbs and high fat, lowering your blood sugar is no more a hassle.
8. The diet plan may require taking supplements
Yes, the keto diet is a good weight loss option but since it is also a sudden transition to a high-fat low-carb dietary options, there will be a few side effects in the beginning. When you follow the ketogenic diet, you can only eat a selected range of foods, so it is a good idea to supplement with specific nutrients for those you miss out on.
Along with this, taking supplements also helps in reducing the adverse effects of the keto flu and keep you fit and on-track for athletic performances when you are on a low-carb diet.
9. Other health benefits
Yes, it doesn’t stop here. There are other health benefits to keto that you don’t want to miss. Due to the excess fatty acids that comes with keto diet foods, ketones help in suppressing brain glucose consumption, thus, increasing mental sharpness. It will also contribute in enhancing concentration levels. Improved muscular stamina is also another benefit of the keto diet plan.
Also Read: 7 Reasons Why You Should Move to Organic foods
The above article was a list of nine lesser-known facts of the keto diet. You might have heard of them already too but if you haven’t, you know now! If you are wondering ‘how do I start a keto diet’ or still in the thinking phase of whether to transition or not, it is necessary for you to be fully aware of all the pros and cons of following a keto diet plan. Always make sure that you get into it only when you are confident that it suits you best.
