This original weight loss technique was developed almost 100 years ago.Its main goal was not weight loss, but a way to combat epileptic seizures in children.As a result of clinical trials, the American doctor Russell Wilder received amazing results - fasting helps prevent status epilepticus.
Along the way, the process of ketosis, the body’s natural way of survival, was studied.In the complete absence of food, the liver begins to burn fat reserves.As a result, ketones are formed - organic compounds whose composition resembles carboxylic acids.They are used by the body instead of carbohydrates, and the person rapidly loses weight.
Wilder's system was not used for long, as medications for epilepsy were invented.The idea of the keto diet was revived in 1994, when an entire foundation was created in the United States to study it.Now the technique is especially popular.It allows you to normalize metabolism, disturbed by the “Western diet”, two-thirds consisting of simple carbohydrates and sugars.
The ketogenic (ketone) diet, on the contrary, involves a sharp reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in fat.As metabolism changes, body weight decreases rapidly.
Ketogenic diet: main types and rules
The ketone nutrition system is an imitation of the state of hunger, in which fats are burned rather than carbohydrates.The brain perceives fatty acids and ketones as sources of energy instead of the usual glucose.
There are 4 types of ketogenic diet:
- Classic.It is designed to get rid of excess weight.A person should get 75% of calories from fats, 25% from protein foods and only 5% from carbohydrates.
- Targeted.By burning fat reserves, ketones preserve amino acids - the main “building material” of muscles.A diet rich in fat helps athletes quickly build muscle mass.Carbohydrates are taken only once a day, half an hour before training.
- Cyclic.It is used by bodybuilders and strength athletes.Nutrition is carried out in cycles - 5 days of a keto diet, then - 2 carbohydrate days (up to 600 g of complex carbohydrates per day).
- Anticancer.In a state of ketosis, healthy cells draw energy from fats.Tumor cells do not have this ability, so they gradually die.The technique involves complete fasting for 2-3 days, then a diet of 600-1000 kcal per day.
The key principle of the classic keto diet is to reduce carbohydrates to 20 g per day.In addition, the following rules must be observed:
- drink a lot of water;
- eat until the feeling of hunger is completely satisfied;
- add more salt to your diet;
- eat protein and carbohydrate foods along with fats.
What can you eat on the keto diet?
The bulk of a keto diet should consist of monounsaturated fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats.Here are examples of products for a ketogenic menu:
- olive oil;
- coconut oil;
- cashew nuts;
- almond;
- pistachios;
- salo;
- pine nuts;
- pumpkin and sunflower seeds;
- brie cheese;
- Cheddar;
- feta;
- cottage cheese (fat content not less than 18%);
- butter;
- sour cream (fat content from 20%);
- heavy cream.
The second component of the keto diet is proteins.They are necessary for building muscles and connective tissue.But excess proteins are quickly converted into glucose.Therefore, protein food in the diet should be from 105 to 120 g, depending on body weight.
Preferred Products:
- poultry meat (turkey, chicken, duck);
- fatty beef in the form of steaks, stews or minced meat;
- pork chops, ham, fillet;
- mutton;
- offal (liver, tongue, kidneys);
- sea fish (tuna, cod, salmon, catfish, trout, halibut);
- seafood (crabs, mussels, clams); eggs (hard-boiled, omelet, fried eggs).
For carbohydrate foods, you should choose low-carbohydrate vegetables with a lot of fiber.Examples of healthy carbohydrate foods:
- broccoli;
- green beans;
- white cabbage;
- celery;
- cauliflower;
- garlic;
- cucumbers;
- lettuce;
- onion;
- radish;
- mushrooms (champignons, shiitake, chanterelles).
Fruits and berries can be included in the menu only occasionally, in small quantities.Blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants, raspberries, strawberries and melons are allowed.The only exception is avocado, which is rich in fat and can be consumed frequently.
Recommended drinks include plain and mineral water, coffee without sugar, black and green tea, and diet cola.Strong alcohol is allowed in moderation - vodka, cognac, whiskey.
Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet
Certain foods inhibit the production of ketones, thereby slowing down the fat burning process.First of all, these are grains and legumes.The keto diet involves a complete avoidance of wheat, oats, barley, rice, rye, buckwheat and corn.From legumes, you should exclude white and red beans, lentils, green peas, and black beans.
Fruits are rich in sugars, so they are also incompatible with the ketogenic diet.Among them:
- bananas;
- pineapples;
- papaya;
- oranges;
- apples;
- grape;
- tangerines;
- mango;
- dates.
Accordingly, fruit juices and syrups are excluded.
Root vegetables that contain a lot of sugars and starch - potatoes, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes - are also prohibited.As for protein foods, it is necessary to avoid industrially processed meat - canned food, sausage, sausages, as well as low-fat dairy products.
Although fats make up the bulk of a keto diet, there are some oils that you should avoid.Soybean, corn, peanut and sunflower oils slowly convert to ketones and promote internal inflammation.And finally, products containing flour and sugar, sweet drinks, wine, beer and liqueurs are completely contraindicated.
The effectiveness of the ketogenic diet for weight loss
A sharp reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in the proportion of fats leads to a restructuring of metabolism.First, the body begins to consume carbohydrates stored in the liver.During this process, water accumulated in the tissues is removed.Then fat deposits are gradually burned.
The ketone diet encourages a person to eat whole foods without industrial processing.The main “culprit” for the growth of adipose tissue, sugar, disappears from the diet.Healthy fats produce sustained levels of energy, eliminating the need for high-calorie snacks.Moreover, the keto diet creates a long-lasting feeling of fullness.The intervals between meals increase to 4-6 hours.
Entering a state of ketosis takes from a week to a month.During this time, as clinical studies show, a person is able to lose up to 9 kg of weight, while conventional low-calorie diets give a result of 4.5 kg.
Sample ketogenic diet menu for a week
A well-thought-out plan helps you quickly integrate into a new nutrition system.At first, you have to create a weekly menu with the correct ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
An example option is presented in the table:
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner |
| Monday | Scrambled eggs with ham, cheddar cheese and spinach | Salad of tomatoes, lettuce and bacon, dressed with natural mayonnaise | Baked fish with olive oil and vegetables (green beans or cauliflower) |
| Tuesday | Bacon and eggs | Tuna salad with avocado and romaine lettuce, dressed with mayonnaise | Beef cutlets stuffed with cheese |
| Wednesday | Omelette with grated cheese | Chicken salad with avocado, dressed with mayonnaise | Meatloaf with mushrooms and onions |
| Thursday | Hard-boiled eggs with sour cream and parsley | Baked salmon and fresh spinach, red onion and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar | Cabbage stew with beef, onion and red pepper in olive oil |
| Friday | Scrambled eggs and full-fat milk cocktail with stevia | Stewed turkey with a side dish of zucchini fried in olive oil | Boiled beef with sour cream sauce |
| Saturday | Hard boiled eggs and cocoa with full fat milk | Salad of chicken, tomatoes, hard cheese, pistachios and herbs, with full-fat yogurt dressing | Roast pork with broccoli |
| Sunday | Baked eggs with avocado | Boiled chicken with hummus and lettuce | Pork casserole with cheese, onions and bell peppers |
Pros and cons of the ketone diet
In addition to weight loss, the process of ketosis provides great benefits for mental abilities.With a normal diet, the brain gets its main “fuel,” glucose, from carbohydrate foods.In the absence of carbohydrates, the liver produces glucose from amino acids, glycerol contained in fats, and lactic acid.In addition, energy comes to the brain from ketones.These substances improve memory and concentration, and slow down the development of Alzheimer's disease.
There are a number of other benefits of the ketogenic diet:
- cleansing the skin from acne;
- disappearance of sugar addiction;
- elimination of heartburn;
- decreased blood sugar levels;
- stabilization of blood pressure;
- increase in muscle mass;
- increasing endurance;
- reducing the risk of cancer.
However, the keto system has 5 significant disadvantages:
- Long adaptation process.It takes 1-2 weeks before ketosis begins.All this time, the person experiences discomfort associated with changes in metabolism.
- Low energy level for sports.Participants in game and combat sports require more powerful bursts of energy.
- Deficiency of vitamins and minerals.Since the diet excludes many healthy foods, they have to be replaced with the help of dietary supplements.
- Bad breath.Breath smells like one of the main ketones - acetone.
- Fatigue.During adaptation, you often feel tired and dizzy.
- Persistent constipation.They are caused by an insufficient amount of plant fiber.