Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard about the Ketogenic diet or the more popular term keto diet. It is the leading contender for the most popular diet competing against veganism.
How does it work?
The eating pattern is simple. High healthy fats + moderate proteins + very low cards = the keto diet. People who partake in this lifestyle are mainly carnivores as meat is both high protein and fat.
While the diet is based on our three main macros (carbs, fats, and protein) the focus is more so on our ketones.
Ketones are the byproducts of the breakdown of fatty acids. In layman’s terms, it is the breakdown of fat for fuel.
Most cells prefer to use blood sugar, which mainly comes from carbs, as the body’s main source of energy. When there is none present the body begins to burn stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies this is the process of ketosis.
While in this state most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until we start eating carbs again. The process takes about 2-4 days to start.
You are allowed to take in carbs BUT, the amount carbs that one can intake is incredibly low! One can only allow themselves 20-50 grams of carbs per day. Here are some options for perspective:
- 2 apples
- 1 bagel
- 2 bananas
- 3 slices of bread
- Unlimited Steak
- Unlimited chicken
- Unlimited bacon
That is your carb intake for the day.
Bread is one of the easiest foods to people to produce from the early years of farming to the present day. One can simply make a loaf of bread with some flour and a 12oz can of beer (Rainier, personal preference) and it’s incredibly inexpensive.
So what’s the tradeoff that makes this diet so shiny to people today?
Well… Some of the benefits of this diet are:
- Quick turnaround for weight loss
- Blood Glucose Control
- Reducing Reliance on Diabetes medication
The other claim to fame for the keto diet is that it can put one into a state of hyper-focus. The creedala crème of productivity and effectiveness, when one goes into a state of ketosis, they go into survival mode. Ketones, which is what the body burns when there is no glucose, are very a potent fuel source for the brain which is why many raves about the hyper-focus, increased energy and mental clarity.
Is this healthy?
Yes, the state of ketosis sounds appealing and so does eating an endless amount of bacon, eggs, and steak. But is this diet healthy?
According to Harvard Medical School, they have evidence showing a reduction in seizures for kids who have partaken in the diet and it’s just as effective as medication. It is believed that this diet will assist those with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, autism, and even brain cancer. But, there is no solid evidence showing progress for the brain disorders previously stated. Keep in mind this is a new diet.
Regardless, our diet is personal. It is our habit of eating that we find most effective for ourselves.