What Is Keto?

Looking for a new diet to jump-start your serious healthy eating and weight-loss efforts? The keto diet is most likely on your list. The keto diet, one of the most popular diet plans, promises a lot of health benefits other than rapid weight loss by converting fat into energy. 

Here, we’ll go into more detail about what is the ketogenic diet and how it works. Consider this the keto diet guide for beginners, because we’re here to answer every single one of your questions. 

What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The Keto Diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that is designed to put your body into a state of ketosis in order to burn fat more quickly.

What is Ketosis?
In most circumstances, the body uses glucose to generate energy. The glucose in the body is derived from carbohydrates such as sugar or starch. The keto diet excludes those food items, to deplete the body's glucose reserves and force it to burn fat for energy. When your body doesn't have enough glucose to burn for energy, it starts burning fat instead, resulting in a buildup of ketones in the body.

What are Ketones?
Ketones, sometimes known as "ketone bodies," are by-products produced by the body as it breaks down fat for energy. This occurs only when your carbohydrate intake is minimal and your body enters into the state of ketosis.

When you run out of glucose, your body begins to hunt for another source of fuel. When you are on a ketogenic diet, the alternate source of energy is mainly fat. At this stage, your body will begin to use food fat and body fat as fuel. Your body can use fatty acids as fuel, as well as ketones, which are generated in your liver while your body is in ketosis. This is the reason why you need to specifically restrict carbohydrate consumption: to produce ketones for energy.

Are Ketones bad?
Ketones are just a different type of fuel that your body can use in the absence of glucose. Although they are not as well known as glucose, they are totally harmless molecules that can be used for energy. Any extra ketones that your body cannot use will be removed through your breath or urine.

Ketones are only a concern if you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, because a lack of insulin may produce a buildup of ketones and glucose in your blood.

What are the benefits of Ketosis?
Achieving a state of ketosis can have several advantages, ranging from curing chronic conditions to improving performance. The diet appears to improve the ability of mitochondria, our cells' power plants, to fulfil our bodies' energy demands in a way that lowers inflammation and oxidative stress. By improving the way our bodies utilise energy, we strengthen our bodies' capacity to battle many diseases as well as cope with the pressures of our contemporary way of life. Read all about the benefits of Keto Diet in our blog here. 

How do I get into the state of Ketosis?
There are two ways to go from glucose to ketones as your primary source of energy:

1. Fasting – The practice of full abstinence from calorie intake for an extended length of time has been used to cure sickness since 400 B.C., when Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, utilised it to treat a variety of maladies. A 48-hour fast will usually result in ketosis for an average adult. Adopting a Ketogenic Diet after this fast will help you to stay in ketosis. While fasting might mean different things to different people, we define it here as the complete limitation of macronutrients.
   Fasting is a safe and effective approach to go into ketosis rapidly but it has to be done under medical supervision. It can also be sometimes extreme to many and you may find it difficult to retain attention and performance during the fast.
   
   
2. Keto Diet (Nutritional Ketosis)– Following a high fat, moderate protein, and low net-carb diet will result in ketosis, within 2-3 weeks. This diet is most simply defined by the ratio of macronutrients (fat, protein, and net carbohydrates) in your diet. A classic Ketogenic Diet has a ratio of 4 parts fat, to 1 part protein + carbs (referred to as a 4:1 ratio).  This 4:1 ratio is the high end of the spectrum as it relates to fat intake, though modifications to the diet can see this ratio go as low as 2:1

What foods can should I eat and what foods should I avoid on a Keto Diet?
We have detailed the entire list of acceptable foods and foods to avoid when on a Keto Diet, as per the Paleo Foundation in our latest blog. Click here to view the complete list of foods. 

Have any more burning questions about the Keto Diet? Write to us and our expert nutritionists will get back to you with answers and solutions to your concerns.