If you tend to lose weight or simply want to have a healthy body, you may think about the ketogenic diet or keto diet for short. This eating method is so popular in the fitness-living community but can be a new buzzword to you. In overall, a keto diet means a low-carb, medium-protein and high-fat diet that brings many health benefits. For years, this eating method has been used for medical purposes by improving many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer. These tips below will help you eat a keto diet properly.
What is a Keto diet?
This eating method includes a very low-carb and high-fat diet so that considerably reduces carbohydrate intake and replaces it with fat. As a result of this, your body will be put into a metabolic state called ketosis, when the body uses fat as a primary fuel source, instead of carbohydrates. This state makes your body burn fat efficiently for energy that can help you lose weight.
Moreover, keto diets can lead to massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. It also increases ketones which have significant health benefits.
Foods to avoid
The keto diet means to cut down on sugar and starch intake and most of the food includes two kinds. If you want to eat a keto diet, you have to say goodbye to the below food list.
Sugary foods: includes soft drinks, bottled fruit juice, smoothies, sweet cake, ice cream, candy, breakfast cereal, etc.
Starch: rice, bread, pasta, wheat-based products, potato chips, porridge, whole grain products as well.
Fruits: all kinds of sweet fruits except small portions of berries like strawberries and kiwi.
Alcohol: most of them contain high carb contents, so say no to beer and wine.
Condiments or sauces: often contain sugar and unhealthy fat.
Food to eat
After reading the food-to-avoid list, you may wonder what food can you eat to survive your starving? Don’t worry because you have the following food list to eat a keto diet.
Meat: obviously a keto ingredient, if unprocessed. Red meat, chicken, turkey and most of the grass-fed meat are accepted. Note that a keto diet is not a high protein diet so you shouldn’t eat a lot of meat.
Fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel.
Eggs: in any way of cooking.
Butter and cream: use them for better taste.
Cheese: like cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella.
Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds.
Side effects of a keto diet
Any eating method includes side effects that you should clearly know. It is called a keto flu and happens in a few days at the beginning of the diet. You may feel no energy to do and have a problem with mental function.
To minimize the symptoms, you should prepare a bottle of sugar water beside you in case of fainting. You should try a regular low-carb diet for the first few days. This will make your body adapt to burn more fat before you completely eliminate carbs.
You should use some supplements if your body is too weak for a keto diet. MCT oil can provide energy and help increase ketone levels in your body. Caffeine can have benefits for energy by burning fat effectively.
