A characteristic of a ketogenic (or low-carbohydrate) diet is the initiation of such a restructuring of the human body, during which it uses ketones as a source of energy rather than carbohydrates. These substances are synthesized by the liver from fats and allow you to fully compensate for the body's energy expenditure.
Benefits and harms of a low carb (ketogenic) diet.
The human body is designed to receive the energy needed for life from the most accessible sources. They are, in the vast majority of cases, carbohydrates. From them the body receives glucose and insulin.
Glucose is the fuel that is most easily synthesized, which is well distributed throughout the body through the circulatory system with the help of insulin. Due to this simple and versatile system, available fat reserves often remain unclaimed.
Therefore, a regular diet that contains a large amount of carbohydrates does not contribute much to weight loss. To change the situation with energy consumption, nutritionists have developed a special diet.
Its significance lies in the fact that with a significant restriction of carbohydrate intake, the human body enters a state of ketosis. This is a normal physiological process that the body starts when the amount of food ingested decreases. The human body begins to draw energy from fatty acids processed by the liver. Therefore, the first priority is a diet low in carbohydrates (ketogenic) to bring the body into this state.
Unlike most weight loss diets, the keto diet is not about reducing calories, but only about reducing carbohydrate intake. The human body is able to quickly adapt to the new diet, which will provide it with numerous benefits.
Normalization of blood sugar levels
A home-based diet based on a low-carb diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels. This is an effective way to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Improving mental performance
Most people who follow a ketogenic diet report increased thought processes and improved memory compared to regular meals. Ketones are a great fuel for the brain. This fact, combined with the absence of sharp spikes in blood sugar, helps to improve concentration and increase the performance of a person engaged in intellectual work.
Permanent satiety
Ketogenic home diet allows you not only to replenish the necessary energy reserves, which allows you to feel the rush of strength during the day, but also perfectly satiates (due to the high caloric content of the diet).
Reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures
A low-carbohydrate diet has long been used to combat epilepsy. Especially often such food is recommended for children suffering from this disease. The keto diet allows you to stabilize the patient's condition even with a minimal amount of medication.
Lowering "bad" cholesterol levels
Although this diet includes a high intake of high-fat protein products, it does not cause clogging of blood vessels with cholesterol deposits. Because it contributes to the accumulation of only "good" cholesterol, which does not affect the quality of blood circulation and is involved in many vital physiological processes.
Prevention of insulin resistance
In the absence of control of insulin and tissue sensitivity to insulin, the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus increases. A ketogenic diet, in turn, can help reduce the level of this hormone in the blood to normal levels.
Fight acne
Many women notice that when they switch to a low-carb diet, their skin condition noticeably improves, and the manifestations of acne disappear.
However, it should be noted that the ketogenic diet for weight loss also has certain disadvantages. First of all, it concerns the lack of fiber, as well as those vitamins and minerals that are rich in cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
Another common problem that supporters of this diet can face is the quality of meat products that can be bought on store shelves. Indeed, often when raising livestock or poultry, producers use special additives designed to accelerate growth and reduce the likelihood of animal disease. The quality of sausage products, as well as meat semi-finished products, whose regular use contributes to the development of heart disease, also leaves much to be desired.
Doctors warn that this low-carbohydrate diet is most suitable for people with diabetes and epilepsy. But pregnant women and people suffering from metabolic disorders should completely abandon it.
Is a low carb diet good for weight loss?
With a ketogenic diet, the body uses free fats as a source of energy, so its benefits of weight loss are clear. And reducing the levels of the hormone insulin, which is responsible for creating body fat, allows you to effectively lose weight.
This weight loss diet also includes products that are still quite exotic for the domestic consumer, such as MCT oil (a source of medium-chain triglycerides) and bulletproof coffee (coffee with butter and MCT oil).
The ketogenic diet is highly valued by most professional athletes because of its ability to quickly convert body fat into energy while maintaining the same volume of muscle mass. And with a properly designed training system, its growth is also possible.
This home diet is most suitable for people who already have an idea of the rules of adhering to and organizing a carbohydrate-free diet. If a person is faced with the task of getting rid of a few extra pounds, then they should start by discarding foods that are a source of simple carbohydrates (sweets, muffins and other fast foods). However, it is important not to overdo it with the use of fatty and high-calorie protein foods.
Another significant advantage of a ketogenic diet is long-term satiety, which is an effective defense against eating disorders.
Low Carb Home Diet Recipes
In order to start the process of ketosis in the body, it is necessary to adhere to a certain diet. To make it easier to organize, you can use simple recipes below that contain a minimum of carbohydrates and a maximum of fat.
Cheesecake without baking
To prepare this dessert, put 200 g of soft cream cheese and 50 g of thick sour cream in a deeper bowl. Stir with a mixer until a homogeneous, airy mass is obtained. Pour 1 teaspoon. liquid stevia and 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice, then add a little vanilla and lemon zest (at 0, 25 teaspoons). Stir the resulting mass well and arrange in bowls. Refrigerate for a few hours (to get a thicker consistency).
Roasted salmon with herbs
To prepare a dish, you must first prepare the marinade. To do this, you need to mix 1 tsp. chopped garlic, 0, 5 tsp. ground ginger, basil, thyme, oregano, tarragon or rosemary, as well as 120 ml of soy sauce and the same amount of sesame oil. Then prepare a salmon fillet, weighing about a kilogram. Put in a baking bag and pour over the resulting marinade. Put the fish in the fridge for an hour. It must then be exposed to a refractory form, poured over the remaining marinade and baked in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 15 minutes. While the fish is cooking, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of vegetables. Cut 150 g of champignons into slices and chop 50 g of shallots. In a pan, fry the vegetables in 200 g of butter. Take the almost finished fish out of the oven, pour over the vegetable mixture and bake for another 10 minutes.