Odishatv Bureau

By Shivangi Karn

Can I do a Keto Diet? Most of my friends have lost weight with a Keto Diet, what's this new diet about? These are some of the commonly asked questions today. The Ketogenic diet (Keto diet) has suddenly and unremarkably gained limelight and has captured the interest of many individuals who want to lose weight in a go. It's a very low carbohydrate diet which has been used for about 10 decades to treat patients with epilepsy or who do not respond well to medicines. There have also been many fad diets in the past that have been planned especially around the concept of a Keto diet plan.

What is Ketogenic Diet?

The Ketogenic diet is a type of diet that restricts the intake of carbohydrates that causes the body to let go of ketones in the blood by initiating the process of Ketosis. As we know, Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for body cells and in its absence, the body starts breaking down its dietary and stored fat into ketone bodies by the process, ketosis. So exactly what happens in Ketosis? Here's the answer.

In ketosis, the proportion of cells which will use ketone bodies to generate energy will increase until one starts consuming carbohydrates again. This shift in the process, from utilizing sugar to utilizing ketone bodies, as a source of fuel, generally takes over a period of two to four days of eating very less grams (approx. 50 grams) of carbohydrates each day. However, the process of ketosis is individualized as each person may have their individual point wherein ketosis kicks in.

What Includes Ketogenic Diet?

The Ketogenic diet includes plenty of processed meats, eggs, fish, cheese, butter, nuts, oils, oilseeds, coconut, heavy cream, avocados, and all fiber-rich and low-carb vegetables. A keto meal is just opposite to the Indian dietary pattern which we have been following for many years where 55-60% of the overall calories come from carbohydrates during a meal.

Is Ketogenic Diet Safe and Healthy?

The fact that the keto diet is totally different from what most folks eat raises many queries as to how it affects our bodies.

As mentioned in the above para, a Ketogenic diet was initially introduced for the management of Epilepsy. Research works have proven that it is safe and has shown many positive results in treating children with Epilepsy not responding well to drugs by reducing the incidences of seizures in those children.

Nowadays, weight loss is the main reason people opt for the keto diet. The diet induces ketosis where the body uses fat for energy rather than carbohydrates therefore, one must understand that a Ketogenic diet isn't solely a low carb and high-fat diet, but it truly changes the way your body utilizes fuel. Studies have also shown that this diet may help reduce blood glucose in type 2 diabetics thus, minimizing the need for insulin.

Added Details About a Keto Diet

Every individual need are different. The one-size-fits-all approach does not work for here. It is important to note that a keto diet may not be of much benefit for a normal person but, for a type 2 diabetic or is an epileptic patient, it has the potential to work wonders. However, it is difficult to follow this diet for a long span of time. In any weight loss program, one must not focus more on weight loss through the keto meal plan instead, have a balanced diet with the right portion of foods with an added physical activity. There are multiple diets that come and go, so, it is best to seek for a change that can be sustained over a period of time.

Before starting this diet plan, one must contact a nutritionist. Remember, this diet can be followed by a food plan that meets all the macro and micronutrient requirements, improves your overall health and it directs you towards a long term lifestyle change.

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