“The keto diet seems to be en vogue these days. I have heard of it often, but I am still not completely sure what it is exactly.” Many people, maybe even you, have asked this question when the keto diet is mentioned to them. This article will attempt to answer this question in sufficient enough detailed information by acting as a ketogenic diet guide for readers (and you) to make a solid decision regarding following the keto diet.
What is the keto diet
“Ok I have heard of this ‘keto diet,’ but what is it exactly? I have not gotten comprehensive enough information to decide if it is worth it for me to follow it!” If you are finding yourself saying this, it is likely because the media has not given you comprehensive enough information about the keto diet, let alone its benefits. The first thing to know is that the keto diet is not new – it is almost 100 years old. It has recently gained popularity largely because celebrities are embracing and endorsing it. If you decide to follow the keto diet, you will be consuming foods which are primarily low in carbs and high in healthy fats. Good examples of these types of foods are fish (high in omega3 fats), and beans (low in carbs). The omega3 fats in fish are good for developing and repairing brain tissue and neuron connections. The fiber and low carbs in beans will help keep you regular while allowing your body to burn fat even as you eat.
Good examples of foods to eat when on the keto diet
You want to eat foods in the meat, fish, legumes, nuts, and vegetable groups. Good examples would be salmon, chicken, almonds and walnuts, any kind of bean imaginable, and broccoli and avocados. These foods are high in the good fats which your body needs to function at its best and repair body tissue. The low carbs in these foods ensure that your body will be storing the vitamins and minerals present and not the calories. Any kind of carb – complex or simple – is full of calories which your body will store as sugar. This sugar is eventually converted into and stored as body fat. This is why eating processed foods like cakes, white bread, and some canned foods makes you gain a great deal of weight in a relatively short period of time. These foods are full of simple and complex carbs.
What you may not have heard about the keto diet
You eat foods high in good fat when on the keto diet. Your liver will break this fat down into a molecule called ketone which is full of energy. This energy allows your body to function, sometimes on overdrive. It also allows your body to burn fat even when you are reading a book in your recliner or when you are sleeping. If you have type two diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure) you should seek medical advice from a doctor before starting the keto diet. Because the keto diet will alter the effects of the medicines you need to take for either condition, it may make taking these medicines entirely unnecessary for you with time. You will, therefore, need to follow a trained physician to adjust your medications over the course of the keto diet. Pregnant and nursing women should not follow this diet because it may deprive them of the nutrients they need to keep their babies healthy.
Now it’s time for you to decide
Now that you understand more about the keto diet, what to eat when on it, and how to follow it, it’s time to decide if it is the right diet for you! Hopefully, you will decide that it is!
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.