Keto – The Ketogenic Diet

The Ketogenic Diet (KD) is not just a fad, but is based upon your body entering a state of ketosis when placed upon a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD), with moderate protein restriction, resulting in the majority amount of caloric intake being consumed via high fat-content foods, according to Batch et al. (2020). This diet is used most often for short-term and general weight loss as well as has key benefits towards healthier insulin sensitivity and decreasing hyperinsulinemia with diet origins in use for seizure reduction in children (Batch et al., 2020). The Ketogenic Diet can be just right for the right people.  Take a look at our pros/cons, how to start, and figure out if this may be the right step towards sustainable healthy habits you can implement today your goals. 

Pro/Con List: according to Batch et al., 2020, 

  • Pros: 
    • Improves insulin sensitivity 
    • Reduces hyperinsulinemia 
    • High effectiveness rate for assisting with weight management. 
    • Positive effects on body weight, BMI, abdominal circumference, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, glycemia, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) within short-term use studies of Ketogenic diet use ranging from three to 36 months total. 
    • Potential positive health benefits for individuals experiencing Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer.  
    • “The first 6-12 months of initiating Ketogenic Diet transient decreases in blood pressure, triglycerides, and glycosylated hemoglobin, as well as increases in HDL and weight loss may be observed.”
  • Cons: 
    • Short-Term Side Effects: Following initiation of Ketogenic Diet may involve experiencing the “Keto-Flu” including headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation and low tolerance for exercise. 
    • Other adverse effects of Ketogenic Diet may include bad breath, muscle cramps, change in bowel movements, and loss of energy. 
    • Long Term Side Effects: hepatic steatosis, kidney stones, hypoproteinemia, and vitamin deficiency. 
  • Contraindications: 
    • Diabetes, liver failure, pancreatitis, inborn disorders of fat metabolism, primary carnitine deficiency, carnitine palmitoyltransferase deficiency, carnitine translocase deficiency, porphyria, and pyruvate kinase deficiency
    • Disclaimer: Whenever considering implementation of a new health regimen, prior to incorporating it into your life please ensure to consult with your Doctor and a Registered Dietician to confirm that it is safe for you, your body, and your lifestyle routine and habits. 

Difficulty:

According to Batch et al., 2020 the Ketogenic Diet requires low carbohydrate, moderate protein and high fat consumption which can be limiting based upon your food preferences. Additionally, following the Ketogenic Diet’s strict intake level protocol to make sure you are meeting the requirements to induce ketosis within your body for the intended diet impacts to occur. This means you must categorize and measure your foods and their key components (carbs, fats, protein levels) accurately and often. 

Rules:

 According to Shilpa & Mohan (2018), the Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) typically involves 70% fat, 20% protein and 10% carbohydrates in its dietary protocol. This entails 50 grams or less of carbohydrate consumption to effectively promote higher fat percentages being metabolized and the body entering a state of induced ketosis after several days of low carbohydrate intake (Shilpa & Mohan, 2018). 

Best place to start any nutritional changes is in the kitchen, after consulting with your Doctor and a Registered Dietician. 

  • Identify the key foods to have in your environment whenever and wherever you are planning to enjoy a meal or snack. 
  • Any dietary changes, especially with long-term health and fitness goals in mind recommend physical activity on a daily and weekly basis. Incorporate attainable physical activity into your life while also changing up what you are consuming. 
  • Reduce or eliminate your alcohol intake to best adhere to the Ketogenic Dietary protocol. 
  • According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (n.d.), these are the key foods to consume and avoid listed below when following the Ketogenic Diet protocol.
  • Key Foods to Enjoy: 
    • Meats: Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork
    • Fish: Salmon, Sardines, Shellfish, Trout (the higher in fat, the better) 
    • Eggs
    • Dairy: Butter & Ghee, Cheese, Full-Fat Yogurt, Heavy Cream
    • Low Carbohydrate Foods - including: 
      • Vegetables: Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Radishes, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Arugula, Cabbage, Kale, Lettuce, & Spinach 
      • Fruits: Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Avocado, Olives. 
    • Fats & Oils: Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, MCT Oil.
    • Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, Walnuts, and Chia Seeds
    • Seasonings: Cinnamon, Classic Herbs, Pepper, Salt, White Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar. 
    • Drinks (without additional sweeteners): Water, Unsweetened Almond Milk, Coffee, Tea, and Bone Broth
  • Key Foods to Avoid: 
    • High Carbohydrate Foods - including:  
      • Bananas
      • Beans
      • Beer
      • Bread
      • Chickpeas
      • Chips
      • Corn
      • Grains
      • Oatmeal
      • Sugar
      • Juice
      • Milk
      • Sugary Drinks

Pitfalls to Avoid:

  • Not making SMART goals when making your health goals with taking on this diet plan 
    • SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
  • Not having the right foods accessible in your home and work environments 
  • Eating too many carbohydrates. Remember the Ketogenic Diet (KD) is also known as a Low Carbohydrate Diet (LCD) - stick to 20-50 grams or less of Carbohydrates to induce Ketosis (Shilpa & Mohan, 2018). 

How to Continue:

Typical compliance and implementation of the Ketogenic Diet for the purposes of improving personal health factors and weight management entails three to six months on the Ketogenic Diet (Batch et al., 2020).. 

The next steps in the Ketogenic Diet and how to proceed forward in the best way for you are to explore the following: 



When to End?

  • Long term compliance and utilization of a Ketogenic still requires further scientific research to close the knowledge gap in addition to the lack of information regarding the impact of the effects of ketogenic diet implementation following termination of use of this diet. 
  • Typical implementation of a Ketogenic Diet ranges from three to six months (Batch et al., 2020).. Depending on the individual, their health needs, and their body’s response to the Ketogenic Diet they may cycle through use of this diet throughout the year but not use it for one whole year straight. 

Is the Ketogenic Diet Right for You?  

This diet could be just right for you if you’re looking for the following:

  • Low carbohydrate diet 
  • Simple meal ingredients 
  • Open to measuring nutrient intake (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids) and meal tracking in your daily diet 
  • High potential for effective weight management and loss 
  • Positive health impacts on your blood sugar (insulin) sensitivity and reducing hyperinsulinemia

Recipes
References:
Batch, J.T., Lamsal, S.P., Adkins, M., Sultan,S. & Ramirez, M.N. (2020). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet: A Review Article. Cureus 12(8): e9639. doi:10.7759/cureus.9639
https://www.cureus.com/articles/37088-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-the-ketogenic-diet-a-review-article
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (n.d.). Diet review: Ketogenic diet for weight loss. The nutrition source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/ketogenic-diet
Shilpa, J., & Mohan, V. (2018). Ketogenic diets: Boon or bane?. The Indian journal of medical research, 148(3), 251–253. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_1666_18
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6251269/

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