What is the ketogenic diet? Is it right for you? Discover the key facts about this high-fat, low-carb eating plan, including the potential health risks and recommended foods. Get the information you need to make an informed decision.

Understanding the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, and low-carbohydrate eating pattern that differs from general healthy eating recommendations. The primary goal of this diet is to keep the total daily carb intake below 50 grams, often leading keto dieters to restrict or eliminate breads, grains, and some fruits and vegetables.

The rationale behind the ketogenic diet is that by limiting carbs, the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, the body breaks down fat into ketones, which then become the primary fuel source for the body, including the heart, kidneys, and other muscles. Ketones also serve as an alternative energy source for the brain, which is where the diet gets its name.

Is the Ketogenic Diet Safe?

The safety of the ketogenic diet has been a topic of debate since it gained popularity in recent years. While it can be a safe and effective approach for some individuals, it may not be recommended for those with certain medical conditions, such as pancreatic disease, liver conditions, thyroid problems, eating disorders, or gallbladder disease.

Short-term health risks associated with the ketogenic diet include the “keto flu,” which can cause symptoms like upset stomach, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. Additionally, the diet’s restriction of high-fiber vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can increase the risk of constipation, often requiring the use of supplements.

Long-term health risks of the ketogenic diet include kidney stones, liver disease, and deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. The high-fat nature of the diet has also been a controversial topic, as some research has shown that diets high in saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic health problems.

Recommended Foods for the Ketogenic Diet

Given the restrictive nature of the ketogenic diet, finding suitable food options can be challenging. However, there are several keto-friendly foods that can help kickstart your journey:

Seafood

Fish and shellfish are generally considered keto-friendly, as they are low in carbs and high in valuable nutrients like B vitamins, potassium, and selenium. Salmon, for example, is an excellent choice as it is nearly carb-free and rich in these important vitamins and minerals.

Meat and Poultry

Meat and poultry are staples of the ketogenic diet, as they are low in carbs and high in protein, which helps preserve muscle mass during the low-carb regimen.

Eggs

Eggs are an incredibly healthy protein source, with each large egg containing less than 1 gram of carbs. Eggs have also been shown to trigger hormones that increase feelings of fullness, which can help limit food intake.

Potential Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

What are the potential benefits of following a ketogenic diet? Some research suggests that this eating pattern may offer the following advantages:

Weight Loss

The ketogenic diet may be effective for weight loss, as the high-fat, low-carb approach can help reduce appetite and promote fat burning.

Improved Blood Sugar Control

By restricting carbs, the ketogenic diet may help improve blood sugar regulation, which could be beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance.

Cognitive Benefits

Some studies have suggested that the ketogenic diet may have cognitive benefits, such as improved focus and energy levels, due to the brain’s use of ketones as an alternative fuel source.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan that has gained significant attention in recent years. While it may offer potential benefits, such as weight loss and improved blood sugar control, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting this or any other restrictive diet. Careful consideration of the potential risks and your individual health needs is crucial to ensure the ketogenic diet is the right choice for you.

What is the Ketogenic diet and is it right for me?

For many of us, the beginning of a New Year means a fresh start, new opportunities and it’s time for those sometimes pesky New Year’s resolutions. When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, exercising more and losing weight are the top two choices most people go with as a goal to start the New Year! With that in mind, there are a variety of diet and exercise options that can help each of us reach our goal. However, the ketogenic diet has become very popular over the years, so in this Health Journal we will break down exactly what the ketogenic diet is, what to eat and what some of the risks might be.

What is the Ketogenic diet?

In its simplest terms, the keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate eating pattern, which differs from general healthful eating recommendations. On a keto diet, carbs from all sources are restricted with the goal often being of keeping the total number of carbs per day to below 50 grams. With this restriction, many keto dieters often consume no breads, grains or even some fruits and vegetables, which also often contain carbs.

Now that we understand that the keto diet restricts carbs, you might be asking why? Simply, carbs are the main source of energy for our body so without them the body breaks down fat into ketones which then become the main source of fuel for the body. Ketones are what provide the energy for the heart, kidneys and other muscles. The body also uses ketones as an alternative energy source for the brain, where is where the diet gets its name.

For our bodies, a ketogenic diet is actually a partial fast and differs slightly from a total fast or starvation state, where the body has no source of energy and forces it to break down lean muscle mass for fuel. In the keto diet, the ketones provide an alternative source of energy and helps to maintain lean muscle mass as well.

Is the Keto diet safe?

The safety of the Keto diet has been debated since it first became popular a few years ago, but generally eating in a way that puts your body into ketosis can be dangerous for some and perfectly fine for others. There are certain individuals for which this diet is not recommended for, including those with pancreatic disease, liver conditions, thyroid problems, eating disorders or gallbladder disease.

The keto diet does also come with both short-term and long-term health risks for all people who choose to use it. Short term health risks include possible flu-like symptoms, such as, upset stomach, headache, fatigue and dizzy spells. This has become commonly known as the “keto flu.”

With the diet cutting back on high-fiber vegetables, fruits and whole grains, the keto diet can also increase risk of constipation, so often keto dieters must take a supplement to stay regular, but as always this should be discussed with your doctor.

Long term health risks for the keto diet also include kidney stones, liver disease and deficiencies of vitamins and minerals. To limit carbs, many vegetables and fruits are removed from the diet so sometimes the intakes of vitamins A, C, K and folate can be low.

The high fat nature of the keto diet has also been a controversial topic, especially since a good amount of research has shown that diets high in saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic health problems.

Again, always consult with your doctor before deciding on what diets or eating patterns will be best.

What food to eat on keto?

As we have discussed, the keto diet is very restrictive on carbs and what you are allowed to eat, so finding things to incorporate into your diet initially can be difficult. Below we have listed a few different food items that are keto friendly and can help you kick off your diet.

• Seafood: Fish and shellfish are usually very keto-friendly. Salmon for example is not only nearly carb free but also rich in B vitamins, potassium and selenium. Each seafood item does vary in carbs, however, as shrimp and crabs contain none, while oysters and octopus do. While you can eat these items on a keto diet, it’s important to track these carbs to stay within your range.
• Meat & Poultry: Meat and poultry are both considered to be staples of the keto diet. Meat and poultry contain no carbs for the most part and are rich in vitamins and several important minerals. These are used as a great source of high quality protein which help preserve that all important muscle mass during the low carb diet.
• Eggs: These are an extremely healthy protein source and each large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs, making it ideal for keto. Also, eggs have been shown to trigger hormones that increase feelings of fullness, helping to limit potential food intake as well. With eggs, it’s important to eat whole eggs rather than egg white as most of the nutrients are found in the yolk.
• Green leafy vegetables: These veggies are not only extremely low in carbs, but they’re an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In particular, dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are packed with vitamin K and Iron. Green help add bulk and fullness to your meals without drastically increasing the carb count. Some keto friendly options include lettuce, baby spinach, arugula, cabbage, and kale.

Sources:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/ketogenic-diet/steps-beginners-should-take-before-trying-keto-diet/

https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/fad-diets/what-is-the-ketogenic-diet

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-foods#veggies

What is the keto diet — and is it right for you?

While the buzz seems to be heating up around the ketogenic diet, the eating philosophy isn’t new. In fact, it’s been used as a treatment for epilepsy since the 1920s and came back into the spotlight in the ‘90s when Dateline ran a segment highlighting it as a treatment option. But how did it go from epilepsy treatment to weight-loss regimen? Well, for starters, more and more celebs — including Vanessa Hudgens and Halle Berry — have recently praised its weight-loss results publicly.

So what is the ketogenic diet? It’s a high-fat, low-carb diet that sends your body into a state of ketosis, during which it uses stored fat as energy. When you eat this way — typically we’re talking less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day — “you’ll consume an enormous amount of fat,” says Shahzadi Devje, RD, CDE, a dietitian in Toronto, Canada. In fact, by following the keto diet, about 60 to 80 percent of your daily calories will come from fat. When you restrict carbs this way and eat more fat, your body takes about 24 to 48 hours to begin producing ketones, which are created when your body metabolizes fat for energy, says Pegah Jalali, MS, RD, a clinical coordinator at the New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, where she counsels patients on the ketogenic diet. Normally, your body would metabolize carbohydrates as a primary source of energy.

By following the keto diet, about 60 to 80 percent of your daily calories will come from fat.

When most people hear “diet” they think calories, but on the keto diet specific caloric intake isn’t the focus. “Mostly, I encourage my patients to eat according to their appetites,” says Jalali. “Your body can be in a ketogenic state at a range of calorie levels, and individual needs fluctuate day to day depending on activity and other factors.” But you won’t want to add a latte to your morning routine or even an extra piece of fruit to your afternoon snack, if those weren’t on your meal plan, says Jalali. “If you eat a lot more, then you risk coming out of ketosis — and if you do not eat enough fat, you also risk coming out of ketosis.” Bottom line: When you follow the keto diet, you must do so to a T for it to be effective. If you introduce cheat meals or cheat days, you’d be eating a high-fat diet and bringing your body out of that fat-burning ketosis state, which could have negative health consequences.

What does a day on the diet look like?

As an example of what a day in the life of the ketogenic diet may look like, here is a sample meal plan that Jalali shares with her patients.

Breakfast

• 2 eggs, cooked in 1 tablespoon of butter or ghee
• ½ cup cooked spinach, in 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup coffee, blended with 1 tablespoon butter and a dash of cinnamon

Mid-morning snack

• 6 macadamia nuts
• 6 raspberries

Lunch

• Tuna salad (4-5 ounces canned light tuna, mixed with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, ¼ cup chopped celery, ¼ cup chopped green apple, and salt and black pepper to taste), served over 1 cup Romaine lettuce
• Salad (½ cup steamed green beans and 8-10 olives), topped with a mixture of 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ lemon, juiced

Afternoon snack

• ½ avocado, sprinkled with 1 tablespoon hemp seeds or 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

Dinner

• 8-12 ounces cooked steak, in 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup cauliflower, roasted in 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil

Dessert

• 1 ounce 90 percent dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon crunchy salted almond butter, sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon

The pros of the Keto Diet

A main benefit of the diet, and why many of its followers praise the eating plan, is weight loss. Multiple studies show promising results: In a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, obese men dropped about 14 pounds after following the diet for a month. And in a longer-term study published in Clinical Cardiology, obese adults adhering to a ketogenic diet for about six months noticed significant weight loss — on average, 32 pounds — as well as reductions in total cholesterol and increases in beneficial HDL cholesterol. A review study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that the weight loss seen within the first three to six months of following the keto diet was greater than the loss from following a regular balanced eating style.

Weight loss often occurs on the keto diet because your body is utilizing fat stores for energy — and you may also notice a decreased appetite that often results from the diet. “We don’t know exactly why ketones suppress appetite,” says Jalali. “But my theory is that ketosis is the state we are in during starvation and prolonged fasting, so it might be an evolutionary response to help humans cope. ” Plus, your body digests fat a lot more slowly than carbs. “Fat has a longer intestinal transit time compared with carbs,” she says. “So it will prolong that feeling of fullness, especially in between meals.”

While some say following the diet claim it is limiting at food-related social occasions, Lara Clevenger, MSH, RDN, a dietitian in Edgewater, Florida, says you can easily plan ahead. “I currently follow a ketogenic diet, and eating out is a lot easier than people think,” she says. “You can ask for a burger minus the bun and fries, plus a side of veggies. Or order a chef salad and ask for olive oil as your dressing, minus the croutons. The options are plentiful!” Clevenger says she first started the keto diet for its anti-inflammatory benefits, due to a family history of obesity, hypertension, breast cancer, diabetes and dementia. “I will stay on a ketogenic diet for the foreseeable future,” she says. “I now have two to three times more energy, I no longer have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, I am better in tune with my hunger and satiety, and I am no longer addicted to sugar. The diet has had more of an impact than I could have imagined!”

In addition to weight loss, studies show that the ketogenic diet may also be helpful in treating many other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), acne and more.

The cons of the Keto Diet

“As with any diet, there are always pros and cons,” says Devje. If you follow the ketogenic diet, you may notice side effects such as bad breath, headaches, nausea and fatigue. The negative symptoms some experience when first starting the diet is often referred to as the “keto flu.” This feeling of tiredness is due to a drop in blood sugar that can cause lethargy, which usually passes in 24 to 48 hours, notes Jalali. You might also feel bloated or constipated — and you may feel the need to urinate more frequently, since ketosis acts as a diuretic, says Jalali.

Because the ketogenic diet is limited in terms of food groups, you’ll be at risk for nutrient deficiencies. “The diet requires a robust supplement regimen, since you can develop certain deficiencies on a ketogenic diet that can inhibit your ability to stay in ketosis,” says Jalali. “You can also develop micronutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss, and a lot of people become constipated on a ketogenic diet.” Jalali recommends discussing the diet with both a physician and a ketogenic dietitian to work to prevent these side effects.

And if you’re following the diet for weight loss, it’s important to know that you may gain weight back when and if you go back to your normal eating habits. “A ketogenic diet is fantastic for some people, but it’s not a lifelong diet for everyone,” says Jalali, who says she sees benefits for people with chronic conditions such as epilepsy, type 2 diabetes and PCOS — but sometimes negative effects for people who go on the diet for weight loss. “A lot of patients find that when they come off the diet, they regain weight very easily,” she says. “The theory is that by being on the ketogenic diet for a prolonged period of time, their bodies become very sensitive and efficient at metabolizing carbohydrates.” Jalali notes that these patients may be able to maintain the weight loss by sticking with a low-carbohydrate diet. While more research on weight-loss maintenance after following the keto diet is needed, research shows that cycles of brief ketogenic Mediterranean diet periods, separated by longer periods of the Mediterranean diet, over one year helped obese adults maintain weight loss.

There are some groups who shouldn’t take the keto diet for a test drive. It can be dangerous for people with type 1 diabetes, as it can increase the risk for life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Even people with type 2 diabetes following a ketogenic diet should regularly test their blood sugar and ketone levels to prevent DKA. If you have kidney disease, you’d want to skip this diet because you’d need to limit your protein intake. And if you have a history of disordered eating, the diet severely limits carbs and takes a lot of control to follow — which may increase the risk of bingeing or compulsive overeating. Consult with your doctor to determine if this is the right diet for you.

What’s the bottom line?

If you’re planning to follow the keto diet, consider consulting with a registered dietitian to determine the most balanced diet possible, as well as any supplements you may need to take. “Without monitoring by a licensed healthcare professional, challenges like poor bone health, gastrointestinal reflux, and changes in cholesterol levels can go unchecked,” says Julie Stefanski, RD, a registered dietitian in York, Pennsylvania. Getting a balance of nutrients on the ketogenic diet can be challenging, which is “no surprise because you’re essentially cutting out healthy whole grains, fruits and some vegetables,” says Devje.

And daily carbohydrate allowances on the keto diet will vary from person to person. “Some adults will have to consume 15 grams of net carbohydrates to stay in ketosis, whereas some professional athletes may be able to consume more than 120 grams of net carbs and be in a ketogenic state,” says Jalali. “This is another reason why it is best to work with a professional to design the diet.”

Because the keto diet is high in fat, you’ll want to make sure to incorporate more healthy fats into your eating plan. These include omega-3s, such as those found in salmon and sardines, as well as monounsaturated fats present in avocado, walnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds.

We don’t have a clear picture on the long-term benefits of the keto diet for weight loss. “Although there seems to be a short-term advantage of the ketogenic diet for weight loss, the advantage seems to shrink at the one-year mark,” says Devje. “The long-term safety of the ketogenic diet is yet to be determined.”

NEXT: Why losing weight too quickly may backfire in the long run

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What is the danger of the keto diet :: Lifestyle :: RBC Sport

In recent years, the keto diet has become extremely popular. This diet is presented as the most effective. But is this really so and what health problems it can lead to – experts told RBC

The keto diet requires the presence of vegetables

(Photo: Andrey Arkusha/Global Look Press)

What is the keto diet

The keto diet got its name from the term “ketosis” – a state that develops as a result of carbohydrate starvation of cells, when the body begins to break down fat for energy and produces a large amount of ketone bodies. In the event of a shortage of carbohydrates in the body, the liver begins the reproduction of ketone bodies from fatty acids. As a result, there is a change in the balance of BJU and the burning of fat in the body begins.

The keto diet was created at 1921 years old. Since 2018, it has been the most popular diet in the world.

adv.rbc.ru

In February 2019, shares of Weight Watchers (co-owned by Oprah Winfrey, a company providing weight loss services through traditional diets) fell 34% after the release of a report with low earnings and sales. At its peak in July 2018, Weight Watchers was valued at $500 million. And from July 2018 to February 2019, the stock was down 80%. The CEO of the company, Mindy Grossman, attributed the problem to the growing popularity of the keto diet. At the same time, shares of Diet Doctor, a keto diet promoter, rose.

But it is worth noting that the keto diet has many opponents. Some experts consider it unhealthy. Therefore, before starting any diet, it is always necessary to consult a doctor.

The keto diet suggests avoiding sugar in all its forms, and avoiding other high carbohydrate foods is also recommended. Meat, fish, and low-carb vegetables form the basis of the keto diet. If you start eating in accordance with the keto diet, then a third of the entire diet will be fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbohydrates. Supporters of the keto diet attribute the following factors to its advantages:

• the keto diet does not imply fasting, which means there will be no breakdowns;
• The keto diet is characterized by a variety of allowed foods;

The

• keto diet is an easy-to-prepare meal.

When following a keto diet, it is recommended to introduce vegetable and animal fats (cold-pressed oil, fatty meats, etc.) into the diet. Sour cream, milk and cheeses are welcome. Vegetables are only green (cucumbers, spinach, salads, zucchini, broccoli, etc.). In drinks, preference should be given to pure water, green tea. There are three types of keto diets.

Standard. Suitable for those who decide to try it for the first time, it allows you to lose weight. There are no strict time periods for carbohydrate intake. The amount of BJU during the diet will not change (the duration of the diet cycle is 28 days). This option is suitable for people with low physical activity.

Target . There is already a need to take carbohydrates at certain time intervals. This allows those who are actively involved in sports to increase the effectiveness of training. Otherwise, this option corresponds to the standard type of diet.

Cyclic . This option is suitable for those who have already applied a diet and are actively involved in sports. In this option, you need to clearly understand the moment when you need a carbohydrate charge, that is, the moment when the level of glycogen in the muscles is rapidly zero.

The following foods are not recommended for the keto diet: cereals, flour, sugar, sausage, legumes, starchy vegetables, mayonnaise and other sauces.

Doctors’ opinions about the keto diet

Oksana Mikhaleva

(Photo: https://www.smclinic.ru/)

Oksana Mikhaleva, endocrinologist, nutritionist at SM-Clinic, Candidate of Medical Sciences

high in fat and moderate in protein. The amount of carbohydrates, as a rule, does not exceed 20-50 g per day.

The history of the ketogenic diet goes back 100 years. Russell Wilder first used this diet for the treatment of epilepsy in 1921. He also coined the term “ketogenic diet”. For nearly a decade, the ketogenic diet held its own in the medical world as a therapeutic diet for childhood epilepsy and was widely used until its popularity waned with the advent of antiepileptic drugs. The resurgence of the ketogenic diet as a fast weight loss formula is a relatively new concept that needs to be proven to work in the long term.

The ketogenic diet is called because the very low carbohydrate content causes the body to start using fats for its energy needs, breaking them down to ketone bodies. Ketone bodies become a source of energy for the brain, heart, muscles and other organs. In the short term, the ketogenic diet, like other calorie-restricted diets, has been shown to be effective in reducing body weight in obese patients, but there is no evidence of long-term maintenance of these results.

This diet has a number of side effects due to the formation of toxic substances such as ketone bodies. These include dehydration, manifested by dry mouth, headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, blurred vision; electrolyte imbalance (primarily associated with a decrease in sodium and magnesium in the blood), the symptoms of which may be muscle cramps, sleep problems and irritability, especially at the beginning of the diet, low blood sugar, bad breath, severe lethargy and drowsiness, gastrointestinal disorders (including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, exacerbation or occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease – reflux of acid from the stomach into the esophagus), increase in blood uric acid levels and exacerbation of gout, protein deficiency in the patient, decrease in bone density, formation of stones in the kidneys and gallbladder; hair loss.

The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) guidelines emphasize that the ketogenic diet should only be used as part of a comprehensive program under the supervision of a physician trained in nutrition and dietetics. The prescription of the keto diet should be limited to specific patients and for a short time. It is possible to follow the keto diet in case of need for rapid weight loss (for example, in preparation for surgical treatment of obesity or in preparation for infertility treatment), but its duration should be limited to 12 weeks and accompanied by constant medical supervision.

There are a number of conditions in which the keto diet is contraindicated. It is not suitable for children and adolescents, pregnant or lactating women and the elderly. Contraindications are psychiatric and eating disorders, alcohol and other substance abuse, impaired renal and hepatic function, type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetes in adults on insulin, certain antidiabetic drugs, porphyria, unstable angina, recent (less than 12 months) myocardial infarction or stroke, cardiac arrhythmias, infectious diseases, do not follow this diet 48 hours before elective surgery or invasive procedures and in the postoperative period.

Recent scientific studies have shown that:

• Any type of calorie-restricted diet leads to weight loss and associated beneficial metabolic and functional changes.
• Short-term studies of the keto diet show both beneficial (weight loss) and adverse (complications) effects. Data to support the long-term efficacy, safety, and health benefits of the keto diet are lacking.
• Long-term, sustained adherence to a ketogenic diet appears difficult. Most patients cannot go without enough carbohydrates for a long time and stop dieting. A non-ketogenic diet providing 100–150 g of carbohydrates per day with good control may be more practical and just as effective.

Thus, to date, the keto diet has not shown clear benefits in terms of weight loss, it can be followed in some cases that require rapid weight loss, but does not maintain its effect over time, has many potentially dangerous complications and requires serious medical supervision in where it is necessary to comply.

Anastasia Ustyugova

(Photo: https://www.fdoctor.ru/)

Anastasia Ustyugova, endocrinologist at Polyclinic No. 2 “Family Doctor”

The keto diet is a serious undertaking that is not suitable for every patient. Cholesterol with this diet increases, not decreases, because the main emphasis in nutrition is on fats, mainly of animal origin. Overweight men generally have a tendency to develop hyperuricemia, gout. And this diet exacerbates this pathology.

I almost never use it in my practice. I’m more in favor of reasonable calorie restriction, balanced macronutrients, and a varied diet. Plus lifestyle changes. In terms of diets, the Mediterranean is closer to me, I can stick to it all my life. The keto diet is a restrictive diet, and it cannot be prescribed for a long time, there are a large number of restrictions. What is the keto diet and who needs it?

Ksenia Shcheglova

September 30, 2018

The most talkative biohacker of our time, Silicon Valley resident Sergei Fage (Island and TokBox) in a treatise on how to spend two hundred thousand dollars with benefit, tells that he keeps himself in dietary ketosis. Eats high-fat meals and minimizes carbohydrates: “If you search the Internet, you will find that this is scientifically proven. But sticking to such a diet is difficult. I googled. And about a day lost to the outside world. After reading about the benefits of fats, I almost went to get an avocado tattoo.

Google told me everyone in Silicon Valley is on keto. Cappuccino with oat milk is the last century. Bulletproof coffee splashes in plastic cups of San Jose residents, in which a piece of butter floats instead of a marshmallow. If you have a lump in your throat, this is normal. I also remembered how my mother in my childhood gave me hot milk with butter so that my throat would not hurt. But why do uncles and aunts with billions of dollars need this dubious slurry?

What is the keto diet?

“Two endocrinologists advised me to give up carbohydrates and switch to fats,” says a colleague, former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Polina Sokhranova. “They said that a keto diet would help improve health.” The recommendations were clear proportions: sixty grams of fat, eighty grams of protein and no more than forty grams of carbohydrates per day. No bread or pastries. Wheat flour is on the sanctions list. “It was allowed to be replaced with almond, linen or coconut, but it’s not so easy to make your favorite pies from them,” Polina admits. Potatoes and bananas flew into the wastebasket, and with them all the gluten-containing food: pasta, semolina, oatmeal. The farewell ceremony has extended to watermelon and melon: the keto diet does not recognize sugar, even in the form of fructose in Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Fats came to replace them – avocados, wild fish, sour cream, butter, urbech and meat.

Sokhranova noticed the changes almost immediately: “The edema disappeared, and in general the body seemed to have changed. Sports activities began to bring results faster. I became more energetic, I don’t feel like sleeping after dinner. It even seemed to me that I began to sleep better. ”

Polina learned from Stanford’s online nutrition course that there are different types of fats. Trans fats include fast food, french fries, donuts. Healthy foods include beef, poultry, chocolate, coconut oil, and even lard. “You will be surprised, but the essence of the keto diet is not only to lose weight, but also to reduce the amount of food consumed,” says Polina. -Fat-rich foods keep you feeling full for six to seven hours. Two meals a day is enough – according to keto preachers, this is enough. You will also learn to control your hunger.

How does it work?

“There are three types of keto diet: strict, moderate, and liberal,” explains endocrinologist Ekaterina Grigoryeva (aka Katya Young, author of the blog about anti-aging medicine and personalized nutrition @wow. so.young). – Strict (up to twenty grams of carbohydrates per day) and even moderate (from fifty to seventy grams per day) is a treatment protocol that only a doctor should prescribe. But first, the doctor sends for tests and usually writes out a list of necessary vitamins and supplements. But liberal, it is also called LCHF – Low Carb, High Fat, allows you to eat up to one hundred grams of carbohydrates per day and, according to Young, is suitable for almost everyone.

“The main source of nutrition for our cells is glucose,” says Elena Merkulova, an endocrinologist and nutritionist at the Aging Control clinic. – Sources of glucose are foods that contain carbohydrates. Glucose can be stored in small amounts in the liver and muscles in the form of a complex carbohydrate called glycogen. But its supplies are limited. With starvation, that is, insufficient intake of carbohydrates, cells begin to use other sources of energy – fats.

“Fat is a more environmentally friendly fuel,” Larisa Poluyantseva, an integrative medicine doctor at the First Line clinic, enters into the conversation. – At the beginning of 19In the 50s, doctors suddenly began to demonize him, humanity switched to carbohydrates and – a paradox! – earned an epidemic of obesity.” Larisa Sergeevna says that during ketosis, each cell in the body begins to live differently – due to the lack of simple carbohydrates, it no longer contains excess glycation products. “In other words, sweets and fast carbohydrates feed Candida fungi.” The doctor is also sure that the right fats have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the reproductive system, on the formation of sex hormones and hormones of the adrenal cortex. And in some cases, a low-carb diet relieves menstrual pain and even helps to get pregnant. Before transferring patients to a keto diet, she advises doing a genetic test and, based on its results, selects the appropriate diet.

“One month before the Victoria’s Secret show, model Adriana Lima goes keto.”

“Fat burns very well. As soon as a person falls into a state of ketosis, active lipolysis begins – the breakdown of fats. Excess volumes go away, and, as a rule, from the most difficult places, – says Konstantin Ovsyannikov, Ph.D., endocrinologist at the Sensavi Beauty Institute. – Also, with a sharp restriction of carbohydrates, the metabolism is restructured, and against this background, the feeling of hunger may disappear. But trust me, it’s only temporary.

Victoria’s Secret angels also resort to keto tricks: a month before the show, models Isabelle Gular and Adriana Lima are tied up with cereals and run over to the “avocado order”. Adriana was inspired by the idea of ​​a keto diet by Charles Passler, a New York City nutritionist. The Hadid sisters often turn to him for advice. The main influencer of recent years, Kim Kardashian, also resorts to the help of foods rich in fats. He doesn’t cancel daily workouts, but “on keto”, as it turned out, he loses weight faster. Kim became convinced of this after the birth of her son Saint. Her sister Chloe, sitting on a low-carb diet, removed heavy metals from the body (under the supervision of a doctor, of course). Another keto addict is actress Alicia Vikander. Her transition to healthy fats helped turn into the tomb raider Lara Croft. The process was supervised by Magnus Ligdbeck, a coach and lifestyle coach who made Wonder Woman from Gal Gadot and Batman from Ben Affleck.

Is it for life?

“For those who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, this diet is indicated for life,” says Katya Young. Elena Merkulova develops the idea: “Initially, the ketogenic diet was used to treat children with epilepsy, which is difficult to respond to anticonvulsant therapy. It has been observed that with carbohydrate starvation, the number of epileptic seizures is reduced. But Merkulova categorically does not share the opinion that anyone can simply take and switch to a low-carb diet: “Most adherents of this diet are sure that they follow it, but when interpreting food diaries, it becomes clear that there are still plenty of carbohydrates in their diet. “. And Elena Mikhailovna believes that this is good.

Konstantin Ovsyannikov agrees with her: “Ketone bodies decompose into three types of acids, among which acetone is listed. Thus, with your own hands, you introduce the body into a state of acidosis, in which the pH decreases and the blood is oxidized to such an extent that it begins to pose a threat to life. With regard to LCHF, the doctor is much more loyal: “A moderate keto diet can be used if the body needs to be given an impetus to lose weight. But this process should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. In general, I am for a balanced and planned diet. I talk about this in detail in our Sensavi School of Slimness. If you want to learn how to count calories and control your body, come and I will teach you.”

Nutritionist Ekaterina Zharaya says no to the keto diet: “I am against any diets. The diet implies restrictions, and you can’t sit on it all your life. After any diet, all the lost volume comes back. ” The specialist adds that the fundamental limitation of the ketogenic diet is that it prohibits active strength training. In the absence of carbohydrates in the body, the muscles simply will not have the fuel to perform exercises. “For a full-fledged workout, the body needs about 120-150 g of carbohydrates in the form of glycogen,” says Zharaya. “If you take tests before and after keto, you will see that the liver will most likely be working in emergency mode.”

What is the keto flu?

Endocrinologist Katya Yang says this SARS-like condition can be accompanied by dehydration, headache, nausea, and sometimes even fever. “This is how the body adapts to the new food system.” When switching to a keto diet, the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction to the death of conditional pathogenic microflora may occur. More often than others, those who have a problem with the intestines and the genitourinary system suffer. For example, cystitis may worsen. Therefore, it is important to switch to a low-carb diet, accompanied by a doctor and not to engage in amateur activities.

Those who say that the ketogenic diet is not balanced, as it excludes a number of food groups and nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the body, of course, are right. “Many useful trace elements are excreted by the genitourinary system, so it is necessary to supplement the diet with bioadditives and vitamins,” explains Katya. “I often prescribe extra magnesium, potassium and sodium, for example.”

“The transition to this diet has opened up a whole new world for me! Keto grocery stores are my favorite places to shop. I even buy food on iHerb.com,” laughs Polina Sokhranova. – Those three months that I “fattened” gave the result – the tests became many times better. I am glad that keto nutrition is slowly appearing in Moscow. Keto granola was recently brought to Garden City, and keto smoothies are now sold on the detoxpro.ru website. I came out of my ketosis, unable to withstand the tests in one of the trips. Now I know firsthand about the benefits of fats, but I decided to leave slow carbohydrates in my life. I am for a healthy balance. That’s just damn bulletproof coffee you can’t find in any coffee shop yet.

Tips for beginners

Can I eat foods containing cholesterol?

Even necessary. It is the building block for vitamin D and also the backbone of the entire reproductive system. Cholesterol lives in cell membranes and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. It becomes toxic when it oxidizes. You trigger this process yourself when you order steaks and grilled chicken or dry-cured foods like jamon and prosciutto.

What is the right way to prepare food while on a ketogenic diet?

Frying, baking and grilling, any process that results in a crust, will have to be eliminated. Products are best boiled and steamed. Take, for example, the egg (the second most popular product after the avocado). Instead of scramble or fried eggs, cook a soft-boiled or poached egg for breakfast – these are two of the most useful varieties of it.