What is the keto diet and does it really make you get rid of obesity?
Weight gain is one of the most important things that may pose a major health threat to the body and increase diseases and the possibility of death. This is why people have become wary of weight gain and follow diets to maintain their health and lose weight. One of the most popular systems at the present time is the keto diet for rapid weight loss and treatment of some diseases, If you want to know about keto or want to follow it to lose weight or treat a health problem, here is the most important information about keto and its benefits and harms:
The keto diet
The keto diet is a low- carbohydrate diet, where 20-50 grams of carbohydrates are consumed, equivalent to 5% of your daily need only, and high in fats , where carbohydrates are replaced by fats by 75% and protein by 20% of the daily need, and thus the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. ketosis, Also, the keto diet causes a decrease in blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity and blood pressure, but it is not recommended for patients with the pancreas, liver, thyroid gland or kidneys.
Keto and weight loss
As mentioned above, the keto diet puts the body in a state called ketosis, which is the state in which the body uses fats instead of carbohydrates. When this happens, the body burns more fats and turns them into energy. It is known that when following the keto diet, a person feels full. Significantly, which reduces food consumption throughout the day, which helps to lose weight faster.
Foods to consume while on the keto diet
If you follow the keto diet, your meal should contain these foods:
- Meat: red meat, sausage, chicken and turkey
- Fatty fish and seafood: salmon , tuna , mackerel, trout, crab, shrimp, squid
- eggs
- Butter and cream
- avocado
- Cheese: Cheddar , goat, cream or mozzarella
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and others
- Healthy oils: olive oil , coconut oil, and avocado oil
- Low-carb vegetables: Green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, peppers, zucchini and spinach
- Spices: salt, pepper, herbs and spices
Foods to avoid while on keto
While following the keto diet, you must limit or not eat any food that contains carbohydrates such as the list here:
- Sugary foods: juices, ice cream, candy, cake, biscuits, etc.
- Grains and starches: wheat, rice, pasta, cereals, oats and corn bread.
- Fruits: All fruits except strawberries and raspberries.
- Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas and carrots.
- Legumes: beans, beans, lentils, chickpeas and cowpeas.
- Low-fat products: Low-fat mayonnaise, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, low-fat or skim milk.
- Some condiments: BBQ sauce, honey mustard and ketchup
Benefits of the keto diet
Following the keto diet has many benefits in terms of physical and health, and these benefits include:
- weight loss
- Controlling blood sugar
- Reducing insulin sensitivity
- Control of blood pressure
- Improve cholesterol level
- Increased ability to focus
- Feeling full
- Reducing epileptic seizures in people with epilepsy
- Useful for people with Alzheimer’s
Damage to the keto diet
And like any diet that has side effects and drawbacks, keto also has some drawbacks and drawbacks, such as:
- Difficult to keep it going for a long time
- kidney risks
- Nutrient deficiency
- Osteoporosis if followed long term
- Mostly when you follow keto for the first time, you will feel lethargy, nausea and headache
- Bad breath
- thirst
Examples of keto meals
- Keto bread with eggs and full fat cheese
- Chicken salad, olive oil, feta cheese and olives
- Salmon and asparagus cooked with butter (one of the keto meals that are filling and rich in Omega-3)
- Taco sandwich with cheese and salsa
- Chia pudding with milk, crushed coconut and berries
- Eggs, avocado and salsa
- a handful of nuts
- Pesto chicken and cream cheese
- Full fat sugar free greek yogurt, peanut butter and strawberry
- White fish cooked in coconut oil with cabbage and pine nuts
- Fried eggs and mushrooms (from keto-packed meals)
- Strawberry and cottage cheese
In conclusion, if this diet is suitable for you, your lifestyle, and your health, follow it. But if it is not suitable for you and your lifestyle, there are many other diets that you can try that give you the same or similar results.
And make sure when you’re on the keto diet that you learn to read Food labels, knowing the percentage and quantity of fats and carbohydrates in them, and always choosing the appropriate options for the keto diet, focusing on healthy unsaturated fats, and eating vegetables rich in fiber, And do not forget when you go to a gathering of friends or family to bring your food with you to avoid going out of order and curbing your appetite.