The ketogenic or "keto" diet is one of the latest low-carb diets taking over your Instagram feed. You may have heard of people going "keto" and seen the photos of all the bacon, cloud bread, and cheese they are eating. This diet may seem "new" because it's suddenly super popular on social media and with celebrities, who are claiming it as their weight loss secret weapon. Actually, it is not "new" at all. It was initially developed in the 1920s as treatment for epilepsy in children, but fell out of favor as other treatments for the condition were developed.
In the mid-1990s, Dateline aired the story of a 2-year old boy with seizures who had had great success with the ketogenic diet improving is symptoms. This renewed interest in the diet, especially after a TV movie was made about it starring Meryl Streep.
Although it's still used today to treat conditions such as epilepsy and autism, it has also become popular due to celebrities like Kim Kardashian using it to drop 60 pounds post-baby. So, is keto the weight loss secret you've been praying for? Is it really possible to eat all the cheese, bacon, and butter you want, and lose weight? As a dietitian, my answer is maybe, but there are a few things that may happen to your body along the way.
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The ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein diet that recommends limiting carbohydrates to anywhere between 20 to 60 grams per day. Generally, the ketogenic diet is about 75 percent fat, 20 to 25 percent protein, and 5 to 10 percent carbohydrates. Calories are usually not limited on the keto diet. This may seem like heaven to some people because it allows them to eat as much as they want, as long as they stick to the general principles.
The purpose of keeping carbs low is to achieve a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body is essentially forced to stop using glucose or carbohydrates for fuel, burning fat instead. When your body is deprived of carbohydrates — its primary energy source — it begins to utilize a substance derived from fat, called ketones. Your body then begins to tap into its fat stores for energy.
The exact number of carbohydrates to achieve ketosis depends on the individual. Protein intake can also have an affect. Additionally, when you primarily eat fat, your blood sugar doesn't increase after a meal, therefore your insulin levels stay stable. Insulin is a hormone that encourages storage of calories after a meal, therefore controlling insulin levels may also prevent calories from being stored, resulting in weight loss.
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