A feature of the ketogenic (or low carbohydrate) diet is to initiate this restructuring of the body, during which it uses ketones as an energy source instead of carbohydrates. These substances are synthesized by the liver from fat, allowing you to completely compensate for the energy consumption of the body.
Benefits and harms of a low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet
The human body is designed to receive the energy needed for life from the most accessible source. In most cases, they are carbohydrates. The body gets glucose and insulin from them.
Glucose is the easiest fuel to synthesize. With the help of insulin, it is well distributed throughout the body through the circulatory system. Because of this simple and versatile system, the available fat reserves are often unclaimed.
Therefore, a regular diet that contains a lot of carbohydrates is not very helpful for weight loss. In order to change the situation of energy expenditure, nutritionists have developed a special diet.
The significance is that with the significant restriction of carbohydrate intake, the human body enters a state of ketosis. This is a normal physiological process triggered by the body when food intake decreases. The body begins to obtain energy from fatty acids processed by the liver. Therefore, the first task of a low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet is to get the body into this state.
Unlike most weight loss diets, the keto diet does not reduce calories, but merely reduces carbohydrate intake. The human body can quickly adapt to the new nutritional system, which will provide it with many advantages.
Normalize blood sugar levels
A family diet based on a low-carbohydrate diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels. This is an effective way to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Improve mental performance
Most people who follow a ketogenic diet report that their thinking process has increased and their memory has improved compared to a regular diet. Ketones are an excellent fuel for the brain. This fact, coupled with the fact that blood sugar has not risen sharply, helps to increase concentration and improve the performance of people engaged in intellectual work.
Long-lasting satiety
A ketogenic family diet not only allows you to replenish the necessary energy reserves and make you feel energetic throughout the day, but it can also be fully saturated (due to the high calorie content of the diet).
Reduce the frequency of seizures
For a long time, a low-carbohydrate diet has been used to combat epilepsy. Especially often, this food is recommended to children suffering from this disease. Even with the smallest amount of medication, a ketogenic diet can stabilize the patient's condition.
Reduce "bad" cholesterol levels
Although this food system involves a large intake of high-fat protein products, it does not cause cholesterol deposits to block blood vessels. Because it only contributes to the accumulation of "good" cholesterol, it does not affect the quality of blood flow and participates in many important physiological processes.
Prevent insulin resistance
If the sensitivity of organs and tissues to insulin cannot be controlled, the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes will increase. In turn, a ketogenic diet can help reduce the level of this hormone in the blood to normal levels.
Fight acne
Many women have noticed that when they switch to a low-carbohydrate diet, their skin condition has improved significantly and the signs of acne have disappeared.
However, it should be noted that there are certain drawbacks to the ketogenic diet to lose weight. First, it involves a lack of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals rich in grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
Another common problem that proponents of this food system may face is the quality of meat products that can be purchased on store shelves. In fact, when raising livestock or poultry, producers usually use special additives to accelerate growth and reduce the possibility of animal diseases. The quality of sausage products and semi-finished meat products also has many shortcomings. Frequent use of these products can lead to the development of heart disease.
Doctors warn that this low-carbohydrate diet is best for people with diabetes and epilepsy. But pregnant women and people with metabolic disorders should give up it altogether.
Is a low-carb diet good for weight loss?
With a ketogenic diet, the body uses free fat as an energy source, so its weight loss benefits are obvious. Decreased levels of the hormone insulin, which causes body fat formation, can effectively get rid of excess weight.
This weight loss diet also includes the addition of products that are still quite peculiar to domestic consumers, such as MCT oil (the source of medium-chain triglycerides) and bulletproof coffee (coffee with butter and MCT oil).
The ketogenic diet is highly praised by most professional athletes for its ability to quickly convert body fat into energy while maintaining the same volume of muscle mass. With a well-designed training system, its growth is also possible.
This family diet is best for people who already understand the rules of observing and organizing a carbohydrate-free food system. If a person is faced with the task of losing a few pounds, then he should start by rejecting foods that are simple carbohydrate sources (sweets, muffins, and other fast foods). However, it is important not to overuse fat and high-calorie protein foods.
Another significant benefit of the ketogenic diet is long-term satiety, which is an effective way to prevent food interruptions.
Low-carb family diet recipes
In order to initiate the process of ketosis in the body, a specific nutritional system must be adhered to. To make it easier to organize, you can use the simple recipe below that contains the least carbohydrates and the most fat.
Cheesecake without baking
To prepare this dessert, put 200 grams of soft cream cheese and 50 grams of heavy cream in a deep container. Stir with a stirrer until a uniform, air-permeable substance is obtained. Pour in 1 teaspoon. Liquid stevia and 1 tablespoon. Lake lemon juice, then add a little vanillin and lemon zest (0. 25 teaspoons each). The resulting materials are mixed thoroughly and placed in a bowl. Put in the refrigerator for a few hours (to get a denser consistency).
Grilled salmon with herbs
To prepare this dish, you must first prepare the marinade. For this, you need to mix 1 teaspoon. Finely chopped garlic, 0. 5 teaspoon each. Grated ginger, basil, thyme, oregano, tarragon or rosemary, and 120 ml of soy sauce and the same amount of sesame oil. Then prepare salmon fillets, weighing about one kilogram. Put it in a baking bag and pour it over the resulting marinade. Put the fish in the refrigerator for an hour. After that, it must be arranged in a fire-resistant form, pour the remaining marinade, and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 15 minutes. When cooking fish, you need to prepare a vegetable mixture. Cut 150 grams of shiitake mushrooms into slices, then chop 50 grams of shallots. Add 200 grams of butter-fried vegetables to the pan. Take the almost finished fish out of the oven, pour it on the vegetable mixture, and bake it for another 10 minutes.