KETOGENIC DIET Beginners Guide and FAQ s For the FAMILY The wherever tastier healthier lifestyle! ketoeveryday.co.za ketonutritioneveryday
The ketogenic diet is a way of eating that is very low in dietary carbohydrate. Perhaps you are wondering about trying to go Keto, but have some questions. What are the health benefits? And what are the concerns? This guide will take a look at the most common questions concerning Keto. What is the KETO Lifestyle? A ketogenic diet is an eating plan that emphasizes high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb. Keto restricts carbohydrates to a level that results in the body switching to burning fat for fuel with a wealth of health and performance benefits.
How does the Keto Diet work? When we are eating large amounts of carbohydrate, our body stores them as glycogen in our liver and muscles. In this case the body will burn this carbohydrate as its primary source of energy. However, when we restrict carbohydrate, after a few days our body becomes deprived of glycogen and is required to use a new energy source fat. This is done by converting fatty acids into Ketones through the liver. This is a state of nutritional Ketosis. Ketosis may sound like a radical change for the body, it is a normal metabolic state. In fact, primal humans spent significant amounts of time in nutritional ketosis throughout our history. Only in modern society have we had access to so much sugar and carbs. Nutritional ketosis is different to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), That typically only occurs as a result of the poor or unforeseen management of diabetes (particularly Type 1 or insulin dependent Type 2).
Are there any Signs or Symptoms of Ketosis? Yes, for some people they will experience some symptoms during the adaption phase. Such as: Sudden loss of weight (mainly due to losing water weight). Feelings of fatigue and lethargy while the body adapts to burning fat, can be for a few days to a week. Decreased performance in the gym/sports. Can be 2-4 weeks during high intensity efforts. Better satiety, reduced appetite, and fewer food cravings. Bad breath (a kind of metallic taste in the mouth). How can I tell if I m in Ketosis? If you wish to track this, then you can use urinalysis to have a better idea. This involves using something called a urine ketone strip/stick. The colour the strip changes to will represent the amount of ketones in the urine. Ketone strips are not a 100% foolproof method to measure your level of ketosis, but they generally work well.
Is Ketosis bad for you? No, ketosis is a normal metabolic state that the body can freely enter (and leave) when carbohydrate/food intake is low. There can be some required adjustments in people with diabetes who use insulin. We are all different as is individual carb tolerance so you will need to find the carb intake that is best for you. We do know that a diet low in Sugar and carbs is good for almost everyone. Millions of people around the world are safely doing ketogenic diets. Reviews show that very low carb diets result in better long-term weight loss than low-fat diets and tend to reduce cardiovascular risk factors more than low-fat diets do. Its important to research the do s and don ts before starting.
What happens to the body in Ketosis? When your body switches away from burning carbohydrate to use fat for fuel many positive things happen. It up-regulates fat-burning enzymes. Our liver begins converting fatty acids into ketones for fuel. Blood glucose and insulin levels typically fall due to the small amount of dietary sugar/carbohydrate. Inflammation decreases due to the types of foods. Is Keto good for losing weight? Absolutely, individuals starting keto usually experience significant weight loss. Early weight loss is largely due to glycogen reduction (carbs and water) due to reduced carb intake. A wealth of studies show that low carb ketogenic diets beat low-fat diets for weight loss at the 3, 6, and 12-month mark. Overall, the key to sustainably losing weight is adapting and adopting the lifestyle. It s not a crash diet for short-term weight loss; it s more a way of committing to a longer-term healthy lifestyle. For more information about Ketogenic diets: Visit www.ketonutrition.co.za Call +27 11 466 7788 Email info@ketonutrition.co.za Post Box Biz-X- Press, Suite 86, Private Bag X2, Lonehill, 2062, Gauteng
What foods should I avoid or restrict? Restrict the following foods; Whole grains Cakes, cookies, and pastries Sugar (and any foods that contain it) Refined grain products (such as bread, noodles, pasta. and rice) Vegetable oils Starchy vegetables Root vegetables (OK in very small amounts) High-sugar fruits (banana, mango, pineapple, etc) KETO Products available from: Dischem, leading pharmacies, sports outlets and online at www.ketonutrition.co.za
KETOGENIC DIET Beginners Guide and FAQ s For the ACTIVE NUTRITION www.ketonutrition.co.za ketonutrition
What foods can I eat? Meals should be based around low carb foods, with a moderate to high intake of fats and protein. Foods usually come from the following groups; Dairy: prioritize high-fat dairy foods like butter, cheese, cream, and sour cream). Eggs: great source of fat and protein, and full of vitamins and minerals. Fruit: Focus on low-sugar fruits like avocado, various berries, and olives. Herbs and Spices: Feel free to use herbs and spices in your cooking. Meat: All meat and meat products like bacon, sausages, and cured meats are OK. All fish especially oily fish. Nuts and Seeds: Most nuts and seeds are ok. Cashew, chestnut, and pistachio nuts are moderately high in carbs. Snacks: Nuts, dark chocolate, biltong and Keto Nutrition bars and Gels. Vegetables: Eating as many green vegetables as you want. Go easy with root vegetables due to carb content.
What kind of drinks can I have on Keto? Coffee (black or with cream) Water Green tea Black tea Non-sweetened cocoa/hot chocolate Fruit/Herbal tea Wine (Dry white and Red) Spirits Sparkling water Zero-sugar drinks Since milk contains approximately 5g carbohydrate per 100 ml use minimally. How much Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein should I eat? Every individual is different, typically target the following Macro nutrient split, as a total of daily calories. Carbs 10% Protein 20-25% Fat 70-75% Track foods using an app like myfitnesspal.com to assist.
Should I take supplements on a Keto Diet? It s better to get nutrients from food rather than a synthetic vitamin/mineral tablet. A diet rich in a variety of nutrient-dense food is unlikely to necessitate additional vitamin or mineral supplementation. Taking additional Sodium, magnesium and potassium supplements can be a big help to people first starting a ketogenic diet. In addition many people find using Exogenous ketones useful to reduce the symptoms of keto flu. Keto Fast Track offers additional electrolyte minerals and exogenous ketones. Is the Keto Diet good for Type 2 Diabetes? It has been shown in many studies that a low carb/ ketogenic diets are more effective than low-fat diets in reducing blood-glucose and insulin levels. A recent 2017 review of 10 randomized trials found that the greater the carbohydrate restriction, the greater glucose lowering. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) now recognises a low carb diet as a preferred lifestyle for Diabetics. This is consistent with many European countries in 2018. Additional information available on the Keto Nutrition website.
Should I fast on Keto? Intermittent fasting has been shown to have health benefits particularly for overweight people and those attempting to reverse type 2 diabetes. These health benefits may include better weight management, and lower blood pressure and blood-glucose levels. There are several ways to fast, from restricted eating windows say only eating between 12pm 8pm each day to 24 hours fasting or multiple day fasts. Is Keto good for athletes? Many athletes are performing well on ketogenic diets. Fully keto-adapted athletes may be able to perform equivalent or better than that of carbohydrate-fuelled athletes. There are many benefits to performance and long-term health for athletes. For more information about Keto for athletes visit our Keto Nutrition website.