Every start of the year one thing is certain – you will get bombarded with messages about new diets, new weight loss products you can use for the new year to achieve your goals. As the New Year comes, we certainly do wish to lose a few holiday pounds. One diet that has become popular in the last decade is the Keto diet.
But what exactly is the Keto diet and how do you know if it’s right for you? Let’s dive in.
A ketogenic (or ‘keto’) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.
The ketogenic diet involves consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat to help your body burn fat for energy. Health benefits can include weight loss and lowering your risk for certain diseases.
Although it may seem like the ketogenic diet has been recently created, it’s not a newly discovered way of eating. In fact, the ketogenic diet was first put into practice in the 1920s as a treatment for people with epilepsy after research demonstrated that fasting reduced seizure activity.
Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease as well.
A typical ketogenic eating plan aims for about five percent of calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein, and 75 percent from dietary fats. On a 2,000-calorie-per-day ketogenic diet, this equates to about 100 calories (25 grams) of carbohydrates, 400 calories (100 grams) of protein, and 1,500 calories (167 grams) of dietary fat.
Many Australians find it hard to meet the recommended daily intakes of whole grains, vegetables and fruit a day. The Australian Dietitian Association says that being on a ketogenic diet can make it harder to reach these targets without supplements.
A ketogenic diet will usually lead to rapid weight loss. This may be due to water loss and because you get less hungry because the diet is high in foods containing fat and protein.
Here are some pros of the keto diet:
And let’s also look at the cons:
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 and also many benefits that can be life changing.
It is always vital to speak to your doctor and dietitian before starting Keto, or any diet as a matter of fact. Only then you can understand how to incorporate this diet into your lifestyle and make a plan specifically for you. One should not start any diet or changes in eating habits before speaking to a doctor to know if it’s safe.
The good news is, if you decide to follow a ketogenic diet, there are plenty of options out there to help you achieve your goals!
Find below our favourite picks for Keto dieters and consult your doctor to know if this is right for you.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#diet-types
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/ketogenic-diet
https://foodinsight.org/keto-diet-101-what-to-know-before-you-commit/
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