Keto diets or ketogenic diets are low carb, high-fat diets that induce ketosis in individuals after long term consumption. Usually, the human body uses glucose as its major energy source. The glucose is derived from carbohydrates or carbs for short.
Since there is no consumption of carbs, the body cannot be running on fumes, hence it initiates ketosis. Ketosis is a process through with fat and proteins are converted to ketones. In the place of glucose, these ketones will be responsible for the supply of energy all over the body (including the brain).
Although fat on its own is not able to cross the blood-brain membrane, ketones can pass through the membrane and supply energy to the brain. The longer one stays on a ketone diet, the more other portions of the brain become increasingly dependent on ketone.
Side effects would obviously occur in this period where you are slowly acclimatizing to the use of ketones instead of glucose as a source of energy. These side effects are usually temporary and could include fatigue, lightheadedness and other symptoms.
Contact your physician to see if you are fit for a full ketone diet before you start as different factors (such as your age, gender, general health levels and others) could affect the reaction a person would have when changing to a ketogenic diet. Also, contact your physician if symptoms of the transition period persist.
Examples of ingredients for a ketone diet.
There are a few myths associated with the consumption of a ketone diet and we will be looking to set the record straight concerning some of those myths during the course of this article.
Myth 1: Ketone Diets are Only Useful for Losing Weight
Well as you well know, ketogenic diets can work wonders with regard to weight loss especially when the diets are strictly followed. But did you all know that a person could also gain or add weight while on a ketogenic diet?
I bet a lot of people did not. But when one thinks about it, it makes a lot of sense. When a person consumes a lot more calories than the body actually needs, there is bound to be an increase in weight as the body is unable to fully utilise all the available calories.
Calories can also be gotten from proteins and fat (keto diets), so even if a person consumes more food than the body needs and can process as part of his or her ketone diet, then they will inevitably still be an increase in weight.
Additionally, it would be wrong to assume that ketone diets are “only” useful for losing weight. Recent studies have shown that keto diets have a lot of significant benefit to various individuals with varying diseases.
For instance, when a patient of mild diabetes is put on a keto diet, then in due time the patient might experience positive changes that could lead to a reduction in prescribed medications. It has also been used to help patients with epilepsy, Parkinson’s` disease and many more.
Myth 2: All the So-Called Benefits are Only Hearsay with no Scientific Backing
Right from the very beginning keto diets have developed and worked for hand in hand with science and various medical experts.
Around the 1920s at the John Hopkins Medical Center, researchers have used keto diets with patients that have been diagnosed with epilepsy. They had significant progress and since then more work and research has been done into the use of keto diets to manage epilepsy and tangible benefits have arisen from the research.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the years, research concerning keto diets and its benefits to alleviating certain diseases have been carried out. The most popular researches are those that involve Alzheimer` disease, blood pressure and even cancer.
Myth 3: You cannot Exercise or Build Your Muscles While on a Keto Diet
This is obviously not true, but the confusion here is not without bases. It is a common misconception that one needs carbs to build his or her muscles. While on a keto diet, it is true that you might feel somewhat out of place and tired the first time you exercise.
But with time your body will adjust to the diet. Besides, there are various proteins and fat meals that could be added to your keto diet that could assist you in building your muscles in place of carbs.
Myth 4: You Can Always Abandon or Go Back to the Diet Whenever
Although there is no set time, it would be best that you set a goal and stick to it. This is because it takes a while for your body to go into ketosis, so just leaving and coming back might not be the best option.
Myth 5: All Fatty Foods are Accepted
While on a keto diet or not, we have good fat and others. Even while on a ketogenic diet, healthy fats are encouraged.
So you see, there is much more to a ketogenic diet that meets the eye and if you are willing to make the necessary sacrifices, it is not that different from a regular diet.