What's Up With Keto?
From social media to the red carpet, Keto is everywhere right now. Professional athletes, celebs, and your mom’s best friend all seem to have an opinion. But what exactly is Keto, and when did it get popular?
To sum it up, the Ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet aimed at helping your body enter a state of ketosis. This is accomplished by decreasing your carb consumption to 20-50 grams a day and increasing your fat consumption. After about one week on a low-carb, high-fat diet your body should enter a state of ketosis. Multiple studies have demonstrated 12) that once your body enters ketosis it begins to burn fat for energy.
The diets’ proponents report numerous health benefits, and also sing the diets’ praises because unlike other fad diets it does not limit overall food consumption. Many Keto-aficionados report that unlike other diets they’ve tried those on Keto are able to snack and consume food freely.
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One study at the University of Cincinnati found that participants on a Keto diet lost 2.2 more weight than those participants on a low-cal, low-fat diet. Keto has also been shown to have a range of positive effects on a number of health issues because of its ability to lower insulin levels. Low insulin levels have been shown to improve a host of issues ranging from acne> to polycystic ovary syndrome.
So what can you eat on a Ketogenic diet? While your carb limit will depend on a variety of factors, people who follow Keto typically avoid consuming more than 50 grams of carbs per day. In order to maintain a healthy, balanced diet most fill up on low-carb option like meat, cheese, fish, healthy oils, and low-carb veggies. Foods that Ketogenic dieters limit include healthy staples beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, and even fruit (except for berries).
While the benefits of Keto may seem overwhelming, it’s important to remember that diets affect everyone differently. Some report nausea and bloating. It’s also crucial to note that if you currently struggle or have struggled with disordered eating, a restrictive diet may not be the best option for your physical and mental health (and that’s okay)! A healthy, sustainable lifestyle should always be the ideal.
