What can you eat on a ketogenic diet?
A ketogenic diet is basically a diet that switches your body from burning sugar to burning fat. Around 99% of the world’s population has a diet that causes their bodies to burn sugar. As a result, carbohydrates are their primary fuel source, which is used after carbohydrates are digested. This process causes people to gain weight, however, a diet high in fat and ketones leads to weight loss. If you’re asking what to eat on a ketogenic diet, start by eating up to 30 to 50 grams of carbs per day. Next, let’s learn more about what you can have on your plate and how the ketogenic diet is affecting your health.
The importance of sugar prevention in the ketogenic diet
Keto turns your body from a sugar burner into a fat burner by eliminating dietary sugar derived from carbohydrates. The first obvious reduction you should make from your current diet is sugar and sugary foods. Although sugar is a definite target for deletion, the ketogenic diet focuses on limiting carbs. We need to watch out for sugars in a number of different types of foods and nutrients. Even a high-carb white potato might not taste as sweet to your tongue as sugar. But once it enters your bloodstream after digestion, these carbs add the simple sugar known as glucose to your body. The truth is, our body can only store so much glucose before dumping it elsewhere in our system. Excess glucose becomes the so-called fat, which accumulates in our abdominal region, love handles, etc.
Protein and its place in keto
One carbohydrate source that some people overlook in their diet is protein. Excess protein consumption, within your body’s tolerance level, will result in weight gain. Because our bodies convert excess protein into sugar, we need to moderate the amount of protein we eat. Moderating our protein intake is part of how to go keto and lose weight. First, identify your own tolerance for daily protein and use it as a guide to maintaining optimal intake of the nutrient. Second, choose your protein from foods like organic, cage-free eggs and grass-fed meats. Finally, create varied meals that are delicious and keep you interested in nutrition. For example, a 5-ounce steak and a few eggs may provide an ideal amount of daily protein for some people.
Calorie intake on the ketogenic diet
Calories are another important consideration for what to eat on a ketogenic diet. Energy from the calories in the food we eat helps our bodies keep functioning. Therefore, we must consume enough calories to meet our daily nutritional needs. Counting calories is a burden for many people on other diets. But as a ketogenic dieter, you don’t have to worry nearly as much about counting calories. Most people on a low-carb diet are happy with a daily calorie intake of 1500-1700 kcal.
Fat, the good and the bad
Fat isn’t bad, in fact there are many good healthy fats found in whole foods like nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Healthy fats are an integral part of the ketogenic diet and are available as spreads, snacks, and toppings. Misconceptions about eating fat are that eating large amounts is unhealthy and leads to weight gain. While both statements are true in a sense, the fat we consume is not the direct cause of the fat that appears in our bodies. Rather, the sugar from every nutrient we consume eventually becomes fat in our body.
Balance your nutrients wisely
Digestion causes the sugar we eat to be absorbed into the bloodstream and the excess amount is transferred to our fat cells. Eating a diet high in carbohydrates and high in protein leads to excess body fat because these nutrients contain sugar. So, overeating of nutrients is unhealthy and leads to weight gain. But a healthy diet consists of a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats according to your body’s tolerance levels.
Almost anyone can do a ketogenic diet with enough persistence and effort. In addition, with keto we can naturally alleviate a number of physical ailments. Insulin resistance, elevated blood sugar, inflammation, obesity, type 2 diabetes are some health conditions that keto can help stabilize. Each of these unhealthy conditions will be reduced and normalized for the victim who follows a healthy ketogenic diet. Low-carb, high-fat, and low-protein whole foods provide the life-changing health benefits of this diet.
Thanks to JR Fletcher
