Bacon, anyone? Keto is the word on everyone’s lips these days, and the diet has transformed a few lives, to say the least.
But what does keto really mean? What can you eat and what will this lifestyle really do for you? This article will unpack all the basics of the ketogenic diet and help you to decide whether it’s time for you to embrace those healthy fats, or if sticking to bread is your best option.
Here’s your Keto 101.
What is Keto?
First of all, keto is short for ketosis. When your body is in a state of ketosis, it will reach for your fat reserves in order to burn energy. Your body will have increased ketones – substances we use as energy – and anything left over will be excreted in your urine.
Sounds simple, right? Not really. All you need to know is that a keto diet is an extremely low-carb diet that relies on nutritional ketosis to promote rapid weight loss and some other health benefits too. Okay, but if you can’t eat carbs at all, what can you eat?
What Can You Eat?
As a matter of fact, there’s a whole lot you can eat on a keto diet, and it’s better to focus on this aspect rather than the crushing idea of “no pasta”.
There are, of course, plenty of things you will need to remove from your diet, but to avoid overcomplicating things, simply check out this keto food list for beginners to get an understanding of what your diet will consist of.
Keto-followers still enjoy a delicious and varied diet based on red meats, green vegetables, dairy, eggs, avocados, nuts, and other healthy fats. Online, you’ll find countless exciting recipes that are not only keto-friendly but healthy and tasty too.
What Are the Benefits?
When it comes to the benefits of keto, most people focus on the weight loss aspect.
This lifestyle makes quick weight loss very simple and even thoroughly enjoyable if you’re the type to really enjoy high-fat foods and don’t mind being a little more mindful about your eating habits.
But keto has a lot of other health benefits too and has been used to manage symptoms of conditions like PCOS, GERD disease, and others. Not to mention the health benefits of all the whole and natural foods you’ll be eating like meats, cheese, animal fats, eggs, and green veg.
Are There Any Side Effects?
As with many diets, there are some potential side effects to look out for. The most common issue people deal with is keto flu – symptoms like diarrhea and fatigue that occur as your body adapts to this change in your diet.
Over time, your keto flu symptoms should subside, but there are also ways to manage them yourself.
Another thing to watch out for is becoming deficient in certain nutrients and struggling with constipation. Both of these can be combatted by taking supplements and focusing on your fibre intake – eat those greens!
