What is a Ketogenic diet?

What is Ketosis?

Ketosis is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body.

Due to the fact that ketosis breaks down fat stored within the body, some diets aim to create this metabolic state so as to facilitate weight loss.

Ketosis diets are also referred to as:
  • ketogenic diets
  • keto diets
  • low-carbohydrate diets

Ketogenic Diet:

The ketogenic diet focuses on the reduction of dietary carbohydrate intake, forcing our body to burn fat as fuel, instead of glucose. 

The diet itself can be regarded as a high-fat diet, with around 75 percent of calories derived from fats. In contrast, around 20 percent and 5 percent of calories are gained from proteins and carbohydrates, respectively, but there are several variants as how to follow a ketogenic protocol.

Adhering to the ketogenic diet can lead to weight loss. A study conducted in 2008 and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that obese men following a ketogenic diet for 4 weeks lost an average of 12 pounds during this time.

The participants were able to consume fewer calories without feeling hungry while following the diet.

Benefits of a ketogenic diet:


The ketogenic diet could have a healthful effect on serious health conditions such as:
  • cardiovascular disease
  • diabetes
  • metabolic syndrome
It may also improve levels of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins, also known as "good" cholesterol) better than other moderate carbohydrate diets.

These health benefits could be due to the loss of excess weight and eating of healthier foods, rather than a reduction in carbohydrates.

The ketogenic diet has also been used under medical supervision to reduce seizures in children with epilepsy who do not respond to other forms of treatment. Some studies have suggested that the diet could also benefit adults with epilepsy, although more research is required to confirm these findings.

However, longer-term adherence to the ketogenic diet does not appear to yield great benefit.

The American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology, and the Obesity Society have concluded that there is not enough evidence to suggest that low-carbohydrate diets such as the ketogenic diet provide health benefits to the heart.

Other conditions are also being studied to see if a ketogenic diet might be beneficial; these include:
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Acne
  • Cancer
  • Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS)
  • Lou Gehrig's disease
  • Ketosis and diabetes
In diabetic patients, ketosis can occur due to the body not having enough insulin to process the glucose in the body. The presence of ketones in the urine is an indicator that a patient's diabetes is not being controlled correctly.

Some dietitians recommend a ketogenic diet for individuals with type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). With type 2 diabetes, the body still produces some insulin but is unable to properly use the insulin to transport glucose into cells for use as fuel.

The ketogenic diet focuses on the reduction of dietary carbohydrate intake. Individuals with type 2 diabetes are recommended to reduce carbohydrate intake as carbohydrates are converted to glucose and increase blood sugar levels.

Patients with diabetes who follow a ketogenic diet need to carefully monitor their ketone levels. A serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur if these levels get too high, and although it is most prevalent in individuals with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes can also develop ketoacidosis.


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