Ketogenic diet for weight loss: what you can eat - a sample menu

Ketogenic or keto or keto diet is one of the well-studied nutritional systems by scientists, the benefits of which have been proven by many experiments and clinical studies.

However, the scheme is complex.It is not suitable for everyone and has many pitfalls.

What is the keto diet?

This is a type of low-carb diet with a high fat content on the menu.It is similar to the regular no-carbohydrate diet or the Atkins diet.

A diet that significantly reduces the amount of carbohydrates and increases the intake of fats puts the body into ketosis.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where fat is the body's main source of energy.This usually happens when the intake of carbohydrates, which are the main energy source, is minimized.

Ketosis occurs during fasting, pregnancy and infancy.In adults, it can be artificially induced by switching to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.

In the state of ketosis, insulin levels decrease.Fatty acids leave the adipose tissue in large quantities and enter the liver, where they are oxidized to ketone bodies, or ketones, which are a source of energy.

Created by:

• beta-hydroxybutyrate, the main ketone body circulating in the blood;
• acetoacetate is the main product of the liver;
• acetone is a volatile ketone that is responsible for the formation of a certain breath odor.

Ketone bodies can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and nourish brain cells in the absence of glucose.

The sustained reduction in insulin and sugar levels that occurs with a ketogenic diet has many beneficial effects on human health.

What is the difference between ketoacidosis and ketoacidosis?

Ketosis that develops when following a low-carbohydrate diet is fundamentally different from diabetic ketoacidosis.

In people without diabetes, blood sugar levels remain within the normal range.When carbohydrate reserves are depleted, the liver begins to produce glucose from other sources (pyruvate, glycerol, and amino acids).

This allows you to maintain a normal level of glucose in the blood and ensure the concentration of ketone bodies within 8 mmol/l, which is safe for health.

Ketone levels in type 1 diabetics reach 20 mmol/L.And this situation is already life-threatening.

What is the keto diet: options

1. Standard protocol.This implies the consumption of large amounts of proteins and fats and the minimization of carbohydrates - no more than 50 g per day.The menu contains 75% fats, 20% proteins and 5% carbohydrates.
2. The keto diet is high in protein.Same as the standard regimen, only more protein.60% - fats, 35% - proteins, 5% - carbohydrates.
3. Periodic selection.With this nutrition system, 5 days follow the standard pattern and 2 days are high carb.Reminds me of the BUTCH diet.
4. Targeted approach.They eat a ketogenic diet and consume carbohydrates before and after exercise.

All scientific studies conducted have evaluated only the standard variant.

A periodic and targeted approach is used only by athletes, mainly bodybuilders.These meal plans are not designed to help you lose weight or improve your health.

How does the keto diet affect weight loss?

Scientific evidence shows that it is a highly effective method of weight loss that produces more sustainable results than traditional low-fat weight loss systems that require severe calorie restriction.

Losers on a ketogenic diet were shown to lose 2.2 kilograms more than volunteers on a low-fat diet with strict calorie restrictions.

The mechanisms of weight loss on the keto diet are as follows.

1. Significant protein intake essential for sustained healthy weight loss.
2. Gluconeogenesis.Proteins and fats are converted into carbohydrates.This process can burn extra calories throughout the day.
3. Appetite suppression.Ketogenic diet normalizes the levels of hormones leptin and ghrelin, which are responsible for eating behavior.
4. Increased sensitivity to insulin.Insulin resistance leads to excess weight gain.Therefore, the increased sensitivity to the hormone accelerates the metabolism and helps the rapid breakdown of fat deposits and reduces the rate of formation of new ones.

Treatment and prevention of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes

Metabolic syndrome is a metabolic disorder that significantly increases the risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Signs that a person has metabolic syndrome include:

• high blood pressure;
• abdominal obesity (big belly);
• high blood sugar level (even if diabetes has not yet been diagnosed);
• poor lipid profile indicators (self-deciphering cholesterol analysis rules).

All these indicators can be improved without drugs by changing the lifestyle and diet, for example, switching to a ketogenic diet.

1. Increasing the sensitivity of body cells to the insulin hormone plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.Insulin sensitivity increases by 75% with the keto diet.Some diabetics may even stop taking their medication.
2. Lipid profile indicators are improving.Positive changes affect both cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
3. Additional support for the body is provided by the formation of ketone bodies, which themselves have useful properties.

What other therapeutic effects does the keto diet have?

1. It helps in the treatment of epilepsy.A current meta-analysis of 70 clinical studies found that the keto diet reduced the number of seizures by 50% in 46-62% of cases.The exact mechanism of the anticonvulsant effect of the diet has not been established.Scientists believe that the positive effect is an increase in the amount of antioxidant glutathione in the mitochondria, an increase in the effect of GABA and adenosine inhibitory neurotransmitters, etc.
2. Therapy for Alzheimer's disease.Several small studies have shown that the ketone diet improves the condition of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.Glucose flow to the brain is impaired in patients with this disease.And ketone bodies allow the brain to be fed with energy without the presence of glucose, while at the same time reducing the toxic effects of glutamate.
3. Support for Parkinsonism patients.According to several studies, a low-carb diet is beneficial for people with Parkinson's disease because it prevents dopaminergic neuron death and mitochondrial damage.
4. Helping children with autism.There is some suggestion that the keto diet improves behavior in children with autism.And it makes it more effective than the Atkins diet, the gluten-free diet, and the casein-free diet.However, the information on this issue is still so scarce that it cannot be considered completely reliable.
5. Cancer treatment.Tumor cells work only on glucose.They cannot get energy from ketone bodies.Therefore, switching to a ketogenic diet promotes cell death in malignant tumors.But experts emphasize that this method can be used only in combination with chemotherapy treatment and with the permission of the doctor.And you shouldn't put too much hope in this approach.
6. Improved skin condition.In particular, the elimination of acne.Lower insulin levels and the elimination of all processed foods required by the diet reverse chronic inflammation that affects the skin.
7. Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.The disease is associated with disturbances in the metabolism of glucose and androgens.The keto diet helps restore insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic syndrome.

What not to eat on the keto diet: food list

• Sugar in any form.Prohibited foods include foods that are obviously sweet (candy, ice cream) and foods that don't look sweet but contain this ingredient.It could even be store-bought ketchup.
• Cereal crops: wheat (including sorghum), rye, barley, rice, corn.
• Vegetable oils that make you fat - soy, corn, sunflower, rapeseed.Also trans fats.
• Fruits.Except for a small number of berries such as strawberries.
• Legumes.Beans, peas, lentils, etc. Can be used in their green form, for example, bean pods.
• Tubers and rhizomes.Potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, etc.
• Any "diet" food products, for example, low-fat cottage cheese (in such products, fat is replaced by sugar).
• Products with sweeteners in the form of sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol) have a negative effect on ketone bodies.
• Sauces and sauces made with sugar, starch and flour.
• Alcohol.
• All finished products produced by the food industry.

Ketogenic diet: what you can eat and what you should eat

• All types of meat: beef, pork, poultry, lamb, etc.
• Fish and seafood.
• Egg.
• Vegetables.Green color is preferred.Others are also allowed (tomato, eggplant, onion, sweet pepper) - the main thing is that there is a lot of fiber and there are practically no easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Fat dairy products - cream, butter, cheese.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Mushrooms.
• The right vegetable oils: olive, coconut oil, avocado.
• Fermented foods: natural yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.
• Spices and seasonings.

A sample menu for a week for women and men on a ketogenic diet

on monday	on tuesday
Breakfast: omelette with bacon and tomatoes. Lunch: Cauliflower and broccoli soup in chicken broth, boiled chicken with sauteed eggplant and bell pepper. Dinner: a piece of red fish cooked in sour cream with a vegetable salad.	Breakfast: Nuts and/or seed sweeteners or unflavored full-fat natural yogurt. Lunch: hard-boiled egg with bone broth (preferably beef), a piece of boiled beef with sauerkraut (without potatoes). Dinner: baked chicken with zucchini.
Wednesday	on Thursday
Breakfast: omelette with bell pepper. Lunch: fish soup (without potatoes), pork with steamed green beans. Dinner: chicken breast baked in the oven with sour cream, cucumbers and tomatoes.	Breakfast: cottage cheese with normal fat content without sugar and flavoring. Lunch: mushroom soup (without potatoes and noodles), chopped steak with egg and vegetable salad. Dinner: fish baked under a cheese crust with vegetables.
Friday	Saturday
Breakfast: soft-boiled egg with a piece of cheese. Lunch: sauerkraut soup (without potatoes), chicken liver baked with sour cream and fried onions, with shirataki noodles. Dinner: salad with fish and/or seafood (no potatoes or rice), but green vegetables, tomatoes, etc.	Breakfast: cottage cheese with herbs. Lunch: bone broth with meatballs (no flour or bread), beef azu (fresh or sour) with boiled cabbage. Dinner: boiled chicken with radish and cucumber salad.
on sunday	Let's move on to next week
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cheese. Lunch: light vegetable soup with cauliflower and broccoli (without potatoes), whole chicken baked in the oven, with cucumber and tomato salad. Dinner: mushrooms cooked with sour cream, with vegetable salad.	We repeat the first week, trying to add maximum variety to the menu.There are many recipes in the world that cater to the keto diet.

Rules to follow

1. You can and should eat your fill without counting calories.
2. You can only eat the right fats.This means that you can only cook with oil that can withstand heat treatment.Salads should only be topped with proper dietary dressings.
3. There should be a lot of fat in the diet.You can't focus on proteins.
4. Tea, coffee, instant chicory and many other drinks are allowed.The main selection criterion is the absence of sugar and sweeteners in the drink.
5. You should try to put a lot of spices in your food.

The right snacks when losing weight on a ketogenic diet

Because the ketogenic diet does not require calorie counting, snacking is not only allowed, but encouraged.But they must be correct.

Allowed:

• boiled eggs;
• meat chips;
• cheeses;
• nuts, seeds, as well as various pastes and oils made from them;
• berries, for example, strawberries with cream (however, you should not be carried with berries);
• natural yogurt and other natural fermented milk products;
• all vegetables allowed by the diet and light salads made from them.

All dairy products, be it cheese or yogurt, should have a normal fat content.

What is the "keto flu": symptoms

The first few days of switching to a low-carb diet can be difficult.Unpleasant symptoms called "keto flu" are often observed.

It can be noted:

• constant feeling of hunger, especially the desire for sweets;
• fatigue;
• insomnia;
• abdominal discomfort, stomach pain;
• nausea and vomiting;
constipation or diarrhea;
• problems with concentration;
• headache and dizziness;
• muscle pain and cramps;
• irritation, tears.

How long does keto flu last?

From a few days to a few weeks.It is associated with restructuring the body to use fat as its primary fuel source.When adaptation occurs, there may not be enough energy, which causes the listed symptoms that are unpleasant.But they do not pose any danger.

Ketone bodies are always present in small amounts in the blood.After the first 2-3 days of a strict carbohydrate-free diet, the liver begins to produce ketones, and their blood level rises to 2-3 mM.

Adaptation is complete when cells placed under conditions of carbohydrate starvation reduce the absorption of ketone bodies from the blood, increasing their concentration to 8 mM.At this point, effective transport of ketones through the blood-brain barrier begins.

Why some people adapt easily to the keto diet while others have a hard time is not well understood.A person's eating habits are believed to be important.The more easily digestible carbohydrates are consumed, the more difficult the transition becomes.Genetic predisposition plays a role.

How to get into ketosis fast on the keto diet

1. Correct water regime.When carbohydrates are removed from the diet, glycogen stores in the body decrease.Dehydration can develop when glycogen stores water around it, leading to fatigue and muscle pain.
2. Only light physical activity.During the period of adaptation of the body, only light exercises are allowed: walking, yoga, slow cycling.All types of strenuous fitness should be avoided.
3. Recommended mineral supplements:
   • sodium - 3-4 grams per day;
   • potassium - 1 g;
   • magnesium - 0.3 g.

Dietary supplements containing creatine monohydrate and caffeine are also indicated.

Ketone breath and specific smell of urine

The transition to a high-fat low-carbohydrate diet is often accompanied by the appearance of a specific odor from the mouth.A person himself often feels it as a metallic taste in the mouth.People around you usually perceive it as the smell of nail polish remover.Some people think it smells like fruit.Urine has the same smell.

This phenomenon is often due to the formation of acetone, a volatile ketone found in nail polish removers.

The appearance of the smell cannot be considered a side effect.It simply indicates that the body has switched to working on fats and producing ketone bodies.It is not dangerous for health.But it can be unpleasant for both the person himself and those around him, especially when it comes to breathing.

To reduce the severity of the symptom, you need:

• drink more fluids;
• eat less protein;
• use peppermint gum;
• slightly increase the amount of carbohydrates (only if you eat less than 50 g per day).

After 1-2 weeks, the smell should disappear by itself.

Long-term side effects of the keto diet

In addition to keto flu, which disappears within a few weeks, this diet regimen can cause delayed side effects.Possible:

• problems with the digestive system caused by excessive fat intake and disruption of intestinal microflora;
• gradual increase in cholesterol level;
• increased load on the kidneys, which increases the likelihood of developing kidney failure and can lead to the development of urolithiasis;
• decreased bone density.

Possible nutritional deficiencies on a long-term ketogenic diet

Since the diet cannot be called balanced, staying on this diet for a long time can lead to a deficiency of some important components.

1. calcium.Leaves with urine.Because urine with excess fat becomes too acidic and the body is forced to alkalinize it with calcium.In addition, the lack of carbohydrates disrupts the absorption of this micronutrient.
2. Magnesium.According to assumptions, the gradual development of the deficiency is due to the removal of foods rich in this trace element from the diet - grains and fruits.
3. Iron.Too much fat in food impairs iron absorption.
4. Sodium and potassium.Loss through the kidneys increases due to decreased insulin levels.However, unlike other micronutrients such as calcium or magnesium, potassium and sodium, the deficiency of which becomes apparent over time, quickly disappear.And their absence is mainly due to the symptoms of keto flu, which gradually disappear.
5. Selenium.Deficiency may be the result of the lack of this trace element in foods rich in fat.An exception is the Brazil nut, one piece of which provides 100% of the body's daily need for selenium.
6. Carnitine.The deficiency is associated with a compound that is used too often in a high-fat diet.

When staying on a keto diet for a long time, you should regularly check the levels of all these substances, which can develop a deficiency over time.It is recommended to take supplements with nutrients located in the "risk zone".

Who should not switch to the keto diet: contraindications

1. Children, pregnant and lactating women, diabetes and cancer patients, the transition to keto nutrition is allowed only as prescribed by the attending physician and under his supervision.
2. The diet is contraindicated for people with ApoE3 and ApoE4 genotypes, as it can cause life-threatening elevations in cholesterol levels.
3. Epilepsy patients with KCNJ11 and BAD genes should not be monitored.
4. Severe liver and/or kidney disease is a contraindication to following this diet.

The result

The keto diet is a fairly strict nutritional system that requires the almost complete rejection of carbohydrates and the inclusion of a significant amount of fat in the diet.

Transitioning to a ketogenic diet is often difficult.

A large number of rigorous scientific studies have been devoted to the diet, many of which prove its benefits for weight loss, treatment of type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, normalization of lipid profile and elimination of metabolic syndrome.

However, there are not many studies evaluating the long-term (more than one year) effects of the diet on health.And according to some assumptions, constant exposure to such a diet can harm health.