- Dodger
- May 7, 2018
- 4 min read
Let's face it fad diets and new food trends come at us more frequently then new menu item at Taco bell (which are always amazing by the way). So isn't Keto the same thing? Well, in short no. The reason Keto can stand on it's own a part from the other fad diets that pop up is the science behind it, the fact that it isn't a product someone is selling and that the food the diet consists of has been around for centuries and humans have been eating it for a very long time. So lets dig into it.
What is the Keto diet?
So the Keto diet or formally known as Ketogenic diet has been around since ancient Greece. The diet was first used to help cure epilepsy. Here is what you need to know about the diet for today though. Keto takes the normal food portions as prescribed in the food pyramid from your old elementary school books and flips it on its head. The typical meal consists of 25 percent protein, 25 percent green carbs (veggies) and then 50 percent carbs (rice, grains, breads). Whereas Keto is 40 percent fat, 30 percent protein 30 percent green carbs. Why we haven't seen this become more popular is because our food habits have taken deep root in our society.
Following false science and a little theory you might have hear of called the "lipid theory". Much more research has been done and proven the hypothesis presented to be false. Yet mainstream medical refuses to take the claims seriously and make a change to its official statement.
A couple amazing things happen to your body when you flip this pyramid upside down. The first and most important is your body will start to go into a state of ketosis. When this means is your body will start to burn fat for energy. That's right, your body will burn the fat you feed it and it will burn the fat that is currently on your body as energy (this is why this diet is so easy to lose weight with!). Your body uses three main sources for energy carbs, fat and protein. The easiest source for energy is carbs. Imagine reaching down into a brown paper bag. you grab the first thing you feel and its a loaf of bread. This is much like what your body does for energy. it reaches down and grabs the first thing it's able to and its always a carb. Because of the make up of carbs your body will use the least amount of energy to turn the food into energy. Next your body will reach down and grab for fat. This is the second easiest source of energy for your body. This is the reason why this diet burns fat so well. If you deplete your body of excess carbs it will begin to brung fat, both of what you eat and what is currently on your body. Lastly, your body will use protein for an energy source. This is partly why when you eat lots of protein you feel full longer. It takes more energy to break down the food and that will make you feel fuller longer.
What can be eaten on keto?
This is where the diet gets pretty simple. You can eat anything in these three categories Fats, proteins and green carbs. What you can not eat falls into these categories Carbs (breads, rice, starches), sugars which become carbs. The diet really is that simple. Eat anything from the first three categories and stay away from the last two. Once you simplify the diet like this the food choice you make become really simple. When you begin the diet these are the only things you need to keep in mind. No carbs and stick mainly to fats and protein and all your food decisions have already been made.
Difficulties with Keto?
Well, it's not called a DIEt without a reason. From personal experience and from others I have learned these three things are the most difficult
1. The cost. Any diet that has a main source of food as meat the cost is going to be big. Everyone knows the cheapest foods are always breads, rices and grains but those will be replaced in this diet with fats and proteins. This can really scale up your grocery budget. This can be resolved by doing a few things. Buying in bulk, you can really cut down the cost by buying in bulk and by planning ahead and making meals in advanced.
2. The Keto Flu/ hunger. While this diet will make some amazing changes to your body you might experience two major things. Keto flu is something some people have experience flu like symptoms. This can happen due to the dependence your body has on carbs. When your body is learn to use fat as a primary energy source it can have some weird side effects. Don't worry though, this usually fades within the first few days. Then there is the hunger, as you get used to eating this diet there will be some hunger. Here is the good news though, this will definitely not last and typically people who are on the keto diet very rarely feel hungry while sticking to the diet.
3. Boring meals. Sometimes with budgets, daily schedules and just the flow of life chicken and veggies is the easiest, most cost effective and really, the only thing you have time for. But the same dinner every night can get a little stale. fortunately the world of keto is ever expanding and new quick, cheap easy meals are being added every day. Also there are plenty of ways to turn ingredients you already have into a meal you've never had before.
Well, that is a basic run through of what the keto diet is. There is plenty of more research you can do and food you can cook up for yourself. If you'd like to read up more check out our cook book recommendations and any of the following books:
The Perfect diet- https://amzn.to/2rxej35
