You’ve probably been reading a lot about the new trend in eating: The Ketogenic, or Keto, Diet. OK, you ask, what is that?
The purpose of this article is to inform as best I can, about what has become a massive new trend in dietary fat loss and energy revitalization. For the record, I don’t do the Keto Diet in any form. I love my bacon and eggs but I only eat them occasionally now.
A Ketogenic diet burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. The energizers are Ketones instead of Glucose (sugars). You eat moderate protein and high fat foods for energy. You stay away from starchy carbs, sugars, grains and some fruits. When on the Keto diet, you consume 50 to 75% of your calories from fat, 15 – 30% from protein, and the rest from carbs (mostly from vegetables). That’s a lot of fat.
The diet puts your body into a state of “Ketosis”, a metabolic state where you burn fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. It happens because the liver turns the dietary fat into organic compounds called Ketones, and sends them into your bloodstream. It started back in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy.
The Keto diet is becoming more and more mainstream mostly because there have been good short term results. There have been few long term studies to determine the effects of staying on the diet for a substantial length of time.
Does this mean we can load up on bacon? Some promote that. Others say the fats should be non-animal fat except for fish, and to load up on Onega 3 and some Omega 6s in varying proportions. Avocados are promoted highly. It all depends on who you listen to.
I first learned of Ketones when I encountered a “biohacker” named Dave Asprey. He is an entrepreneur who sold his company and started drinking coffee laced with grass-fed, unsalted butter. It seems he was traveling somewhere exotic and was given Yak butter to put in his coffee. He said that his energy levels peaked. So he created a new trend called “Bulletproof” this and “Bulletproof” that, and it is based on burning fat instead of carbs for energy, putting you into Ketosis. Bulletproof products have become quite popular in some circles.
As with all diets and other Nutritional confusion, we will have to wait and see. As I said, short term results seem to be positive. Long term issues have not been studied at length, simply because with the exception of the Atkins trend years ago, the diet hasn’t been mainstream long enough for most of us to show any extended benefits.
Here’s a note. I have talked to two separate cardiologists who sell weight loss eating products directly from their offices as a side business. They are both based on a low carbohydrate, high fat underlying base.
I can’t say whether a Keto diet is good or bad. I can only write what I have learned about it. I am still of the belief that a diet filled with a variety of food groups, staying away from sugar, junk food and refined flour, is the best. That’s only my opinion based on my own 40 pound weight loss and high level of physical energy.
So inform yourself. If you are thinking about trying a high fat, low carb eating pattern, then let this be a starting point for your own exploration into the subject.
At least you know what the “Millennials” are talking about when they all say they are in “Ketosis”. Now you won’t think they are in some wild, exotic hallucinogenic state (at least not from the food).
Note this, however, if you are diabetic. The WebMD website says that if you are diabetic, you can build up too many ketones and it could be a major health hazard. Check with your doctor first.
Thank you for reading.