How Does Keto Work? A Keto Diet Guide

According to the CDC, more than 17 percent of American adults over 20 were on a special diet between 2015-2018. With obesity rates increasing around the country, the most common diets were weight-loss diets.

Are you interested in trying the popular keto diet? This keto diet guide will discuss everything you should know. Keep reading to learn more.

Defining the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet. If you want to follow this diet, you’ll have to replace the majority of the carbs you eat with fat. This will send your body into ketosis.

Ketosis allows your metabolism to use fat as fuel instead of carbs. Your body learns how to burn fat for energy which can be more beneficial to your health.

Different Styles of the Keto Diet

There are many versions of the keto diet. The standard kind involves a diet consisting of 70 percent fat intake with only 20 percent of protein and 10 percent of carbs in your daily meals.

The cyclical ketogenic diet involves days of higher carb intake. During five days you should be consuming a typical keto diet, and during two days you’ll consume more carbs.

The targeted ketogenic diet allows you to eat more carbs during the days you work out.

Keto Diet Benefits

The keto diet offers many great health benefits. One of the main reasons people start this diet is because they want to lose weight. Since the keto diet fills you while providing you with the necessary nutrients, losing weight becomes easier.

The changes in your metabolism can improve insulin sensitivity. This makes it a great diet for diabetes management.

Since the keto diet can improve blood sugar levels and blood pressure, it can minimize your risk of developing heart disease.

Foods to Cut From Your Diet

When starting a keto diet you should avoid foods that are high in carbs. Avoid grains and stretches like rice and pasta.

Fruits are high in carbs, so limit your fruit intake to small portions of berries. Root vegetables, like potatoes and carrots, are also high in carbs and should be avoided.

While you want to increase your fat intake while on the keto diet, you should avoid unhealthy fats found in processed foods. Avoid cooking with unhealthy vegetable oils as well.

Foods You Should Eat

Since the keto diet is a high protein diet, you should eat more red meat and fatty fish. Eggs are another high-protein food.

Cheese is a great fat to add to your diet. Nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil are all part of a healthy keto diet.

Low-carb vegetables, like leafy greens and tomatoes, should be added to your diet as well. Dark chocolate, greek yogurt, and olives are some examples of keto snacks you can eat. Click for keto snacks you can purchase online.