Ketogenic or keto diet: how to do it to be effective and safe

What is the ketogenic or keto diet?

It is so called because it is a diet in which carbohydrates (bread, pasta, legumes, potatoes, rice, but also fruit and vegetables) are drastically reduced, the consumption of foods rich in fat is greatly increased (up to 70-80 % of the total) and protein consumption is moderate (15-20%).

With this diet, the body stops consuming glucose as a form of energy (fuel) to replace it with that which comes from fat. And so it enters a state of "ketosis" , whereby fat stores are converted into ketones, which feed muscles and other tissues instead of glucose. The result is faster weight loss and fat burning.

Benefits of the ketogenic diet

Here are some of the benefits that advocates of the ketogenic diet advertise :

Weightloss. By decreasing the use of glucose as an energy source, fat stores are quickly burned.
Lower glucose. He also defends that reducing carbohydrates improves insulin resistance (a hormone that helps fat stay in cells, preventing it from burning); but there is no scientific evidence of what happens after a year.
Avoid cravings. By reducing blood glucose spikes, the ketogenic diet reduces cravings and hunger pangs.
Satiating By increasing the consumption of foods rich in good fats, satiety increases.
Other benefits. Its defenders also attribute protection against Alzheimer's, anti-inflammatory effect, anti-aging, etc.

The Dukan diet is another of the most controversial. We have also analyzed it.

Is it bad to change your diet so drastically?

The ketogenic diet is controversial among specialists. For many, ketosis is an emergency mechanism, or "reserve" of our energy store, and is only justified in a few cases (at the risk of damaging health). Others defend the benefits of the diet as long as it is supervised by a specialist.

Is for you?

We tell you all its pros and cons so that you can assess whether you are interested in following the ketogenic diet or, on the contrary, you need to find another method that better suits your rhythm of life.

Everything you need to know before going on the ketogenic diet

We tell you what the phases of the ketogenic or keto diet are, their requirements and what are the pros and cons of each of them. So that you can assess whether it is the nutritional plan that suits you and adapts to your rhythm of life.

The three phases of the ketogenic diet

First phase: Lasts about 4 weeks and is the most radical phase. Daily calories are reduced to no more than 900 kcal. The carbohydrates being the most limited, specifically to 20-25 g of carbohydrates per day. Usually the recommended daily amount is 135 g if great physical efforts are not made. To give you an idea, an apple is about 17g, and a plate of pasta, 70-80g. Protein is also limited to 1.6-2.1 g of protein per kg of body weight. This phase causes the body to enter ketosis and start burning fat stores, with the formation of ketones, symptoms known as ketone flu can appear : malaise, dizziness, lack of concentration, etc.
Second phase: Proteins and carbohydrates are reintroduced but it is still low in calories. It is a transition phase between the "hard" stage and the maintenance stage. Its duration depends on each person.
Third phase: We enter the consolidation. The diet can increase to 1,500 kcal per day but carbohydrates should never be more than 50 g per day and proteins should not be more than 20% of the total. To give you an idea, look at this table and you will see how easy it is to go over carbs.

Ketogenic diet foods: carbohydrates

1 ounce of chocolate 3.5 g
1 medium carrot 5 g
1 tbsp. for dessert heaped with white sugar 8 g
1 orange 10 g
1 glass of beer 13 g
1 coffee with milk 18 g
1 medium banana 20 g
1 glass of orange juice 26 g
2 slices (60 g) rye bread 27 g
1 medium potato 27.5 g
Oat flakes (50 g) 28 g
1 white bread roll (80 g) 46 g
Pasta (75 g raw) 57 g
Rice (75 g raw) 65 g

Pros and cons of the ketogenic diet

Reducing carbohydrates, is it a good idea? The answer is yes when it comes to bread, pizza, pasta, rice… and no, when it comes to vegetables or fruit. Eating too many cereals can translate into obesity, diabetes, etc. And still, drastically reducing your consumption is not a good idea either. In fact, this is reflected in the new dietary guidelines, such as the healthy plate from the Harvard School of Public Health, which advises taking them as a garnish and not as a main dish.
Proteins, an excess hurts you . The ketogenic diet, itself, is not high in protein. A moderate consumption is recommended (15 to 20% of daily kcal), but there is a risk (quite frequent) that reducing carbohydrates increases protein consumption, which could cause kidney damage. Bet on quality natural protein sources: fish, lean meat, eggs … If you are looking for a protein diet, here is a menu to follow for two weeks and lose weight.
Fats, the main nutrient. The ketogenic diet proposes to increase fat intake to 70-75% of total daily calories. It prioritizes healthy fats, which come from natural foods, vegetables and animals: olive oil, nuts, seeds, coconut, oily fish … However, given the high percentage of fats that this diet requires, it is frequent that they end up consuming an excess saturated fat, which can promote cardiovascular disorders.
Fiber, fruits and vegetables are reduced. The ketogenic diet only allows some very low carbohydrate vegetables, such as leafy greens (spinach and lettuce); and among the fruits, the most recommended are raspberries and strawberries, citrus fruits or avocado, all of them low in carbohydrates. This favors fiber, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Less water can cause constipation. Constipation is a frequent consequence of the Keto diet. It is because low carbohydrate diets cause dehydration. The contents of the intestine become dry and hard from lack of water, which can cause constipation. The problem is compounded by considerably restricting the consumption of fruits and vegetables (necessary to reach the state of ketosis), since there is the risk of a lower fiber intake. For this reason, in this diet it is essential to always be very well hydrated.

Ketogenic diet: menu

We show you a basic menu of the ketogenic diet, as you will see you have to have nutritional knowledge and eat with a calculator in hand.

BREAKFAST

Eggs on the plate (in a pan) with arugula and zucchini (two eggs per serving):

12.4 g carbohydrates
16.8 g protein
25.4 g fat

MIDMORNING

Tea and a handful of walnuts (20-25 g):

1.15 g of carbohydrates
3.6 g protein
15 g fat

FOOD

Roast chicken with butter and cauliflower; and for dessert, coffee with cinnamon and 20 ml of whipped cream:

8.9 g of carbohydrates
31.3 g protein
50.5 g fat

SNACK

Strawberry and cream smoothie:

3.6 g carbohydrates
0.8 g protein
11.5 g fat

DINNER

Peppers stuffed with cheese, bacon and half an avocado:

1.6 g carbohydrates
19.5 g protein
12.3 g fat

The dangers of the ketogenic diet

Now that you know more about the diet, the next step is to know if it really is a healthy and reliable method to lose weight. We show you what factors you should take into account.

It is a radical change when it comes to eating. Recommending this diet to lose weight should not be done lightly. It is a drastic change for the metabolism and you also have to take into account the difficulty of maintaining it. Eliminating popular foods such as cereals, bread, legumes, fruits, and vegetables increases the likelihood of diet abandonment and failure.
Not everyone can follow it. In addition to having to follow complex eating plans to get the right amounts of fat, protein, and carbohydrates to induce ketosis, the Keto flu can appear within days. What does it consist of? When the metabolism changes carbohydrates for fats, fatigue, lack of concentration, hunger, insomnia, nausea, constipation can occur … It can last between one and two weeks.
It requires long-term studies. We only know the short-term effects of the Keto diet. More clinical trials are needed to see how it affects people in the long term. A meta-analysis of the very low calorie ketogenic diet has recently been published in which, although it has been shown to work, it is recommended to always do it under strict medical supervision because it is not a diet for everyone.
Nutrient deficiency. Several vital nutrients for health, such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, are found in foods that are very high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. These compounds, which are restricted in ketogenic diets, are critical for health, immunity, and disease prevention.
Another side effect that the Keto diet can cause is the appearance of palpitations or arrhythmias due to dehydration and the loss of electrolytes.
Bad breath and body odor. Ketone bodies make breath odor worse as well as body odor.

Our take on the ketogenic diet

For CLARA it is not the best alternative to lose weight. It must be controlled by a specialist who rules out any pathology. It must be indicated for a specific purpose and used only for a limited time. It is better to opt for a diet that does not exclude important nutrients and that helps to acquire healthy habits, to maintain it and not regain the lost weight.

If you want to follow the ketogenic or keto diet, take note of these keys

What lifestyle does the Keto diet promote, how you have to eat, what physical activity is right for you, and other keys you need to know to make the best decision when it comes to losing weight.

Avoid sweeteners . Resorting to sweeteners is not a good idea, especially when starting the Keto diet, as your body struggles to overcome its addiction to sugar, and sweeteners do not help you.
Fight the Keto flu. It is common to go through these symptoms: headache, fatigue, irritability … when starting the diet. One way to combat them is to hydrate well, recover electrolytes and make all the changes progressively.
Sleep well. Altering the circadian rhythm or sleeping for a few hours can cause weight loss to stop, since glucose metabolism is altered and the hormone ghrelin increases, which is activated when we are hungry.
Keto breakfast. Instead of the classic cereals (rich in carbohydrates), it offers a low-carbohydrate option: chia and hemp seeds, almond flakes, coconut and peanut butter with blackberry sauce.
For hunger attacks … The Keto diet suggests substituting typical snacks made with wheat flour (crackers, sandwiches) or high in starch (French fries) for ketogenic snacks with almond flour or coconut flour.
Eye, labels. Even those that claim to be "low carb" may not reflect the count of glucose-raising additives. Avoid processed ones and opt for natural foods.
Buttered coffee. It is a typical coffee mix of the Keto diet to which oils are added, such as coconut, or butter. It is super satiating, which is why it is widely consumed by followers of the diet.
Nuts in salads. Nuts are foods that are allowed on ketogenic diets, but in excess they can stall weight loss. To avoid this, it is best to limit its intake as an accompaniment to yogurts or salads.