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

The ketogenic, or keto, or keto diet is one of the nutritional systems well studied 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 low carb high fat diet on the menu.Similar to a regular no-carb diet or the Atkins diet.

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

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which fat is the main source of energy for the body.This occurs when the intake of carbohydrates, usually the primary source of energy, is minimized.

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

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

Formed by:

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

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

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

What is the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis?

Ketosis that develops after a low-carbohydrate diet is significantly different from diabetic ketoacidosis.

In people who do not have diabetes, the blood sugar level remains within normal limits.When carbohydrate stores are used up, the liver begins to produce glucose from other sources (pyruvate, glycerol and amino acids).

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

In type 1 diabetics, ketone levels reach 20 mmol/L.And this condition is already life-threatening.

What is the keto diet: options

1. Standard protocol.It involves consuming large amounts of protein and fat and minimizing carbohydrates - no more than 50 g per day.The menu contains 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
2. The keto diet is high in protein.Same as the standard regimen, just more protein.60% - fats, 35% - proteins, 5% - carbohydrates.
3. Cyclic option.With this diet, 5 days follow a standard pattern and 2 days are high in carbohydrates.It reminds me of the BUTCH diet.
4. Targeted approach.They eat a ketogenic diet and consume carbohydrates before and after training.

All conducted scientific research evaluated only the standard version.

The cyclical and targeted approach is used only by athletes, mainly bodybuilders.These diet plans are not intended 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 weight loss method that produces more sustainable results compared to traditional low-fat weight loss systems that require severe calorie restriction.

It showed that those who lost weight who were on a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more excess weight than those volunteers who were 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 that is essential for sustainable healthy weight loss.
2. Gluconeogenesis.Proteins and fats are converted into carbohydrates.This process can burn extra calories throughout the day.
3. Appetite suppression.A ketogenic diet normalizes the levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which are responsible for eating behavior.
4. Increased sensitivity to insulin.Insulin resistance leads to excessive weight gain.Therefore, increasing the sensitivity to the hormone accelerates the metabolism and promotes the rapid breakdown of fat deposits and reduces the rate of new formation.

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 indicate a person has metabolic syndrome are:

• high blood pressure;
• abdominal obesity (big stomach);
• elevated blood sugar levels (even if diabetes has not yet been diagnosed);
• bad lipid profile indicators (rules for self-deciphering cholesterol analysis).

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

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

What other therapeutic effects does the keto diet have?

1. Help 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 may be due to an increase in the amount of the antioxidant glutathione in the mitochondria, an increase in the influence of the inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA and adenosine, etc.
2. Therapy for Alzheimer's disease.Several small studies have shown that a ketone diet improves the condition of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.In patients with this disease, the flow of glucose to the brain is impaired.And ketone bodies make it possible to feed the brain with energy without the participation of glucose, while at the same time reducing the toxic effects of glutamate.
3. Support for patients with parkinsonism.According to several studies, a low-carbohydrate diet is beneficial for people suffering from Parkinson's disease, as it prevents the death of dopaminergic neurons and damage to mitochondria.
4. Helping children with autism.There is some suggestion that the keto diet improves behavior in children with autism.And that makes it more effective than the Atkins diet, the gluten-free diet, and the casein-free diet.However, the data on this issue is still so scarce that it cannot be considered completely reliable.
5. Cancer treatment.Tumor cells work exclusively on glucose.I can't get energy from ketone bodies.Therefore, switching to a ketogenic diet promotes cell death in malignant tumors.However, experts emphasize that the method can only be used with chemotherapy and with the permission of a doctor.And one should not put too much hope in this approach.
6. Improved skin condition.Specifically, acne removal.Low insulin levels and the elimination of all processed foods from the diet, as required by the diet, eliminate chronic inflammation that affects the skin.
7. Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.The disease is associated with impaired glucose and androgen metabolism.The keto diet helps restore insulin sensitivity, which suffers in women with polycystic syndrome.

What not to eat on the keto diet: grocery list

• Sugar in any form.Prohibited foods include obviously sweet foods (candies, ice cream) and foods that do not look sweet, but contain this ingredient in their composition.It could even be store-bought ketchup.
• Cereals: wheat (including spelt), rye, barley, rice, corn.
• Vegetable oils that make you fat - soybean, corn, sunflower, canola.And also trans fats.
• Fruit.With the exception of a small number of berries, such as strawberries.
• Legumes.Beans, peas, lentils, etc.It can be used in its green form, for example, green beans.
• Tubers and rhizomes.Potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, etc.
• Any "dietary" food products, for example, low-fat cottage cheese (fat is replaced by sugar in such products).
• Products with sweeteners in the form of sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol) have a negative effect on ketone bodies.
• Sauces and dips for the preparation of which sugar, starch and flour were used.
• Alcohol.
• All finished products produced by the food industry.

Ketogenic diet: what you can and should eat

• All types of meat: beef, pork, poultry, lamb, etc.
• Fish and seafood.
• Eggs.
• Vegetables.Preferably green.Others are also allowed (tomatoes, eggplants, onions, sweet peppers) - the main thing is that there is a lot of fiber and practically no easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Fat dairy products - cream, butter, cheese.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Mushrooms.
• Real vegetable oils: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado.
• Fermented foods: natural yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.
• Spices and seasonings.

Sample menu for a week for women and men on a ketogenic diet

Monday	Tuesday
Breakfast: omelette with bacon and tomatoes. Lunch: cauliflower and broccoli soup in chicken broth, boiled chicken with stewed eggplant and peppers. Dinner: a piece of red fish baked in sour cream with vegetable salad.	Breakfast: full-fat natural yogurt without sweeteners or flavors with nuts and/or seeds. Lunch: bone broth (preferably beef) with a hard-boiled egg, a piece of boiled beef with sauerkraut (no potatoes). Dinner: chicken stewed with zucchini.
Wednesday	Thursday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with paprika. Lunch: fish stew (without potatoes), pork cutlet with beans. Dinner: chicken breast baked in the oven with sour cream, cucumbers and tomatoes.	Breakfast: fresh cheese with normal fat content without sugar and flavorings. Lunch: mushroom soup (without potatoes and noodles), minced steak with eggs and vegetable salad. Dinner: fish baked under a cheese crust with vegetables.
Friday	Saturday
Breakfast: soft-boiled eggs with a slice of cheese. Lunch: sour cabbage soup (without potatoes), chicken liver stewed with sour cream and fried onions, with shirataki noodles. Dinner: salad with fish and/or seafood (without potatoes and rice), but with green vegetables, tomatoes, etc.	Breakfast: fresh cheese with herbs. Lunch: bone broth with meatballs (without flour and bread), beef azu with stewed cabbage (fresh or pickled). Dinner: boiled chicken with radish and cucumber salad.
Sunday	Let's go to next week
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cheese. Lunch: light vegetable soup with cauliflower and broccoli (no potatoes), whole chicken baked in the oven, with cucumber and tomato salad. Dinner: mushrooms stewed with sour cream, with vegetable salad.	We repeat the first week, trying to bring maximum variety to the menu.There are a huge number of recipes in the world that satisfy the keto diet.

Rules to follow

1. You can and should eat to your heart's content without counting calories.
2. You can only eat real fats.This means that you can only cook with oil that can withstand heat treatment.Salads should only be topped with suitable dietary dressings.
3. There should be plenty of fat in the diet.You can't focus on protein.
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

Since the ketogenic diet does not require counting calories, snacking is not only allowed, but encouraged.But they must be accurate.

Allowed:

• boiled eggs;
• meat chips;
• cheeses;
• nuts, seeds, as well as various pastes and oils prepared from them;
• berries, for example, strawberries with cream (however, you should not get carried away 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, whether cheese or yogurt, should be of 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 observed:

• constant feeling of hunger, especially craving for sweets;
• fatigue;
• insomnia;
• abdominal discomfort, stomach pain;
• nausea and vomiting;
constipation or diarrhea;
• concentration problems;
• headache and dizziness;
• muscle pain and cramps;
• irritability, tearfulness.

How long does keto flu last?

From a few days to a few weeks.Associated with restructuring the body to use fat as its primary fuel source.While the adaptation is taking place, there may not be enough energy, which leads to the mentioned symptoms, which are unpleasant.But they do not pose any danger.

Ketone bodies are always present in the blood in small amounts.After the first 2-3 days of a strict diet without carbohydrates, the liver begins to produce ketones and their level in the blood rises to 2-3 mM.

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

Why some people adapt easily to the keto diet and others have a hard time is not precisely determined.A person's eating habits are assumed to matter.The more easily digestible carbohydrates he consumes, the harder the transition.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, the body's glycogen reserves decrease.Because glycogen accumulates water around itself, when its amount decreases, dehydration can occur, leading to fatigue and muscle pain.
2. Just light physical activity.During the body adaptation period, only light exercises are allowed: walking, yoga, slow cycling.All kinds of exhausting fitness should be abandoned.
3. Recommended mineral supplements:
   • sodium – 3-4 grams per day;
   • potassium – 1g;
   • magnesium – 0.3 g.

Food supplements with creatine monohydrate and caffeine are also shown.

Ketosing and specific smell of urine

Switching to a diet with low carbohydrates and a lot of fat is often accompanied by the appearance of a specific smell from the mouth.The 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.

The phenomenon is caused by the formation of the volatile ketone acetone, which is often found in nail polish removers.

The appearance of odor cannot be considered a side effect.It simply indicates that the body is switching to working on fat and forming ketone bodies.It is not hazardous to health.But it can be uncomfortable for both the person and those around them, especially when it comes to breathing.

To reduce the severity of symptoms, you should:

• 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 on its own.

Long-term side effects of the keto diet

In addition to the keto flu, which goes away within a few weeks, this diet can cause delayed side effects.possible:

• problems with the digestive system caused by the intake of excess fat and disruption of the functioning of the intestinal microflora;
• gradual increase in cholesterol levels;
• increased load on the kidneys, which can increase the likelihood of developing kidney failure and cause urolithiasis;
• decreased bone density.

Possible nutrient deficiencies on a long-term ketogenic diet

Since the diet cannot be called balanced, a longer stay on this diet can lead to a lack of some important components.

1. Calcium.Sheets with urine.Because with excess fat, the urine becomes too acidic, and the body is forced to alkalize it with calcium.In addition, the lack of carbohydrates makes it difficult to absorb this microelement.
2. Magnesium.According to assumptions, the gradual development of the deficiency is associated with the removal from the diet of foods rich in this microelement - cereals and fruits.
3. Iron.The abundance of fat in food makes it difficult for iron to be absorbed.
4. Sodium and potassium.Due to the reduced level of insulin, the loss through the kidneys increases.However, unlike other trace elements, such as calcium or magnesium, whose deficiency becomes apparent over time, potassium and sodium disappear quickly.And their lack is mostly due to keto flu symptoms, which gradually disappear.
5. Selenium.The deficiency may be due to 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 daily selenium needs.
6. Carnitine.Deficiency is associated with too rapid consumption of compounds on a high-fat diet.

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

Who should not switch to the keto diet: contraindications

1. For children, pregnant and lactating women, diabetes and cancer patients, switching to a keto diet is allowed only on the recommendation of a doctor and under his supervision.
2. The diet is contraindicated for people with ApoE3 and ApoE4 genotypes, as it can lead to a life-threatening increase in cholesterol levels.
3. Epilepsy patients who have KCNJ11 and BAD genes should not be monitored.
4. Serious liver and/or kidney diseases are contraindications for following this diet.

Conclusion

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

Switching to a ketogenic diet is often difficult to handle.

A large number of serious 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 that evaluate the health effects of a long-term (more than a year) diet.And, according to some assumptions, constant exposure to such a diet can be harmful to health.