The keto diet helps in losing excess weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, lowering high blood pressure, and many other health benefits, but it may be associated with some side effects. Learn in this article about the benefits of keto and how to protect yourself from the harm of foods allowed and prohibited in the diet. Keto diet.
What is the keto diet?
The keto diet is a low-carb diet that relies on eating a small amount of carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and high levels of natural fats. To stimulate the body to enter a state of ketosis.
When the body enters a state of ketosis, it produces ketone bodies, or what are known as ketones, which are small fuel units produced in the liver and used to produce the energy necessary for the body to carry out its various functions.
Ketones are alternative sources of energy in the body. When there is a shortage of blood sugar, in this case the body changes the way it produces energy and moves from relying on sugars to burning fat.
What is allowed and prohibited in the keto diet
The keto diet depends on eating high levels of healthy fats, followed by a moderate amount of protein, then a very small percentage of carbohydrates from healthy sources. Based on that, we determine the following foods that are allowed and prohibited in the keto diet.
Allowed on keto
There is a diverse list of foods allowed in the keto diet, which are:
- Eggs, meat and fish:
Meats allowed on the keto diet include: red meat, turkey, and chicken. In addition, you must eat eggs and fatty fish, such as: salmon and tuna.
- Animal fats such as butter and cream:
You can eat any type of butter and cream, and if possible it is best to choose fats that are labeled organic.
- Nuts and seeds:
Such as: almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and pumpkin.
- Healthy oils:
Such as avocado, virgin olive oil, and coconut oil.
- Cheese:
These include unprocessed cheeses, such as: goat cheese, cheddar, blue cheese and mozzarella.
- Spices:
The keto diet allows the use of salt, pepper, and most spices.
- Low-carb vegetables:
You can eat all green vegetables as well as onions, tomatoes and peppers.
- Red fruit:
You can eat red berries and strawberries.
Prohibitions
Foods that should be completely avoided on the keto diet are the following:
- Sweets: Avoid soft drinks, shakes, ice cream, candy, juices, cake, etc.
- Grains and starches: Avoid products derived from wheat, rice, pasta and cereals.
- Fruits: All types of fruits except red fruits, such as strawberries.
- Root vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and similar vegetables are not allowed on the keto diet.
- Alcoholic beverages: In addition to its harmful effects on health, alcohol should be avoided due to its high carbohydrate content.
Keto-permissible snacks
If you feel hungry between meals, it is allowed to eat snacks that are suitable for the keto diet , for example:
- Almonds.
- Strawberries with dark chocolate.
- Hard-boiled eggs.
- Smoothies made with almond milk.
- Yogurt with nuts and seeds.
- Nut butter.
- Berries.
The benefits and harms of the keto diet
Benefits of keto diet
The keto diet can provide many benefits, such as:
- Reducing appetite and eliminating the feeling of hunger.
- Reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Reducing cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood and lowering high blood pressure.
- It helps in getting fresh skin and helps in getting rid of acne.
- Increase concentration and improve brain function.
- Helps improve symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Keto diet for weight loss
The keto diet may help you lose weight and get rid of excess weight by enhancing the metabolism and reducing appetite. This diet contains foods that make a person feel full for a long time. The keto diet suppresses the feeling of hunger by reducing the level of insulin in the blood, as it is a hormone that stimulates Feeling hungry.
The keto diet also stimulates the body to enter a state of ketosis, which stimulates the burning of accumulated fat and using it to produce energy instead of using carbohydrates.
Harmful effects of keto
Despite the many health benefits of the keto diet , in the long term it may be accompanied by some side effects for some people, as the risk of developing some health conditions increases, such as:
- Kidney stones form.
- Lack of minerals and vitamins.
- High levels of protein in the blood.
- Fat accumulation in the liver.
The keto diet can also cause harmful side effects known as keto flu, the most important symptoms of which are:
- Low blood sugar.
- Constipation.
- Feeling tired.
- Headache.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
These symptoms are especially common at the beginning of the diet and go away as the body adapts to the new energy source.
Keto diet method
The keto diet must be applied correctly so that it does not negatively affect the health of the body. This is why it is recommended to follow the following tips:
- Eat only healthy fats: Experts advise staying away from processed food. For example, if you are going to eat meat, it is better to eat a steak and not processed meat such as burgers and the like. Healthy fat sources also include avocados, nuts, olive oil, and others.
- Drink plenty of water: It is necessary to drink a sufficient amount of water or other fluids to keep the body hydrated. It also contributes to a feeling of fullness and helps cleanse the body of toxins and metabolic products.
- Include a moderate amount of protein in your diet: You should not exceed the recommended amount of daily protein. Although protein is necessary for building muscle, excessive intake may harm the kidneys and cause gout and other side effects.
- Include vegetables with every meal: Without vegetables, no diet can be healthy, because we get most of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber the body needs from them.
People who follow the keto diet can avoid the side effects associated with it by eating a variety of foods and planning keto meals using the keto diet schedule. It is also possible to take vitamin supplements to obtain the body’s need for the minerals and vitamins needed to perform its functions.
