Ketosis

Introduction:

The ketogenic diet is a type of low carbohydrate diet. It is based on using fat for energy instead of glucose by producing ketones bodies. It has the main advantages and disadvantages.

How the Diet Works

Carbohydrates and especially glucose is the main fuel of your body. Limiting your intake of carbohydrate will force the body to use protein for fuel when this intake is also low your body start using fat for fuel and accumulates ketones bodies.

A low carbohydrate diet is not necessary to be ketogenic. There are several factors affecting ketones body production.

Understanding Ketosis

Ketosis means the use of ketones by your body for burning fat and producing energy when your glucose intake is low. Ketones bodies can be used by the brain for energy when fatty acids cannot be used. In addition, heart muscle will use ketones body for energy too.

Diet Candidates

The ketogenic diet is used for weight loss, treating epilepsy and by athletes for endurance. In addition to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Calorie Distribution

On most ketogenic diets, you consume 70 to 75 percent of your calories from fat. Of the remainder, you consume about 5 to 10 percent of your calories from carbohydrate and the rest from protein. Meals are most often built around fat sources such as fatty fish, meat, nuts, cheese, and oils.

The Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy (KDE) is a special case of a ketogenic diet.

The following are more general guidelines for ketogenic diets.

• Carbohydrate: Recommendations are an intake below 50-60% of carbohydrate per day, while others recommend an intake 5-10% or 20 grams while others recommend an intake of 50 grams per day. Athletes should consume an intake of 100 grams of carbohydrate.

• Protein: People should adjust their protein intake to make ketone body production more efficient as a large amount of protein may alter ketones bodies’ production.

• Fat: Is the major macronutrient in the diet and it depends on calories intake per day, protein and carbohydrate percentage and weight loss program. In general, a range between 60-80% is recommended. People tend not to overeat on diets this high in fat, so calorie counting is rarely necessary.

Sources:

https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-a-ketogenic-diet-2241628#how-the-diet-works

https://www.masteringdiabetes.org/ketosis-ketogenic-diets-misleading/