The Basics Of Keto Diet

A lot of people are going keto after learning about the benefits of the low carb diet. However, not many are aware of the reason behind it and could be wondering how keto really works. Here is all you need to know about keto before you join the bandwagon. The important thing to know about ketogenic diet is that through the diet, the body will begin burning fats for fuel in place of carbohydrates.

Here is how keto works

When you consume a meal that is rich in carbs, the body will take the carbs and will convert them into glucose for fuel. This process will make insulin which is then moved into your bloodstream. The main source of energy for your body is glucose when carbs are present. This process is different in keto. In a keto diet, the carbohydrate intake remains low and when carbs are not present in the body, your body will have to look at another form of energy in order to keep things running. This is when the fats will play a part. In the absence of carbs in your body, the liver will take fatty acids from inside the body and will convert it into ketone. The process is known as ketosis. When the acids are broken down in the body, there are three types of ketones which are made. One is acetoacetate which is created first in the process of ketosis. The second type is beta-hydroxybutyric acid and the last is acetone which is a side product of the first acid, acetoacetate. All three ketones are important for the body.

Benefits of the keto diet

The main purpose of a keto diet is to prevent the occurrence of epilepsy in children. However, it has been used for a number of reasons. Popular benefits of the diet include better sleep, good mood, better skin, fat loss, satiety, and mental clarity.

Breakdown of Keto diet

Going on keto means consuming fat. The macro breakdown of the diet comes to a high fat, low carb, and moderate protein. William Snyder from MrKeto.com explains that if you are in a keto fat loss plateau, taking supplemental ketones can help you get back into and stay in ketosis. When on keto, you do not need to worry about consuming excess protein. The human body has a process known as gluconeogenesis and this process is not well understood by many. This process is in charge of generating glucose from all the non-carb sources like glycerol, lactate, and protein and it is a process which is essential for fueling tissues which cannot use ketones like red blood cells and part of your brain. It helps maintain adequate blood glucose level and also helps build glycogen. Without the process of gluconeogenesis, the process of ketosis will not be possible. Hence, GNG steps in to fuel all your tissues since ketones cannot fuel 100% of the tissues in your body.

How to become fat adapted

You need to understand that ketosis is a natural function inside the body and in extreme measures, it happens when somebody is starving. The ones who are in keto, starve the body of carbs in order to condition the body to turn the fat for fuel and this is not real starvation. When you adopt the body to run on ketones, you will experience certain side effects. However, if you can stick to it, your body will prefer fat as energy and will eventually become keto-adapted. You need to check the ketone levels time and again to ensure that your body is adapting to it.

How to check ketone levels

In order to reap full benefits, you need to check ketone levels time and again. There are different ways of doing it. One is through urine testing where you can test the ketone level by the color of your urine. Another method is breath testing. Use a breath meter and check the level of acetone to identify your ketone levels. Lastly, there is blood testing which is the most accurate way to monitor ketone levels. You can use a blood glucose meter to check the levels of the ketone.

You need to understand that ketone does not mean starving yourself. You need to provide the body with the best nutrition from healthy fat sources and other foods which provide minerals and vitamins to the body. Understand how keto works and how it has an impact on your body before you join the keto diet.