The ketogenic diet is a low carb, intermediate protein, and high-fat diet. This diet puts the body in a metabolic state known as ketosis in which the body uses fat molecules to fulfill the energy requirements instead of glycogen. In this way, body fat also depletes.
The ketogenic diet has numerous benefits described as under:
1. Weight Loss
This is, of course, the most crucial benefit which people look for. Taking a keto diet depletes fat as a source of energy. In this way, the total body fat content of the body decreases. Apart from that, blood sugar and insulin levels also drop. This enables fat cells to release water that is retained in them. That is why a person on the keto diet experiences a rapid weight loss at the start. After the expulsion of water from fat cells, they are so small and can easily enter the bloodstream and pass onto the liver to get metabolized.
2. Beneficial Effects on Hepatic Functions
Some studies have shown that patients with fatty liver show significant improvement in months by following the keto diet plan. Fatty liver is associated with type 2 diabetes. Patients with fatty liver have increased levels of liver enzymes, especially ALT and AST. When these patients are given a keto diet, the enzyme levels show a significant reduction.
3. Better Mental focus
When a person is on a keto diet, its body is in the state of ketosis, and there is a constant supply of energy to the brain, which helps in better mental focus for a long time. Contrary to that, taking a high carbohydrate diet results in a constant rise and fall in blood glucose level. So, the brain’s energy supply is not constant, and it becomes difficult to concentrate.
4. More Energy
A person taking a high carbs diet needs a constant supply of energy because the body stores so much glycogen. Apart from that, a person on a keto diet is energetic throughout the day, as the body already has so much stored fat to work with. Also, another important thing is one gram of fat molecules has nine calories in it, while one gram of carbohydrate has only four calories.
5. Prevention against Cancers
Researches have shown that benign and malignant cancer cells have plenty of insulin receptors on them. A high carbohydrate diet helps these cells to grow faster by increasing blood glucose and insulin levels in the body. A ketogenic diet may help to provide energy to normal cells while suppressing the growth of cancer cells.
References
Bueno, N. B., de Melo, I. S. V., de Oliveira, S. L., & da Rocha Ataide, T. (2013). Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet v. low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(7), 1178-1187.
Johnstone, A. M., Horgan, G. W., Murison, S. D., Bremner, D. M., & Lobley, G. E. (2008). Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 87(1), 44-55.
AUTHOR: Editor
