We only include products that we believe are of value to our readers. We may receive a small commission if you purchase through the links on this page. Here is our process.
The ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) offers many health benefits.
Many studies have shown that this diet is effective in helping you lose weight and improve your overall health (1).
Even Ketogenic diets could have some benefits against diabetes, cancer and epilepsy (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
This is a comprehensive guide for beginners to the keto diet.
Basics of Keto
The ketogenic diet, which is very low in carbs and high in fat, shares many similarities to the Atkins diet.
This involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it by fat. Your body will go into ketosis when you have reduced carbohydrate intake.
This makes your body very efficient in burning fat for energy. The liver also converts fat into ketones, which can provide energy for the brain.
Ketogenic diets may result in significant drops in blood sugar levels and insulin levels. This, in combination with increased ketones, can have some health benefits (6-7, 8).
> SUMMARYThe keto diet consists of a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar levels and insulin and shifts the body’s metabolism towards fats and ketones.
There are many versions of the ketogenic diet.
* Standard ketogenic diet, (SKD),: This is a low-carb, high-fat diet that also includes moderate protein and fat. It usually contains 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbohydrates (9).
* Cyclical ketogenic Diet (CKD: This diet includes periods of higher carb refeeds such as 5 ketogenic day followed by 2 high-carb days.
* Targeted ketogenic Diet (TKD: This diet allows for carbohydrate additions during workouts.
* High-protein ketogenic diet: This is a similar diet to the standard ketogenic, but contains more protein. This ratio often includes 60% fat, 35% protein, 5% carbohydrates, and sometimes 40% of the total calories.
The standard and high-protein ketogenic diets are the most studied. The more sophisticated targeted or cyclical ketogenic diets, which are primarily used by athletes and bodybuilders, are more popular.
Although the majority of this article is for the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), many of the same principles can also be applied to other versions.
> SUMMARYThere is a variety of keto diets. The most popular and recommended version of the keto diet is the standard (SKD).
Ketosis refers to a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of using carbs.
This happens when your body reduces your intake of carbohydrates.
The best way to get into ketosis is to follow a ketogenic diet. This means limiting carb intake to 20-50 grams daily and consuming more fats such as meat, fish and eggs.
You should also limit your intake of protein. High levels of protein can cause glucose conversion, which may slow down your progress to ketosis (10)
Intermittent fasting can also be helpful in getting into ketosis quicker. Intermittent fasting can be done in many ways. The most popular is to limit food intake to 8 hours per day, and then fast for 16 hours.
You can get blood, urine and breath tests to determine if you are in ketosis. These tests measure the amount of ketones your body produces.
You may also experience increased thirst, dryness of the mouth, decreased appetite, or frequent urination.
> SUMMARYKetosis refers to a metabolic state where your body uses fat as fuel instead of carbs. You can enter ketosis quicker by changing your diet and engaging in intermittent fasting. You can also determine if you are in ketosis by looking for certain symptoms and tests.
The ketogenic diet can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of developing disease (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Research has shown that the ketogenic diet is as effective in weight loss as low-fat diets (13, 14, 15, 15).
The diet is so filling, you can lose weight without having to count calories or track your food intake (16).
A review of 13 studies showed that a ketogenic diet with very few carbs was slightly more effective in long-term weight loss than low-fat diets. The average weight loss for people who followed the ketogenic diet was 0.9 kg (0.9 pounds) less than those who followed a low-fat diet (13).
It also resulted in a reduction of diastolic blood pressure (13) and triglyceride (13).
A study of 34 older adults revealed that people who followed a ketogenic diet for eight weeks lost almost five times as much body fat than those who followed low-fat diets (17).
A key role may be played by the increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity (18, 19).
This article provides more information on the effects of ketogenic diets on weight loss.
> The SUMMARYA ketogenic diet may help you lose slightly more weight that a low-fat diet. This can often happen with less hunger.
Diabetes is characterised by metabolic changes, high blood sugar and impaired insulin function (20).
The ketogenic diet is a way to lose excess fat. This is closely related to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (21-22 23, 24).
A study from 25 years ago found that ketogenic eating increased insulin sensitivity by 75%.
A study of type 2 diabetic women found that a ketogenic diet for 90-days significantly decreased hemoglobin A1C levels (26).
A study of 349 type 2 diabetics found that people who followed a ketogenic diet lost on average 26.2 pounds (11.9kg) over a 2-year span. This is a significant benefit considering the relationship between type 2 diabetes and weight (24, 27,
They also had better blood sugar management and used fewer blood sugar medications over the course of the study (27).
> SUMMARYThe ketogenic Diet can increase insulin sensitivity and cause weight loss. This is a significant health benefit for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
The ketogenic diet was originally developed to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Numerous health conditions can be helped by a healthy diet, according to studies.
* Heart disease. The ketogenic diet may help reduce risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good), cholesterol, blood pressure, and sugar (28, 29,
* Cancer. As a possible treatment for cancer, the diet is being investigated as an alternative. It may slow down tumor growth. (4, 30, 31).
* Alzheimer’s disease. The keto diet could help slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (5, 32, 33).
* Epilepsy. Research has shown that epileptic children can experience significant seizures reductions by following a ketogenic diet (3).
* Parkinson’s disease. While more research is necessary, one study (34) found that the diet could help improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
* Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. The ketogenic diet may help lower insulin levels. This could be a key factor in polycystic-ovary syndrome (35,36).
* Brain injuries. Research suggests that diet may improve the outcome of traumatic brain injury (37).
Keep in mind, however, that research in many of these areas can be far from conclusive.
> The SUMMARYA ketogenic diet can provide many health benefits, particularly for those with insulin-related, metabolic, neurological or insulin-related diseases.
Limit the intake of carbohydrate-rich foods.
Here is a list of foods you should reduce or eliminate from a ketogenic diet.
* Sugary foods: sodas, fruit juices, smoothies, cake and ice cream, candy, etc.
* starches or grains: Products made from wheat, pasta, cereals, and so on.
* Fruit: All fruits, except for small amounts of strawberries
* legumes or beans: beans, kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas.
* Root vegetables and tubers: sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots or parsnips.
* Low fat or diet products: low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings and condiments
* Some condiments and sauces: honey mustard, barbecue sauce, honey mustards, teriyaki sauces, ketchup, etc.
* unhealthy fats: processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
* Alcohol: Beer, wine, liquor, mixed beverages
* sugar-free diet foods: sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts, etc.
> SUMMARYA Avoid carb-based foods such as grains, sugars and legumes, rice potatoes, sugars, sweets, juices, and most fruits.
These foods should be the foundation of most meals.
* Meat: Red meat, steak, ham and sausage.
* Fatty fish: tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout and tuna
* Eggs: Omega-3 whole eggs or pastured
* Butter and cream: Grass-fed butter and heavy cream
* cheese: unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella
* Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts flaxseeds pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
* Healthy oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
* avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole
* low carb veggies: green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
* condiments: Salt, pepper, herbs, spices
> SUMMARYBe sure to eat a lot of meat, eggs, butter and other healthy foods.
Here’s a sample meal plan for the ketogenic diet that you can use to get started:
Monday
* Breakfast: Vegetable and egg muffins with tomatoes
* Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese and olives.
* Dinner: Salmon with asparagus, cooked in butter
Tuesday
* Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil, and spinach omelet
* Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter and spinach with a side dish of sliced strawberries.
* Dinner: Cheese-shell tacos served with salsa
Wednesday
Thursday
* Breakfast: Omelette with salsa, peppers and onions.
* Lunch: A handful of nuts, celery sticks, and guacamole with salsa
* Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto, cream cheese and a side dish of grilled zucchini
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Rotating vegetables and meats over the long-term is a good idea, as each type of food has different nutrients and health benefits.
> SUMMARYKetogenic diet allows you to eat many delicious and nutritious meals. You don’t have to eat only meats and fats. Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet.
Here are some keto-approved healthy snacks to help you eat between meals.
> SUMMARYGreat keto snacks include meat, cheeses, olives and nuts.
Even though it can be difficult to get started with the ketogenic diet, there are many tips and tricks you can use.
To determine how your favorite foods fit in your diet, you should first familiarize yourself with the labels of food.
It can also help you to save time and plan your meals ahead of time.
* There are many websites, apps, cookbooks, and food blogs that offer keto-friendly recipes and meal suggestions. You can also use these to create your own menu.
* You can also order keto-friendly meals from meal delivery companies for an easy and quick way to enjoy keto meals at your home.
When you are short on time, consider frozen keto meals.
You may want to bring your own food to social events or visit family and friends. This will make it easier to control cravings and keep to your meal plan.
> SUMMARYReading labels and planning ahead can help you stick to the ketogenic diet.
Many restaurants can make keto-friendly meals.
Many restaurants offer a variety of fish- or meat-based dishes. This will replace high-carb food with additional vegetables.
You can also make egg-based meals, like an omelet or eggs with bacon.
Bun-less burgers are another favorite. You can also substitute the fries with vegetables. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon, or eggs.
Mexican restaurants offer a variety of meats with salsa, cheese, guacamole and sour-cream.
Ask for dessert with a mix cheese board or berries and cream.
> SUMMARYWhen dining out, choose a meat- or fish-based dish. You can order extra vegetables instead of starches or carbs, and cheese for dessert.
The ketogenic diet is generally safe for most people. However, you may experience some side effects as your body adjusts.
These effects are often called the keto flu by some. According to reports by people who have tried the diet, it usually passes within a few days.
Some of the most common symptoms of keto flu include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and nausea (39). Other less common symptoms include:
* Low energy and poor mental function
* Increased hunger
* Sleep issues
* nausea
* digestive discomfort
* Lower exercise performance
For the first few weeks, you may want to stick to a low-carb diet. This could help your body burn more fat than if you eliminate all carbs.
The ketogenic diet can also alter the water and mineral balance of your bodies. This is why you might consider adding salt to your meals, or taking mineral supplements. Discuss your nutritional requirements with your doctor.
It’s important that you eat until your stomach is full, and not restrict calories. A ketogenic diet is a good option for weight loss, even if you don’t intend to restrict calories.
> SUMMARYMany side effects of a ketogenic diet are manageable. You can ease into the diet by taking mineral supplements.
The keto diet can have negative side effects over the long-term, including the following:
* Low levels of protein in the blood
* Extra fat in the liver
* Kidney stones
* micronutrient deficiencies
One type of medication known as sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors can increase your risk for diabetes. This is a potentially dangerous condition that causes blood acidity to rise. This medication should be avoided by anyone taking it (40, 41).
To determine if the keto diet is safe long-term, more research is needed. To help you make informed choices, keep your doctor updated about your eating habits.
> SUMMARY: If you are planning to continue on the keto diet for a long time, there may be side effects.
While supplements are not required, they can be very useful.
* MCT oil. MCT oil can be added to yogurt or drinks. It provides energy and increases ketone levels. Online MCT oil purchase (42, 43).
* Minerals. Add salt or other minerals may be necessary when you start out because of shifts in the water and mineral balance (44).
* Caffeine. * Caffeine has benefits for energy, fat loss and performance (45).
* Exogenous ketones. This supplement can help increase the body’s ketone level (46).
* Creatine. Creatine has many benefits for your health and performance. If you combine a ketogenic diet and exercise, this can be a great help (47).
> SUMMARY: Certain supplements can be helpful on a ketogenic diet. These include MCT oil, exogenous ketones and minerals.
These are some common questions regarding the ketogenic diet.
1. Can I ever eat carbs again.
Yes. It’s important to reduce your carb intake first. You can still eat carbs for special occasions after the initial 2 to 3 month period. Just make sure to return to your diet immediately.
2. What happens if I lose muscle?
Any diet can lead to some muscle loss. High ketone levels and protein intake may be able to minimize muscle loss, particularly if you lift weights (50 or 51).
3. Can I build muscle using a ketogenic diet
4. How much protein can you eat?
Moderate intake of protein is recommended as high levels can cause insulin to spike and lower ketones. The upper limit is likely to be around 35% of total calories.
5. What if I feel constantly tired, weak or fatigued?
It is possible that you are not in ketosis, or may not be using fats and ketones as efficiently. This can be corrected by reducing your carb intake. Also, you should review the previous points. Supplements like MCT oil and ketones might also be helpful (42, 43).
6. My urine smells fruity. Is this normal?
Do not be alarmed. This is due to the excreting of ketosis-related by-products (54).
7. My breath is stale. What can I do to stop it?
This is a common side effect. You can try drinking natural flavored water, or chewing sugar-free gum.
8. I was told ketosis could be very dangerous. Is it true?
Many people mistakenly confuse ketosis and ketoacidosis. While ketoacidosis can be dangerous, the ketogenic diet is generally safe for healthy people. Before you start any new diet, consult your doctor.
9. I have diarrhea and digestive problems. What can I do to help?
This side effect is usually gone within 3-4 weeks. Try eating higher fiber vegetables (55, 56) if it continues.
People who are:
* are overweight
* Have diabetes
* want to improve their metabolic health
It might not be suitable for elite athletes, or people who wish to gain large amounts of muscle and weight.
Some people may not find it sustainable due to their lifestyles or preferences. Talk to your doctor about your goals and eating habits in order to determine if keto is right for you.
