The Ketogenic diet is a trendy, high-fat, low-carb diet that helps cure epilepsy by stimulating the body to burn fat. It’s mainly for kids, but many adults try it as well.
If you have epilepsy, a ketogenic diet may decrease the frequency of your seizures. Around half of the children and young people with epilepsy reported a reduction in seizure frequency after trying this diet, but it’s not an effective long-term solution. It can also cause heart disease and kidney stones.
The ketogenic diet is reused as a tool to manage epilepsy. It has found a new meaning in addition to medication for children and those who do not respond to other treatments, although it was abandoned in the 1920s and ’30s due to its popularity.
What are the types of Keto diet lists for beginners?
It’s no secret that the keto diet limits what you can eat. But before you get sad because you won’t be able to eat high-carb foods anymore (despite french fries being your favourite), know that the keto food list is full of many delicious things. So, don’t feel too deprived.
Fruits and vegetables used in the keto diet are:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Spinach
- Bell pepper (capsicum)
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Avocados
Types of meat and fish to be used in the keto diet:
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Bone broth
- Grass-fed beef
- Organic Chicken
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Dairy products and eggs in the keto diet:
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Greek yoghurt
- Heavy cream
- Hemp milk
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Full-fat cheese
Fats and oils that can be used in the ketogenic diet:
- Avocado oil
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Hazelnut oil
- Coconut oil
- Grass-fed ghee
Snacks and spices used in the ketogenic diet:
- Seaweed snacks
- Flex seeds
- Chia seeds
- Nutritional yeast
- Pistachios
- Olives
Frozen foods are eaten in the ketogenic diet:
- Frittatas
- Cauliflower rice
- Cauliflower pizza
Miscellaneous foods:
- Low-carb noodles
- Nut butter
- Keto-friendly ketchup, BBQ, etc
- Keto-friendly sweeteners
- Keto granolas
- Keto protein bar
- Alternative flours
Here’s the low-down on what you should and shouldn’t buy. While most of us seem to be looking for more fruits, some are looking for more vegetables in their diet. Protein is essential for any diet, including keto diets. Some people like cheese, while others don’t.
What are the benefits of the Ketogenic diet?
Low-carb diets have been controversial for a long time. Some argue that these diets increase cholesterol and can cause heart disease because they are high in fat. But, scientific studies have shown that low-carb diets prove their worth as healthy and beneficial.
Some of their many benefits are as follows:
- Reduce appetite due to low-carb diets: Hunger is one of the main reasons people quit their diet. However, low-carb diets tend to cause an automatic reduction in appetite. People consume more protein and fat than carbs and cut out more calories.
- Initial weight loss is more significant on low-carb diets. Studies prove that healthy low-fat diets aren’t as effective as low-carb diets. Low-carb diets are more efficient because they contain higher quantities of calories.
- Your abdominal cavity contributes more to your overall fat loss: Your body has many types of fat. The effect of fat on your health and the risk of disease depends on where it is stored. Subcutaneous fat sits below the skin and is bad for your heart, while visceral fat accumulates in the abdominal cavity and typically affects overweight men.
- Triglycerides Have a Propensity to Fall Sharply: Fat molecules called triglycerides can be found in your bloodstream. High fasting triglyceride levels- in the blood after an overnight fast- are a decisive heart disease risk factor.
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- Increased Levels of ‘Good’ HDL Cholesterol: HDL is often called the “good” cholesterol. The higher your HDL levels relative to LDL, the lower your risk of heart disease. Eating fat may help increase HDL levels.
- Reduced Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: Ketogenic diet is helpful for people with diabetes and insulin resistance. Studies have shown that cutting carbs out of your diet helps lower blood sugar and insulin level.
- May help lower blood pressure: Cutting carbs from your diet helps in a significant reduction in blood pressure which further helps reduce many diseases and helps you live longer.
- Effective Against Metabolic Syndrome: Diabetes and heart disease are two conditions that are strongly correlated with metabolic syndrome. However, a low-carb diet effectively treats all five of these symptoms.
- Improves ‘Bad’ LDL Cholesterol Levels: Some people are at a higher risk of heart disease due to their cholesterol, but size can also play a factor. Following a low-carb diet can increase the number of LDL particles you have, but it will only be “bad” LDL. The total amount of particles in your bloodstream is reduced.
- Several Brain Disorders: Your brain needs glucose to function. When you don’t eat any carbs, your liver turns protein into glucose. Yet, your brain can also burn ketones when there aren’t a lot of carbs in the diet.
Which Ketogenic food is best for fitness or health?
There are a lot of food requirements for the Keto Diet. The Ketogenic Diet is low on carbs and high in fat. If you want to maintain a healthy body, you must consume these foods for your Keto Diet:
- Seafood:
They’re high in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium. Salmon and other sea fishes are carb-free.
- Cheese:
Cheese is rich in saturated fat but doesn’t increase heart disease risk. It is both nutritious and delicious and can be used and consumed in your Keto Diet.
- Vegetables:
Vegetable antioxidants like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and lettuce help protect the body against radicals.
- Eggs:
An egg contains less than 6g of protein and 1g of carbohydrates, making it an ideal food for your Ketogenic Diet.
- Meat:
Meat is considered a staple food in Ketogenic Diet because it contains no carbs and is also rich in Vitamin B & many minerals. You should choose grass-fed animals for meat as they consume Omega-3 fatty acids & antioxidants.
Keto V/S Mediterranean diet
What is the Mediterranean diet?
More than a diet, the Mediterranean lifestyle focused on decreased meat intake and increased vegetable consumption. Eating habits in Greece, Spain, Italy, and North Africa have decreased the risks of tumours and cancer cells by limiting red meat intake.
The Mediterranean diet is so loose that it’s hard for people to know what they should eat. All fruits and veggies and complex carbs from barley, brown rice, freekeh, and bulgur are available. One mistake you could make while eating the Mediterranean is loading up on animal-sourced protein like fish and seafood. If you view the diet as more plant-based, you’ll correctly make choices.
What are the key distinctions between Mediterranean and keto diets?
The Mediterranean and ketogenic diet are opposed. The Mediterranean diet is barely a “diet” and instead functions as a guideline for healthy eating, while the keto diet restricts food groups. Some other differences include:
- The keto diet counts grams of macronutrients, while the Mediterranean diet does not.
- The Mediterranean diet emphasizes nutrient cultivation, while the ketogenic diet specifies macros in their native state.
- The Mediterranean diet includes fat from many heart-healthy sources, while the keto diet encourages a high-fat diet that does not restrict the type of fat (provided it is consumed in moderation).
- Unlike the ketogenic diet, which has few carbs and doesn’t allow you to eat sweets daily, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating healthier, fresh foods.
Which is better for your health: The Mediterranean diet or the ketogenic diet?
Many people can’t stick to ketogenic diet for the long term. You may suffer from hunger and fatigue for a few weeks, and your mental health may take a hit due to a restrictive diet. It also puts you at risk of suffocating psychologically, potentially leading to disordered eating.
Longer-term benefits of low-carb diets haven’t been researched but have been linked to increased mortality rates, and consuming large amounts of saturated fat could lead to heart problems.
A 2019 study showed that the Mediterranean Diet is “associated with better cardiovascular health outcomes.” The Mediterranean Diet ranked first in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Diets Overall,” as well as best for diabetes, heart health & most accessible to follow.