Frequently Asked Questions

The Keto diet has become very popular in recent times as it has been directly linked with weight loss and several health benefits. The Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with a moderate level of protein which gives amazing results for weight loss and maintaining an ideal body weight.

Carbs are the primary source of energy in the human body and when you start a keto diet, you limit the intake of carbs and thus deprive your body of its energy source. The body then utilizes fats as its energy source and thus resulting in the utilization of fat and thus probable fat loss.

The basic nutrition percentage of this diet consists of around 60% of fat, 30% protein, and 10% of carbs. For example, if you are on a 2000kcal per day diet, the maximum amount of carbs you can have should be around 20g to 50g.

The primary probable benefit of the Keto diet is healthy weight loss. However, the Keto diet was started as a treatment for Epilepsy but it got more popularized due to its connection with weight loss. Here are some other health benefits you may have with the keto diet:

Type 2 Diabetes – A study revealed that the keto diet can help in improving the HbA1c levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it is advised that people should not take medicines to lower their sugar levels while on a keto diet.

Obesity – People who are suffering from obesity may see rapid and safe weight loss by following the keto diet.

May Improved Mind Clarity – When you are on a keto diet, there are very few changes in your sugar level which means you may possibly concentrate on things with a renewed clarity of mind.

May Improve Energy Levels – The primary energy source of your body changes from carbs to fat and your body starts burning more fat which further helps your body get enhanced energy. You may perform several physical activities without feeling exhausted.

Most of the researchers have clearly stated that the keto diet is helpful only in the short run or when used periodically. Earlier it was said that people can follow the keto diet for almost 2 years but recent research stated and recommended that people should only follow the

keto diet for up to 12 months. The study also stated that people should monitor their organ functions once they complete the 6 months of the keto diet.

People can follow these precautions to have a completely safe Ketogenic diet experience:

• Use carbs in the form of vegetables and solid foods
• Eat quality fats
• Try to eat real homemade food
• Monitor your health regularly
• Try to indulge in some sort of physical workout

Here are some advantages which you can have by following the keto diet:

• Possible safe weight loss
• May decelerate the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
• May help in controlling the seizures in epileptic children
• May prevent Acne and Pimples
• May Boost energy levels and mental clarity
• May reduce sugar levels, fat, blood pressure, and cholesterol level

Even though the keto diet is generally considered as safe, people may have some mild discomforts in the initial days of starting the diet. It can be:

• Sugar cravings
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Constipation

The recent hype in popularity has left a question in everyone's mind that whether it is safe to continue the diet for a long time.

There have been numerous studies on this issue but they were for only a short period keto diet. Researchers claim that being on a keto diet for long term can be unhealthy and may have some adverse effects on people.

• If you follow the Keto diet for more than a year, you may have vitamin deficiencies. When you start on the keto diet, make sure that you eat vitamin-rich keto foods like Broccoli, Spinach, Blueberries, and Brussels sprouts.
• Eating fat-rich foods continuously for a long time may create health issues in the long run. Make sure that you eat a balanced diet when you are on a keto diet and follow a normal regime after completing the diet.

If you are looking to shed a lot of weight, you may follow the keto diet in cycles with each period being 3 months and you can take some days off to eat foods with higher carbs quantity. This probably works best as this may take care of the deficiencies.

The working of a keto diet depends on two things; the first one is how strictly it is being followed and the second one is the body type of the dieter. For example, a person with a healthy immune system may overcome the keto flu without any effort and a person with a bad immune system may find it too difficult to keep up with the keto diet. If you are unable to lose weight even after following a keto diet, the reasons may be:

• You are not eating fat-rich food
• The nutrition you are taking daily is not optimal to push your body into ketosis
• You are having meals with higher nutritional value than required
• You are unable to cut down on your carbohydrate intake
• You are not eating vitamin-rich foods
• You are not following the keto diet strictly
• You are following a keto diet without any meal plan

It has been seen that seniors with type II diabetes are opting for the keto diet. The Keto diet May help older people in numerous ways such as reducing Inflammation, Bone health, Insulin resistance, and nutritional deficiencies. The Keto diet may be regarded as one of the best options for controlling the blood sugar level and older people are finding it very useful in some studies.

A low-carb and high-fat diet that includes both animal and plant products is considered very good for seniors as it helps them stay active and controls their insulin levels. Various research studies have pointed to the fact that people who have high blood sugar levels might get immediate benefits by following a keto diet.

It is true that cholesterol levels might increase for some people when they try the keto diet due to the high fat they eat.

However, in the long run, the keto diet helps you balance your cholesterol level. You may in a way say that the keto diet is a cholesterol level optimizer and may prove good for your blood sugar levels in some cases. Some People who have followed the keto diet for a long time confirmed that their good cholesterol increased with time.

If a person is having a known heart problem, it is advised that that person should not follow the keto diet.

Even though the keto diet generally may not provide any harmful effects, the initial increase in cholesterol may bring adverse effects on the person.

A person with a high cholesterol level can follow a keto diet but he/she would have to make sure that they talk to their Doctor and only follow the Diet after consultation.

The keto diet is based on a high-fat no carb formula but it also insists that you should only eat healthy food items. Dirty keto is the latest keto diet which does not emphasize having healthy foods. You may eat whatever you want as soon as you are in keto. Most junk food carries a high-fat value which isn’t considered as healthy but people can eat junk food while following the dirty keto diet.

You must understand that a keto diet is more of a lifestyle change that pushes you to follow restrictive eating.

Dietitians normally will not suggest you follow a dirty keto as it may have some negative impact on your body when you stop the keto diet.

If you are simply looking to reduce weight, it is better to push yourself a bit and follow a clean keto diet instead of the dirty keto.