Keto diet: A complete guide to the ketogenic (Keto) diet

The keto diet has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. Many enthusiasts preach its benefits loud and clear, while some skeptics wonder how a high-fat diet can be beneficial to health. 

This article provides an overview of the keto diet and its particularities, whether your products are purchased online or in-store.

What is the ketogenic (keto) diet?

The ketogenic diet is a fat-based diet. While the majority of calories consumed come from fat, protein and carbohydrate intake is low. low carb).

What's special about the ketogenic diet is that it causes the metabolism to operate in a completely different way than it does with a diet incorporating all macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats). Let's find out how the keto diet can be used.

How the keto diet works and its benefits

In general, the body works by using sugars. It secretes insulin when it receives an intake of carbohydrates (sugar), which directs the sugar to the cells, where it is used as an energy source. The extra sugar is then stored in body fat as an eventual energy source. 

With the ketogenic diet, rather than using carbohydrates (sugars) as an energy source, the body uses ketone bodies (fats). In this way, the body goes into a state of ketosis and uses energy from body fat reserves and fats consumed via the diet. It's a natural body mechanism that has enabled us to fast throughout the ages, to vary energy sources and avoid starvation.

| Summary The ketogenic diet enables the body to use fat as an energy source. This state of ketosis is a natural and safe mechanism.

Macronutrient breakdown of a keto diet and sample menu "low carb"

To ensure a state of ketosis, it's important to favor fatty foods in the diet and limit proteins and carbohydrates. Generally speaking, macronutrient intakes for a standard ketogenic diet are distributed as follows:

• Fats 70 - 80% of daily calories
• Protein 10-20% of daily calories
• Carbohydrates 5-10% of daily calories

For a daily diet of 2000 calories for a keto diet, intakes will be as follows:

• Fat 165 grams
• Protein 75 grams
• Carbohydrates 40 grams ¹

So a typical day's menu might look like this:

• Breakfast Kale and mushroom omelette, butter coffee
• Dinner Green salad with chicken, olive oil vinaigrette, olive pieces and feta cheese
• DinnerGrilled salmon with asparagus and avocado salad

Foods to choose for your Keto diet

To make the ketogenic diet work, avoid flours, grains and sugars, while prioritizing foods naturally rich in fat, including :

• Oils: coconut oil, MCT oil, lard, olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, linseed oil;
• Starch-free vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, asparagus;
• Leafy greens: lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, bok-boy, endive;
• Nuts: macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts;
• Meat and fish: bacon, beef, chicken, lamb, duck, salmon, lobster
• Dairy products: full-fat cheeses, 35% cream, full-fat plain yogurt, cottage cheese, butter and clarified butter (ghee)

Certain fruits can be eaten in moderation, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

What snacks should I include in my keto diet?

The ketogenic diet promotes satiety. Snacks are therefore generally unnecessary. Some authors proscribe snacking to allow a fasting period between meals, while others suggest it. Good examples of snacks are

• A handful of nuts;
• A few slices of full-fat cheese;
• Sausage;
• An avocado ;
• Fatty yogurt with chia ;
• Celery and guacamole;
• Two hard-boiled eggs;
• A piece of 90% dark chocolate.

| Summary To promote ketosis, you need to eat high-fat foods and exclude carbohydrate sources.

Ketogenic (keto) diet: A diet for whom?

For some years now, health and wellness enthusiasts and athletes alike have been opting for a ketogenic diet to promote weight loss and a slimming effect. Although slimming is an important motivator, many health conditions can benefit from the ketogenic diet. These include :

• EpilepsyEpilepsy: The keto diet is proving to be an important solution, reducing the severity and frequency of convulsive episodes by up to 65%. ^{2, 3}

• Insulin resistance and diabetes Insulin resistance and diabetes: Several studies have confirmed that the keto diet improves glycemic control in people with both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. ^{4, 5}

• Metabolic syndrome Metabolic syndrome: The ketogenic diet helps reduce certain markers of metabolic syndrome, including obesity index, triglyceride levels, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. According to studies, the improvement in these markers is greater with the ketogenic diet than with the low-fat diet. ⁶

• Certain cancersTumors use sugar as their main food source. This is why the ketogenic diet is currently being studied as a potential treatment and for slowing the progression of certain cancers. Concrete results have been observed in the case of brain cancer. ^7,8,9

• Hormonal disordersHormonal disorders: Women suffering from infertility, menorrhagia (difficult menstruation) or polycystic ovary syndrome may benefit from the ketogenic diet to re-establish a normal menstrual cycle with ovulation. The high-fat diet is also beneficial for men with low testosterone levels or a low sperm count. ^10,1
  
• Neurological diseasesNeurological diseases: Because of its direct effect on brain health, the ketogenic diet is being studied as a potential complementary treatment for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, and for its beneficial effect on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ^12,13,14
  

Summary of the benefits and challenges of a Keto diet

According to several clinical studies and metanalyses, the keto diet is beneficial for a variety of diseases. In short, a ketogenic diet is a promising avenue for many health conditions. Although it may run counter to long-preached nutritional guidelines, the positive effects of ketogenic diets have been proven. Although this type of diet may present certain challenges and seem unsustainable in the long term, many have found it to be a new way of life. Find a host of products in our online grocery store!

Do you think this diet is right for you? Let us know what you think.

To your good fats!

The La Boite à Grains

_______________________

Author, Research & Writing :

Véronique Cousineau, certified naturopath and health and wellness writer

Sources for this article on the ketogenic diet

1. Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss. The nutrition source. Harvard school of public health.
   
   
2. Dietary therapies for epilepsy. Eric H. Kossoff, Huei-Shyong Wang. Biomedical Journal. 2013 Jan-Feb; 36 (1): 2-8.
   
   
3. Influence of the ketogenic diet on 24-hour electroencephalogram in children with epilepsy. Sten Remahl, Maria G. Dahlin, Per E. Amark. Pediatric Neurology. 2008 Jan; 38(1): 38-43
   
   
4. A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. Frederick F. Samaha, Nayyar Iqbal, Prakash Seshadri, Kathryn L. Chicano, Denise A. Daily, Joyce McGrory, Terrence Williams, Monica Williams, Edward J. Gracely, Linda Stern. N Engl J Med. 2003 May 22; 348(21): 2074-2081
   
   
5. Zhou, Weihua et al. "The calorically restricted ketogenic diet, an effective alternative therapy for malignant brain cancer." Nutrition & metabolism vol. 4 5. 21 Feb. 2007
   
   
6. Carbohydrate restriction has a more favorable impact on the metabolic syndrome than a low fat diet. Jeff S. Volek, Stephen D. Phinney, Cassandra E. Forsythe, Erin E. Quann, Richard J. Wood, Michael J. Puglisi, William J. Kraemer, Doug M. Bibus, Maria Luz Fernandez, Richard D. Feinman. Lipids. 2009 Apr; 44(4): 297-309. Published online 2008 Dec 12.
   
   
7. Bueno NB, de Melo IS, de Oliveira SL, da Rocha Ataide T. Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet v. low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2013 Oct;110(7):1178-87.
   
   
8. Schmidt M, Pfetzer N, Schwab M, Strauss I, Kämmerer U. Effects of a ketogenic diet on the quality of life in 16 patients with advanced cancer: A pilot trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011;8(1):54. Published 2011 Jul 27.
   
   
9. Abdelwahab, Mohammed G, et al. "The ketogenic diet is an effective adjuvant to radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant glioma." PloS one vol. 7,5 (): e36197.
   
   
10. Ula Abed Alwahab, Kevin M. Pantalone, and Bartolome Burguera (2018) A KETOGENIC DIET MAY RESTORE FERTILITY IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME: A CASE SERIES. AACE Clinical Case Reports: September/October 2018, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. e427-e431.
    
    
11. Cole Will, DC. Ketotarian - THE (MOSTLY) PLANT-BASED PLAN TO BURN FAT, BOOST YOUR ENERGY, CRUSH YOUR CRAVINGS, AND CALM INFLAMMATION. 2018
    
    
12. Stafstrom CE, Rho JM. The ketogenic diet as a treatment paradigm for diverse neurological disorders. Front Pharmacol. 2012 Apr 9;3:59. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2012.00059. PMID: 22509165; PMCID: PMC3321471.
    
    
13. Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study. Journal of Children Neurology. 2003 Feb;18(2):113-8.
    
14. Effects of ketone bodies in Alzheimer's disease in relation to neural hypometabolism, β-amyloid toxicity, and astrocyte function. Leif Hertz, Ye Chen, Helle S. Waagepetersen. Journal of Neurochemistry. 2015 Jul; 134(1): 7-20. Published online 2015 Apr 23