Ketogenic diet is a very low carb and high fat diet which promises miraculous ‘fat-burn’ by inducing the body to burn fat instead of glucose for energy.
The parties are over and decorations packed up in the attics. Its is now time for a fresh start to the year and plans for personal revival from the sluggishness following the festivities. I usually start the year with a long list of resolutions, which somehow have not persisted beyond January in the past. This year’s resolution (like that of every other year) focussed on getting rid of the extra-fat and fitting into the skinny jeans. Research into the best diets didn’t take me long to figure that ‘ketogenic diet’ or the ‘keto’ diet was the way to go. What interested me particularly, were the numerous benefits the diet promises in keeping long term ailments at bay, in addition to the weight loss.
Ketogenic diet
Ketogenic diet focusses on drastically reducing the consumption of carbs and increasing the intake of healthy fats with adequate proteins. The diet works by initially utilising the stored carbs or glycogen for energy. When this source is exhausted, the body switches into a fat-burning mode and burns down the fat stores (aka stubborn belly fat, thunder thighs and love handles) for energy leading to weight loss. Burning of the fat stores results in production of molecules called ketones, and hence the name ketogenic diet.
Ketogenic diet vs. other diets for weight loss?
It’s a no brainer that a diet which burns fat stores will cause weight loss. Though the strict exclusion of carb, including all grains, potatoes, root vegetable and fruits from the diet does seem challenging at first, this diet promises to curtail the hunger-pangs associated with any other diet. The healthy fats cause satiety and may reduce appetite, which makes it easier to continue with the diet. Eating fat to cause fat loss did seem counterproductive to me, but studies show that people following the ketogenic diet actually lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet.
Also, unlike other diets which restrict the meat and dairy products which form an important part of our diet, the keto diet actually encourages the consumption of meats, poultry, eggs and cheese.
Benefits of ketogenic diet
Though the weight-loss benefit was encouraging, it is benefits to other ailments that bowled me over. On to a bit of history about the ketogenic diet – this diet was used to treat children with seizure disorder that did not respond to treatments in the 1920s….and continues to be used for the purpose till date! This effect is possibly related to the brain being able to utilise ketones more effectively than sugars for its functioning.
The increase in consumption of healthy fats can actually reduce cholesterol and improve heart health. Various studies have shown that the keto diet caused a decrease in the total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (aka “bad cholesterol”), and increased the high-density lipoprotein (aka “good cholesterol”).
It is also suggested that the ketogenic diet has a protective effect on the brain cells. While more research is needed on the subject, researchers are postulating that the keto diet may even prevent conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The amazing benefits of this diet have also been evaluated in cancer. By reducing the carb intake, the diet causes a drastic reduction in insulin, the hormone responsible for utilizing blood sugar. As insulin has been linked to certain cancers, the ketogenic diet may play a role in preventing or controlling certain cancers.
In addition to the above, ketogenic diet has also shown positive results in acne and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition often affecting young women.
With all this research under my belt, I embarked on the keto diet from the 1st of January. Two weeks on, I am happy to report a weight loss of 2.5 kgs and a significant shrinkage of my spare tire belly (I am hoping the thunder thighs will follow soon). While the diet does involve significant planning and a lot of cooking at home (which I enjoy), at no point did I feel low on energy or deprived of food, especially as I can hog on my favourite foods like bacon and cheese. So, here’s to the ketogenic diet……hope this New Year’s Resolution persists well into the year!
What is your new year’s resolution? Have you tried the ketogenic diet yet?
Health & Wellness Mantra 