Keto is everywhere, but what are the benefits of a Ketogenic Diet?
It’s the buzzword of the moment, the new favorite for people looking to lose some pounds, but also the new ‘hate-focus’ of the vegetarian / vegan lobby. It doesn’t fit with the whole food natural grains, fruit and vegetable thing.
Or does it!
Think processed food, and you think carbs, chemicals, salt, sugar and a whole lot of other things that are generally considered bad for you. A Ketogenic diet doesn’t include any of those things!, but the keto diet, is not a silver bullet tocure every disease on the planet.
It’s not the answer to every problem (but I’m not sure anyone knows what is!), but the ketogenic diet benefits could include helping to heal or to prevent many horrible conditions, and it is certainly a way to eat more naturally and to move away from the ‘who knows what’s in it’ fare that is so readily available.
Here are just some of the foods recommended for a low carb or ketogenic diet:
So let’s try cutting through the science, separating fact from fiction, and looking at 3 of the benefits of the keto diet.
Ketogenic Diet Benefits: #1 Weight Loss
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So it’s a diet, and weight loss is a benefit. Who would have guessed that!
Unsurprisingly, one of the most common reasons people embark on the keto diet is to lose weight, and some of the reasons why so many people find weight loss so easy on a ketogenic diet are:
- The keto diet is composed of around 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
- This together with the lack of sugar means diminished cravings and as a direct consequence, less binges.
- Increased satiation=eating less, so you feel fuller for longer.
Many people also have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, so eliminating them may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium, which in turn means your body is more nourished and you have fewer cravings
• Ketones.
When your blood sugar is running low, your body turns to its glycogen stores for energy.
Typically glycogen stores house about 2000 calories of “backup” energy for when you run out of glucose, and like the intelligent machine it is, your body depletes the glycogen stores and then turns to your own body fat for fuel.
IMPORTANT: The ketogenic diet benefits can be significant, but is not a free-for-all ‘eat however much cheese or super low-carb fat bomb treats you want‘ diet.
If you are eating way more calories than you need, you will not lose weight.
Focus on keeping your diet around fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, butter, eggs, avocados, lots of green veggies and cruciferous, and be modest with the keto desserts, dairy, and sweets.
Ketogenic Diet Benefits: #2 Brain Function
A poorly functioning brain, as you may have already experienced, leads to stress, lessened work productivity, which in turn means an unhappy boss, lack of job satisfaction, sugar cravings for energy, and depression.
It’s a horrible domino effect. The original ketogenic diet was formulated by Dr. Russell Wilder in the early 20th century to treat epilepsy.
The success rate was phenomenal and it is still used today to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders.
Research also indicates that ketones are more efficient brain fuel than glucose.
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102124/)
Ketogenic Diet Benefits: #3 Health
The ketogenic diet with it’s high fat content and lack of sugar helps reduce blood sugar swings and reduce cravings. Many people (seemingly more and more each day) have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, and eliminating them from your diet may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium.
This in turn means your body is better nourished and you have fewer cravings
There are even potential cancer benefits from a keto diet, but there is a way to go before this is proven. One study showed implementing the ketogenic diet led to a dramatically increased survival time and slower tumor growth.
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/)
Conclusion
If you’re reading this article now, you care about your health.
You may be in some sort of pain, whether physical and/or mental (being overweight, struggling with autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, fatigue, brain fog) and want to change.
One thing is certain, though. If you want to change, then you have to take action!
Use this information, don’t just skim through it and store it in the back of your brain and say “that’s nice for some people”
Take action today.
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