What is the ketogenic diet? Who can apply it?
Hello 😊 Today, I would like to give you information about the ketogenic diet, which is one of the diet models we have heard about frequently lately.
The ketogenic diet, which we define simply as a diet model in which we use fat as the main energy source in our body, has taken its place among the popular diets today. So, if you ask how to apply this diet model and what its positive and negative aspects are, let us explain them to you a little.
Although the ketogenic diet has become popular today, it is actually one of our diet models that started to be used in the treatment of epilepsy in the 1920s. The logic of the diet is as follows: Your body first uses carbohydrates such as glucose to produce energy. Insulin, which rises with the increasing density of glucose molecules as a result of nutrition, nourishes our cells by allowing glucose to enter the cells. So if we don’t put any glucose into our bodies, can our bodies still produce energy?
Our answer is YES. If our body cannot get enough glucose, it resorts to a metabolic reaction we call ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic reaction that causes body fat stores to decrease. Instead of glucose, the body uses ketone bodies resulting from fat burning as an energy source.
We call this diet model, which is implemented with very low carbohydrates and high amounts of fat, in which the body uses ketone bodies, not glucose, as the main energy source, the ketogenic diet.
Who Can Apply?
People who can follow the ketogenic diet,
- Individuals with insulin resistance,
- Overweight people,
- Women with polycystic ovaries,
- Individuals who do weight training,
- Individuals with type-2 diabetes
- People with Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases,
- They can be listed as healthy adult individuals.
Except that,
- Those who are pregnant and breastfeeding,
- People who may have difficulty dieting on their own,
- Familial hypercholesterolemia patients,
- We do not recommend this diet model for those with electrolyte disorders (especially kidney patients).
Positive aspects:
Ketone bodies can provide your brain with more fuel (by increasing the ATP/ADP ratio), allowing you to be alert and think faster and more effectively.
It is used to support treatment in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy and many neurological diseases.
It ensures that blood sugar is kept within certain ranges in individuals with diabetes.
There are studies where its performance-enhancing effects have been observed in endurance athletes.
Negatives:
You may experience headache, fatigue, and bad breath as short-term side effects.Because many fruits, legumes, and whole grains are restricted, you may become deficient in vitamins and minerals.
It may increase the risk of low blood sugar in individuals with type-1 diabetes.
How Can We Apply?
First of all, I must warn you that if you want to implement this diet model, it would be beneficial to be followed by a dietitian. Only your dietitian can know the most accurate information about which food and how much you should consume. In general, your goal here should be to choose foods with high fat content and avoid foods with high carbohydrate content. While listing the foods you can use on the ketogenic diet, I have roughly divided them into two groups: those you can choose and those you should not choose..
| THINGS YOU CAN CONSUME | THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT CONSUME |
| Cheese and its varieties | Fruits |
| Meat types and eggs | Bread etc. grains |
| Nuts | |
| Dairy products (except soy milk) | |
| Healthy fats |
In summary, in this article, I took care to summarize the ketogenic diet in general terms for you and to address any question marks that may arise in our minds. Don’t forget to contact me to get more detailed information and create your own diet model, have healthy days 😊
Dyt. Zeynep YAVUZ
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