What is Ketogenic Dieting?

The term ”ketogenic” means a low-carb diet. The idea is for one to get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates. You cut back most on the carbs that are easy to digest, like sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread.

How it works

When you eat less than 50 grams of carbs a day, your body eventually runs out of fuel (blood sugar) it can use quickly. This typically takes 3 to 4 days. Then you’ll start to break down protein and fat for energy, which can make you lose weight. This is called ketosis. It’s important to note that the ketogenic diet is a short-term diet that’s focused on weight loss rather than the pursuit of health benefits. 

People use a ketogenic diet most often to lose weight, but it can help manage certain medical conditions, like epilepsy, too. It also may help people with heart disease, certain brain diseases, and even acne, but there needs to be more research in those areas. Talk with your doctor first to find out if it’s safe for you to try a ketogenic diet, especially if you have type 1 diabetes.

Other reasons for ketogenic dieting include:

• Fighting cancer

• heart diseases

• Acne

• Diabetes

• Epilepsy

Side effects

The more common ones aren’t usually serious: You might have constipation, mild low blood sugar, or indigestion. Much less often, low-carb diets can lead to kidney stones or high levels of acid in your body (acidosis). Other side effects can include the “keto flu,” which may include headache, weakness, irritability; bad breath; and fatigue.

Caution

When your body burns its stores of fat, it can be hard on your kidneys. And starting a ketogenic diet or going back to a normal diet afterwards can be tricky if you’re obese because of other health issues you’re likely to have, like diabetes, a heart condition, or high blood pressure. If you have any of these conditions, make diet changes slowly and only with the guidance of a doctor.

Source:

WebMD 2022.