Sunday 17 July 2016

Ketogenic Diet Plan


I believe often we saw some of our friends posted on the social media that they were on Atkins diet or LCHF diet. But most of the time you've no ideas what are these about. Let's talk about it in a details manner.

The Ketogenic Diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The goal of a Ketogenic Plan is to improve well-being through a metabolic charge in which the primary cellular fuel source switches from carbohydrates based fuels (glucose) to fat fuels & fat metabolism products called ketones.

This is achieved through a metabolic process called ketogenesis & a body state called ketosis. Ketosis is simply a normal metabolic pathway in which the body cells utilize ketones to make energy,  instead of relying on sugar or carbohydrate.

In fact, humans developed an evolutionary ability to burn ketones as an adaptation to periods of time when food was unavailable,

There are many ways of implementing a low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet plan but most involve following a higher fat, moderate protein, low carb food plan. (The Atkins diet is one of the most famous ketogenic diets, but certainly not the only one).

A Ketogenic Diet Plan requires tracking the carb amounts in the foods eaten & reducing carbohydrate intake to about 20-60 grams per day. For some people, less than 100 grams per day may work, but this level of carb intake is too high for most people to achieve ketosis.

In addition, the daily protein requirement should be driven by goal or ideal body weight or lean body mass. Protein intake also depends on height, gender & the amount of exercise done. Eating too much protein can interfere with ketosis. The balance of calories after calculating carbs & protein requirements will be from fats. These ratios ensure that most people go into ketosis & stay in that state. The state of ketosis has some beneficial so this is an important goal, especially for those people with health issues. The nutrients intake on a ketogenic diet typically works out to about 70-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, & 5-10% from carbohydrates on a daily basis when calories are not restricted.

The key to correctly implement a ketogenic diet plan is to remember that you are EXCHANGING CARBOHYDRATE containing foods with a HIGHER FAT INTAKE & a MODERATE PROTEIN CONSUMPTIONS.

Why high fat & moderate protein? Fats have little to no effect on blood sugar & insulin levels. Protein does affect both blood sugar & insulin. If you eat too much protein for your ideal body weight or lean muscle mass (usually more than 1.5-2.0 gram/kg lean body mass), it can spark gluconeogenesis & raise blood sugar & protein will also spike blood insulin levels temporarily. Higher insulin levels will interfere with ketone body production.

In addition, eating a diet that is heavy on lean protein (without enough fat) can make one sick with as condition know as "rabbit starvation" it can also wreck the metabolism in other ways.  

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