Lots of fat and little sugar: this is the ketogenic diet recipe that would eliminate the extra pounds. A surprising method, which goes against certain current recommendations but which could have an impact on several chronic diseases like Alzheimer's or cancer. How does it work? What are his limits? That's what we will see in this article.
The ketogenic diet is based on a simple principle: A lot of fat, a few proteins, and very few carbohydrates. Our body naturally produces glucose from the proteins and fats present in our body there is, therefore, no need to consume excess. Following this diet, the liver begins to produce small molecules, called ketones, which become sources of energy for the body. The body therefore no longer runs on glucose but on ketones, fats, which are responsible for our extra pounds.
Developed almost 100 years ago, this diet, known for its anti-convulsant effects, was first used to treat children with epilepsy. In recent years, the diet, brought up to date, has demonstrated its benefits on weight loss. But it is mainly talked about for the therapeutic virtues which are attributed to it in the context of certain chronic diseases, such as cancer or Alzheimer's. It would act positively on these diseases via ketones which would deliver energy to healthy cells - in the case of cancer - or to neurons - in the case of Alzheimer -.
The diet is based on two categories of food:
- Fats or lipids such as oil, olive, butter, cream, nuts ...
- Proteins found in meat, turkey and chicken, fish, soy…
In a normal diet, calories come on average for 50% of carbohydrates, 35% of fats, and 15% of proteins. In the ketogenic diet, calories are the result of 90% fat, 8% protein, and 2% carbohydrates.
In other words, from a quantity point of view, this consists of consuming less than 50 g of carbohydrates per day and 3 g of fat per 1 g of non-fat (carbohydrates plus proteins).
The advantage of the ketogenic diet is to be greedy, which allows you to vary your pleasures. Many foods are allowed such as most vegetables that can be used routinely (150 g at lunch and 150 g at dinner) or oilseeds such as nuts, hazelnuts, pecans or macadamia, pistachios, peanuts ... But also meat, fish, eggs, for example, with aromatic herbs, and even cheese, which does not contain sugar.
Fruits are not to be excluded but their consumption must be limited because they are rich in sugar. In general, there are 12 g of sugar per 100 g of fruit. In these fruits, red berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants can be eaten up to 50 g per day. To this list are added yogurts which naturally contain 5 g of lactose, in other words, milk sugar. Prefer therefore Greek yogurts which are very fatty.
Starchy foods like rice or pasta, which can be replaced with konjac pasta, should be avoided. And of course, avoid table sugar and cakes.
The ketogenic diet is said to have a positive impact on people with cancer. Our healthy cells mostly eat fat while cancer cells get their energy from the sugar we eat. By following this diet, tumors have reduced access to their favorite food: sugar. Less sugar means less energy for cancer cells. More fat means more ketones for healthy cells. This diet therefore specifically strengthens healthy parts of the body without benefiting cancer cells.
Alzheimer's disease has the particularity of preventing neurons from using glucose, which is usually their primary source of energy. However without energy, impossible to function. Hence the idea of providing them with ketones, and therefore fats, which will be used by brain cells instead of sugar.
If the ketogenic diet can be useful for everyone who wants to lose - or gain weight - it is imperative to take advice from a doctor or dietitian before getting started. And then be vigilant!
The diet is very well tolerated even if the implementation of the diet can cause some small inconveniences at first. The time that the body is keto-adapted, that is to say, that it changes fuels, can last a few days. Patients may suffer from headaches, nausea, or fatigue and this is precisely the proof that the diet works. The results are there: the blood tests improve, the cravings are no longer present and we really feel better. Another advantage: the ketogenic diet makes it possible to avoid the yoyo effect ... from the moment when the person maintains a diet low in sugar. For healthy people, stopping this diet should be followed by a low-carb diet (that is to say low in carbohydrates, carbohydrates) in order not to gain weight. For people with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, it should be followed for life. Finally, there are however contraindications for people with type 1 diabetes, a metabolic abnormality that involves the oxidation of fatty acids, or people with respiratory deficits or hepatic cell failure.
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