Ketogenic Diet is a diet plan consisting of a purely keto meal or foods i.e. loads of healthy fats, a moderate amount of protein and very few carbohydrates. While many rigorous diet plans can be injurious to your health; Keto meals are very healthy and indeed a great way to lose weight. Several studies have proved that Keto meals can help with many diseases like diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. The body usually uses sugar for an energy boost. This diet works on the philosophy of ketosis that is to deplete these reserves of sugar so that the body uses the reserved fats for energy. Let us explain the keto diet for beginners in detail along with the recommended foods to eat, when to eat and the quantities.

Keto meals are designed according to the type of diet being followed so before having a look at different types of ketogenic diets, let us briefly discuss what ketosis is.

Ketosis

Ketosis is a metabolic process in the body when the body starts burning fat for energy because enough carbohydrates or sugar is not available. Consequently, the liver starts producing chemicals called ketones; hence this diet is named ketogenic diet. The most effective way to find out if the ketogenic diet is working is to take medical tests to find out about ketosis. If the body is in ketosis then ketones are present in the blood. Doctors can take blood samples for ketones otherwise home testing kits are also available for measuring ketone levels.

Different Types of Keto Diet

Diet for beginners can be very confusing as you have to maintain ratios of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. A brief review of types of diet may help you to decide what kind of meal plans may work for your lifestyle.

1.     Standard Keto Diet

This plan includes 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs. So, basically, this is a high fat, moderate protein, and very low carb keto meal plan.

2.     Cyclic Ketogenic Diet

This ketogenic diet plan is a different sort of meal plan with five high-fat diet days alternated with two high carbs days. This plan is ideal for beating the diet disadvantages and makes following the diet easier with breaks in between.

3.     Targeted Keto Diet

This plan is very similar to the standard ketogenic diet except for one difference. The timing of eating carbs is fixed. You can add 5% carbohydrates in your keto diet plan but you have to consume these carbs before, during, or after a workout.

4.     High Protein Keto Diet

This keto diet plan has more proteins than the standard keto meal plan. The ratio usually has 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

Keto Diet Foods

Keto meals revolve around some particular diet foods. The ketogenic foods are high in fat and have moderate protein while you have to limit your carbohydrate intake. Here is a list of the most effective keto diet foods to include in your meal plan.

1.     Meat and Poultry

Meat and poultry are staple keto foods. While these foods are high in protein, they have very low carbs, making them ideal contenders for a ketogenic diet plan. The choice of meat, however, matters too. It is important to rely on lean, grass-fed and unprocessed meat for added health benefits.

Meat and poultry provide vitamin B, essential minerals, omega-3 fats, conjugated linoleic acid, and antioxidants.

These ketogenic foods are also important for preserving muscle mass to make up for low carbohydrates.

Meat and poultry are important parts of keto meal plans, but care has to be taken to limit the use as keto is basically a high-fat diet and not a high protein diet.

2.     Importance of Sea Foodin the Keto diet

Seafood and fish are important in a keto diet for beginners. These contain vital minerals and vitamins to keep the body healthy and well-nourished.  The best choices for fish are high-fat fish like salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel. Crabs and shrimps are also a great addition to keto foods as they have almost zero carbs.

3.     Eggs

Eggs are powerhouses of energy and nutrients. It is vital to consume a full egg to gain full benefits. Eating eggs is important for brain and eye health as well as for the feeling of fullness and keeping the blood glucose levels stable during the day.

4.     Leafy Greens

Most of the vegetables are off the dinner table in this keto diet plan because of the high carbohydrate count. However, leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, and spinach are keto-friendly foods. Other options for keto foods in vegetables are tomatoes, onions, peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, avocado, broccoli, and zucchini.

5.     Cheese

Cheese and Greek yogurt are healthy food choices for keto meal plans as they are high in protein but also have some carbohydrates. All kinds of cheese can be used including cottage, ricotta, and you can also indulge in Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese.

6.     Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an ideal choice for a keto diet plan because the medium-chain triglycerides are directly converted by the liver into ketones. In simpler words, it is the most healthy high-fat food for the body to go into ketosis process.

7.     Olive Oil

While coconut oil is good for ketosis, olive oil is ideal for heart health. While some fats can be notorious for cardiac health, olive oil is a healthy choice. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants to keep the heart healthy while the body is on a high fat keto diet.

8.     Nuts and Seeds

One problem in keto diet for beginners is to decide what to eat. Some healthy snacks, nuts, and seeds come in handy here. A small number of nuts and seeds are enough to keep you feeling full and thus promotes low-calorie intake. Apart from that, nuts and seeds are great for munching and mid-meal snacking. Nuts are also very nutritious and help the body combat diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

9.     Berries

Many fruits are not keto-friendly but berries are an exception. Berries are low in carbs and provide an ample amount of fiber to the body. Fiber is vital in relieving constipation which is often a side effect of this low carb diet. Also, these small fruits are packed with antioxidants for added health benefits.

10. Coffee and Tea

Another issue in the ketogenic diet for beginners is the choice of drinks other than water. Coffee and tea are healthy no-carbs drinks to include in your ketogenic diet provided they are unsweetened. The caffeine in these drinks is responsible for mental alertness and better moods. However, stay away from light coffee and tea made with low-fat milk as they include more carbs and have less fat than needed.

A ketogenic diet is adopted for various reasons like weight loss, diabetic control or Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately, the options for ketogenic foods are very versatile and tasty. The key is to find the balance and a perfect meal plan to suit your lifestyle.