Benefits of the Keto Diet and Allowed and Prohibited Foods
The keto diet helps you lose excess weight, control blood sugar and cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and many other health benefits, but it may be associated with some side effects. Learn in this article about the benefits of keto and how to protect yourself from the harms of foods allowed and prohibited in the keto diet.
What is the keto diet?
The keto diet is a low-carb diet that relies on eating a small amount of carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and high levels of natural fats to stimulate the body to enter the ketogenic state.
When the body enters the ketogenic state, it produces ketone bodies, which are small fuel units produced in the liver and used to produce the energy needed for the body to perform its various functions.
Ketones are alternative sources of energy in the body. When there is a lack of sugar in the blood, in this case the body changes the way it produces energy and moves from relying on sugars to burning fat.
What is allowed and what is not allowed in the keto diet
The keto diet is based on eating high levels of healthy fats followed by a moderate amount of protein and then a very small percentage of carbohydrates from their healthy sources. Based on that, we determine the following foods that are allowed and prohibited in the keto diet.
Allowed in keto
There is a diverse list of foods allowed in the keto diet, which are:
Eggs, meat and fish:
Meats allowed in the keto diet include: red meat, turkey, and chicken. In addition, eggs and fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, should be eaten.
Animal fats such as butter and cream:
You can eat any type of butter and cream, but if possible, it is best to choose fats that are labeled as organic.
Nuts and seeds:
Such as: almonds, walnuts, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds.
Healthy oils:
Such as avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil.
Cheese:
Unprocessed cheeses include goat cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, and mozzarella.
Spices:
The keto diet allows salt, pepper, and most spices.
Low-carb vegetables:
You can eat all green vegetables as well as onions, tomatoes and peppers.
Red fruit:
You can eat red berries and strawberries.
Keto prohibitions
Foods that should be completely avoided on the keto diet are the following:
Sweets: Avoid soft drinks, shakes, ice cream, candy, juices, cakes, etc.
Grains and starches: Avoid products derived from wheat, rice, pasta and cereals.
Fruits: All types of fruits except red fruits, such as strawberries.
Root Vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and similar vegetables are not allowed on the keto diet.
Alcoholic beverages: In addition to their health risks, alcohol should be avoided due to its high carbohydrate content.
Keto-friendly snacks
If you feel hungry between meals, you are allowed to eat snacks that are suitable for the keto diet, for example:
Almonds.
Strawberries with dark chocolate.
Boiled eggs.
Smoothies made with almond milk.
Yogurt with nuts and seeds.
Nut butter.
Berries.
Benefits and harms of the keto diet
Benefits of Keto Diet
The keto diet can provide many benefits, such as:
Reduce appetite and get rid of the feeling of hunger.
Reduce the risk of heart disease.
Reducing cholesterol and blood glucose levels and lowering high blood pressure.
It helps to get fresh skin and helps to get rid of acne.
Increase concentration and improve brain function.
Helps improve symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Keto diet for weight loss
The keto diet may help you lose weight and get rid of excess weight by boosting your metabolism and reducing your appetite. This diet contains foods that make you feel full for a long time. The keto diet also suppresses the feeling of hunger by reducing the level of insulin in the blood, which is a hormone that stimulates the feeling of hunger.
The keto diet also stimulates the body to enter the ketogenic state, which stimulates the burning of accumulated fat and using it to produce energy instead of using carbohydrates.
Keto harms
Despite the many health benefits of the keto diet, it may be accompanied in the long term by some side effects in some people, as it increases the risk of developing some health conditions, such as:
Kidney stones formation.
Deficiency of minerals and vitamins.
High blood protein.
Fat accumulation in the liver.
The keto diet can also cause harmful side effects known as keto flu, the most important symptoms of which are:
Low blood sugar.
Constipation.
Feeling tired.
Headache.
Nausea
Vomiting
These symptoms are especially common at the beginning of the diet and go away as the body adjusts to the new energy source.
Keto diet method
The keto diet must be applied correctly so that it does not negatively affect the health of the body; therefore, it is recommended to follow the following tips:
Eat only healthy fats: Experts advise staying away from processed foods, for example if you are going to eat meat, it is better to eat a steak and not processed meats like burgers and the like. Sources of healthy fats also include avocados, nuts, olive oil, etc.
Drink plenty of water: It is essential to drink enough water or other fluids to keep the body hydrated. It also contributes to a feeling of fullness and helps cleanse the body of toxins and metabolic products.
Include a moderate amount of protein in your diet: You should not exceed the recommended amount of daily protein. Although protein is necessary for building muscle, excessive consumption of it may harm the kidneys, cause gout and other side effects.
Vegetable drawers with every meal: Without vegetables, no diet can be healthy, because we get most of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber that the body needs from them.
Recovery advice from the 5.6 team
People who follow the keto diet can avoid the side effects associated with it by getting a variety of foods and planning keto meals through the keto diet schedule. It is also possible to take vitamin supplements to get the body's need for minerals and vitamins necessary to perform its functions.
