The keto moment

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The general Keto diet

The Keto diet is one of the biggest diet phenomenons today. It is the most Googled diet of 2018 and has surpassed Weight Watchers and other low-carb regimens, Atkins and Paleo.

There is a considerable variation in how humans respond to nutritional and dietary tweaks in this overhyped craze, but not without merit. There is a growing body of science exploring keto as a potential thwart for Type 2 diabetes and other illnesses.

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Keto is a no-carb diet

Carbohydrates account for about half the calories on average in the American diet. Rice, maize, and wheat provide 60 percent of the world's food energy intake, even though there are more than 50,000 edible plants.

Keto is practically no-carb, forbidding processed junk foods and severely limits grains, including whole grains, fruits, and legumes such as brown rice, apples, and lentils. Keto adherents think conventional nutritional wisdom is harmful.

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Keto is a cultural identity

Keto is more than just a diet. It is a cultural identity.

The Keto diet changes how adherents think about medicine and nutrition. With the fake news that dominates the news cycle, it's not surprising that keto went viral. It's anti-establishment.

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Benefits and side-effects of the keto diet

A concern of the Keto diet is that it may not be safe for the cardiovascular system since it can drive up cholesterol levels.
Other health professionals believe the high-fat regimen will damage people's kidneys, arteries, and brains. Side effects from "keto flu" include constipation, cardiac arrhythmias, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

But, a low-carb diet could be a nutritional treatment option for some patients with diabetes. It also helps people lose weight and get off their medications.

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Understanding ketosis

The body can only store glucose to last a few days. If we don't eat carbs, the body finds other ways to fuel the body, like ketogenesis. In ketogenesis:

The liver starts to break down fat from food and our body reserves. The useful energy source is called ketone bodies and can replace glucose as fuel when there's a glucose shortage.
Once ketogenesis starts, the ketone levels rise.
The body burns fat instead of the usual glucose.

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How to enter ketosis

One way to get in ketosis is through fasting - when you stop eating altogether for an extended period. The body will start to burn fat for fuel and decrease its use of glucose.

Another way is to make your body think it's fasting by eating only about 20 to 50 grams of total carbs per day. (Equivalent to a slice of bread or a small potato.)

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Keto diet percentage

People on the Keto diet aim for:

Five percent of the calories from carbohydrates from berries and salad.
Fifteen percent from proteins like salmon and sardines.
Eighty percent from fats including coconut oil and avocado.

Keto levels can be measured with blood tests, breathalyzers, and urine strips.

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New research on the keto diet

Keto science is explored for the potential benefits of the diet as part of cancer therapy.
Another new area of research is using keto to prevent and reduce the severity of flu.
Studies show that there is a large reduction in seizures in people with epilepsy when following a ketogenic diet.
Carbohydrate restriction helps control metabolic syndrome, including high blood sugar.
An ultra-low-carb diet could have a role in treating neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

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