To lose weight for aesthetic reasons or to improve their health, some people follow the keto diet. Learn how this regime works and what foods to eat in your snacks.
The keto diet has become popular because it is characterized by being effective in terms of weight loss and, although it sounds extraordinary, it is not a miracle, but rather a biological issue. Marlen García, a nutritionist at Nutrición Integral, points out that, normally, a balanced diet should have 50% carbohydrates and with the ketogenic diet it becomes 10 or 0%.
“Proteins and fats are the fundamental basis of this diet. Sugar is consumed in a minimal amount and, when the body does not have this source of energy, it turns to fats, and the person loses weight,” he explains.
Naturally, the body turns to carbohydrates (bread, tortillas, cereals, sugar) to provide energy. However, without this resource, it turns to fats. This is why people manage to lose weight.
Its peculiar name comes from “ketone bodies,” which are chemical substances that the body produces when using fat as energy.
Consult with specialists
Before undergoing this diet, García recommends visiting specialists because it is not a diet prescribed for everyone. “It is not for everyone, it is not balanced and cannot be maintained all the time. The body needs carbohydrates. If you follow this diet, you must have something to eat,” she asserts.
In addition to people who want to lose weight, this diet is recommended for patients with epilepsy because, in the absence of carbohydrates, carbohydrate levels are reduced and, consequently, ketone particles are generated that allow patients to improve and avoid epileptic seizures.
For patients with type 2 diabetes, it is recommended because it allows weight loss and better control of blood sugar levels. “At first you might feel unwell, with a headache, dizziness, and bad breath,” she adds.
Keto snack menu
You may want to include one or two snacks during the day. Remember that this diet contains a higher proportion of fat and protein. Limit carbohydrates (bread, oatmeal, cereal, and rice) as much as possible.
Option 1
Apple with peanut butter
Hard-boiled egg and avocado
Slices or pieces of cheese
Option 2
1 sausage sliced
Cucumber slices and your favorite dip
Seeds such as almonds, peanuts, beans and macadamia
Option 3
1 Greek yogurt, unsweetened
Celery slices
Tomato
Option 4
Egg
Mushrooms
Bacon slices
Avocado
Other recommendations
Although the keto diet offers benefits, it also has adverse effects. Garcia says that “at first, it is not recommended that the person exercise. There is a caloric deficit, you lose weight, but you may feel dizzy and your body may become unbalanced due to the lack of energy. Take this into account for the intensity of the physical activity you do.”
It is also not advisable to maintain it for life because the brain needs sugar. If you stop practicing it, you could have a rebound effect and gain weight. To avoid this and other complications, it is ideal to do it under supervision and to analyze whether this diet suits you.
“If someone has low blood sugar – reactive hypoglycemia – you cannot take away carbohydrates because they could collapse. The ketogenic diet is not for everyone,” says the expert.
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