The Keto Diet Made Easy

A ketogenic diet, or more commonly known as the keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet which encourages the body to produce tiny fuel molecules called ketones.

When eating carbohydrates the body produces glucose and insulin and uses them as the main energy source. On a keto diet, few carbs or proteins are consumed, resulting in ketones being produced in the liver and used as an alternative source of energy for the body and the brain. This natural process forces your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body gets its energy supply entirely from fat stores.

Benefits of a keto diet:

Studies have proven that there are many benefits from following a ketogenic diet.

Better appetite control:

When your body burns fat constantly, feelings of hunger are reduced as the body can access fat stores to gain its energy. This makes it a lot easier to lose that excess weight as you don't eat until you feel hungry. By not feeling hungry all the time, this can help fight sugar addictions as snacking is reduced. You will also feel fuller for longer after eating.

Controls blood sugar levels and reverse type 2 diabetes:

The keto diet has been shown to reverse type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and high insulin levels.

Calms the stomach:

The keto diet can create a calmer stomach, with reduced stomach pains and cramps and less gas.

Increased endurance:

By giving the body constant access to fat stores, physical endurance is greatly increased. Fat stores provide enough energy to last for weeks.

Health markers are improved:

The keto diet can help control cholesterol and blood pressure levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, and dramatically reducing blood sugar and insulin levels which reduce the risk of diabetes. Body fat is also noticeably reduced.

Epilepsy:

Since the 1920's, the keto diet has been successfully used to treat epilepsy in children. By following a keto diet, this allows people with epilepsy to remain seizure free, whilst taking little or no drugs.

What can be eaten on a keto diet?

A keto diet is a strict low-carb diet, which should contain less than 20 grams of carbs per day. The less carbs you eat, the more effective it is for weight loss, appetite suppression and reversing type 2 diabetes.

Meals should include the following foods:

• Eggs
• Meat (Steak, red meat, poultry, sausage, ham, and bacon)
• Fish (Tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel)
• High-fat dairy (Butter, unprocessed cheese such as cheddar, blue, mozzarella, cream cheese or goats cheese)
• Low-carb vegetables (Green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, onions, peppers)
• Nuts and seeds (Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia and flax seeds)
• Avocados and berries
• Healthy oils (Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil)
• Herbs, spices, salt, and pepper

You should aim to eat around 70% fats, 25% protein and 5% carbohydrate.

What cannot be eaten on a keto diet?

• Refined grains (wheat, corn, rice, cereal, pasta etc.)
• Tubers (Potatoes, yams etc.)
• Starchy vegetables (beans, legumes etc.)
• Sugar (honey, maple syrup, agave)
• Fruit (apples, bananas, oranges etc.)

---

---