Keto Diet: Does it really help with weight loss?

Jan 19, 2021Roman Ladyzenskij

On the keto diet, you eat almost exclusively fats and proteins. You can learn about the advantages and disadvantages of this diet in this article.

What is the keto diet?
What effect does the ketogenic diet have?
Which foods are suitable for the keto diet?
Which foods are not suitable for the keto diet?
Advantages of the ketogenic diet
Disadvantages of the ketogenic diet
Who is ketosis not suitable for?
How long does it take to get into ketosis?
How do I find out if I am in ketosis?

1. What is the keto diet?

The keto diet, also known as the Atkins diet, is a form of nutrition in which you almost completely avoid consuming carbohydrates. A maximum of 5% of your daily food intake should consist of carbohydrates.

Once your body's carbohydrate stores are depleted, it has no other way to quickly gain energy and instead begins to use fat as its primary energy source.

2. What effect does the ketogenic diet have?

By avoiding carbohydrates, your body slowly begins to switch to fat metabolism, known as ketosis. In this state, your body now uses fats as an energy source.

In ketosis, there are no longer any blood sugar fluctuations. This is also associated with fewer performance dips, which often occur after carbohydrate intake.

Perhaps you know the feeling when you've just eaten a large portion of pasta and now you're really tired? This "food coma" occurs because your blood sugar level rises in your body due to the intake of many carbohydrates and then quickly drops again due to the release of insulin.

Proponents of the keto diet are convinced that mental and physical performance is increased in the state of ketosis. The reason lies in the energy efficiency of ketone bodies.

On the one hand, fat requires fewer metabolic steps to be available as an energy source. On the other hand, fat contains more energy overall than carbohydrates or sugar.

For example, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories that can be used as energy by the body. 1 gram of carbohydrates, on the other hand, contains only 4 calories.

3. Which foods are suitable for the keto diet?

Basically, all foods that contain little to no carbohydrates are suitable for the ketogenic diet. For this reason, fatty foods are primarily on the menu with this diet.

Protein-rich foods should only be consumed in moderation, as the body can otherwise convert proteins into glucose, and this process would block ketosis.

Ketogenic food list

In the ketogenic diet, carbohydrates as a macronutrient are avoided as much as possible. Apart from that, however, the keto diet should also be as varied as possible.

Therefore, in addition to fat and protein, you should provide yourself daily with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Starchy vegetables should also be avoided as much as possible.

Allowed vegetables

Spinach
Cucumber
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Brussels sprouts
Chinese cabbage
Fennel
Kale
Celeriac
Radishes
Asparagus
Savoy cabbage
Avocado
Bitter green
Bok Choi
Cauliflower
Swiss chard
Endive
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Nori
Olives
Summer squash
Artichokes

Healthy Fats

Coconut oil
Olive oil
Avocado oil
Caprylic acid
Fish oil
Krill oil
Cod liver oil
Pasture butter
Ghee from pasture-raised animals
Sunflower lecithin
Almond butter
Cocoa butter
Lard from pasture-raised cows

Proteins

Free-range eggs
Fatty fish
Wild-caught fish, such as salmon, tuna or herring
Pasture-raised meat
Wild game
Pasture-raised whey protein
Plant-based protein powder
Low-fat quark

Fruit

Numerous types of fruit contain a lot of fructose. This would stop ketosis and switch back to glucose metabolism. Therefore, you should consume only very small amounts of fruit and mainly stick to berries.

Allowed are:

Blueberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Elderberries
Currants

Nuts and seeds

Macadamia
Almonds
Coconuts
Pecans
Walnuts
Cashews

suitable drinks

Water
Water with lemon juice
Herbal tea
Coffee
High-quality green tea
Homemade lemonade without sugar
Homemade iced tea without sugar
Coconut milk
Almond milk (unsweetened)

4. Which foods are not suitable for the keto diet?

Foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates are excluded from the ketogenic diet. This also includes sweets, as they contain particularly large amounts of sugar. Confusing? Sugar is a carbohydrate.

Many foods contain more carbohydrates than you might think. These prevent you from reaching a state of ketosis without you even being aware of it. That's why we're also providing you with a list of foods that are prohibited on the keto diet.

Forbidden foods in the keto diet

We are not fans of prohibitions. But to get your body into ketosis, you have to do without carbohydrates of any kind. You can find out which foods are included in the following list.

Sugar in all forms

Sugar (sucrose)
Corn syrup (HFS, HFCS)
Agave syrup
Molasses
Brown sugar
Crystalline sugar
Cane sugar
Caramel
Coconut blossom sugar
Palm sugar
Sugarcane juice
Fruit juice
Fruit juice concentrate
Sugar beet syrup
Dextrose
Brown sugar
Invert sugar
Molasses
As alternatives are suitable here:
Xylitol
Erythritol
Stevia

Artificial additives

Artificial flavors
Artificial colors
Artificial sugar substitutes
Trans fats Bouillon

Grain products

Bread
Noodles
Cake
Cookies
Pizza
Grain flour
As an alternative are suitable:
Gluten-free
Pasta
Pasta made from coconut and almond flour

Drinks

Juices
Soft drinks
Alcohol
Coffee or tea with sugar

You should also avoid these foods

Fruit and legumes
Peppers
Carrots
Corn
Potatoes
Beetroot
Soy sprouts
Kale
Kohlrabi
Sweet potato
Snap peas

We know that this is a very long list of renunciations.

If you really want to follow a keto diet, discipline, support from friends, and a sophisticated meal plan can help you achieve your goals.

5. Advantages of the ketogenic diet

Advantages of the ketogenic diet, often listed by keto nutritionists, are primarily increased mental and physical performance and the avoidance of insulin fluctuations.

In addition, the keto diet is said to be very suitable for weight loss. The reason for this is as follows: Because the body uses fat as an energy source, the body's own fat deposits are also supposed to be broken down more effectively.

However, this point has not yet been proven. One of the most astonishing advantages of the ketogenic diet, however, is its positive influence on people with epilepsy and ADHD.

Here, the high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet was able to significantly alleviate symptoms in many patients.

6. Disadvantages of the keto diet

The biggest disadvantage of the ketogenic diet is that you have to give up a lot of foods with this form of nutrition. Especially if you like to eat out with friends or family, finding suitable restaurants can be a particular challenge.

At the beginning of the ketogenic diet, there may be temporary performance losses. Headaches and fatigue can also be a short-term consequence.

This is also known as the keto flu. However, this only lasts for a few days. The body produces 3 types of ketone bodies: acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), acetone. During ketosis, bad breath often occurs because acetone is also partly exhaled.

7. Who is ketosis not suitable for?

People with diabetes are not recommended to choose the keto diet. Due to the absolute insulin deficiency and the high incidence of ketone bodies, ketoacidosis, an acidification of the blood, can occur.

8. How long does it take to get into ketosis?

How long it takes exactly to reach the state of ketosis has not yet been precisely researched scientifically. Individual experiences report from 2 - 3 days to 1 - 2 weeks. The more regularly you get into a state of ketosis, the faster your body can adapt to it over time.

9. How do I find out if I am in ketosis?

As external indicators that you are already in ketosis, the already mentioned keto breath and keto flu are usually named. But also temporary insomnia and an increased energy level speak for the state of ketosis.

You can find out whether you are really in ketosis with a keto blood test or urine test. On the one hand, more ketone bodies accumulate in your blood.

On the other hand, excess ketone bodies are not only exhaled, but also excreted in the urine and can be detected there.

10. Conclusion

The keto diet is an interesting form of nutrition for anyone who wants to try something new and experience the positive effect on mental performance.

However, the often-promised weight loss effect is primarily due to the loss of water that accompanies the avoidance of carbohydrates as soon as the carbohydrate stores are emptied.

After that, the loss of body weight and the breakdown of fat deposits can be attributed to a diet-related calorie deficit, rather than ketosis itself.

11. Sources