Everyone seems to be swept away by the wave of this latest dietary fad-the ketogenic diet. Although it has been used since as early as 1921, it seems to have surged in popularity quite recently. The benefits of keto diet have been advocated by many celebrities.
The ketogenic diet was first coined by Russell Wilder. It was used as a treatment for epilepsy and had its own medical relevance as a dietary choice for pediatric epilepsy. With the advent of antiepileptic medications, the diet lost its significance.[1]
The keto diet has driven droves of people crazy with its effective results on weight, muscle gain, and bodybuilding.
The idea behind the keto diet is changing the way the body metabolizes the food you eat. It diverts the burning of carbohydrate to burning fat by reducing the intake of carbs and bulking up on fats with a moderate amount of protein.
A keto diet can be followed for as short as a 2–3-week period and may be extended for as long as a year. However, transitioning slowly from a keto diet to a regular diet and vice versa may be better tolerated.
What Comprises a Keto Diet?
The key macronutrient of the keto diet is fat and it is the primary source of fuel. A keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. This typically translates to a dietary intake of:
- Fat as high as 65–75 percent per day
- Proteins as moderate as 15–20 percent per day
- Carbs as little as 5–10 percent per day
Being in a keto diet can mean you are eating more heavy cream, fatty fishes, oils, avocados, seeds, nuts, and green leafy vegetables low in carbohydrates and ditching all your staple carbohydrate treats such as cereals, rice, potatoes, and fruits, to name a few.
Types of Keto Diet
It is recommended to choose your diet bearing in mind your fitness goals and the type that best suits your overall health.
A study published in 2018 in the Indian Journal of Medical Research mentions four types of keto diets.[2]
1. The Standard Keto Diet (SKD)
The standard keto diet is the most prevalent and highly recommended type of keto diet.
The measurements for the amount of carbs, proteins, and fats in grams are as follows:
- 20–50 g for carbohydrate
- 40–60 g for protein
- No set bars for the fat content
2. Targeted Keto Diet (TKD)
The targeted keto diet is for physically active individuals, including athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and trained individuals.
This diet involves eating 25–30 g of carbs right before an hour of exercise. These carbs can also be taken after exercise. As exercise can raise your need for carbs, you can customize your diet for an extra source of carbohydrates to provide energy for the physical activity.
Athletes, or anyone who exercises, may improve their fitness and muscle mass more when implementing a TKD than when doing SKD.
3. Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD)
The cyclical keto diet is a great idea for individuals who want to lose weight but find the dietary restrictions to be daunting.
This type goes easy on the individual by shifting between periods of low-carb diet followed by a high-carb period toward the end of the week.
This diet is mostly recommended for advanced athletes, including weight lifters, professional athletes, and runners. Following a keto diet part of the week may make their body become more flexible in using fat as a fuel…..Read more
