Ketogenic diets are very effective at achieving three common aims of diabetes control, lowering blood glucose levels, and reducing weight.
A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet, considered to be when you eat a level of carbohydrate of around 30g of carbohydrates per day or below.
This encourages the body to get its energy from burning body fat which produces an energy source known as ketones.
The diet helps to lower the body’s demand for insulin which has benefits for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes also.
HOW A KETOGENIC DIET WORKS
On a ketogenic diet, blood glucose levels are kept at a low but healthy level which encourages the body to break down fat into a fuel source known as ketones.
The process of breaking down or ‘burning’ body fat is known as ketosis.
People on insulin will typically require smaller doses of insulin which leads to less risk of large dosing errors.
The diet helps burn body fat and therefore has particular advantages for those looking to lose weight, including people with prediabetes or those otherwise at risk of type 2 diabetes.
HOW TO FOLLOW A KETOGENIC DIET
Based on the understanding that carbohydrate is the macronutrient that raises blood glucose the most, the primary goal of a ketogenic diet is to keep consumption lower than that of a traditional low carbohydrate diet with moderate protein and very high-fat content.
This will determine the nutrient density of the ketogenic diet as well as how to follow it, as different foods will have different effects on insulin and blood sugar levels.
There are a number of different types of a ketogenic diet with variations in the level of carbohydrates and protein allowed in the diet and/or the amount of time someone is looking to spend in ketosis.
Note that some of the types of ketogenic have been designed specifically for people that are athletes or are otherwise working out very hard and often.
BENEFITS OF A KETOGENIC DIET
Ketone bodies produced from burning fat for fuel have been shown to have potent weight loss effects, help lower blood glucose levels, and reduce people’s reliance on diabetes medication.
The diet has also shown evidence of having benefits on:
- Reducing high blood pressure
- Reducing triglyceride levels
- Raising HDL cholesterol levels (a good sign of heart health)
- Improving mental performance
Read more about the benefits of ketogenic diets.
In addition to that, there has been a lot of interest in therapeutic ketosis for other long-term conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, or dementia.
Know the secrets of Keto Diets-
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