The keto diet - for what and for whom?

If, twenty or thirty years ago, someone had put all the products in two baskets, sorting them according to the principle of greatest use and least, then today you should do a thorough revision of them. The strangest story happened so far with fat - the main enemy of mankind was recently not only completely rehabilitated, but almost declared its savior. Is that so, nutritionist Chris More understands.

Recently, a patient admitted to me that she and her husband eat almost a pound of bacon a week - three for breakfast, and two more with salad for lunch. I've been working as a nutritionist for over twenty years, and nothing seems to surprise me, but then I still can't resist and ask: why? The patient said that her husband watched a TV show about the keto diet, and they decided to give it a try. Six months of eating bacon - and now the husband has lost nine kilograms and, according to his wife, is almost full of energy flooding him.

More and more, I'm hearing from people about the wonders the keto diet is doing to them. They claim that it burns fat in the body, gives energy and conquers disease, and from now on, it is not only possible, but also necessary to eat as much bacon as you like. But all their enthusiasm requires at least a serious test - is a keto diet that doesn't limit animal fat intake really that good?

The Ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat and moderate protein diet. It was originally used in the treatment of epilepsy in children by increasing the level of ketone bodies in the blood.

What is ketosis?

Let's start with the name of the diet: where did this "keto" come from? When the body is severely deprived of carbohydrates - for example, due to diabetes or prolonged hunger - it must break down its own fat more actively than usual for energy. Ketosis develops: metabolism is disturbed, and more ketone bodies than necessary accumulate in the tissues. Ketone bodies are products of fat metabolism. They are produced by the liver when insulin levels drop in the blood.

"The liver makes ketone bodies all the time, but the levels depend on the carbohydrates and protein you eat — the body needs both, " explains Jeff Volek, professor at Ohio University.

The breakdown of fat in the body of a healthy person and the formation of ketone bodies is a normal process, called ketogenesis. Unlike ketosis, ketogenesis does not cause dramatic weight loss. Ketosis is a pathology that, in addition to diabetes and prolonged fasting, can be caused by the keto diet, as it almost excludes carbohydrate foods from the diet. A person who has developed ketosis loses weight dramatically, as well as due to several other pathologies.

The ketogenic diet forces the body to use fat as its main energy source. Normally, this role is played by carbohydrates, which, when consumed with food, are processed into glucose, which is essential for nutrition and brain function. However, if the diet is low in carbohydrates, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. Ketone bodies enter the brain and are used as a source of energy instead of glucose. Increased levels of ketone bodies in the blood (ketosis) causes a decrease in the frequency of epileptic seizures.

In the keto diet, the main part of the daily diet - from 60 to 80% - is fat, protein - about 15%, and only the remaining 10% is carbohydrates (this is about half of a small loaf). At first glance it looks like the Atkins diet, but the keto diet involves more severe carb restriction, according to Spencer Nadolsky, author of The Fat Loss Prescription. A number of theorists generally believe that the less carbohydrates we eat, the more fat our bodies burn, and for this reason, metabolism increases, immunity increases - and in general, miracles begin to happen to our bodies.

However, in ordinary life, we get about half of the calories, and not a tenth of the carbohydrates. So, in essence, the question is: can your body be in ketosis long enough to reach the promised nirvana without serious health consequences? Are you really going to start freaking out about fat?

Is the keto diet right for you?

It may sound strange, but the best diet for you is the one you normally follow. For Volek, who has been on keto for twenty years, he's fine, but is he right for you? Unfortunately, there has been no research on what happens to the body of someone who has been on the keto diet for a long time. During The A to Z Weight Loss Study, scientists studied the Atkins, Zone, LEARN and several other diets, but in the study, female subjects consumed 25 to 35% carbohydrates – this is not even close to the 10% recommended to limit yourself withketo diet.

The only thing that is known for certain: on the keto diet you will actually lose weight. In Italy, in 2015, they studied the performance of people sitting on them, and on average for three months they lost about 10-12 kilograms. A year earlier in Spain, it turned out that in a year in this way you can lose about 20 kilograms. True, during the following year, subjects often returned to their pre-experimental weight, as soon as they came off the rigid diet.

What would you eat if you decided to give it a try? First and second, that bacon. Of the rest of the products, not many will suit you. Starchy vegetables - potatoes, pumpkin, corn - are strictly prohibited, as are most fruits. Milk, beans, rice and pasta should also be forgotten.

The keto diet is difficult to follow and can be dangerous for some people. "Extreme diets, particularly the keto diet, are highly contraindicated in people with neurodegenerative diseases such as epilepsy, " says Dr. Alan Aragon.

The ketogenic diet is considered optimal in society for weight loss. However, according to scientific evidence, the effect of losing weight immediately after switching to a ketogenic diet is due to a decrease in the amount of water in the body, and the amount of body fat is solely influenced by energy balance. To lose weight, the energy supplied by food must be less than that spent on physical activity. One of the benefits of a ketogenic diet, like other low-carb diets, is that the ketosis that occurs with a low-carb diet contributes to weight loss in obesity. The difference in calories eaten can be up to a thousand kilocalories per day compared to a low-fat diet. The effects of a ketogenic diet are highly dependent on the protein content of the diet.

Can I take medication that causes an increase in ketone bodies? Absolutely not. Don't listen to "consultants" who will convince you that even without any diet, you can induce ketosis with the help of special drugs.

So is the keto diet right for you or not? If you are an extreme athlete who is ready to experiment with your body, if you like to take risks and fast results are important to you, then give it a try! If you just want to lose a few pounds and in the past have experienced the "yo-yo effect" (when, after a strict diet, a person breaks down and gains more weight than he managed to lose), then maybe you should not take that risk. However, if you approach the keto diet wisely, there are three lessons you can learn from it that are sure to come in handy.

1. Reduce intake of "empty" carbohydrates. Analyze what foods you get the most from your daily carb intake: if it comes from fruits that are rich in fiber and antioxidants, then that's fine, but if your carb sources are sweets, soda, and any food made with flourwhite, you know What to do: Feel free to send it in the trash.
2. Don't avoid fat. The passion for low-fat foods that started in the 90s can be safely left in the past. There's nothing good about it. Often, to compensate for the lack of fat, manufacturers increase the amount of sugar in the product. Eat fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines at least twice a week. And whatever you cook, don't skimp on vegetables, especially the good ones - olive oil.
3. Eat lots of vegetables. All leafy greens and leafy greens go well with fatty and protein foods - keto dieters eat a lot of them. And you do the same. Eat kale, spinach, bok choy, arugula, and other types of salads without restrictions.

What happened to my bacon patient? Their experimentation with nutrition continues right up until the moment their child is born. Of course, they soon forgot about the diet (there was no time to think about it, as the young mother explained). So remember: sooner or later you will get tired of regularly stuffing yourself with bacon and you will return to the usual and familiar food.

recipe

Salmon and asparagus salad

Ingredients:

• 150 g of salmon fillet;
• 80 g green asparagus;
• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce;
• 2 eggs;
• 4 anchovy fillets;
• 5 cherry tomatoes;
• 5 large capers (or 6-8 small) - take capers in salt, not brine, they must be washed before use;
• 1/2 medium red onion;
• 6-8 Art. l. olive oil;
• 1 teaspoondijon mustard;
• juice of half a lemon.

How to cook:

1. If you've ever cooked nicoise, you can make this salad too. This is practically repeating the Nice main course, only fatty salmon is taken instead of tuna, and asparagus is used instead of green beans (however, you can use beans too).
2. Salmon is best cooked not in a hot skillet or in a hot oven, but steamed or in a slow cooker: 20-30 minutes at 80-85 degrees, not higher (otherwise the protein will curl and the fish will turn out tough). But you can also fry in a pan (don't overdo it! ) - the fish should be tender and retain transparency inside.
3. Cook asparagus. It should be crunchy, so don't overcook! Cooking time depends on the size, so we don't recommend leaving the stove - asparagus cooks quickly.
4. Put the disassembled iceberg on a plate (the salad needs to be washed, drained and torn into medium-sized pieces), asparagus, salmon disassembled into large pieces, halves of cherry tomatoes, anchovies, capers, onions chopped into rings and boiled eggs(ideally, the yolk should not remain runny but soft). Top of the field with olive oil sauce with Dijon mustard and lemon juice. You don't need to salt the dish - anchovies and capers are already salty enough.

The ketogenic diet is used by athletes involved in sports that require endurance, such as ultramarathons, triathlons, cycling, etc. The bodies of athletes following this diet use fat more efficiently as an energy source and thus help conserve glycogen stores during prolonged exertion.

Bacon and lettuce salad

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of lettuce the size of a palm
• 100 grams of smoked meat;
• 8 sprigs of mint;
• 1 egg yolk;
• 6 tbsp. l. olive oil and a little more for frying;
• 1 teaspoon mustard granules;
• 1 teaspoon. l. Alcoholic vinegar.

How to cook:

1. For this salad, you'll need to make a slightly more complicated dressing: put mint and mustard in a tall glass, add egg yolks, pour sherry vinegar. Beat in a blender while adding the olive oil in a thin stream.
2. Cut the lettuce in half lengthwise and fry quickly over high heat. It should be slightly caramelized, that is, acquire a golden brown color, remain fresh and crispy on the inside. Fry the bacon over high heat without oil or in the oven until it is crispy. Place lettuce, bacon, and sauce on a plate. Garnish with mint leaves.