Dieta Keto is Spanish for the Keto diet or more formally known as the Ketogenic diet. The keto diet cuts down the consumption of carbohydrates and instead emphasizes consuming healthy fats and protein.
This article will thoroughly explain the Ketogenic diet, how effective it is, and it is right for you? We will start by explaining what happens when you’re on a Keto diet.
Dieta Keto
The Ketogenic diet involves little to no carbohydrates as it is a high-fat diet. Therefore, the Keto diet drastically reduces the intake of carbs and increases the consumption of healthy fat. The drastic reduction in the intake of carbohydrates puts your body in a ‘Metabolic State’ that is known as the process of Ketosis.
Once the body enters Ketosis, it starts burning fat and uses it as a source of energy. There are also changes in the liver, as the fat within the organ is converted into Ketones, which supply energy to the brain.
A ketogenic diet comes with several benefits such as:
- Reduction in blood levels
- Reduction in insulin levels
And the increase in the ketones in the body also has several health benefits.
Variations Of Dieta Keto
There are types of dieta keto, and below we have discussed their variations:
- Standard Keto Diet (SKD): This diet is low in carbohydrates, contains moderate protein content and is high in fat. (Fat: 70 %, Protein: 20 % and Carbs: 10 %)
- Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD): This diet involved a periodic intake of carbohydrates (5 days ketogenic diet, 2 days carb diet).
- Targeted Keto Diet (TKD): This allows the intake of carbohydrates around workouts.
- High Protein Keto Diet: This is similar to SKD but contains more protein (Fat: 60 %, Protein: 35 %, and Carbs: 5 %)
However, data is only available on two variations of the keto diet:
- Standard Keto diet
- High Protein Keto diet
These two variations of the diet have been studied extensively. Bodybuilders and athletes usually follow the Cyclical keto diet and the Targeted Keto diet.
What Is The Process Of Ketosis?
When you are following the Ketogenic, it is extremely important to maintain Ketosis. Ketosis is a state in which your body uses fat instead of carbs as an energy source. Therefore, Ketosis will only occur once the consumption of carbohydrates decreases, limiting the supply of glucose in the body, which is the main energy source for the cells.
Once the glucose levels in the body drop, it has no choice but to search for a different energy source. The ketogenic diet is the most effective way of entering Ketosis, and you will need to limit your daily carb intake to twenty to fifty grams and will need to take in fats from healthy sources such as :
- Nuts
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Healthy oils (Olive oil, Coconut oil)
It is also important for the user to moderate the consumption of proteins, as protein can be converted into glucose if consumed in high quantities, hindering your transition to Ketosis.
Another way of entering Ketosis faster is through intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves limiting the intake of food for eight hours per day and fasting for sixteen hours. The urine, blood, and breath tests will show whether you’ve entered Ketosis through intermittent fasting or not by showing the number of ketones produced by the body.
Some symptoms will indicate that your body has entered the state of dieta keto:
- Frequent Urination
- Thirst
- Decrease in appetite and hunger
- Dry Mouth
Dieta Keto Helps Lose Weight?
A Keto diet effectively cuts down the excess weight of your body and lowers the risk of harmful diseases. Research shows that the Keto diet is as effective as low-fat diets in cutting down weight. And since the diet contains healthy fats, it is extremely filling, so you can lose weight without tracking your food intake.
A review of thirteen studies found that a keto diet containing a low content of carbs was more effective in cutting down weight than a diet low on fat. On average, people who followed the keto diet lost two pounds (0.9 Kg) more than the people who followed a low-fat diet.
The dieta keto also has other benefits; it leads to a reduction in:
- Blood pressure
- Triglyceride Levels
A different study involving 34 adults who were following the Keto diet for eight weeks lost five times as much bodyweight as those following a low-fat diet.
Other Health Benefits Of Dieta Keto
Studies show that the ketogenic diet has several health benefits for various health conditions such as:
- Heart conditions: The Keto diet improves body fat, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
- Cancer: The diet is being studied right now as a potential treatment for cancer, as it may slow the growth of tumors.
- Alzheimer’s disease: The Keto diet may help reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s and slow down its progression.
- Epilepsy: Studies indicate that the keto diet can significantly decrease seizures in children that have epilepsy.
- Parkinson’s disease: A study found out that the Keto diet can help improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease; however, more research is needed.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: The Keto diet helps decrease the insulin levels in the body, which may also play a role in curing polycystic ovary syndrome; however, more research needs to be conducted.
- Brain Injuries: Some studies on the Keto diet have shown that the diet can improve outcomes of trauma suffered due to injuries to the brain.
Foods To Avoid When Following Dieta Keto
When you are following a Keto diet, there are some foods that you need to avoid, as they can end the Ketosis.
- Sugary foods
- Starches and Grains
- Fruit
- Legumes and Beans
- Tubers and Root Vegetables
- Diet Products
- Low-fat Products
- Sauces and Condiments (some condiments are allowed, they are listed below)
- Unhealthy sources of fat
- Alcohol
- Sugar-free Products
- Diet Food
Food To Eat When Following Dieta Keto
Following is a list of foods that need to be consumed when you are following a Ketogenic diet:
- Meat (Red, fist, bacon, ham, chicken, sausages)
- Fatty Fish (Mackerel, tuna, trout, and salmon)
- Eggs (Omega- 3 whole eggs or pastured)
- Cream and butter (heavy cream and grass-fed butter)
- Cheese (Unprocessed cheese: Goat, Cheddar, Mozzarella and Blue)
- Seeds and Nuts (Walnuts, flaxseeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds)
- Healthy Oil (Olive oil, virgin oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil)
- Avocados (Freshly made guacamole or whole avocados)
- Low-Carb Vegetables (Tomatoes, green vegetables, Pepper, and onions)
- Condiments (Pepper, herbs, spices, and salt)
Sample Meal Of Dieta Keto
Monday
- Breakfast (Egg muffins with veggies and tomatoes)
- Lunch (Chicken salad, feta cheese, olives, a side salad, and olive oil)
- Dinner (Salmon along with asparagus cooked in butter)
Tuesday
- Breakfast (Basil, egg, tomatoes, and spinach omelet)
- Lunch (Peanut butter, almond milk, spinach, stevia milkshake, sliced strawberries, and cocoa powder)
- Dinner (Salsa and cheese-shell tacos)
Wednesday
- Breakfast (Coconut, blackberries, and nut milk chia pudding)
- Lunch (Avocado shrimp salad)
- Dinner (Salad, broccoli, parmesan cheese, and pork chops)
Thursday
- Breakfast (Omelet along with salsa, avocados, spices, and onions)
- Lunch (Celery sticks with salsa and guacamole and a handful of nuts)
- Dinner (Pesto stuffed with chicken and cream cheese and grilled zucchini)
Friday
- Breakfast (Whole milk sugar-free Greek yogurt, peanut butter, berries, and cocoa powder)
- Lunch (Sliced bell peppers and ground beef lettuce wrap tacos)
- Dinner (Mixed vegetable and loaded cauliflower)
Saturday
- Breakfast (Blueberries, mushrooms, and cream cheese pancakes)
- Lunch (Beet noodle salad and zucchini)
- Dinner (White fish cooked in coconut oil, toasted pine nuts, and kale)
Sunday
- Breakfast (Mushrooms and fried eggs)
- Lunch (broccoli and low-carb sesame chicken)
- Dinner (Spaghetti squash Bolognese)
In the long run, try to rotate the meat and the vegetables, as each contains different health benefits and nutrients.
Healthy Snacks That Are Allowed On Dieta Keto
Below are some keto-approved snacks:
- Fish or fatty meat
- Cheese
- Seeds and nuts
- Keto sushi bites
- Olives
- Deviled or hard-boiled eggs
- Snack bars (keto-friendly)
- Greek yogurt (full-fat) with cocoa powder and nut butter
- Guacamole and bell peppers
- Plain cottage cheese and strawberries
- Guacamole and celery (with salsa)
- Small quantities of other meals
- Fat bombs
- Beef jerky
Is Dieta Keta Good For You?
The most important question then needs to be answered, is Dieta Keto beneficial for you? We can go through all the studies and evidence, but we will still be unable to provide a proper answer. However, the evidence that we have analyzed proves that when followed properly, the ketogenic diet can do wonders for the human body.
The real question is, can people maintain the process of Ketosis? Staying on Ketosis is tough, which is why most people get bored and leave the Keto diet. However, if you can maintain the process of Ketosis long enough, then the Ketogenic diet is good for you.
Conclusion
As we have already discussed, the ketogenic diet has different names, such as ‘Dieta Keto’ or ‘Keta Gratis,’ but the purpose of the diet is the same. In this article, we have provided all the benefits that the keto diet has to offer. So study all the information properly, weigh the pros and cons, and then make your decision.