Whether you’re a serial dieter or just someone who’s remotely interested in nutrition, we’re sure you’ve heard of Keto. It’s a buzzword among health buffs, and Hollywood stars like Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian and local celebrities Kelly Misa and Billy Crawford swear by it.
If you’re seriously considering keto, please read the fast facts below before you start.
- Keto works when ketones enter the brain and provide the muscles with fuel.
Keto is short for ketosis, a metabolic state wherein the body uses the fat molecules upon the absence of carbohydrates. This is why the diet’s premise lies mainly on low carbs plus increase in right fats. This is primary goal of the ketogenic diet—to get your body into ketosis so that it can efficiently burn fats and turn it into energy. - Keto is not for everyone.
Each person has a unique genetic makeup and a different set of nutritional needs. Nutrition is not generic. It needs to be personalized down to the very ingredients that comprise your meals.
Before you decide if this is for you, we recommend you consult with your doctor and your nutritionist to see if you have pre-existing conditions that may be affected by this new diet. Again, the underlying reason here is your individual nutritional needs. You might be depriving your body of nutrients and minerals that you need and loading it with food that your gut cannot process. LifeScience has a team of nutritionist-dietitians to guide you on this. - Going on keto is not an excuse to binge on fatty food…
…so lay off on the bacon and the crispy pata. When keto first came out, there were people posting how their diet allows them to have copious amounts of lechon, bacon and chicharon, which is probably the reason why it got so popular. Well, we’re sorry to burst your bubble, but the fats that you need when you’re doing the ketogenic diet are healthy fats. Some examples are: dark chocolate, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut milk. You’ll find more examples here. - When you’re on keto, you need adequate amounts of vegetables, fibers, and antioxidants.
In the past LifeScience Conversations on the aforementioned topic, Dr. Escalona urged the attendees to take a look at their diets. Do they have enough variety of leafy greens and fiber- and nutrient-rich food? While this is good practice for anyone, not just those who intend to get into the keto diet, doing so will ensure that you have the right components for your body to produce energy and keep your gut microbiome in check.
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References:
Is Ketosis for you? Understading the Ketogenic Diet
15 Things You Need to Know Before Starting the Keto Diet
4 Things You Need to Know Before Trying the Keto Diet
The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto
