Ketogenic diet: Keto

The ketogenic diet (or keto for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has become very popular in recent years. Well researched, the ketogenic diet requires you to reduce your carbohydrate intake and replace it with fat. By doing so, your body begins to use fat as a fuel source, as opposed to carbohydrates, a metabolic state called ketosis.

In ketosis, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy, as well as converting fat into ketones in the liver, which help supply energy to the brain. Increasing ketones also helps reduce insulin and blood sugar levels.

Most of us are used to eating a diet rich in carbohydrates. Glucose is your body's preferred source of energy and carbohydrates are the perfect source of these, so your body converts them into blood glucose, or should we say blood sugar. Rising blood sugar levels in turn increase insulin, making the body dependent on this cycle for energy.

Meanwhile, the body refuses to burn its fat stores when glucose is the main fuel source. When we adopt a ketogenic lifestyle, the body has no choice but to use fat as a fuel source. Your body begins to convert fatty acids into ketones, putting your body in a metabolic state known as ketosis.

So... what do I eat on a ketogenic diet?

Typically, the ketogenic diet uses the following macronutrient ratios:

- 20-30% calories from protein

- 70-80% of calories from healthy fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter)

- 5% or less of calories from carbohydrates (for most people, that's at most 30 to 50 grams of net carbs per day)

Some people confuse the Keto diet with a low-carb diet, although the two have similarities, the goal of the Keto diet is to replace protein and carbohydrates with fats. When we adopt ketogenic eating habits, ketones replace carbohydrates for many of the body's functions.

Our brains and other organs can use ketones for energy more easily than carbohydrates, providing mental clarity, improving mood, and reducing hunger when we're on keto. Not to mention the huge benefit and a big factor for many to adopt keto, is that your body goes into a fat burning state during ketosis.

Ideal foods to eat on the keto diet include meat, eggs, nuts and seeds, as well as low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus and celery. Low sugar fruits such as berries are recommended, however avocados can be enjoyed as much as you like. Healthy fats and oils include; grass-fed butter, coconut oil and butter, flaxseed oil, olive oil, MCT oil and MCT powder, avocado oil and olive oil.

Keto bars contain the best natural ingredients recommended for the Keto diet.