How to take a ketogenic diet? + Benefits and weekly meal plan
You’ve probably heard about the ketogenic or ketogenic diet in discussions related to slimming and weight loss. Currently, the ketogenic diet is one of the most popular diets in the world. With the help of this diet, you can reduce your extra weight and improve your health. In this article from the section Nutrition Hello doctor, we will tell you which ingredients to use in this diet and which foods to avoid. In addition, a weekly plan is given at the end of this article to learn more about the ketogenic diet.
Basics of the ketogenic diet
Research has shown that the consumption of these substances, which are low in carbohydrates but high in fat, can stimulate fat burning and in some cases improve type 2 diabetes and dementia. In the ketogenic diet, the intake of carbohydrates should be very low, instead, a high amount of fat should be consumed. The amount of protein in this diet should be balanced and not exceeded.
In a ketogenic diet, daily carbohydrate intake should not exceed 50 grams. In this diet, fats replace carbohydrates and provide approximately 75% of daily calories. Proteins are also responsible for providing 20% of calories. As a result, carbohydrates provide only 5% of daily calories in this diet.
This low amount of carbohydrates forces the body to use alternative fuels, i.e. fats. These events eventually lead to ketosis. During ketosis, the body uses ketones (molecules produced by the liver and derived from fats) as an alternative source of energy.
Research shows that ketogenic diets are much more effective in weight loss than low-fat diets, although many diets avoid fats because of their high calorie content. In addition to all this, in this diet, a person feels less hungry and is full most of the time, so there is not much pressure on a person when losing weight.
Ketogenic diet plan
Changing habits is always difficult, and changing the daily diet to a ketogenic diet is no exception. Your focus should be on reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume and increasing the amount of fat and protein you consume. If you want to stay in ketosis, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake.
Some people get into ketosis on just 20 grams of carbs per day, while others enter ketosis on more than 20 grams per day. In general, the lower your carbohydrate intake, the easier it is to enter ketosis. Therefore, consuming ketogenic foods and avoiding carbohydrate-rich foods is the best way to lose weight in a ketogenic diet.
Allowed foods in this diet
If you want to start a ketogenic diet, it is better to use the following foods:
- Eggs: organic or whole farmed eggs
- Poultry: chicken and turkey
- Fish: fresh salmon and herring
- Meat: beef, venison
- Full-fat dairy products: yogurt, butter and cream
- High-fat cheeses: cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese and cream cheese
- Nuts and dried fruits: almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and flax seeds
- Almond and peanut butter
- Healthy fats: coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut butter and sesame oil
- Avocado: A whole avocado can be added to any food
- Non-starchy vegetables: broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, vegetables and fresh spices
Foods that should not be consumed on a ketogenic diet
Try to avoid carbohydrates as much as possible. Avoid the foods listed below as much as possible:
- Types of oven bread and cereals: white bread, whole wheat bread, crackers, cookies and donuts
- Sugary and sweet foods: sugar, ice cream, sweet tea and sports drinks
- Pasta: spaghetti, macaroni and noodles
- Grains: wheat, rice, barley and processed grains
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, peas and squash
- Legumes: pinto beans, lentils and black beans
- Fruits: citrus fruits, grapes, bananas and pineapples
- Carbohydrate sauces: barbecue sauce and sugary salad dressings
Although the consumption of carbohydrates is limited in the ketogenic diet, one should not forget to consume low-sugar fruits such as berries.
Make sure that you use healthy food in your diet. It is better to avoid consuming the following:
- Unhealthy fats: margarine, some vegetable oils such as canola or corn oil
- Processed foods: fast foods, sausages, sausages, and packaged foods
Ketogenic drinks
Today, sugar can be found in many daily drinks such as juices, soft drinks and coffee. In a ketogenic diet, you should avoid these types of drinks as much as possible. These drinks are directly related to many health problems such as obesity and diabetes have. Fortunately, there are many sugar-free drinks that you can use. Some of these drinks include the following:
- Water: Water is the best drink possible and should be consumed throughout the day.
- Carbonated water: this drink can be a good alternative to soda.
- Bitter coffee: If you want, you can flavor your coffee with cream.
- Green tea: This tea is very tasty and has many health benefits.
If you want to add some flavor to the water, you can use ketogenic ingredients such as mint or lemon and add them to your water.
An example of a ketogenic diet recipe for a week
In this section, you will see a sample ketogenic diet for a week. In the following program, the intake of carbohydrates is limited to 50 grams per day. This program is general and can be changed based on the needs and wishes of each person.
Saturday
- Breakfast: Cauliflower with cheese and avocado
- Lunch: Salmon burger with pesto sauce
- Dinner: Noodles with meatballs and parmesan cheese
a saturday
- Breakfast: coconut milk pudding decorated with coconut and walnuts
- Lunch: mixed salad with vegetables, hard boiled egg, avocado, cheese and turkey
- Dinner: chicken curry
Monday
- Breakfast: 2 poached eggs in butter with fried vegetables
- Lunch: Breadless cheeseburger with mushrooms, avocado and vegetables
- Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables fried in coconut oil
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Pepper dumplings with cheese and eggs
- Lunch: Arugula salad with hard boiled eggs, turkey, avocado and blue cheese
- Dinner: Grilled salmon with grilled spinach in coconut oil
Wednesday
- Breakfast: mushroom omelette
- Lunch: Tuna salad with celery, tomatoes and vegetables
- Dinner: grilled chicken with cream sauce and fried broccoli
Thursday
- Breakfast: high-fat yogurt with ketone granules
- Lunch: Steak with rice, cauliflower, cheese, avocado and salsa
- Dinner: Steak with broccoli and cheese
Friday
- Breakfast: Grilled avocado with eggs
- Lunch: Caesar salad with grilled chicken
- Dinner: pork chops with vegetables
As you can see, ketogenic foods are very diverse. Although most of these foods are prepared with animal products, they are also good and varied foods for vegetarians.
Healthy Ketogenic Snacks
Snacking can help you a lot and keep you full throughout the day. Since the ketogenic diet is so filling, you may only need one or two snacks per day. Here is a list of some ketogenic snacks:
- Almonds and cheddar cheese
- Half avocado stuffed with chicken salad
- Guacamole
- A combination of coconut and dried fruits without sugar
- Boiled egg
- Cabbage chips
- Olives and salami slices
- Cocoa and avocado mousse
- Berries with cream
It should be noted that consuming too much of these snacks can lead to weight gain and have the opposite effect.