The ketogenic diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. This strict diet forces the body to burn fat for energy instead of glucose, providing benefits for people looking to lose weight. The ketogenic diet is typically used as a form of treatment for certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy, and may cause some side effects. Research is continually being done to discover the positive and negative effects of this diet. Be sure to consult your physician before starting, as there are certain types of foods that must be consumed during the diet.
Trace Carbohydrates
The ketogenic diet requires virtually zero intake of carbohydrates, and there are a number of foods that have little to no carbohydrate content. These types of foods are considered "safe" foods for a ketogenic diet, as described on keto.org, as they will not disrupt your diet. Meats such as beef, steak, chicken, pork, bacon, and ham are all acceptable, as well as any type of fish, including tuna, salmon and halibut. Additionally, dairy products such as eggs are safe to eat. Oils including olive oil and flaxseed oil are also okay to eat on the diet. Condiments and seasonings such as mustard, salt, pepper, and soy sauce can be used on foods consumed throughout the diet period.
Minimal Carbohydrates
There are a number of foods that have minimal carbohydrate content, which are safe to eat on a ketogenic diet, according to keto.org. These types of foods should only be consumed in limited quantities and primarily consist of vegetables. Foods such as broccoli, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, mushrooms, olives, and green beans are safe to eat during the diet. Additional foods with low levels of carbohydrates include peppers, cauliflower, onions, nuts and flaxseeds.
Fats
In addition to removing carbohydrates from the diet, the ketogenic diet food plan is also characterized by large quantities of high-fat foods, according to The University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. On this eating plan, the body goes into "survival mode" and uses fat as its major energy source. The rule of thumb for the ketogenic diet is for every six calories consumed, four should come from fats, while the other two should come from protein and carbohydrates. Fatty foods that may be eaten during the diet include bacon, hot dogs, nuts, cream, eggs, mayonnaise and butter.
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