The term ketogenic diet corresponds to a diet that induces ketosis, a state in which your body uses different metabolic pathways to burn fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary source of fuel. The process of burning fat results in the production of ketones, which can be used by various organs, including your muscles, brain and heart. A ketogenic diet is therefore characterized by a very low carbohydrate intake. Ketosis is not harmful and should not be confused with ketoacidosis, a serious medical condition mostly seen in Type 1 diabetics. However, it is possible to keep your carbohydrate intake low while staying out of ketosis.
Ketogenic Diets
A ketogenic is a very low-carb diet, providing less than 50 g of carbohydrates a day. To follow a ketogenic diet, you eliminate most carb-containing foods, with the exception of nonstarchy vegetables, including all grains, sugars and starchy vegetables. You also need to eat few fruits, milk, yogurt and nuts to stay below the threshold of 50 g of carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet include nonstarchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli and bell peppers, as the primary source of carbohydrates, along with protein from meat, poultry and fish and fat from olive oil, coconut oil, butter, avocados and nuts.
Non-Ketogenic Low-Carb Diet
A low-carb diet usually corresponds to a diet that provides less than 20 percent of its calories from carbohydrates, or less than 150 g of carbohydrates a day for most people. To stay out of ketosis, your low-carb diet should include a minimum of 50 g of carbohydrates a day, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Tracking Carbs
The best way to make sure your carbs stay low, while staying out of the ketogenic range, track your daily carbohydrate intake. Look at food labels or look up the information in an online food composition database to determine the amount of carbohydrates in each food. For example, a small serving of fruit, 2/3 cup of plain yogurt, a slice of bread, 1/3 cup of cooked rice or pasta and 1/2 cup of oatmeal each provides 15 g of carbohydrates. Mix and match carbohydrate-containing foods to get between 50 and 150 g of carbohydrates a day on your low-carb diet.
What to Eat
By keeping your carb intake between 50 and 150 g a day, which corresponds to about 18 to 50 g of carbs per meal, you diet will be non-ketogenic. In addition to these small amounts of carbohydrates, each meal should contain plenty of nonstarchy vegetables, protein and fat. For example, your breakfast could be cottage cheese mixed with fresh fruits and peanut butter or a broccoli and cheese omelet with a piece of toast with butter. For lunch, you could have a chicken salad with avocado and almonds and an olive-oil based vinaigrette and a serving of plain yogurt mixed with fresh fruits for dessert. For dinner, you could have a medium sweet potato along with a serving of fish or meat and asparagus cooked in olive oil.
Special Considerations
Going on a low-carb diet may induce some side effects as your body transitions from using carbohydrates as its main source of energy and adapt to using fat more efficiently. Some low-carb dieters may experience fatigue, headaches or dizziness in the first two weeks, but these side effects usually resolve by themselves. Always consult your doctor before starting a new diet to ensure it is safe for you.
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