A typical keto or ketogenic diet consists of: 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrate (carb). This high-fat and low-carb diet creates remarkable, beneficial changes in the human body that dramatically improve wellbeing.
Keto diet enhances body’s ketosis activities. Ketosis is a normal biochemical process that burns fat and makes ketones as fuel for energy.
The body enters a state of ketosis where it begins to use fat for energy. Once you begin eating a low-carb and high-fat diet, the liver begins using the body’s fatty acids to make molecules called ketones which the body uses for fuel.
The keto lifestyle assists with weight loss. It can also provide increased energy, performance and help our body overcome certain health conditions.
Here are 10 Healthy Benefits of A Keto Diet:
1. Reduce Seizures
Since the 1920s, the keto diet has been used for the treatment of epilepsy. The diet was shown to have beneficial results for those suffering from seizures, and still does today. It has been reported that more than 50% of people see a reduction in seizures and around 15% become seizure free.
Keto diet seems to be most effective on children who have focal seizures.
For more info on Keto diet for epilepsy treatment, please refer to the book: “The Ketogenic and Modified Atkins Diets, 6th Edition: Treatments for Epilepsy and Other Disorders”
2. Lasting Energy
Extensive research indicate that keto diet provides unique energy sources fighting against brain diseases like epilepsy.
Most of us have been using sugar for energy our entire lives, this is what our mitochondria are comfortable with. During the ketosis, old and weak mitochondria die off to stimulate the growth of new and stronger mitochondria for more and effective energy production.
Increased energy from a keto lifestyle is due to upregulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and more ATP per molecule of ketone.
These benefits drastically increase energy output in the body. More efficient energy production and more energy production factories result in an overall increase in energetic potential of our body.
3. Anti-inflammatory Effects
Inflammation is a vital part of the immune system’s response to injury and infection. However, if the inflammatory process goes on for too long or if the inflammatory response occurs in places where it is not needed, it can become problematic. Chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of diseases.
Keto diet drastically lowers inflammation due to the reduced amount of free radical production that occurs when burning ketones for energy instead of glucose. This allows for more energy production and a more efficiently functioning body, as well as a heightened ability for the body to heal.
Another reason that a ketogenic diet is so anti-inflammatory is that it allows blood sugar and insulin to stabilize. Blood sugar imbalance is one of the most pervasive inflammatory activities that goes on in the bodies of people who are heavily relying on sugar for energy.
Inflammation can come in many different forms such a pain, arthritis, eczema, acne, and more. Carbohydrates are directly linked to inflammation in the body, as after you eat an excess of carbs, the body breaks them down into sugar and blood glucose levels can remain higher than normal. When there’s a buildup of glucose in the blood, the body reacts with inflammation. Therefore, less carbs equals less inflammation.
The keto diet also naturally combats inflammation with the foods you’re likely to enjoy. Healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, as well as fatty fish and non-starching vegetables are all anti-inflammatory foods. So since the diet is composed of low amounts of carbohydrates, and high amounts of anti-inflammatory foods.
Because of the anti-inflammatory benefit, a ketogenic diet may be well suited for improving a number of illness described below.
For more information on Keto Diet and Inflammation, please refer to this book: “Ketogenic Diet: The Anti Inflammatory Paleo Keto ZONE Diet: Your Essential Paleo Keto Guide. Quick and Easy Anti Inflammatory Recipes, Get Lean, Reduce Inflammation, Lose weight Fast”
4. Weight Loss
Getting into a state of ketosis balances blood sugar, provides the brain with stable energy and completely eliminates cravings.
When eating high amounts of good fats, you should begin to feel less hungry and fuller for longer periods of time. Overtime with the proper intake guided by the keto diet, your body will become more efficient in fat-burning which results in more long-term weight loss.
Keto diets reduce your appetite and calorie intake. It also gets rid of excess water from your body.
There are two types of fat, subcutaneous and visceral, belly, or abdominal fat. The keto diets are very effective at reducing the harmful belly fat.
For more information on Keto Diet and Weight Loss, please refer to this book: “Keto Meal Prep: Lose Weight, Save Time, and Feel Your Best on the Ketogenic Diet”
5. Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Keto diets eliminate blood sugar and insulin spikes and maintain glucose levels at a low but healthy level.
Some people with diabetes who begin a low-carb diet may need to reduce their insulin dosage. If you take blood sugar medication, talk to your doctor before making changes to your carb intake, as your dosage may need to be adjusted to prevent hypoglycemia.
For more information on Keto Diets and Type 2 Diabetes, please refer to this book: “Conquer Type 2 Diabetes with a Ketogenic Diet: A Practical Guide for Reducing Your HBA1c and Avoiding Diabetic Complications”
6. Reduce Risk of Heart Diseases
Keto diets are very effective at lowering blood triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, which are fat molecules that increase risk of heart disease. They increase high-density lipoprotein, a good cholesterol.
Cutting carbs leads to a significant reduction in blood pressure, which reduce your risk of heart diseases.
7. Reduce Risk of Cancer
Cancer cells prefer to use glucose, keto diets limit glucose and thus limit the ability of cancer to grow.
Insulin is a cancer growth factor and stimulates cancer cell growth. Keto diets lower insulin and inhibit cancer cell growth.
Visceral fat is associated with elevated risk for cancer. Keto diet results in selected loss of visceral fat and reduce risk of cancer.
The diet is especially beneficial to those on chemotherapy. When the body is in a state of ketosis, the study showed that it enhanced the body’s response to chemotherapy. This not only makes the chemotherapy more effective, but also improves the quality of life.
For more information on Keto Diet and Cancer, please refer to this book: “Fight Cancer with a Ketogenic Diet, Third Edition: Using a Low-Carb, Fat-Burning Diet as Metabolic Therapy”
8. Protect Brain Function
Keto diet provides your brain with energy using glucose and ketones. Keto diet offers neuroprotective benefits.
Keto diet improves memory and help treat or prevent conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even some sleep disorders.
9. Anti-Aging
Because mitochondria have such a profound impact on energy production, inflammation levels, gene expression, and overall function of the body, mitochondrial health can be of great benefit when it comes to anti-aging.
A ketogenic diet can improve mitochondrial energy output and can drastically improve your life and lower your risk of acquiring many chronic diseases, resulting in not only life longevity, but also life quality.
For more information on Keto Diet and Anti-Aging, please refer to this book: “Ketone Therapy: The Ketogenic Cleanse and Anti-Aging Diet”
10. Reduce Risk of Other Chronic Diseases
Besides the conditions described above, keto diets have also the potentials to mitigate a number of modern chronic diseases rooted in chronic inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, such as:
- Acne
- Alzheimer’s
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Auto-Immune Conditions
- Chronic Fatigue
- Depression
- Eczema
- Fibromyalgia
- Parkinsons Disease
- Psoriasis
This list could go on, but you probably are beginning to understand the implications of having healthy mitochondria. A ketogenic diet is a foundational strategy for mitigating your risk of many of the chronic diseases we are facing today.
For a comprehensive review on Keto Diet and Ketosis, please refer to this book: “The Ketogenic Bible: The Authoritative Guide to Ketosis”
Thank You very much for reading the entire article and your support. It is likely that you are truly looking for keto diet information and planning your keto diet journey. You may also interest in the following keto diet topics:
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Hello and thank you for describing the benefits of the keto diet.
You make it sound as if we will be a lot healthier and in a lot less pain if we follow this type of diet.
Is the weight loss just a secondary thought or are people using Keto for weight loss.
Derek
We are in epidemic of a number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s . These illness are closely associated with the food we take. Keto diets burn fat for energy and and are scientifically approved for weight loss.
Wow! This is such a great diet plan to follow considering all these benefits. OMG! Its a 10/10 rating from me. Though I don’t follow any diet plan for the moment but then, I have a belly fat I really wish I can burn but due to indiscipline on my side, I couldn’t follow any reasonable plan yet but this keto diet seems to be a very great diet plan. Thanks for writing this piece, thanks
I have been using keto diets for about one year now. My belly fat is completely gone. I also feel less hungry and am always full of energy. It is tough in the beginning, since I love rice and used it daily. Rice is the avoided food in keto diets. I get used to keto diets and love it now!
What an informational and interesting post! I have never had an idea why Keto diet becomes so extended, now I know finally. Last decades become the illness from a lot of sugar usage quite critical so it is fantastic there is something like Keto diet.
What comes to my mind during reading of this post is what happens when someone stops with Keto diet after some time of using it – could it also bring yo-yo effect as in case of other diets? I assume not, but I am curious about this.
I find your post very useful and I am looking forward to another one of yours!
All the best
Renata
Thanks for stopping by. It is true that the Keto diets make huge differences in my life. My belly fat is almost gone.
You raised a very good question: how to come off the Keto diet. If you use keto diets for a while, your body adapts to ketosis, using fat for energy. In most cases, you will come back to high-carb food. Take it slow with carbs and let your body get used to carbs. Do some exercise to help your body consuming the intake carbs. Practice self-care since stopping any diet can feel emotionally exhausting.
A general rule, for any diet, the key is to focus on long-term lifestyle changes. Determine your diet and keep it.
Please come back regularly and I will post keto diets topics frequently.