Westmoreland - Good housekeeping keto diet: 100+ Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes

The keto or ketogenic diet has set the health and dieting world ablaze. If youve picked up this book you probably know a bit about the diet. Lets clear up a few basic questions.

It is a very high-fat, very low-carb, and moderate protein diet that will put your body in a state of ketosis. Some say that it has been in place for millenniaearliest man ate mostly fats and proteins. When comparing it to other plans, many keto dieters say they have achieved greater weight loss, feel full longer, have improved energy, and have fewer cravings. Keto diets vary in specific nutrient breakdown, but most of the calories youll eat per day will come from dietary fat sourcesabout 70 percent of your total daily intake. Theres a fair amount of data to support the use of the keto diet to aid in the management of pediatric seizure disorders, and some early research that suggests there may be a benefit to some at risk for type 2 diabetes.

When your body is using fat as its main source of energy, your body enters a state called ketosis. When you are limiting your carbohydrate intake to around 10 percent, this metabolic state is initiated.

When fat is digested and broken down in the body it produces useable energy called ketone bodies, or ketones. This fat can come directly from the food you eat, or from the breakdown of your fat stores.

Typically carbohydrates are converted to glucose and are used as fuel to run the body. Once glucose supplies are depletedabout two to three days into the keto dietyour body will begin using ketones for fuel instead.

The breakdown of fat into energy is similar to the process that dietary carbohydrates undergo when producing glucose to keep your vital organs up and running. So if were doing a math equation: ketones are to fat what glucose is to carbohydrates. Clinically ketosis is defined as having blood ketone levels above 0.5 mmol/L.

When youre on a ketogenic diet, your body becomes efficient at burning fat for energy. Since fat contains more than double the calories per gram of carbs or protein (9 calories/1 gram of fat compared to 4 calories/1 gram of carb or protein), you will need to eat far less to feel full. Keto diets may also impact your bodys hunger hormones, which can make you feel less inclined to graze while youre on the plan. Additionally, since your body readily burns the fat it has stored (the fat you might be trying to shed), it may help with weight-loss efforts. Prioritizing fat for energy may help you maintain stable blood sugar levels, avoiding the energy highs and lows that can occur when eating refined carbs.