Craig Clarke - Cooking by the RULED Book: Step-by-Step Low Carb Recipes

A keto diet is well known for being a low carb diet, where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy. Its referred to as many different names ketogenic diet, low carb diet, low carb high fat (LCHF), etc. When you eat something high in carbs, your body will produce glucose and insulin. Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and use as energy, so it will be chosen over any other energy source. Insulin is produced to process the glucose in your bloodsteam, by taking it around the body. Since the glucose is being used as a primary energy, your fats are not needed, and are therefore stored.

Typically on a normal, higher carbohydrate diet, the body will use glucose as the main form of energy. By lowering the intake of carbs, the body is induced into a state known as ketosis. Ketosis is a natural process the body initiates to help us survive when food intake is low. During this state, we produce ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. The end goal of a properly maintained keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state. We dont do this through starvation of calories, but through starvation of carbohydrates.

Our bodies are extremely adaptive to what you put into it when you overload it with fats and take away carbohydrates, it will begin to burn ketones as the main energy source.

To start a keto diet, you will want to plan ahead. That definitely means having a viable diet plan ready and waiting. What you eat really depends how fast you want to get into a ketogenic state. The more restrictive you are on your carbohydrates (less than 15g per day), the faster you will enter ketosis. Normally, anywhere between 20-30g of net carbs is recommended for every day dieting but the lower you keep your glucose levels, the better the overall results will be.

If you need ideas for food, there are plenty of keto recipes for you to choose from. You might be asking, Whats a net carb? Its simple really! The net carbs are your total dietary carbohydrates, minus the total fiber. Lets say for example you want to eat some broccoli (1 cup) seriously my favorite and most delicious vegetable out there.

• There are a total of 6g carbohydrates in 1 cup.
  
• Theres also 2g of fiber in 1 cup.
  
• So, we take the 6g (total carbs) and subtract the 2g (dietary fiber).
  
• This will give us our net carbs of 4g.