What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a structured eating plan that prioritizes healthy fats while significantly reducing carbohydrate intake. By doing so, the body shifts from using glucose as its primary energy source to producing ketone bodies, an alternative fuel derived from fats.
Ketones serve as an efficient energy source for the brain and body, especially in the absence of glucose. In an upcoming post, we’ll explore how this super fuel benefits cognitive function and overall well-being.
How to Follow a Ketogenic Diet Model?
Once you've decided to adopt a ketogenic diet, the first questions often are: How do I start? What should I eat?
While the concept is simple, achieving and maintaining ketosis requires commitment, planning, and an understanding of which foods to include and avoid.
Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet
To reach and sustain ketosis, you must eliminate or drastically reduce the following:
Grains & Starches: Bread, pasta, rice, cereals, and processed flour-based foods.
High-Starch Vegetables: Potatoes, corn, and most legumes.
Milk: Contains natural sugars that disrupt ketosis.
Fruits: While healthy in other diets, their high fructose content can interfere with ketosis.
Sugar: Includes table sugar, fructose, lactose, and artificial sweeteners with high glycemic impact.
Sauces & Condiments: Many store-bought dressings contain hidden sugars and unhealthy fats.
Alcohol: Metabolized similarly to sugar and promotes fat storage.
Unhealthy Fats: Refined vegetable oils, margarine, and hydrogenated fats should be eliminated.
“Diet” & Processed Foods: These often contain sugar alcohols and hidden carbs that may disrupt ketosis.
By cutting these foods out, your body will transition from using glucose to ketones for energy.
Ketones vs. Glucose: Understanding the Metabolic Shift
If your diet is high in carbohydrates, your body continuously produces glucose for energy. Excess glucose is stored as fat, leading to weight gain and metabolic imbalances.
But what happens when glucose is unavailable?
When carb intake is restricted, the body starts breaking down fat stores to produce ketones, a process known as ketogenesis. This metabolic shift leads to ketosis, where the body efficiently burns fat for energy.
Ketosis is a completely natural adaptive process that optimizes fat utilization, enhances mental clarity, and promotes weight loss.
What Can You Eat on a Ketogenic Diet?
The following foods are staples in a ketogenic diet:
Protein Sources:
Grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork
Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
Eggs (any style)
Unprocessed deli meats (ham, prosciutto, bacon)
Healthy Fats:
Avocado
Olives and olive oil
Coconut oil and MCT oil
Butter and ghee
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, chia, flaxseeds)
Low-Carb Vegetables:
Leafy greens (spinach, arugula, kale, Brussels sprouts)
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage)
Dairy & Condiments:
Full-fat cheese
Heavy cream
Mustard and homemade mayonnaise (made with olive or coconut oil)
Beverages:
Water (minimum of 1.5L daily)
Black coffee (without sugar or artificial sweeteners)
Herbal teas (green tea, yerba mate, black tea)
Lemon-infused water (use only a few drops, not the whole juice)
Sample Ketogenic Meal Plan
Here are some structured meal ideas to help you get started:
Option 1
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese, cashew nuts, and black coffee.
Lunch: Chicken thigh with avocado, walnuts, and chicory salad.
Snack: Ham and cheese rolls with olives and an herbal infusion.
Dinner: Grilled chicken with green salad, accompanied by warm green tea.
Want to combine keto with intermittent fasting? Click [here] to learn how!
Option 2
Breakfast: Hard-boiled eggs, ham, cheese cubes, walnuts, and coffee.
Lunch: Grass-fed beef steak with arugula salad and shredded cheese.
Snack: Brie cheese with olive oil drops and black olives.
Dinner: Repeat lunch (for convenience and cost-effectiveness).
Option 3
Breakfast: Pork cheese slices with cheese strips and an herbal tea.
Lunch: Baked mackerel or bonito with egg and Brussels sprouts salad.
Snack: Cured meat with hard-boiled eggs and a warm infusion.
Dinner: Repeat lunch, pairing with green tea.
Variations of the Ketogenic Diet
While the Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) focuses on maintaining low-carb intake consistently, there are other variations:
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): Includes higher carb intake days (e.g., 5 days keto, 2 days higher carbs).
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): Allows carb consumption around workouts, ideal for high-performance athletes.
Final Thoughts
The ketogenic diet is a powerful tool for weight loss, mental clarity, and metabolic health. However, gradual adaptation is key. Drastically cutting carbs can lead to side effects like the “keto flu,” so it’s best to transition slowly.
Stay committed, be patient, and listen to your body.
Interested in comparing keto to other diets? Check out our articles on:
Stay tuned for our next post!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice.
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay