The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”.
This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
It's a diet, which can help you burn fat more effectively.
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat, burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off.
This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are also other less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of energy.
Now if we discuss what type of food should we eat when on a keto diet then there are lots of options for non vegetarians but question arises can vegetarians do keto diet?
So the answer is definitely yes. The only thing that has to be taken care of is the carbs content of diet. When following a vegan keto diet, you must significantly reduce your carb intake and replace carbs with healthy fats and vegan sources of protein.
So what can we eat in a vegan keto diet?
So the vegetarian options for keto diet are-
Vegan “meats” — tempeh, tofu and other high-protein
Mushrooms Leafy greens – spinach, kale, etc.
Above ground vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, etc.
High fat “dairy” – unsweetened coconut-based yogurt, coconut cream, vegan cheeses, etc.
Nuts and seeds – flax seeds, chia seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries
Fats – coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
Avoid
Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
Legumes — lentils, black beans, peas, etc.
Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
Tubers – potato, yams, etc.
Now let's discuss what are the benefits of doing keto diet.
The main aim of the keto diet is to put, and keep, your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. Our bodies normally burn carbohydrates for energy. When you restrict the amount of carbs, the body will break down stored fat, creating molecules called ketones to use as fuel.
1. Low-Carb Diets Reduce Your Appetite.
2. Low-Carb Diets Lead to More Weight Loss at First
3. A Greater Proportion of Fat Loss Comes From Your Abdominal Cavity
4. Triglycerides Tend to Drop Drastically
5. Reduced Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
6. Effective Against Metabolic Syndrome-Metabolic syndrome is a condition highly associated with your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Now there are also some side effects that can arise while following keto diet such as:
1. Keto flu- Symptoms of the keto flu can include everything from headache, weakness, and irritability, to constipation, nausea, and vomiting.
2. Ketoacidosis-A serious diabetes complication where the body produces excess blood acids (ketones).
3. Weight regain- Because the keto diet is so restrictive, it’s not an appropriate diet to follow long-term. The problem is that most people will regain a lot of the weight they lost as soon as they go back on carbs.
So one should follow keto diet only under some dietician or expert to make it as useful as possible without any side effects.