With the new craze of the keto diet, hesitations and questions have arisen about its sustainability. Is the keto diet safe? Is it good for you? How long should the keto diet last? Despite the recent popularization in the last couple years, keto has origins dating back to the early 20th Century. The ketogenic diet, more commonly known as the keto diet, was designed in the early 1920s to treat epilepsy in children. Today, this diet, which includes different variations, has become very popular due to its promise to help individuals lose weight and improve their overall health. The different variations of this trendy diet all center around consuming high levels of fat, moderate levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates so the body begins to burn fat for fuel.
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet breaks down daily dietary macronutrients into around 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein and 5-10% carbohydrates. In a day, that translates to no more than 20-50 grams of carbohydrates. To meet these requirements, keto diets rely heavily on fats like butter, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds. Meat, fish, eggs, cheeses, and fibrous vegetables like broccoli are other common components of this diet. The diet retrains the way the body metabolizes food. Typically, our bodies use blood sugar from carbohydrates to provide energy, however when we significantly cut down on carbs and up our intake of fats, the body is retrained to use stored fat to generate energy.
The ketogenic diet essentially works by burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Blood sugar, which is obtained from carbs, is what the body usually uses for energy production. When the amount of carbohydrates is drastically cut, the body eventually runs out of its glucose reserve and instead begins to break down stored fat into ketone bodies, which is produced by the liver.
This shift causes a release of ketones, which the cells use as the main source of energy. Creating this state of ketosis usually takes around two to four days, but it can take weeks before the body is able to fully transition to this new way of obtaining energy.
By strictly following the maximum of 20-50 grams per day, individuals on a keto diet are encouraging their body to undergo these metabolic changes and find an alternative source of energy in the hopes that it will lead to weight loss.
Is Keto Sustainable?
The keto diet does have the potential to offer short-term health benefits — especially to those with uncontrolled epilepsy or diabetes. It is important to keep in mind that this diet does restrict fruits and vegetables. Because high levels of fat are needed, dieters need to make sure they focus on healthy fat sources.
The keto diet can encourage weight loss and assist with treating certain medical conditions. Because of its restrictive nature and lack of detailed studies, the long-term sustainability of this diet is still relatively unknown.
Complement any Diet Plan with La Tourangelle Cooking Oils
Whether you are on a keto diet or just want to lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle, it is important to consume the right kinds of fat. The best way to complement your diet plan is by using primarily polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats, plus a bit of saturated fats.
La Tourangelle uses time-honored traditions of roasting and pressing nuts to create our line of flavor-rich artisan oils ranging from olive oil to walnut oil. Live a vibrant life with a diet that includes healthy fat-filled cooking oils. For some cooking inspiration, check out our recipes.