What is ketosis?
Ketosis is the state of your body where it burns fat to produce energy in the form of ketones. When your body is deprived of carbohydrates, your body begins converting the fat stored into ketones and produces energy.
The ketones act as fuel for your body and keep you active throughout the day even when your body is deprived of carbohydrates.
In simple words, Ketosis is a process where your body is using stored fat or fat as fuel instead of regular carbohydrates.
A person can undergo ketosis when he has less than 20-50 grams of carbohydrates in his regular diet. This natural metabolic state can be achieved by a ketogenic diet too.
A diet that has foods with fewer carbohydrates and high-fat content is called a keto diet. A keto diet is a diet plan that is different from your regular one in terms of fat and protein content.
This diet will help your body undergo ketosis and eventually lead to weight loss.
Ketosis and keto diet has become popular for their immense benefits in recent times. According to studies, going on a keto diet is said to be the best way to lose weight.
Therefore, the keto diet is followed and religiously practiced by many to keep their bodies healthy and physically fit.
Some of the benefits of ketosis and going on a keto diet in general, are:
- Effective weight loss
- Reduced risk factors of cardiovascular diseases
- Improve insulin sensitivity and help in getting rid of type 2 diabetes.
- Improve metabolic syndrome conditions
- Reduce the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Lowering the risk of cancer
- Reduce acne
One of the myths that make people doubt and refrain from following a keto diet is the fact that the brain can only utilize carbohydrates to function properly.
However, this fact is partially true. Some of our brain cells require glucose to function properly but the majority of our brain has the ability to use ketones as fuel.
Our brain can use ketones as fuel and convert fat into energy in conditions like starvation etc. Therefore, it is safe and healthy to go on a ketogenic diet!
Keto diet- initial symptoms:
It is said that you might experience some unusual symptoms during the initial days of going on a keto diet. Some of the common symptoms you might experience while your body undergoes the process of ketosis are:
- Irritability
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea
- Cramps
- Sore muscles and
- Sugar cravings
However, there is no need to worry as the initial symptoms are said to be common and will fade away with time. You can continue your keto diet after experiencing these without any doubt.
Side effects of ketosis:
Everything has side effects and so does ketosis. However, there are comparatively fewer side effects of ketosis.
Some of the common side effects of ketosis are:
- High cholesterol levels
- Development of ketoacidosis in breastfeeding women.
- Epileptic children develop kidney stones
There were no serious negative effects of ketosis reported from healthy people.
So start your diet now and be a little healthier than yesterday!
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