KETOSIS DIET: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE - NUTRITION - 2025

The ketosis or ketogenic diet is a low carb, protein diet that promotes the onset of ketosis. It is a diet considered aggressive due to its rapid ability to lose weight.

Ketosis is an organic and metabolic state in which our body is framed when we begin to assimilate few carbohydrates, that is, when we consume a low percentage of them.

Now, how does this type of state originate chemically within us? Basically due to the massive production of acetone and different compounds in our blood and urine, which induces a catabolism of fats and its consequent effects in order to be able to “scratch” a little more energy.

We can check this by finding ketones in urine. It should be noted that ketones are organic compounds that contain carbons along with two carbon atoms. The percentage of ketones eliminated in the body is in most cases proportional to the weight that will be lost little by little.

We cannot ignore that, although it can occur in any type of organism, diabetics are more likely to contract ketosis.

Benefits of the ketosis diet

Control cravings

This is achieved thanks to the control over the nutrients, since in many cases these are produced due to a powerful lack of the same nutrients in our body.

Suppresses the appetite

The feeling of wanting to eat is gradually lost in a gradual way.

Neuroprotective actions

The ketogenic diet serves us as a protection tool against a multitude of diseases.

According to a research team from the United States, a series of clinical trials published in 2006 in the Behavioral Pharmacology were carried out on diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, where the previously postulated theories were taken for granted.

Lowers blood cholesterol

According to a study published by the scientific journal Nutrition and Metabolism in 2002, ketosis was found to help lower bad cholesterol.

Prevention of cardiovascular diseases

This derives from the previous point, since having low cholesterol leads to a lower risk of suffering from different cardiovascular diseases.

No rebound effect

It is one of the few diets that does not produce any kind of counterproductive effect when finished. When this occurs in other types of diets, it is often referred to in a common way as the yo-yo effect.

Decrease in weight

As we have pointed out previously, we will be able to burn fat more quickly, without having to demand glucose to act.

Problems that can lead

Carrying out one type of diet can lead to a multitude of effects and temporary problems. These usually appear after two days:

- Tiredness or fatigue coupled with a headache.

- Temporary feeling of thirst.

- Dry mouth with bad breath.

- Probability of developing arrhythmias.

- Metallic and unpleasant taste in the mouth, being especially particular in the lower part of the tongue.

- Problems with type 1 diabetes, as it can be harmful.

- Body weakness and muscle loss.

- Nausea or stomach pain.

- Insomnia problems.

- Cold hands and feet.

- Urinate frequently and smell strong.

These symptoms can last around three or four days, even lasting up to a week in some cases. That is exactly the time necessary for our body to get used to burning fat and not glucose as it did before.

Foods allowed for the diet

The following list of foods will help you to be able to eat without worrying about the percentage of carbohydrates. We can divide them into different groups:

- Proteins of animal origin: meats, whether fresh or cured, along with eggs and different fish and shellfish, are more than allowed when making a diet that induces us into a state of ketosis.

- Healthy fats: within this set we can include coconut, avocado, virgin olive or extra virgin olive oil (as long as it is not heated to more than 160 º C. Cured cheeses are also admitted.

- Nuts: mainly almonds and walnuts are recommended. But also take advantage, if you like, of the flax, pine nuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

- Vegetables: one of the groups that will produce the most benefit to our body, the list being endless. All green leafy vegetables are included, as well as cauliflowers, zucchini, aubergines, etc…

- Sweeteners: if we seek to sweeten our meals, we can use sweeteners such as stevia, xylitol, eitritolo tagatose without any risk.

- Dairy: in dairy products, creams are framed, whether for whipping or cooking, along with natural type yogurts that do not have added lactose. Along with these, the variety of cheeses to eat is allowed, although yes, be careful since some of them may contain low percentages of carbohydrate levels.

- Spaces and condiments: regarding this group of foods we must look at a simple basic rule: as long as we do not find sugars, starches, oils and vegetable fats, we can make use of any of these when making a meal corresponding to our diet.

We have seen the great multitude of foods that can be eaten, but we also have to make a full stop to point out some of the products that we cannot use.

Among them are processed or industrial drinks and foods, as well as all those that contain the name "light", that show soy, or of course high levels of glucose.

In addition, it would also be convenient to eliminate protein energy bars from our diet, along with all foods or products that contain different added sugars.

Some keys to the diet

To deal with the diet in a much more enjoyable and less aggressive way, it is necessary to follow these four keys:

- Eat regularly: especially foods rich in protein, something that will act especially.

- Ingest large percentages of vitamins and minerals: in addition to the vitamins mentioned above, it would be convenient to eat foods such as fruits and vegetables, since they are especially beneficial in diets that are based on the intake of low levels of carbohydrates.

- Incorporation of citrus in the diet: in addition to having minimal calorie levels, they will provide us with abundant amounts of calcium. It will also help us to fight against the different free radicals that are produced in our body, especially at times when fat burning is generated thanks to the vitamin C it contains. Here we find foods such as oranges, lemons, tangerines and their juice.

- Drink water: this is as important as you have to drink a minimum of two liters of water a day. Likewise, the infusions will also help us with the diet.

- Prepare protein shakes: thanks to their amount of amino acids that we can observe in their composition, the shakes will help us to effectively reduce the symptoms that we may suffer during the ketosis period, improving our different body characteristics.

Diet for days

Day 1

Breakfast: Eggs, chicken breast, onion and olive oil.

Food: Salmon, lettuce, onion, vinegar and linseed oil.

Snack: Toasted almonds.

Dinner: Broccoli with bacon, sausage and cod.

Day 2

Breakfast: Soaked flax seeds, eggs, chicken breast and olive oil.

Lunch: Avocado and pork loin.

Food: Salmon, lettuce, onion and linseed oil with vinegar.

Snack: Fried peanuts.

Dinner: Broccoli, chicken breast.

Day 3

Breakfast: Eggs, chicken breast, coconut and with a little olive oil.

Lunch: Small portion of stuffed loin.

Food: Salmon.

Snack: Olive stuffed with pickle.

Dinner: Mix of lettuce, onion, vinegar and desalted cod with flax oil and vinegar.

How are fats distributed during the diet?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommendation is based on the intake of less than 100 grams of carbohydrates per day. The rest of the nutrients will be made up according to the following percentages:

65% fat: We refer to almost 1500 kilocalories.

30% protein: 690 kilocalories.

5% carbohydrates: a total of 115 kilocalories.

All this should be indicative, but as long as we do not exceed these amounts, we will obtain the benefits to achieve the objective that is being sought.

Finally, as a curious fact to reflect the weight loss potential of this diet, it should be noted that in Nordic countries such as Sweden, approximately a quarter of its population carries out this diet.