What You Should Know About the Keto Diet

The Keto Diet is a low-carb diet that allows followers to eat a wide variety of meats, seafood and eggs. It also includes a moderate amount of dairy, such as whole milk and full-fat yogurt (although not ice cream). Fat is your primary source of energy on the keto diet. You can increase or decrease your amount of fat based on your needs.

The diet restricts carbohydrate intake to between 20 and 30 grams of net carbs per day. It excludes bread, pasta, chips, cereals, beans, most fruits and even many vegetables. It also cuts out some sugary treats and drinks, but it does allow for some artificial sweeteners if you choose to use them.

In the first few weeks, you may be tired and irritable as your body burns through its glucose stores and begins to use ketones for fuel. Exercise gently during this period, and listen to your body’s signals. If you’re feeling energetic, you can experiment with harder workouts.

A Keto diet can be hard on the kidneys and can make it difficult to get enough salt and potassium in your diet. It can also interfere with some medications, especially if you take drugs that affect your blood pressure or cholesterol. It’s best to follow this diet only with the supervision of your doctor. It’s also not recommended for anyone with gallbladder or pancreatic problems, as the diet relies on consuming a lot of fat, which can be tough for those conditions to digest.