What Is Keto Dieting?

Keto Dieting involves drastically reducing carbohydrates while increasing healthy fats to achieve ketosis. The goal is to get the body to start using ketone bodies for fuel instead of glucose which provides less energy. To do this, the diet reduces carb intake to 20-40 net grams per day while focusing on fats like olive oil, avocado, coconut butter, ghee, bacon fat, and lard. It also focuses on protein from dark meats, fatty fish, eggs, gelatin, and whey. It allows some dairy products, such as whole-milk yogurt and cheese, which contain beneficial probiotics.

This diet can be difficult to stick to long-term. It can lead to side effects such as brain fog, irritability, fatigue, and constipation because of its low fiber content. Getting enough dietary fiber can help alleviate this as can adding more gut-supporting foods like leafy greens and fermented vegetables as well as certain fats such as butter which provides butyric acid.

Drinking lots of water is important for this diet, as is avoiding prepackaged food that contains added sodium and sugars, even if it’s labeled “Keto”. It can also be helpful to reorganize the pantry and refrigerator to remove high-carbohydrate foods like fruits, dried fruit, beans, bread, and pasta. This can make meal planning easier and prevent unnecessary snacking, which can slow weight loss or cause a stall in the diet. Finally, adding in exercise can help regulate insulin levels and keep hunger at bay.