Going Keto

                Ketosis and the phrase “going keto” has been circulating heavily in my daily life. It is all over Instagram, the topic of conversations with friends, and my own husband came to me saying that he wanted to give this diet trend a try! As a dietetic major, but not a dietitian, I tread lightly on the subject because I am not able to prescribe or recommend a certain diet to anyone. That being said I do have the ability to provide a basic explanation of how our body works in creating energy and how the Ketosis diet affects that. Today I am going to do my best of simply being informative about the Ketosis diet.

Let’s first talk about our body and energy. Carbohydrates, found in sugar, starch, and fiber, is our bodies main form of energy. I always told my students that it was “the gas in the tank”. There are simple, sugar, and complex, starch, and forms of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are only 1 – 2 molecules and therefore able to be digested and utilized quickly, this is why many experience a (sugar) rush of energy after consuming a lot of these simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest because they are made up many molecules. This leads to a steady stream of energy release which is also why many athletes will carb load before long, arduous runs or games. Carbohydrates are broken down to their smallest form of glucose through digestion. Glucose is the main energy source for the brain as well. This is why those with diabetes have to be cautious of monitoring their blood sugar levels so that they do not reach dangerously low levels.

My hope is that you are now thinking, “in ketosis you don’t eat carbs so how is my brain still functioning?” if that isn’t what you are thinking just jump to that thought now. Ketosis is a “metabolic adaptation” that allows our body to function in times of food scarcity. It allows us to break down fat for protein. The byproduct of this process is ketones. There is a point where ketosis goes to far and the ketones build up in the blood to not healthy levels.

I recently asked some colleagues who are RD’s what their thoughts on Ketosis were and they had a good point. On true ketosis, carbohydrates are limited to 20-30g which is the same amount for your entire day that is found in a single apple. 70-80% of your calorie intake should be from fat and protein intake should be modest. I think that many recipes that are circulating boast the title of “keto” but they truly aren’t because they still boast too much protein and carbohydrates when the diet should be primarily fat based.

There is little research on showing the effects of being on keto long term and ultimately it is up to you if keto is the diet for you. Do the research before looking into a new diet and listen to your body, it is amazing what it can tell you!

References:

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0917p12.shtml

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-1-diabetes-guide/what-is-ketosis#2