In the world of weight loss, there seems to be an endless number of diets to choose from. It can be hard to know which one is right for you, especially when they all seem to promise the same thing – weight loss. Two popular diets that have been gaining a lot of traction recently are keto and low carb.
What is Keto Diet?
- Keto is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain function.
- However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a condition known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures.
- The exact mechanisms by which the ketogenic diet produces its therapeutic effects are unknown. It has been suggested that the ketogenic diet works by reducing metabolism or by affecting neurotransmitter activity.
What is Low Carb Diet?
A low carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. It is typically high in protein and fat. This diet can help you lose weight and control blood sugar levels. A low carb diet is not for everyone. If you have diabetes or a medical condition, talk to your doctor before starting this type of diet.
Difference between Keto and Low Carb Diet
Keto and Low Carb Diets may sound similar, but they are two different diets that adhere to different principles. Keto is a very low-carb, high-fat diet with the goal of putting your body into a state of ketosis, where it uses fat as fuel instead of carbohydrates.
- Keto-friendly foods include healthy fats such as nuts, avocados, and olive oil along with nonstarchy vegetables, seafood, and low-carb dairy products. On the other hand, Low Carb Diet focuses on reducing carbs gradually rather than eliminating them altogether.
- It does not require reaching ketosis; however, it encourages you to choose carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index (those that break down more slowly). Foods with a Low Carb Diet focus on unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes (such as beans and lentils), nuts, and seeds.
- Both Keto and Low Carb Diets can help reduce weight if followed properly; however, Keto can provide faster results in the short term due to its strict carbohydrate restrictions while Low Carb allows greater flexibility overall.
Conclusion
The ketogenic diet, or keto for short, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been used for centuries to treat epilepsy. More recently, the keto diet has gained popularity as a weight loss diet and there are many variations of the keto diet.
Main Point 1: The classic ketogenic diet calls for a 4:1 ratio of fat to carbohydrates and protein. This means that for every 4 grams of carbs eaten, you would eat 1 gram of fat.
Main Point 2: There are different types of ketogenic diets including standard keto, cyclical keto, targeted keto, and dirty keto.
