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In today’s modern and fitness-unfriendly era, people adopt various types of dieting plans and trends to keep themselves slim, fit and healthy, out of which ‘Keto Diet’ is the most talked about these days. Ketogenic diet, which is becoming increasingly popular for weight loss, is basically a high-fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrate lifestyle, which completely changes the body’s metabolism. As soon as a person suddenly or completely eliminates rotis, rice, sugar and other carbohydrate-rich items from his daily diet, his body’s internal functioning and way of energy production changes overnight. Health experts and nutrition scientists say that in the first few days to weeks of starting the keto diet, many types of chemical and biological changes occur rapidly within the body. In this article, we will discuss in detail what and how profoundly it affects your fat burning process and blood sugar levels when you first start the keto diet, so that you can be well aware of every aspect of it before adopting it.
The main scientific principle behind the keto diet is the state of ‘Ketosis’, which is very important to understand. On normal days, our body first uses glucose from carbohydrates to get energy, which easily provides us energy. But when you reduce carbohydrate intake to almost zero under keto diet, the body starts running out of glucose options for energy. In such a situation, the liver starts producing ‘Ketone Bodies’ by breaking down the fat accumulated in the body. These ketone bodies serve as fuel for the cells of your brain and body. As soon as this process starts, the body rapidly comes into fat burning mode and the stubborn fat deposited on the stomach, waist and other parts starts melting. This is why people who want to lose weight fast are attracted to the keto diet, as it directly attacks the body’s fat reserves and helps in losing weight even without any heavy exercise.
Keto diet can prove to be a big boon for people suffering from diabetes and insulin resistance, as it is considered very effective in controlling blood sugar levels. When you stop eating carbohydrates, there is no question of a sudden increase in the amount of glucose in the blood, which reduces the production of insulin in the body. Insulin is the hormone that transports sugar into cells, and when its levels are low, the body’s blood sugar levels begin to stabilize rapidly. Many patients with type 2 diabetes have seen dramatic improvements in their blood sugar levels within a few weeks of starting the keto diet and have even had to reduce the dosage of their medications. However, people taking insulin or diabetes medication should avoid starting a keto diet suddenly without doctor’s advice, as extremely low sugar levels can lead to the risk of hypoglycemia. Nevertheless, from a scientific perspective, reducing carbohydrate intake prevents insulin spikes in the body, which is very beneficial for metabolic health in the long term.
Every coin has two sides, and along with the benefits of the keto diet, there are also some initial physical side effects, known as ‘Keto Flu’. When the body leaves the habit of taking energy from glucose and shifts towards fat burning i.e. ketosis, then the body feels very tired for the first 3 to 7 days. During this period, problems like headache, dizziness, weakness, irritability, nausea and muscle strain are commonly seen. This happens because water and electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) leave the body rapidly. Nutritionists suggest that to deal with this infection-like condition or weakness, one should drink adequate amount of water, increase the intake of electrolytes and instead of panicking, the body should be given some time to adapt to this new change. Once the body adjusts to ketosis, this fatigue disappears and a wonderful energy and mental clarity is felt in the body.
Keto diet may be very helpful in fat burning and blood sugar control, but adopting it for a long time or throughout life without any medical supervision can prove to be dangerous. Consuming too much fat and too few carbs for a long time can increase cholesterol levels in the body, which can increase the risk of heart diseases. Apart from this, lack of fiber can also cause digestive problems or constipation. Therefore, health experts recommend that the keto diet be used as a tool for weight loss or metabolism improvement only for a limited period of time (such as a few weeks or months), and you should always keep a close eye on your body’s reaction. If you are also planning to start keto diet, then definitely consult a qualified dietitian or doctor so that you can get the best benefits of this diet without any harm to your health.