Ketogenic Diets: Everyone is going Keto, talking Keto, reading Keto and cooking Keto.
Is Ketogenic the ‘latest fad diet’ and would I recommend it to my clients? Linda Funnell-Milner, Functional Nutritionist gives her opinion in this post.
[perfectpullquote align="full" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]In January 2018 - the Journal of the American Medical Association published an article that says the latest research on a Ketogenic way of eating could be the ‘Game Changer’ in turning the tide of chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes - all associated with modern western styles of eating.[/perfectpullquote]
The following is a quote from Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt who is a Medical Doctor practicing in Family Medicine in Sweden. He is a proponent of Ketogenic diets because of the results he sees in his practice with patients who have been unwell for years.
In a nutshell, he elegantly explains what you would eat on a Ketogenic diet.
‘A keto diet contains very few carbs and a higher proportion of energy from natural fat. The protein amount should be moderate. The diet is based on real food like meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and natural fats like butter or from fatty foods like avocado, salmon or olive oil.
Avoid the carbohydrate rich foods like sugar, sweets and starchy foods, bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.
A simple way to explain the difference between regular food and keto foods is that you remove the large portion of carbs, rice, potatoes or pasta and replace it with vegetables prepared in fats. For example veggies fried in butter or salads with olive oil. It can really be that simple.’
When discussing Keto diets people love to ask “But aren’t there carbs in everything?”
The answer is yes – but there are ‘CARBS’ and then there are ‘carbs’. To help you understand the difference here is an interesting picture.
[perfectpullquote align="full" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]Is there one plate of food you would prefer to eat because you will be both nourished and full?[/perfectpullquote]
So how much should you eat on a Ketogenic diet? Well, you can eat when you're hungry until you're satisfied. It all sounds too simple doesn’t it?
But you don't need to count calories, you don't need any pills, no special products and no meal replacements on a keto diet. You only need real food.
You may already be experiencing on your high carb diet that you have cravings, hunger and low energy – feeling tired with an afternoon slump.
As Dr. Eenfeldt points out ‘But on a keto diet you get more energy when you're hungry. So eat when you're hungry until you're full and then repeat this for as long as you want, maybe your whole life. It's as natural as can be, like breathing. ‘
In mid-March I will be running a free information night on Ketogenic Diets and will answer in much more detail the first two questions.
This seminar will include an in depth look at the strengths of the research (more than 30 years’ worth of research) and the myths and mistakes that surround this very old fashioned, yet effective way of eating. Stay tuned for dates and times for this seminar.
As you know, my motto is “Just Eat Real Food”
