The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate mainstream dietary therapy that in medicine is used mainly to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Wikipedia

The ketogenic diet’s increasing popularity is largely due to its potential benefits for weight loss and blood sugar control.

Early evidence also suggests that this low carb, high fat diet may help treat certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and other health conditions. Still, higher quality research is still needed to determine the keto diet’s long-term safety and effectiveness.

The keto diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day. 

While some people on keto count their total carb intake, others count net carbs. Net carbs refer to total carbs minus fibre. That’s because fibre is indigestible, so it can’t be broken down and absorbed by your body.

This diet may seem challenging, but it allows people following it to eat many nutritious foods.

There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs 
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
• High protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

However, only the standard and high protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.

A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease.

In fact, research shows that the ketogenic diet may be as effective for weight loss as a low fat diet. What’s more, the diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake.One review of 13 studies found that following a very low carb, ketogenic diet was slightly more effective for long-term weight loss than a low fat diet. People who followed the keto diet lost an average of 2 pounds (0.9 kg) more than the group that followed a low fat diet.

What’s more, it also led to reductions in diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Another study in 34 older adults found that those who followed a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks lost nearly five times as much total body fat as those who followed a low fat diet.The increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity may also play a key role.

The ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases such as epilepsy.

Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions:

• Heart disease. The ketogenic diet can help improve risk factors like body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar
• Cancer. The diet is currently being explored as an additional treatment for cancer, because it may help slow tumour growth. 
• Alzheimer’s disease. The keto diet may help reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and slow its progression Epilepsy. Research has shown that the ketogenic diet can cause significant reductions in seizures in epileptic children. Parkinson’s disease. Although more research is needed, one study found that the diet helped improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. The ketogenic diet can help reduce insulin levels, which may play a key role in polycystic ovary syndrome 
• Brain injuries. Some research suggests that the diet could improve outcomes of traumatic brain injuries.
  • However, keep in mind that research into many of these areas is far from conclusive.

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