Is Keto Right for Me?
You have probably heard of the wildly popular keto diet and how it has helped millions of people lose weight and improve blood sugar levels. “Is keto right for me?” echoes through nutrition circles of both novice and seasoned dieters. In fact, the ketogenic nutrition plan could be the one which puts an end to yo-yo dieting as the lifestyle is far simpler than you may realize.
Before you dive into the details of the ketogenic protocol, see the following three examples of standard keto meals which make up a typical one-day plan. They consist of many regular whole foods that are moderately inexpensive and can be found in most mainstream grocery stores. If you can see yourself eating these types of meals, keto may be right for you.
Keto Macronutrients (Carbs, Protein, Fat)
There is no single standard ketogenic diet with a concrete ratio of macronutrients as the required levels of macronutrients for ketosis can vary from person to person. Typically speaking, the keto nutrition plan calls for a total carbohydrate intake of less than 50 grams per day, and it can be as low as 20 grams per day.
Popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70% to 80% fat from total daily calories, 5% to 10% carbohydrates, and 10% to 20% protein. However, some sources suggest the dietary macronutrients are composed of approximately 55% to 60% fat, 30% to 35% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates [1]
Essentially, ketosis can occur with different levels of macronutrients for different people, so it may be best to experiment, while verifying your results through urine ketone testing at home.
Keto Grocery List Questionnaire
If this grocery list contains around 50% of the foods you eat (or wouldn’t mind eating) on a normal basis, keto may be right for you. If you have some health and weight loss goals in mind, but you’re not sure if keto is the proper fit, put a check by the foods you can see yourself eating regularly. If you choose at least 10 of the foods labeled with “fat”, at least eight foods labeled as “carbohydrates”, and at least four items labeled as “protein”, you will, most likely, have success on the keto nutrition plan.
Keep in mind, this is a very general list and there are hundreds of healthy keto foods to choose from however, this snapshot is the foundation of the diet.
Keto can be extremely simple as it is comprised of a variety of commonly found whole foods, and the best part is the documented, potential short-term benefits of the ketogenic diet include a variety of positive health outcomes in addition to weight loss, including reduced blood sugar, triglycerides, and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increased HDL (good) cholesterol. [2] Some studies have also suggested that the ketogenic diet may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. [3]
If you’re thinking about giving keto a try, simply use the above grocery list to compose your meals. Take one selection from the carbohydrates section, one from proteins, and two to three from the fats—it’s as simple as that!
References
Masood W, Annamaraju P, Uppaluri KR. Ketogenic Diet. [Updated 2021 Aug 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/
Dowis K, Banga S. The Potential Health Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021 May 13;13(5):1654. doi: 10.3390/nu13051654. PMID: 34068325; PMCID: PMC8153354.
Pinto, A., Bonucci, A., Maggi, E., Corsi, M., & Businaro, R. (2018). Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ketogenic Diet: New Perspectives for Neuroprotection in Alzheimer's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 7(5), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox7050063
