January 5th is a very special day in the keto community. Can you guess why? It just so happens to be National Keto Day.
A unique holiday created by the supplement retailer, Vitamin Shoppe, National Keto Day helps to bring awareness to the diet and the benefits it offers while providing easy-to-understand information on how to start for beginners. Are you curious about the ketogenic diet and want to learn more? We’ve got you covered.
In honor of National Keto Day, we’ll cover fun keto facts that you (probably) didn’t know.
The keto diet was originally created as a treatment for seizures in epileptic patients. The diet has successfully been used as a treatment for epilepsy since the 1920s. The keto diet can be used in both children and adults with hard-to-control epilepsy. [1]
You might already know that the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb way of eating, but how many carbs are allowed?
When following the keto diet, your total net carb intake needs to be restricted to 20 to 50 grams a day in order to properly maintain ketosis. However, this is for a standard therapeutic ketogenic diet. If you’re an athlete, for example, your carbohydrate intake will most likely be higher.
Speaking of carbs, many people believe that once you’re on the ketogenic diet, it’s time to say goodbye to your favorite fruits. Not true!
There are plenty of delicious and nutritious fruits on the keto diet that you can enjoy including berries and avocados.
While the foundation of a successful ketogenic diet is in the whole foods you eat and your overall diet plan, there are a variety of healthy and keto-certified products that can help. Here are some ketogenic products that can support ketosis and they all taste amazing:
Yes, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat diet, but that doesn’t give you the greenlight to eat as much fast food as you want.
You’ll want to focus on sources of mono-saturated fats above all else while on the ketogenic diet. Poly-unsaturated fats are also important, and don’t forget about a moderate amount of saturated fats.
You’ll want to avoid trans fats – usually found in processed foods – at all costs.
The ketogenic diet triggers a biological process called ketosis that uses fats instead of carbs for fuel. When carbohydrates are removed from the diet, the body resorts to burning fats instead. Ketone bodies are considered a cleaner source of fuel, but they are also the preferred fuel source for your brain.
The benefits of the ketogenic diet don’t just stop at weight loss. The ketogenic diet may improve your brainpower. In fact, one of the most largely reported benefits by individuals on the keto diet is the mental clarity and improved cognitive function they experience. [2]
Yes, the rumors are true: There is such a thing as the keto flu. BUT you can avoid it!
The keto flu happens when you first start the diet. Common symptoms include drowsiness, dizziness, brain fog, nausea, fatigue, and irritability.
To avoid the keto flu, start eliminating your carbs slowly a month beforehand, increase your levels of electrolytes, and check out our article how to protect yourself against the ketogenic diet flu.
Intermittent fasting is when you abstain from eating food or caloric-based beverages for 16 to 24 hours. Many individuals who go keto also practice intermittent fasting because it has been shown to amplify the benefits of the keto diet.
The keto diet has become increasingly popular due to several celebrities that can’t stop raving about it. Some of these popular keto advocates include Halle Berry, Lebron James, Tim Tebow, Vanessa Hudgens, and even the Kardashians.
Are you new to the keto diet and don’t know where to start? Still want to learn more about the keto diet and how it can help you? Read about the keto diet for beginners along with beginner-friendly keto recipe to celebrate National Keto Day.
D’Andrea Meira I, Romão TT, Pires do Prado HJ, Krüger LT, Pires MEP, da Conceição PO. Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy: What We Know So Far. Front Neurosci. 2019;13:5. Published 2019 Jan 29. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00005.
Hernandez AR, Hernandez CM, Campos K, et al. A Ketogenic Diet Improves Cognition and Has Biochemical Effects in Prefrontal Cortex That Are Dissociable From Hippocampus. Front Aging Neurosci. 2018;10:391. Published 2018 Dec 3. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2018.00391.