Macros are an important element in any keto diet so you should be familiar with them. What are macros and what roles do they play in keto?

 

The name “macros” is simply a shorten version for that long word MACRONUTRIENTS. Macronutrients are food’s energy-giving components that supply fuel to the body, such as carbohydrates, fats and protein. Your dietary calories are sourced from them. 

You must eat the right balance of carbs, fats and proteins to get into ketosis, remain in ketosis, and turn your body into a burning fat machine.

About Macros 

 

1. Carbohydrates as macronutrient are not necessary for survival. Composed of amino and fatty acids, that are not considered as “essential carbohydrates”. and are made up of starches and sugar, that you should limit your carbo intake to fulfill ketosis. Although fiber is also a carb, it is not considered as carb tally for fiber, not easily digestible and very minimal on its blood sugar impact on your body.

 

In order to successfully limit your carbs, you will need to identify what foods are low in carbohydrates and which ones to avoid. Check the nutrition labels and buy only those with low carb. Select specific amount of carbs in the foods you would like to eat to ensure your allotted amount for the day.

 

20 grams of net carbs is a great target. Note that each carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram. So, for example, 20 g of carbs x 4 = 80 calories from carbohydrates.

 

Examples of carbohydrates are bread, corn syrup, honey pasta, sugar and rice. 

 

2. Protein is essential for enzymes, growth, immune function, making essential hormones, tissue repair, and it preserves lean muscle mass. Protein plays an essential role in most biological processes and are considered to be the building blocks of the body. The body breaks down into amino acids from the food you consumed. Identified as essential amino acids are the following: valine, prophane, tryptophan, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine and, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Protein deficiency results in malnutrition, and other health conditions.

 

3. Every ketogenic diet will need an adequate amount of protein to preserve lean body mass. A general guideline will require you:

 

1. a) 0.7 to 0.8 grams of dietary protein per pound of muscle to preserve muscle mass, and 

 

1. b) 0.8 to 1.2 grams of dietary protein per pound of muscle to gain muscle mass.

 

An excess amount of protein might damage and stress your kidneys affecting ketosis. The amount of protein you need depends on your health and fitness goals.

 

4. Protein provides 4 calories per gram… the same as carbohydrates.

 

4 calories x 89.6 g of protein = 358.4 calories from protein

Examples of protein: cheese, dairy, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry.

5. Fats provide development energy and growth, as well as absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like carotenoids and Vitamins A, D, E, K.

 

Fats provide 9 calories per gram and are divided as fatty acids and glycerol. Two types of fatty acids in the body can’t synthesize, so they are always part of your diet like linoleic acid and linolenic acids.

 

Examples of fats: animal fat, avocado, butter, cream oils, heavy cream, nuts and seeds.

The Ketogenic diet has attained popularity as one of the best diets today.  It serves luscious food and keeps its users happy and satisfied. Keto diet consists of 65% fats and due to this fact, many newbie ketogenic dieters assumed that they are free to consume as much fatty foods as they want as long as there are no carbs.

All fats are not created equal, however, most fats used in restaurants, fast food chains, and processed foods outlets are unhealthy and detrimental to human health. 

In the KETO diet, there are two fat sources that are healthy, the first are MUFAs or the monounsaturated fats and the second are PUFAs that are foods considered as  polyunsaturated. 

Monosaturated fats are healthy fats while PUFA foods boast of Omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to brain health and must become part and parcel of any healthy diet. To continue ketosis, use only fat sources that are natural and avoid all fats that are unhealthy.

Eat good fat on Keto?

 

The healthy fat sources are saturated fats, as the monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and some polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). The best way to deal with your keto diet is to consume food with low carbs high on fat.

 

Polyunsaturated fats, or PUFA, such as Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to cerebral health and are part of any healthy diet. However, when PUFAs are heated or oxidized, they form harmful toxic compounds such as free radicals, which have the tendency to increase body inflammation. It follows that you should never use PUFAs for cooking, for these fats should always be eaten cold and never if already rancid. 

New Studies exposed the saturated fats myth

 

For decades, saturated fats were considered bad for your health, but new research suggests the complete opposite. Saturated fats may actually come with a host of benefits. These may include:

 

• Improved the ratio of the good to bad cholesterol (HDL to LDL)
• Provides healthier functioning of the immune system. 
• Stronger and denser bones 
• Enhanced hormone regulation
• Improved “good” cholesterol levels

So, you should consume only Keto best fats to maintain good health.

Sources of healthy saturated fats are:  

 

• Butter from grass-feed source
• MCT or coco oil
• Eggs
• Fatty cuts of red meat as NY porterhouse. strip steak and t-bone
• Lard
• Palm oil

Sources of healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) include:

• Avocado oil
• Bacon with no nitrates
• Chia seeds 
• Fatty fish
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Macadamia nuts

Healthy polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) include:

 

• Avocado and avocado oil;
• Fish (mackerel, salmon, trout and tuna)
• Nuts
• Sunflower seeds

Unhealthy Fats to Avoid While On Keto

 

• Processed trans fats 
• Vegetable oils
• Trans fats

They are often used as an economical substitute for natural, shelf-stable saturated fats. Be wary of processed foods that often contain trans fats.

 

Vegetable oils contain large amounts of the omega-6 fatty acids, which when consumed imbalanced with sufficient omega-3s, can lead to poor health such as inflammation. Being oxidized easily, the release risky and damaging free radicals.

 

Avoid consuming these unhealthy fat sources:

 

Unhealthy fat sources come from oils such as canola. corn, grapeseed, margarine, peanut, soybean, sunflower, and vegetable shortening.

 

For your safety, use only fatty sources that are natural and follow the right ratio.

Conclusion

 

Understanding the difference between keto’s good fats and bad fats, you can opt for wise choices in planning out menus for the week.

 

Utilize only natural sources of fats and enjoy ketosis benefits minus all potential negative effects of unhealthy fats.

The Ketonic diet is one of the most popular dietary programs that has gained many adherents. The program serves interesting foods that are both luscious and nutritious. 

 

Doctors recommend this program for its positive effects: it enhances loss of weight, motivates attaining an ideal weight and consequently reducing the incidence of obesity. In the program, body cells utilized energy to perform its normal function via glucose oxidation. 

Glucose oxidization is the fastest process of synthesizing energy. As you feel the pangs of hunger, your cells need glucose to produce energy; however, when the cells cannot procure glucose, its alternative option is to create that energy.by making use of fats and protein stored in the liver. `Ketogenic diet provides dieters a way to to lose excess weight.

Remember that ketones are broken bodies of fats and after achieving ketosis, there will be more cells using them for energy. This process goes on and on unless you resume taking carbohydrates.

How to determine if Ketogenic Diet is good for you?

 

Your sensations will prove if the Keto diet is fit right you if you open your senses and observe the things. Around these include:

 

1. Your feeling of wellness and wellbeing that are good points in substantiating that the ketogenic diet is working for you and connecting the entire function of your body. The diet enhances good feelings about yourself and awakens strong love for oneself. Should you notice any increase in stress and lowering attitude of your quality of life, then you need to adjust the diet immediately. To be aware of some negativity changes, keep yourself sensitive to your subjective experiences including your objectives in adopting the diet.

 

2. You are able to achieve your goals: or the Keto diet to work according to your expectations. Such expectations include losing excess body weight, right blood pressure, normal cholesterol levels among other goals. Do not force yourself to change if the diet isn’t working per your expectations,
3. You enjoy sustainable health results that proves that the Ketogenic diet is working for your body, and you are offered a reliable approach that will help you enjoy positive results for a longer duration. Ketogenic diet should completely replace the previous diets while meeting all the needs of your body. If not accomplished. consider using other approaches to find the best ketogenic diet formula that fits you.

Research about Keto Diet

The initial Keto diet was established for epileptic children that provides them a well-controlled diet and it offers them positive results. Recent research showed that consuming more fats is a contributory factor to weight loss. It is a true claim that “Eating more fats burns fats.” By reducing carbs, you also help reduce negativities as high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, A1C and triglycerides in your body system. However, it’s good to note that, long-term health effects are yet to get wholly confirmed even though studies conclude that ketogenic diets are healthy for use. Note that Keto-diet formulation differ from person to person.

 

The only best option to cut on carbs intake is through the keto diet. However, if dieting strategy doesn’t measure to meet the above three concepts, ketogenic diet does not work for you. In case you also suffer from diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, or high cholesterol, make sure to consult your doctor first before adopting a Ketogenic dietary plan.

The benefits of the keto diet.

 

1.Weight loss. It takes more work to turn fat into energy than it takes to turn carbs into energy by fat burning, excess weight is eliminated.

 

2. Reduces acne.  Acne is related to diet and blood sugar, therefore, when your diet is high in processed carbs, it can change gut bacteria and drastically cause fluctuation in blood sugar fluctuations, both of which greatly influenced health of the skin. Therefore, by means of keto diet, you reduce some cases of acne.

 

3. May help reduce risk of cancer. One study found ketogenic diet may complement chemotherapy and radiation treatment in people with cancer for it causes more oxidative stress in cancer cells than in normal cells.

 

4. Improves heart health. 

 

When the ketogenic diet is followed in a healthy manner, there were some evidences that the diet can improve health of the heart by reducing cholesterol. One study found that HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels significantly increased following the keto diet. 

 

5. May protect brain functioning. 

 

Some studies found that the neuroprotective benefits are the results of a keto diet offers that go a long way in the treatment and prevention of diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and even some types of sleep disorders.

 

6. Potentially reduces seizures.

 

The combination of fat, protein, and carbs changes the manner the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis. Ketosis is an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood. Ketosis can lead to a reduction in seizures of people with epilepsy. 

 

7. Improves health in women with PCOS. 

 

Women with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) found hope that their endocrine disorder can be healed with keto diet. More research is needed to prove all these benefits.

 

Risks and complications

 

Ketogenic diets have many health benefits – like quick weight loss. However, it is still relevant to be cautious if you stay too long on the ketogenic diet. There are adverse consequences affection to your health. These include increased risk of:

 

• formation of kidney stones 
• occurrence of acidosis or high levels of acid in the blood
• long term use can lead to severe weight loss or muscle degeneration
• In many most cases, immediate side effects of the diet may include constipation, feeling sluggish and low blood sugar.

These symptoms are especially common at the onset of the diet as your body is still adjusting, going from using carbohydrates as a primary energy source to fats.

Conclusion:

Drastic diet changes in your diet has potential consequences to your health. Due to this, you should always talk to your doctor or a nutritionist before starting a new diet. If you’re interested in starting the keto diet, you should be extra careful to check with your doctor if you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or heart disease.