Those who don’t know any better (including some doctors) often lump the keto diet in with other low carb diets. There are some differences that set keto apart.
Differences in Fat Consumption
The primary difference between low carb and keto is the macronutrient levels. In most keto variations, at least 45% of your calories come from eating the fat needed to trigger ketosis in your body ketosis. A low carb diet has no specified daily fat (or other macronutrients) consumption requirements.
Differences in Protein Consumption
You can eat too much protein on the ketogenic diet. Low carb diets call for eating higher portions of protein, but a standard ketogenic dieter eats only moderate amounts of protein.
Why? The reason for that is glucose can be synthesized from protein (known as gluconeogenesis), which prevents your body from attaining full ketosis.
In gluconeogenesis, your glucose (blood sugar) and insulin levels rise, which halts the production of the ketones needed for energy. The goal of a keto dieter is to eat sufficient protein to preserve muscle mass.
Also, the goals of the two diets are different. The intent of a keto dieter is to achieve a state of ketosis, which substitutes fat burning for fuel over the long-term. With a low carb diet, carbs are only reduced for a short time, then returned. Followers of those diets never enter ketosis.
Keto Diet’s Health Benefits
Low carb diets are a successful method for losing weight as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. A ketogenic diet may lower glucose levels and improve insulin resistance levels.
Keto Can Improve Endurance Levels
According to study results, endurance levels for athletes improve on the ketogenic diet. Like anyone else, athletes need an adjustment to become accustomed to fat burning instead of glucose.
A keto diet does not decrease aerobic endurance according to recent studies. Any dips in athletes performance at the beginning of the keto diet are adjustments to the new fuel source (fat).
Improving Metabolic Functions Under Keto
The Keto diet achieves many positive weight-related changes: decreasing body mass, fat, and body weight. Keto fosters a metabolic state of heightened fat metabolism during exercise. This depends on consuming 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body mass to preserve muscle mass while burning fat.
How to Know When You’re in Ketosis
There are different degrees of ketosis. The state of ketosis is a physical process that doesn’t happen instantly, it takes around 1-3 days to fully achieve it.
Your ketone levels can be monitored and tested at home. Just like glucose on a regular diet, on a ketogenic diet, surplus ketones circulate throughout the body. You can measure your ketone concentrations using several methods.
Measuring Ketones in Your Urine:
Different urine strips have a varying methodology. The strip changes color indicating the amount ketones in the urine.
This is the cheapest and most accessible method but it is not always reliable’ The strips are available from any CVS or Walgreens When your body is ketosis-adapted, your body processes ketones efficiently (especially acetoacetate). So the strips can indicate a weaker condition than actually exists
Other variables like the presence of electrolytes and hydration level can skew the readings. So it’s better to use this method if you’re new to ketosis.
Ketones in the blood:
A typical blood glucose meter will tell you what your BHB ketone levels. Only a few things can influence the results, it’s a much more an accurate measurement. It costs about $5-$10 per test
Measuring Ketones in the Breath:
For this method, you need a breathalyzer (Ketonix meter). The method supplements a blood or urine test and measures acetone or BrAce in your breath. The meter is reusable and no additional disposable products are needed.
When adopting any diet, not just keto, you need to check with your doctor.
