Introducing The Ketogenic Diet
Back in the 1920s, the keto diet emerged as a helpful treatment for epilepsy. Now, the ketogenic diet has gained popularity these last few years with many health-conscious people.
Whether the mindset is to lose weight, improve insulin sensitivity, slow cancerous tumor growths, improve heart disease, or just work towards an all-around healthier lifestyle, we see many of you Rowdy folks on-board with this low-carb lifestyle.
Psshh! The secret is out about our NEW keto-friendly bar.
So let’s get to the details: What is the keto diet and how does it work?
What Is The Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a diet very low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats.
When you cut out carbohydrates and high-GI foods--foods that provide those quick but unsustainable boosts of energy--you leave room for nutrients that fuel the RIGHT kind of energy. In the case of the ketogenic diet, those energizing foods are healthy fats!
As you follow the keto diet and consume healthy fats, the liver begins to produce small fuel molecules that are called ketones. These ketones are alternative fuel sources that your body so greatly appreciates--ones that keep you full of energy for far longer than blood sugar-boosting carbs do.
As the body burns those ketones for fuel, it maintains a metabolic state called ketosis. When in ketosis, your body burns fat-filled foods for energy, along with utilizing existing fat that’s stored in your body. This is what makes the keto diet so weight loss-friendly.
How cool is keto?
How Keto Works In The Human Body
To help tell the story of how keto works inside the body, here’s a fun body and brain conversation. Follow along with how the body and the brain talk to one another during ketosis.
What Can You Eat On A Keto Diet?
Fats are a must when it comes to the ketogenic diet, so here are some of our favorite sources of healthy fats. Choose these items over high-carb choices for any meal or snack.
Fatty Fish: Wild-caught fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna are great sources of both healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Meat: When choosing meat on the keto diet, go with high-in-fat options whenever possible. Ham, sausage, chicken, lamb, and pork are some of our favorites.
Eggs: Whole eggs (egg yolk and all) are fuel-filled and full of omega-3s too. Cook ‘em up for breakfast or toss them on a veggie-filled salad.
Cheese: You can put cheese on just about anything (because who doesn’t love a cheesy meal?). Make sure to choose unprocessed, full-fat options when eating keto. Cheddar, goat, mozzarella, and cream cheese go well with many of our favorite dishes.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, sunflowers, and more! Nuts and seeds are loaded with healthy fats that help fuel your body with needed energy.
Healthy Oils: Cook up breakfast, lunch, dinner, or your snack of choice with fat-filled oils. Healthy fat options like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are best.
Low-Sugar Fruits: Many fruits can hide high amounts of carbs, so be sure to choose low-sugar fruits when following the keto diet. Try loading up on avocados, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
Low-Carb Veggies: As with fruits, some veggies can be packed full of hidden carbs. Stay away from starchy vegetables and opt for greens, tomatoes, onions, and peppers instead.
Is Keto Good For Gut Health?
Now that we know all about what the ketogenic diet is and the foods that go along with it, let’s talk about why Rowdy finds keto to be such a catch.
The keto diet is about more than cutting the carbs and putting those healthy fats to good use. One of our favorite benefits when it comes to the ketogenic diet is how gut-healthy it can be if you choose the right low-carb foods.
Starve The Bad-Guy Bacteria
By avoiding refined sugars and processed foods on the ketogenic diet, you’ll be on the right tracks to starve any unwanted bacteria in your gut. This means more room for beneficial bacteria that help to keep your microbiome strong and balanced.
No Leaky Gut Here
The keto diet is great for gut health because of the support it gives the lining of your gut. That’s right, healthy fats and your gut barrier are some powerful pals who work together to prevent leaky gut. By replacing gut busters like gluten and refined sugars with high-fat foods, the gut microbiome is able to stay strong, preventing bacteria from leaking into the bloodstream and causing unwanted health issues.
Encourage Diversity
The typical diet doesn’t include as many healthy fat-filled foods as the ketogenic diet does. When you introduce your gut to new high-fat choices you’re also encouraging nutrient and bacteria diversity. Keto also promotes many foods that are high in omega-3s--fatty acids that work hard to support microbial diversity.
Ketogenic diet and gut health, how’s that for a dynamic duo?