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The Ketogenic Diet is a diet that is very low in carbohydrates, high in fat and low to moderate in protein. When you reduce your intake of carbohydrates it puts your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. This is where your body uses ketones as an alternative source of energy instead of glucose.
When we eat very less carbs ketones are produced by the liver from fat. The ketones are then used as a fuel throughout the body, especially for the brain, which can’t utilise fat directly and can only run or glucose or ketones.
This is the reason why the ketogenic diet has been used to successfully treat childhood epilepsy since the 1920s.
So when you are on a ketogenic diet, your body’s main fuel supply is fat instead of glucose. That’s what being ‘fat adapted’ means.
The best way to induce ketosis is fasting or creating a ‘ketogenic ratio’ of 4-parts fat to 1-part protein and carbohydrate, which equates to around 80% of calories in the diet from fat. The protein recommendation is 1.2-3g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day and the rest of your daily calorie allowance is from carbohydrates.
At 60kg and 2000 kcal per day, the exact macros would be
- Fat: 1600 kcal (178g)
- Protein: 288 kcal (72g)
- Carbohydrate: 112 kcal (28g)
This can be quite difficult to maintain and you can actually achieve great results by trying a modified ketogenic diet. With 60-75% of calories from fat if you use MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides). That way you can have more carbohydrates and protein.
Always consult your general health Practioner before commencing a Keto diet
