Wait! I said you’re the GOOD kind offat! Hey munchies! Welcome to the channel, I’m Alyssia, and today I’m going to cover a topic I havehad a LOT of requests for: keto, or a ketogenic diet. And this is going to be an educational, objective,introductory video explaining what a ketogenic diet is, how ketosisworks, how it’s different from other diets, andto whom it might apply. As always I have to give my annoying disclaimers. I want it to be clear that I am not sayinga ketogenic diet is “right” or “wrong” for you, me, or anyone else. What is keto? Simply put, a ketogenic diet is a diet that’slow in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in dietary fat. Originally, in the 1920s, a ketogenic dietwas designed for patients with epilepsy to help reduce their seizures. The keto diet also tended to have positiveeffects on those patients’ body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol, and hunger levels. It has not been studied widely in terms ofnutritional science, which is one of my main hesitations with sharingit on the channel. But, after doing my own research, I do believe that what I’ve learned is worthsharing because it’s pretty fascinating. As you can probably tell by the length ofthis video, there is a lot of information so please bearwith me. And, if you really do want to learn aboutthe diet, watch the whole video because I don’t want to answer a questionin the comments that I’ve already answered in the video. To understand the keto diet, we’ve got tostart from the beginning: calories and macros. Calories are energy. It’s important to recognize that weightgain and weight loss are complicated. “Calories in and calories out” is toosimple and not accurate enough. Exercise is important for a healthy lifestyle, but it has minimal impact in terms of weightloss, while it does of course provide other healthbenefits. Burning 300 calories in a workout doesn’tequate to burning off a cupcake. Nutrition is going to be about 90% responsiblefor changes in our bodies in terms of weight. And, different types of foods metabolize differentlyin the body. There are MANY variables. That’s why eating 2000 calories of fruit is not the same thing as eating 2000 caloriesof goldfish. Macronutrients consist of protein, carbohydrates,and fat. ALL calories come from these sources, withalcohol as the exception. Your total calories for the day, no matter how many you eat and what diet youfollow, equal 100%. Each of those macronutrients becomes a percentageof your daily pie, and the ratio will often change based on thediet. You cannot have 100% of calories come fromeach macronutrient, that would be 300%. And because math exists,that just isn’t possible. You CAN have an EQUAL number of calories fromeach food—33.3%— BUT fat contains MORE calories per gram thanprotein or carbs, so the percentage would be different in thatcase. A popular diet you may have heard of on YouTubeis a High Carb, Low Fat diet, or 80/10/10. That means 80% of calories come from carbs,10% from fat, and 10% from protein. Competitive bodybuilders often build musclewith a diet that’s higher in carbs and lower in fat with moderate protein, and then, closer to their competition whenthey need to lean out, protein becomes the biggest macronutrientin their diet, followed by fat and carbs. A ketogenic diet, on the other hand, consistsof a diet that is around 70% fat, a moderate amount of protein, and very littlecarbs, only 5% to 10%, depending on the person’stolerance. Now, it’s not a strict ratio, because itwill vary from person to person. We all have a different carbohydrate tolerance and our insulin resistance levels are different, which means one person on a keto diet maybe able to eat more carbs than another person on a keto diet, but stillbe in what’s called “nutritional ketosis.” More on that in a moment. Now, I realize that this may sound very different from what most of us have been taught aboutnutrition. When I first heard about a keto diet and thishigh-fat ratio, I was skeptical. I had always been taught that you don’twant to eat a lot of fat! But a keto diet functions differently thansome other common diets, such as a diet higher in carbs with less fatand protein that we are typically told is “healthy.” It’s important to recognize from the beginningthat there is no “right” or “wrong” ratio, but there may be one that works better forYOU, and only you can find that out. So, we know that calories are fuel for ourbodies, but that fuel can come from 1 of 2 main sources: glucose, or ketones The main one that MOST people function offof today is glucose. It can be a great energy source for the brainand body and comes primarily from carbohydrates. This is essentially a “sugar burning mode”since glucose is a sugar. The second source of fuel is ketones, or ketonebodies. People on a ketogenic diet are fueled by KETONES,rather than glucose. Ketones are produced when glucose levels fall,and the body has access to fat, either in the form of stored body fat or dietaryfat. When someone’s body uses ketones as fuelrather than glucose, they are in “nutritional ketosis” whichis like a “fat burning mode” since fat is the fuel source. I'll talk more about the benefits of ketosisin a bit. For any diet, it’s important to have bothcarbohydrates and fat for the body to function properly. However, it’s the amount of one relativeto the other that will determine your fuel source, andone is not right or wrong. Now, if glucose is available to the body,it will use that FIRST, because it’s easy to burn up. If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your bodywill use that glucose as it’s fuel source, rather than using fats as fuel. This is why carbohydrate intake must be LOWon a ketogenic diet, and a keto diet is often referred to as ahigh-fat diet— dietary fat needs to be prevalent enough inthe body in order to produce ketones. Many people associate the word “fat” withthe fat on our bodies, and are unfamiliar with it as a fuel source. There’s a lot of misunderstanding abouthow a ketogenic diet works, which is why there’s also a lot of criticismsurrounding it. But, that’s why I’m trying to explainit here. Don’t get me wrong—our brains and bodiesdo need some glucose, just like we all need some dietary fat, BUT glucose does not NEED to be the MAIN sourceof energy for a body to function healthily. Glucose is one energy source, ketones areanother— neither is “right” or “wrong,” they’rejust different. In fact, our ancestors may have lived ketogeniclifestyles without being aware of it. As hunters and gatherers, our ancestors atelots of nuts, seeds, meats, and lower carb fruits like berries. This is often referred to as “primal eating,” and it’s a diet that was high in fats andlow in carbohydrates. It likely resulted in ketosis and helped ourancestors survive from one meal to the next, because their bodies could store that fatas energy. But, does that mean that they CHOSE to bein ketosis? No, they would have eaten whatever was availableto them, but the point is that it was a viable wayfor them to survive healthily, even if they didn’t understand the sciencebehind it. When a lot of people hear about “primal”or “hunter gatherer” eating these days, they think of the Paleo diet. Now, is the paleo diet a ketogenic diet? The answer: it can be. On a paleo diet, you can eat grass-fed meats,seafood, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, oils, etcetera, but you can’t eat grains, legumes, refinedsugar, processed foods, and typically dairy and excessive salt. Now, most of that aligns with a keto diet,where one consumes more fat and less carbs. However, nothing is strictly prohibited ona keto diet. The ultimate goal is a ratio of fats to carbohydrates— which likely means not consuming many, ifany, grains, legumes or sugar regularly. A paleo diet limits only the TYPES of foodsone can eat, and not the macronutrient amounts. For instance, there is no limit to fruitsor healthy carbs, and no minimum amount of fats. A paleo diet is not NECESSARILY a ketogenicdiet, although it can be. Does that make sense? There are plenty of other diets that you mayknow of which CAN result in nutritional ketosis, they’re just not necessarily “keto”diets. For example, the Atkins Diet is a low carbdiet, so it’s commonly mistaken as a keto diet— but it’s not. It’s similar, but there is a significantdifference, and it involves the one macronutrient we haven’ttouched on yet: protein. Both a ketogenic diet and the Atkins Dietare high in fat and low in carbohydrates, BUT a ketogenic diet is moderate in protein, while the Atkins diet does not set a limitto protein intake. Why does this matter? We talked about how carbohydrates are usedby the body as fuel in the form of glucose, and fat is used asfuel in the form of ketones. But, what about protein? Well, through a process called gluconeogenesis, protein can also be converted into glucose. This means, if someone wants to experiencethe benefits of a ketogenic diet and be in a state of ketosis, even if they are on a diet that’s low enoughin carbohydrates, their protein intake can throw them off because too much protein will be processedby the body as glucose. On a ketogenic diet, just like with carbohydrates, the amount of protein one can consume willdepend on the person and how their body metabolizes different foods. There are still benefits to diets like these,that are lower in carbs and contain fats, but lower carb does not equal ketosis, necessarily. Ketosis is a physical, biological processthat goes on in the body. It’s brought on when the fat-to-carb ratiois just right— high enough fat, low enough carb—for THATperson’s body. If there isn’t enough fat, or if there isTOO much glucose or protein, which we now know can be converted into glucose, the body will use that glucose instead andbe in a state of glycolysis, a.k.a. that sugar burning mode. We’ve established that a keto diet exists, but why would someone want to be in ketosis? Are there benefits of following a ketogenicdiet? Weight loss: In ketosis, the body is ableto burn stored fat, and insulin levels are lowered since thereis less glucose in the body. Reduced appetite: Since fat is more satiating, people often don’t get as hungryon a ketogenic diet, which can improve a person’s relationshipwith food. “Mental clarity”: People in ketosis oftenreport experiencing a level of “mental clarity” that they don’t have when fueled by glucose. Healing: Studies have also shown it can helpkill cancer cells, and help to treat or even reverse cognitiveimpairments like Alzheimer’s symptoms. Improved insulin levels, reduced blood pressure, and improved blood cholesterol and triglyceridelevels. These benefits all result from fat being thebody’s fuel source. So what types of fats are appropriate fora keto diet? Now, this may seem a bit strange or confusing, because it will likely go against a lot ofwhat you’ve been told about nutrition. But, just stay with me. A ketogenic diet is high in fat and low incarbs macro-wise, but most people who follow it also considerthemselves on a whole foods diet. They are eating lots of leafy and cruciferousveggies, grass-fed meat, eggs, wild-caught fish, dairy (depending on the person since it canbe inflammatory), olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter,avocado, nuts, seeds, and more! People on a ketogenic diet would typicallyavoid the more obvious processed foods and grains, but they might also avoid some whole foods,such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, higher sugar fruits, legumes, etcetera becauseof their carbohydrate levels. These whole foods are still perfectly healthyfoods, they just won’t help with getting into ketosis. Too many carbs means glucose is availableto the body, which means it won’t produce ketones. For nutritional ketosis to happen, ketonesneed to be the available fuel source. It’s a lot of information to process! But you see why it’s so important to stayopen minded. Really, there is no such thing as “good”or “bad” when it comes to health and nutrition because it’s all relative. What’s good for one body can be differentfor another, especially when we’re running on differentfuel sources! There’s SO much talk in the nutrition worldabout fat, and saturated fat in particular, being “bad,” but, again, this is relative. Everyone agrees that trans fats are bad, becausethey are unnatural, man-made fats. But, new dietary research has caused somedisagreement over saturated fats. Many things we’ve been told to avoid, likebutter and beef, can be a healthy part of our diets IF theyare in fact grass-fed and not processed. On a ketogenic diet, people are generallynot discouraged from eating saturated fat in the form of grass-fed meat, grass-fed butter, healthy oils like coconut and olive oils,ghee, avocado, salmon and other fatty fish, eggs, nuts, seeds,and full fat dairy. On a standard low fat and higher carbohydratediet, many of these items are discouraged. Why is that? The AHA and some dated research claims thatsaturated fat causes heart disease, but it’s come to light with recent researchthat that conclusion can’t really be drawn. It’s more likely that inflammation causesheart disease than saturated fats, specifically if those fats are from wholefoods, and are nutritious dietary fats. Remember from the beginning of the video: you can only have 100% of your total macronutrients. So, if you are going to include more fatsin your diet, the only option is to lower the protein orthe carbs, regardless of keto or any other diet. And this is where it can get tricky. We see it circulating around now that “fatis healthy” and blah blah blah, but we are also told to eat quinoa. You can’t eat a ton of fat, AND a ton ofcarbs. Likely, this would just mean a person is consumingtoo much food in general. AND remember that fats are more calories pergram than carbs or protein, so LESS food adds up quickly in your totalcaloric intake needs. There’s a lot to be mindful with a ketogenicdiet, but it can have its benefits. So who might consider a keto diet? We already mentioned a few: People with a goal of weight loss. Some people who have struggled with insulinsensitivity and/or being overweight may find that a ketogenic diet works reallywell for them because they don’t have to deal with insulin. People trying to reset their appetite centerand be more mindful of being full. So if you’re on a low fat diet, or a lowfat and low carb diet, or a high protein diet, and you think you’re really hungry all thetime, you’re not crazy. You actually ARE hungry. Your insulin is raised and it's telling you thatyou need fuel. On a ketogenic diet, without the glucose there, your body doesn’t experience spikes in insulin and you’re more likely to feel satiated. It may also help people with a goal of reducingblood pressure and finding healthy cholesterol levels, or people looking for help with PCOS treatment, or those with neurodegenerative disorders. But, of course a ketogenic diet is not foreveryone. It’s NOT appropriate for people with conditionslike: kidney or liver disease, Muscular Dystrophy,gallbladder disease, gastric bypass, rare metabolic disorders,pancreatic insufficiency, those prone to kidney stones, Type 1 diabetes, blood sugar issues like hypoglycemia— so for people with type 2 diabetes it dependsand there’s conflicting responses, so it’s best to get a doctor to supervise— those who are pregnant, nursing, or who havegestational diabetes, and it also may not be a good idea for: people who have suffered from an eating disorder, people who have a history of mental healthproblems, children or people under the age of 18, and people who are naturally very thin witha BMI of less than 20. And, of course, a general health screening is always a good idea to make sure there’sno rare conditions or contradictions with your health or medications on a ketogenicdiet. Because the nutritional science world is stillrelatively new, like I said earlier, there isn’t a ton of information on a ketogenicdiet. New dietary research is emerging that's challengingour old beliefs about nutrition. But, despite this, the old research that demonizedfat and saturated fat is still widely accepted. Most of what we know about ketogenic diets come from actual people who have put it intopractice in their lives. There is not enough existing research yet to start changing our old approaches to nutritionin the medical world. A ketogenic diet does go against much of whatwe’ve been told about nutrition in the past few years, but the science behind nutritional ketosisis still new. But just because the research doesn’t existin the capacity that’s needed for all doctors to make newconclusions, doesn’t mean that this information isn’ttrue or that the lifestyle isn’t an option. All accepted forms of medicine today, at somepoint, started out as “alternative medicine”that needed enough research to back it. For that reason, if you approach your traditionaldoctor about a ketogenic diet, I’m going to let you know up front thathe or she may just tell you to not do it. Now, I will never tell you to not listen toyour doctor, BUT I will encourage you to continue to doyour own research so you feel confident making decisions becauseYOU know your body best. Even if you don’t feel the confidence rightnow, you do. If you feel intrigued and want to learn more,I’ve linked some resources below, but please go off and also do TONSand tons of research on your own. I do NOT recommend trying out a ketogenicdiet willy nilly. You should be able to FULLY understand howketosis works and why before making lifestyle changes. AND remember that this is just an introductoryvideo to explain the diet, NOT an instructional video telling you howto start it. I don’t want you to miss out on valuableinformation that you wouldn’t have without doing yourown research, like the stages of ketosis, the differencebetween ketosis and ketoacidosis, how to test ketone levels, supplements, saltintake, effects on exercise, water intake, etcetera— all of these things which are really essentialto understand before making dietary changes. Remember—the reason there is such a debateabout these different diets— you can’t do ALL of them at once, so peopletend to think that one is right or wrong. But NONE of them are right or wrong, and theyall work for SOMEONE, but they won’t all work for YOU. Probably. We all need to stop with this “this dietis right and this is wrong” and “fat or carbs are good or bad” mentality. It depends on YOU and your body and what worksbetter with you. YOU are not me or anyone else, we are alldifferent. Our diet needs and what works for us willdepend on our genetics, lifestyle, activity level, diet history andso much more. So if someone gets on the internet and claimsthat ANY type of diet or ratio is THE one for everyone, be skeptical, because remember, they don’t know you, or yourhistory, or your body, or what you might be sensitive to. Even if you have no interest in actually followinga ketogenic diet, I think information is power. It can help us to be more understanding of otherlifestyle choices, and knowing what it is and how it works willonly make you a more informed human. The more you know about your body and howit works, the more confident you’ll feel to make yourown choices moving forward. I hope you found this episode useful. If you want more educational videos like this, be sure to give this video a thumbs-up! Thanks so much for being a part of this supportiveand open-minded community, I really do believe we can learn from ourdifferences. I’ll see you tomorrow on my PIZZA channel,I’ll see you right here next week, and remember, it’s all a matter of MindOver Munch!
What is keto? Ketosis? A ketogenic diet? Learn all about low carb, high fat diets, how they work, and determine if they are right for you! ★ SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every Thursday! http://bit.ly/MindOverMunch ★ ★ SUBSCRIBE to our NEW 2nd channel, Eat The Pizza! http://bit.ly/eatthepizza ★ NEW Bento eBook: http://bit.ly/1nDyR6h 30 Day Email Kickstart Course: http://bit.ly/2ivSM5t Meal Prep eBook: http://bit.ly/2jEztdi OTHER EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS you might like: ► Healthy Cereal Choices: http://bit.ly/2lDXyBZ ► Sugar & Sweeteners 101: http://bit.ly/2lsJrNo ► Is Dark Chocolate Healthy?: http://bit.ly/2kJAWR0 ► Healthy Fast Food Choices: http://bit.ly/2wxUrhZ ► Vegan Fast Food Choices: http://bit.ly/2vSFYjo ► Healthy Meal Choices at Chipotle: http://bit.ly/2psgUMp ► $50 Whole Foods Meal Prep: http://bit.ly/2lkOp0B ► Healthy Choices at Panera Bread: http://bit.ly/2lJNYOf An intro guide to a ketogenic diet and how high fat nutrition functions in the body. Remember, a ketogenic diet won’t be right for everyone, so be sure to do your own research first so you are aware of the benefits and risks. Take responsibility for your health. More Keto Resources: https://draxe.com/truth-about-the-controversial-ketogenic-diet/ Keto Diet Common Questions https://draxe.com/truth-about-the-controversial-ketogenic-diet/ Epilepsy and Brain Health on a Ketogenic Diet: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28544-how-high-fat-ketogenic-diet-acts-on-the-brain-to-help-epilepsy/ Ketogenic Diet & Obesity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945587/ Kept Diet: How To https://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-do-an-lchf-diet-dr-eric-westman Basic Ketogenic Diet Info http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/09/04/ketogenic-nutritional-ketosis.aspx Conditions Benefited From a Keto Diet http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/09/26/nutritional-ketosis-benefits.aspx Fat as Fuel http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/04/24/burning-fat-for-fuel.aspx Ketogenic Diets & Exercise Performance https://drruscio.com/health-news-reviews-updates-june-2017/ Review of “The Big Fat Surprise” book https://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21602984-why-everything-you-heard-about-fat-wrong-case-eating-steak-and-cream?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/steakandcream ☺ Connect with me! ☺ ☮ Instagram: http://instagram.com/mindovermunch ☮ Snapchat: alyssiasheikh ☮ eBooks: http://www.mindovermunch.com/ebooks ☮ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MindOverMunch ☮ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindOverMunch ☮ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindovermunch ☮ Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mindovermunch ☮ Website: http://www.mindovermunch.com ★ If you’d like to support our channel directly to help us continue to create great content, check out our Patreon page and consider becoming a patron of the channel. We offer exclusive rewards to thank our patrons! ★ ☯ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mindovermunch?ty=h ☯ DISCLAIMER The information provided on this channel is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this channel for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you suspect you might have a health problem.