olive oil

What is the Keto Diet?

What is the Keto Diet? So you have been searching for information on the keto diet, let’s go over what the keto diet is, the benefits, and some keto foods. We’re an affiliate We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Thank you if you use our links, we really appreciate it! Introduction: A ketogenic diet (or simply known as the keto diet) is characterized by very low carbohydrates, moderate-to-high protein, and high fats consumption for medium to long periods in order to burn excessive body fat (and to achieve certain other claimed health benefits). Including a high-fat diet to burn body fat may come as a surprise to some; however, the keto diet is known to provide efficient results. The idea behind the keto diet is fairly simple. When indulged in the keto diet, your body starts producing molecules known as “ketones,” and the body is said to have achieved the state of ketosis. Normally, 50-60% of an average person’s diet consists of carbohydrates, and the sugar included in these carbohydrates is used for the fuel source. On the other hand, however, body fat is used as the major source of fuel during the state of ketosis. It ultimately leads to fat loss. Keto diet is an effective weight-loss tool, but it may not be easy for two main reasons. Firstly, you may experience the keto fever during the early few days of keto diet since your body fuel is being shifted from sugars to fats. This fever goes away within a few days. Secondly, finding the right food sources for the keto diet may not be difficult since the majority of our regular food sources contain carbohydrates. For this purpose, the following list may be helpful for you: Keto Foods: Vegetables: One of the best food sources during keto diet could be to eat raw or steamed vegetables since a majority of this food source is very low on carbohydrates. Some of the vegetables that you may look to consume are cabbage, kale, lettuce, cauliflower, avocados, spinach, and olives. Meat and Poultry: Nearly all meat and poultry sources are loaded with protein but negligible carbohydrates. So, you may look to consume around 150 grams of grilled or lightly cooked meat or chicken every day. Oil: All oil sources have zero carbohydrates. While all oil sources are not healthy, you may look to consume coconut and olive oil due to several additional health benefits these sources may have to provide. Nuts: Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, cashew, and pistachios, among several others, are an amazing source of healthy fats. Some nuts also have some protein but very less carbohydrates, making it a must-have keto food. Unsweetened Tea and Coffee: Let’s be honest! Leaving tea and coffee is a big ask, even though we all know these drinks are loaded with carbohydrates (sugar). The easiest way to strike a balance is to develop a habit of drinking unsweetened coffee and tea. Benefits of the Keto Diet: Weight loss is an obvious benefit of keto, and it has been proven numerous times. Apart from weight-loss, however, keto may also provide the following additional benefits: Reduces the risk of various kinds of cancers. Improves health of the heart and its functioning. Low-carb diet helps reduce seizures. Helps in managing diabetes. Improves functioning of the brain. Better clarity of mind. Helps fight acne, and improves skin. Increases “good” Cholesterol and decreases “bad” Cholesterol. Helps manage blood pressure. Helps in managing various brain disorders. The Essential Keto Diet Book for Beginners: Lose Weight with Easy and Tasty Recipes incl. 30 Days Weight Loss ChallengePaperback – 1 July 2020 by TLC Cholesterol November 20, 2020 Love Cooking – Let’s Get Keto Cooking!

How your lifestyle affects your cholesterol levels

How your lifestyle affects your cholesterol levels Just like your actions define your personality, your lifestyle choices have a big impact on your health. From every morsel that you put in your mouth to your hobbies, your lifestyle has a major bearing on your body fat levels and cardiovascular health. It is imperative to understand that your cardiovascular health is a byproduct of a lot of factors. Some of these factors like genetic predisposition, gender and age are non-modifiable. But there are others that are under your control-your lifestyle. Let’s talk about it in detail. Diet If your diet is loaded with saturated and trans fats, you are on the surest path towards high cholesterol. Unsaturated fats and omega 3 fats are what you need for a healthy heart. Avoid excessive meat, whole-fat dairy products, and partially hydrogenated oils. Replace them with natural oils like olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil which are rich sources of unsaturated fats. Foods like avocados, nuts, sesame seeds, fish, etc. have a healthier fat profile and are beneficial for you. Physical activity It goes without saying that a sedentary lifestyle is directly proportional to fat accumulation in the body. The calories you consume need to be spent through physical activity, otherwise, all the excess calories pile up and blow your body’s natural balance of cholesterols out of proportion. Take that flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the next block instead of taking the cab. Light aerobic exercises like walking, running, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc. can help keep you active to burn all those excessive fats from your body to keep your heart and vessels healthy. Weight Excessive body weight has been linked with disruption of cholesterol metabolism. High body weight is linked with insulin resistance which results in decreased cholesterol removal and increased cholesterol production. In order to keep a healthy cholesterol profile, it is imperative to control body weight. With the right diet and consistent exercise, it is not hard to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Smoking Smoking has disastrous effects on lipid metabolism in the body. Excessive smoking has been shown to lower the level of HDL cholesterol-the good fats-in the body. On the other hand, it elevates the level of bad fats including LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The net effect is the deterioration of cardiovascular health. For optimal cardiovascular health, avoid cigarette smoking, and vaping. Alcohol use Alcohol consumption has been linked with disturbance of cholesterol metabolism with the deposition of excessive fats in the liver. Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels) has been linked with excessive alcohol use. Therefore, avoid drinking too many alcoholic beverages for a healthy lipid profile. Bottom line Adopting healthy lifestyle choices like a healthy diet and regular exercise can help control your cholesterol levels from skyrocketing in the first place. If you are on cholesterol-lowering drugs, comply with your medication and regularly follow-up with your GP for a healthy lipid profile. References https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2002.46 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20550509/ https://www.jlr.org/content/20/3/289.short