An easy introduction to the keto diet: the ultimate guide

Veröffentlicht am: October 29, 2024
Sarah Allen
Sarah Allen

Nutritionist and dietician

Unlike many fad diets that come and go with little long-term success, the ketogenic diet (or keto diet) has been practiced for more than nine decades (since the 1920s) and is based on a solid understanding of human physiology and nutritional science.

The keto diet works for many people because it targets several important underlying causes of weight gain:

  • For hormonal disorders, especially insulin resistance in conjunction with high blood sugar levels
  • The vicious circle of cravings that many people fall into when they go without calories for a while and then devour huge amounts of empty calories with a ravenous appetite

Contents

What exactly is the keto diet?

The classic ketogenic diet is a very low-carbohydrate eating plan that was originally developed in the 1920s by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Center for epileptics. Researchers found that fasting - i.e. abstaining from food for a certain period of time (e.g. intermittent fasting), including carbohydrates - helped to reduce the frequency of seizures. In addition, further positive effects on body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol and the feeling of hunger were found.

Long-term fasting is obviously not a long-term solution. So scientists developed the keto diet to mimic the positive effects of fasting.

  • Essentially, the keto diet works for beginners by tricking the body into acting as if it were fasting (while reaping the benefits of intermittent fasting). This is done by strictly abstaining from any glucose contained in carbohydrate-containing foods. Today, a normal keto diet is referred to by different names, for example "low carb diet" (LCKD) or "very low carb diet" (VLCKD).
  • At the heart of every classic keto diet is the severe restriction of all foods containing sugar and starch (carbohydrates). These foods are converted into sugar (insulin and glucose) in the blood immediately after consumption. The higher the glucose and insulin levels in the blood, the easier it is for extra calories to be stored as body fat, leading to unwanted weight gain. However, if the blood sugar level drops due to low carbohydrate intake, the body starts to burn fat instead and produces ketones, which can be detected in the blood (e.g. with urine strips).

Keto diets, like most low-carb diets, are successful because of the absence of glucose. Most people eat a high-carbohydrate diet and therefore provide their bodies with glucose (sugar) as an energy source. We cannot produce glucose ourselves and can only store about a 24-hour supply in our muscle tissue and liver. If glucose is no longer available from food sources, the body begins to burn stored fat or fat from ingested food.

As a result, most people lose weight and excess body fat very quickly. This is true even if they consume high amounts of fat and calories every day. Another big advantage of a keto diet is that you don't have to count calories, feel hungry or try to burn lots of calories through hours of intense exercise.

In a way, the keto diet is similar to the Atkins diet, which also boosts the body's fat-burning process by eating only low-carb (low-sugar) foods. By avoiding glucose, which is contained in carbohydrates, the body burns fat for energy. The main difference between the classic keto diet and the Atkins diet is that the former encourages the consumption of healthy keto fats, limits protein intake and avoids processed meats (such as bacon). At the same time, there is more research confirming the effectiveness of this diet.

In fact, those differences from the Atkins diet outline some of the most common reservations about the keto diet (lots of protein, all kinds of fat, little scientific research to back up the benefits). These are quite simply nutritional lies.

Is a keto diet healthy? According to Atkins? No. But if you eat plenty of healthy fats, green vegetables and organic meat, yes.

How does the keto diet work?

Instead of tedious calorie counting, smaller portion sizes, excessive exercise or the use of a lot of willpower, this low-carb diet takes a completely different approach to weight loss and improving overall health.

The diet works because the body's actual "fuel source" is changed: instead of glucose (sugar), the body burns stored dietary fats. This happens thanks to appropriate keto recipes or keto products, including high-fat and low-carb foods.

When you make this switch, you enable your body to enter "ketosis" (when the body burns fats and not sugar). Even beginners or people without much knowledge of keto can get started with this diet surprisingly easily.

How to eat a keto diet:

  1. Reduce your carbohydrate intake.
  2. Increase your intake of healthy fats (omega 3), which contribute to a feeling of satiety.
  3. Without glucose in your body, it now has to burn fats and produce ketones.
  4. As soon as the ketone level in your blood reaches a certain level, you are officially in ketosis.
  5. This status ensures a steady, relatively rapid weight reduction until you have reached a healthy and stable body weight.

5 steps to ketosis | Herbano

 

What is ketosis?

What does "keto" actually stand for? Keto is the abbreviation for ketosis. This is the state you achieve when you eat a ketogenic diet. This type of diet is therefore sometimes referred to as a ketosis diet.

By following a ketogenic diet, you put your body into ketosis, a metabolic state characterized by the body deriving most of its energy from ketones in the blood rather than glucose from carbohydrates (such as grains, sugar or fruit). The body is therefore no longer in a glycolytic state, in which blood sugar (sugar) provides most of the energy needed.

You can also achieve this state by fasting for several days, but you cannot maintain it for long. (This is, however, the reason why some keto diets recommend intermittent fasting to beginners in order to accelerate weight loss).

Dietary fats (especially saturated fats) generally have a bad reputation and are associated with the fear of gaining weight or increasing the risk of heart disease. However, fats are the body's second best source of energy when there are no carbohydrates available.

How to reach the state of ketosis

Many people wonder whether the keto diet works. Yes, of course it does. But only if you can put your body into a state of ketosis.

How to get your body into ketosis and burn body fat for energy (for beginners):

  1. The intake of glucose from carbohydrate-containing foods - cereals, starchy vegetables, fruit, etc. - is reduced to a minimum.
  2. This forces the body to look for another source of energy: Consume good fats (avocados, coconut oil, salmon).
  3. Now that the body no longer has glucose available, it starts to burn fat and produce ketones.
  4. As soon as the ketone content in your blood reaches a certain level, you are in ketosis.
  5. A high ketone level is accompanied by rapid, constant weight loss until you have reached a healthy, stable body weight.

You are probably wondering how high the carbohydrate intake can be without losing the state of ketosis. According to the traditional keto diet, which was developed for epileptics, you should:

  • 75% of calories from fats (oils or fatty meat)
  • 5 % from carbohydrates and
  • 20 % consist of protein.

However, most people can follow a less restrictive diet and still lose weight quickly (modified keto diet).

To achieve and maintain a state of ketosis, an intake of 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day is usually recommended. This moderate, flexible approach is not so overwhelming to start with. Once you get used to your new ketogenic diet, you can reduce your carbohydrate intake further (sometimes only on a daily basis), for example to 20 grams per day. This is what many people consider to be the standard. However, everyone is different and everyone has to find their own personal level.

6 great benefits of the keto diet

1. weight loss

Of the many benefits of a keto diet, weight loss is often considered the number one. In fact, many people lose weight quickly and to a considerable extent (especially if they are overweight or obese). A study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2013. It states that those who follow a keto diet " achieve better long-term body weight and cardiovascular risk factor management compared with those who follow a conventional low-fat diet (i.e. less than 30 percent of energy intake comes from fat)."

In 2014, scientists published a report in the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health:

The ketogenic diet is one of the diets that has been most studied for weight loss in recent years. Many studies have shown that this dietary approach has a solid physiological and biochemical basis and is able to bring about effective weight loss and an improvement in several cardiovascular risk parameters.

Weight loss as part of a keto diet has also been confirmed. High-fat, low-carb diets can both counteract hunger pangs and increase weight loss through a hormonal effect. As already described, our body releases very little insulin when we eat a low-carb diet. With lower insulin levels, the body does not store extra energy in the form of fat for later use and can instead tap into existing fat stores.

Keto diets are rich in healthy fats and protein and are generally very filling. This counteracts excessive consumption of empty calories, sweets and junk food. Most people who eat a healthy, low-carb diet have no problem consuming enough calories (but not too many). However, sugary drinks, cookies, bread, muesli, ice cream or other desserts and snacks are taboo.

  • Lymphoedema often occurs after lymph node removal or due to cancer-related damage. This leads to a blockage in the lymphatic system, causing swelling in the legs or arms. A 2017 study involved patients suffering from obesity and lymphoedema who embarked on an 18-week ketogenic diet. As a result, the test subjects not only lost weight, but their arm and leg circumference also decreased significantly.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder in women of childbearing age. Symptoms include obesity, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. A pilot study followed eleven women on a ketogenic diet (20 grams of carbohydrates or less per day) over a period of 24 weeks. Five of the women completed the study and lost an average of 12 percent of their body weight. Fasting insulin levels fell by 54 percent. In addition, two women who previously suffered from infertility became pregnant.

2. reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes 

When you burn fat instead of glucose, you don't just lose excess weight. In fact, burning fat helps to control the release of hormones such as insulin. Insulin plays a crucial role in the development of diabetes and other health problems. When we eat carbohydrates, our body releases insulin in response to the rise in blood sugar levels; insulin levels rise accordingly. Insulin is a so-called storage hormone that signals the cells to store as much available energy as possible, first as glycogen (also known as stored carbohydrates in our muscles) and then as body fat.

The keto diet works because the intake of carbohydrates is drastically restricted. This means that the body's carbohydrate stores are not replenished. Accordingly, only little insulin is released after eating and the blood sugar level normalizes. In this way, existing insulin resistance can be reversed. Insulin resistance is often the root cause of diabetes. In studies, low-carb diets have shown benefits in improving blood pressure, postprandial glycemia and insulin secretion. 

Therefore, diabetics taking insulin should consult their doctor before starting a ketogenic diet, as the dose may need to be adjusted.

3. reduced risk of heart disease

A ketogenic diet can reduce the risk of certain markers of heart disease, including high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Despite the fact that the keto diet is high in fat (but good fats), it is very unlikely that this diet will have a negative impact on your cholesterol levels. On the contrary, especially in the case of obesity, the diet can reduce risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases.

In one study, scientists observed that a ketogenic diet over 24 weeks was associated with reduced triglyceride, LDL and blood sugar levels in many test subjects. At the same time, there was an increase in HDL levels ("good" cholesterol).

4. helps protect against cancer

Some studies suggest that a ketogenic diet "starves" cancer cells. If you eat lots of processed, pro-inflammatory, nutrient-poor foods, you are strengthening cancer cells and promoting their proliferation. What is the link between high sugar intake and cancer? Our normal body cells are able to use fats as an energy source. However, it is thought that cancer cells cannot make the switch from glucose to fat as an energy source.

Several medical studies - including two conducted by the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center for the University of Iowa through the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - show that a ketogenic diet can be an effective treatment for cancer and other serious health problems.

Therefore, a keto diet that avoids refined sugar and other processed carbohydrates can effectively alleviate and fight cancer. It's no coincidence that some of the foods that are best at fighting cancer are also on the list of recommended keto foods.

5. combats brain diseases and neurological disorders

Over the last century, ketogenic diets have also been used as a natural remedy to treat and even reverse neurological disorders and cognitive impairment, including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, manic depression and anxiety. Research shows that lowering glucose levels with a very low carbohydrate diet causes your body to produce ketones for energy. This change can help reverse neurological disorders and cognitive impairment, as well as better control epileptic seizures. The brain is able to use this alternative energy source instead of the cellular energy pathways that do not function normally in patients with brain disorders.

To treat drug-resistant epilepsy, researchers developed a clinical diet called the medium-chain triglyceride keto diet, which makes extensive use of MCT oils because they are more ketogenic than long-chain triglycerides. The so-called "Low Glycemic Index Treatment" (LGIT) diet was also developed as an alternative to the keto diet, also for the treatment of epilepsy. This involves monitoring the total amount of carbohydrates consumed daily and focusing primarily on carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.

Clinical observations have shown an improvement in the symptoms of Alzheimer's patients when they eat a ketogenic diet. Mitochondrial function also improved. A study in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" refers to new data suggesting the therapeutic use of ketogenic diets for multiple neurological disorders beyond epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease, including headaches, neurotrauma, Parkinson's disease, sleep disorders, brain tumors, autism and multiple sclerosis.

The report goes on to say that while these different diseases are distinctly different, the ketogenic diet appears to be effective in treating neurological problems due to its "neuroprotective effects". The researchers suspect that ketones can correct abnormalities in cellular energy utilization that play a role in many neurological diseases.

A study with mice showed that a keto diet could slow the progression of both ALS and Huntington's disease. In fact, scientists in more than one animal study have found potential benefits of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet or intermittent fasting. These benefits included weight loss, control of glucose levels and protection of neurons from injury.

Although the exact role of the keto diet in mental and brain disorders is unclear, there is evidence of its effectiveness in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, a ketogenic diet can reverse typical side effects of conventional medications for brain disorders, such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed to understand the role of the ketogenic diet in treating or improving schizophrenia, as the studies currently available are either animal studies or case studies. However, the initial results show the benefits of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet in neurology and are promising.

6. extends the service life

There are now study results showing that a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (such as the keto diet) increases lifespan compared to a low-fat diet. One study was published in the medical journal "The Lancet". The scientists analyzed data from more than 135,000 adults in 18 countries. A high carbohydrate intake was associated with a higher mortality rate; a high-fat diet (overall and for certain fats) was associated with a lower mortality rate. There was no association between total fat intake or the intake of certain fats in relation to cardiovascular disease, heart attacks or mortality rates from cardiovascular disease.

In fact, the consumption of saturated fats seemed to have the opposite effect on the subjects' risk of heart attack. The more saturated fats they consumed daily, the greater their protection against a heart attack appeared to be.

A ketogenic diet also appeared to boost autophagocytosis. This is the process by which the body can rid itself of damaged cells, including old cells that no longer serve a purpose but are still present in tissues and organs. In animal studies with rats fed a ketogenic diet, they were shown to form autophagic pathways that reduced brain injury during and after a seizure.

Nowadays, autophagocytosis is considered a popular procedure to help people with visible signs of ageing. A ketogenic diet is one way to achieve this.

Getting started with the keto diet

The exact ratio of macronutrients you should consume each day (proportion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins) varies depending on your nutritional goal and your current state of health. Your age, gender, activity level and current body composition also play a role.

Traditionally, a classic keto diet limits carbohydrate intake to 20 to 30 grams net per day. "Net" refers to the amount of carbohydrates minus the fiber they contain. As fiber cannot be digested by the body, most people exclude this portion from their carbohydrate intake.

Or in other words:

Total carbohydrates - dietary fiber = net carbohydrates.

And it is precisely this value that is particularly important.

In a "strict" keto diet (the standard version), fats provide between 70 and 80 percent of total calories, proteins around 15 to 20 percent and carbohydrates only around 5 percent. However, there are also moderate approaches that help many people switch to a very low-carb diet and offer more flexibility. (You can find out more about the individual approaches below).

What can you eat when you're on a ketogenic diet? Here are some basic rules that apply in general - regardless of which approach you choose:

1. limit your protein intake

An important difference to other low-carbohydrate diets and the keto diet is that the ketogenic diet limits protein intake. Proteins do not play as big a role in the keto diet as fats.

Why?

Our body is able to convert proteins into glucose to a limited extent. So if you eat too much protein, especially when starting the keto diet, you will slow down the conversion process and won't get into ketosis as easily.

Your protein intake should be between 1 and 1.5 g per kg of your ideal body weight. This means, for example, that a woman weighing 68 kg should consume between 68 and 102 g of protein per day.

2. keep an eye on your macronutrient intake

By macronutrients we mean fats, proteins and net carbohydrates. (Don't confuse this with calorie counting.) However, this is sometimes not so easy. That's why you should download a keto app that also includes a keto calculator. This will help you keep track of your macronutrient intake.

3. take keto supplements to increase your success

A popular supplement is exogenous ketones (so-called keto pills), which make it easier to get into ketosis and maintain this state. (Do not confuse exogenous ketones with raspberry ketones. Raspberry ketones do not increase your body's ketone levels or mimic your body's own ketones. You should therefore not take raspberry ketones).

Another good supplement is the amino acid leucine. This is converted directly to acetyl-CoA and is the most important ketogenic amino acid in the body. Most other amino acids are converted to glucose, but acetyl-CoA from leucine is used to produce ketone bodies. Leucine is also found in keto-friendly foods such as eggs and cottage cheese.

4. drink water!

It is very important that you drink plenty of water. Water is the most important keto drink. Sufficient water combats fatigue, aids digestion and reduces hunger. The body also needs water for detoxification. You should drink 10 -12 large glasses (250 ml) of water per day.

5. cheating prohibited

Last but not least, no cheat days or even individual cheat meals are allowed on a ketogenic diet.

Why?

A meal that contains too many carbohydrates ensures that your body can no longer maintain the state of ketosis and you have to start all over again.

This also means that if you give in to your cravings and enjoy a cheat meal, you will also notice symptoms of the keto flu again. However, your body will make the switch to ketosis again, possibly even faster than the first time.

9 different keto diets

What is a keto diet again? And is a ketogenic diet healthy and safe? Well, when a diet is as successful as the ketogenic diet, new diet plans keep popping up over time. The answer to both questions therefore depends to some extent on which of these keto diets you follow. At the moment, we know of nine different keto diets.

You are probably wondering how high the carbohydrate intake can be without losing the state of ketosis. The traditional keto diet was developed for epileptics and is very strict in terms of the proportion of macronutrients allowed. Other keto diets, on the other hand, are less strict.

These are the most common keto diets:

  1. Standard keto diet (SKD): 75 percent of calories come from fats (oils or fatty meat), 5 percent from carbohydrates and 20 percent from proteins.
  2. Modified keto diet (MKD): Carbohydrate intake is limited to 30 percent of total calories. Fats provide 40 percent and proteins 30 percent.
  3. Cyclical keto diet (CKD): If you find it difficult to eat so few carbohydrates day after day, a cyclical keto diet may be right for you. On a cyclical diet, you increase your carbohydrate intake (and sometimes total calories) at the right time and in the right amount, about once or twice a week (e.g. at weekends).
  4. Targeted keto diet (TKD): You follow a keto diet, but eat additional carbohydrates around your workout. This means you eat carbohydrates on the days you exercise.
  5. Restricted keto diet (RKD): This diet was developed for the treatment of cancer. Not only is the carbohydrate intake restricted, but also the total calories. Some studies suggest that this diet can contribute to the treatment of cancer.
  6. High protein keto diet (HPKD): This diet is mostly followed by people who want to maintain their muscle mass (e.g. bodybuilders or senior citizens). The proportion of protein in this diet is 30 percent instead of 20 percent. The proportion of fat is reduced to 65 percent and the carbohydrate intake remains at 5 percent. (Caution: if you have kidney problems, you should not consume too much protein).
  7. Vegan keto diet or vegetarian keto diet: Yes, both are possible. Instead of animal products, this diet is rich in low-carb, nutrient-rich vegan and/or vegetarian foods. Nuts, seeds, low-carb fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables, healthy fats and fermented foods are excellent for a plant-based ketogenic diet. Some people also follow a ketotarian diet. This is a mixture of ketogenic, vegetarian, vegan and/or pesco-vegetarian diets designed to promote health.
  8. Dirty keto diet: "Dirty" is the correct term for this type of diet. The same percentages apply as for the strict keto diet (75% fat/20% protein, 5% carbohydrates). However, no emphasis is placed on healthy fats such as coconut oil and wild salmon. Instead, you can eat anything you want as long as it's "keto", so bacon, sausage, pork rinds, diet soda and even ketogenic fast food. This diet is not recommended!
  9. Keto diet for the lazy: Last but not least, the keto diet for the lazy. Don't confuse this with the dirty keto diet. "Lazy" simply refers to the fact that you're not watching your fat and protein (or calorie) intake as closely. However, one thing remains the same. You eat no more than 20g of carbohydrates a day. Some find this approach less intimidating, especially when starting out. However, the results are less impressive than with other keto diets.

How you can recognize that the keto diet is working (i.e. you are in a state of ketosis)

Without glucose, which our body normally uses as a quick source of energy, the body begins to burn fat and form ketone bodies. (This is why a ketogenic diet is sometimes called a ketone diet.) Once the level of ketones in your blood reaches a certain level, you are in ketosis. This state usually results in rapid, sustained weight loss - until you reach a healthy body weight.

Simply put, your body reaches a fat-burning state when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and glycerol in a process called beta-oxidation. Three different types of ketone bodies are primarily produced in the liver.

These are water-soluble molecules called:

  • Acetoacetate
  • Beta-hydroxybutyrate
  • Acetone

These fatty acids are converted into energy-rich substances called ketones, which then circulate in the blood. Fatty acid molecules are broken down further during ketogenesis. This produces the ketone body acetoacetate, which supplies the cells with energy.

The aim of the ketogenic diet is to circulate energy-rich ketones (ketone bodies) in your blood. Your metabolism therefore changes and you become a "fat-burning machine". This switch has a major effect on your body and feels both physically and mentally different from the glycolytic state, where the body is primarily supplied with blood glucose as energy.

Is ketosis bad for you?

A very clear no. In fact, the exact opposite is the case. Many people consider burning ketones to be much "cleaner" than supplying their body with sugar and carbohydrates as an energy source day in, day out.

Ketosis should also not be confused with ketoacidosis. The latter is a serious side effect of diabetes in which the body produces excess ketones (or blood acid).

The goal is to maintain this fat-burning metabolic state, which will cause you to lose weight until you reach a healthy weight. Some research suggests that this could also naturally reverse diabetes.

How do I eat a ketogenic diet?

In the beginning, you should stick to simple, healthy and delicious keto recipes, keto fat bombs and keto snacks.

Certain foods should not be missed, while others should be avoided at all costs.

Here is a brief overview for you:

  • Consume plenty of vegetables: green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, seafood, peppers, etc. These provide sufficient fiber and yet contain only a small amount of carbohydrates.
  • Protein-rich but low-carbohydrate or carbohydrate-free products are: Pasture-raised meat, free-range poultry and eggs, bone broth, wild-caught fish, organic meat and raw milk products, such as cheese made from raw goat's milk.
  • Healthy fats with little or no carbohydrates include olive oil, coconut oil, butter made from pasture milk, nuts and seeds.
  • You may also eat fruit in small quantities: Berries and avocado (which is also fruit) are allowed without restriction. We have compiled a list of fruits that you can eat as part of a ketogenic diet.
  • Vegetarians and vegans can also follow a ketogenic diet.
  • Avoid industrially processed foods: which contain a lot of calories and very few nutrients. These include products made from wheat flour, with added sugar, conventional dairy products, bread and other processed cereals such as pasta, sweetened snacks such as cakes and cookies, most commercially available breakfast cereals, sweetened drinks, ice cream and pizza.

Precautions for a ketogenic diet

Remember that a ketogenic diet changes your metabolism. You will reach a state of ketosis and burn fat instead of sugar. This is a major change for your body. You will therefore notice some symptoms of the so-called keto flu.

The symptoms of the keto flu or side effects of a keto diet are:

  • Tiredness
  • Sleep disorders
  • Digestive problems such as constipation
  • Lack of strength during sport
  • Moodiness
  • Bad breath

Fortunately, these side effects don't affect everyone and usually only last one to two weeks. (And yes, you can also build muscle on a keto diet.) Generally speaking, the side effects disappear once your body has become accustomed to ketosis.

If you want to feed your child a ketogenic diet to treat their epilepsy, this should only be done under strict medical supervision. If you are a very active person with a low body fat percentage, you should follow a modified keto diet in which carbohydrate intake is not so severely restricted, or try carb cycling, another nutritional concept.

Concluding remarks

Ketogenic diets were originally developed to treat epilepsy in children for whom other therapeutic approaches were ineffective. Today, adults also benefit from the nutritional concept, including people suffering from chronic health conditions such as obesity, cancer and diabetes.

Does a keto diet work?

Yes, even beginners can lose weight quickly and reliably. This is due to the reduced insulin level in the body. This forces the body to use stored fat instead of sugar as an energy source.

 

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