Ketogenic diets forces the body into a state called ketosis. The body generally uses carbohydrates as a primary source of energy. This is due to the fact that carbohydrates are the easiest macronutrient to convert into energy.
However, if the body runs out of carbohydrates, it returns to using fats and proteins for its energy production. To put it in simple words, the body has a sort of energetic hierarchy that follows. First, the body is programmed to use carbohydrates as an energy fuel when available. Secondly, it will return to using fats as an alternative in the absence of adequate carbohydrate intake.
Finally, the body will turn to proteins for its energy supply in case of extreme depletion of carbohydrate and fat reserves. However, the breakdown of proteins for energy supply leads to a general loss of lean muscle mass. The ketogenic diet does not completely depend on the calories in, out of model calories. This is because the composition of these calories is important due to the hormonal response of the body to different macronutrients.
However, there are two schools of thought in the keto community. While it is believed that the amount of calories and fat consumption does not count, the other claims that calories and fat matter. When using a ketogenic diet, you are trying to find a balance point. While calories do matter, the composition of these calories also counts. In a ketogenic diet, the most important factor in the composition of these calories is the balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and how each affects the levels of insulin.
This balance is very important because any increase in insulin will stop lipolysis. Therefore, it is necessary to eat foods that create the smallest increase in insulin. This will help keep the body in the state of burning the stored body fat for fuel: lipolysis. The body can normally go into a state of ketosis alone. This is often the case when you are in a state of fasting like when you are sleeping. In this state, the body tends to burn fat for energy while the body performs repairs and growth while sleeping.
Carbohydrates generally make up the majority of calories in a regular meal. Furthermore, the body is inclined to use carbohydrates as energy as it is more easily absorbed. It is therefore more likely that dietary proteins and fats will be preserved.
However, in a ketogenic diet, most calories come from fat rather than carbohydrates. Since ketogenic diets have a low amount of carbohydrates, they are immediately consumed. Low carbohydrates cause an apparent shortage of energy fuel for the body. That’s why, when starting keto, many people use exogenous ketones, to go through the phase easier.
As a result of this apparent lack, the body uses its stored fat content. Switch from a carbohydrate consumer to a fat burner. However, the body does not use fats in the recently ingested meal, but stores them for the next cycle of ketosis.
As the body becomes more familiar with burning fat to produce energy, the fats in an ingested meal run out, leaving little room for storage. This is why the ketogenic diet uses a high amount of fat consumption so that the body can have enough to produce energy and also be able to store some fat. The body must be able to store some fat, otherwise it will begin to break down its protein deposits in the muscles during the ketosis period.
In times of fasting - such as during ketosis, between meals and during sleep - the body still needs a constant supply of energy. You have these periods in your normal day, so you need to consume enough fat for your body to use as energy. If there are no adequate amounts of stored fat, the proteins in the muscle become the next option for the body to use as energy.
It is therefore important to eat enough to prevent this scenario from occurring.
The main goal of a ketogenic diet is to imitate the state of hunger in the body. Ketogenic diets deprive the body of its immediate and easily convertible preferred carbohydrates by limiting and drastically reducing carbohydrate intake. This situation forces him to a mode of combustion of fats for energy production.
