Keto, or the Keto Diet, is a term I am beginning to hear more and more frequently. Unsure of what exactly this diet consists of, I decided to do some research.
In simplest terms, a Keto Diet involves a low carb meal plan. A low-carb diet encourages the body to produce ketones within the liver, therefore creating energy. When you consume a food high in carbohydrates, the body will produce glucose and insulin, glucose being a molecule the body converts into energy, and insulin being the agent that processes the glucose in the bloodstream and moves it throughout the body.
The Keto Diet aims to have the body use glucose as its primary energy source rather than fats. Fats are stored in the body when consumed in excessive amounts, and by lowering the consumption of carbs, the body enters a state of ketosis.
This is where the diet gets a little wonky for me, personally. Ketosis is what the body enters when it is in starvation mode. When the body is in need of food, it produces ketones, which come to be through the breakdown of fats in the liver.
Apparently, the overall goal of abiding by a Keto diet is to force the body into Ketosis, and starve it of carbohydrates.
The end goal of a properly maintained keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state which can allow for weight loss and improvement in mental and physical performance.
