Chances are you have heard about the keto diet. It is a low-carb extreme diet that was actually developed many, many years ago as a way to help epileptics control their seizures before medications came about! Now, the diet is used for a number of different reasons, which we will talk about in this article, along with what the keto diet is, and some of the health benefits.

What is the Keto Diet?
A keto diet is a very low carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Many people go on a ketogenic diet as a way to help them lose weight, but others may go keto to help improve energy levels, or eliminate inflammatory foods from their diet. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of a keto diet.

Benefits of a Keto Diet
#1 Reduce Inflammatory Foods: Since you eliminate the majority of your carbohydrate intake on a ketogenic diet, you will naturally reduce many of the inflammatory foods from your diet as well. Things like sugar are out, as are refined grains, and processed carbs. This can be great for helping to reduce overall inflammation.

#2 Supports Weight Loss Efforts: A ketogenic diet has been a very popular approach to supporting weight loss efforts. Since your body will be turning fat into energy, instead of turning glucose into energy, it can help speed up weight loss while also keeping your body full for longer periods of time. Due to the high-fat intake of this diet, you will be less likely to grab something sugary and less likely to snack.

#3 Support Brain Health: There have been a number of studies done of the benefits of a keto diet and its effects on brain health. Some studies have found that the ketogenic diet may hold some neuroprotective benefits which may make the diet helpful for those with Alzheimer’s disease. More studies need to be done to confirm this, but the studies done on this so far look promising!

#4 Support Those with Seizures: The goal of the ketogenic diet is to get the body into a state of ketosis, which is thought to potentially help control seizures.

#5 Support Women with PCOS: PCOS which stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome is something that a large number of women suffer from which can lead to infertility among other health issues. A ketogenic diet may be helpful with those with PCOS as it can help support weight loss, support hormone balance, and help support fasted insulin levels.

What Do You Eat on a Keto Diet
Since a ketogenic diet takes a very low-carb approach to eating, you may be wondering what you may be eating while going keto. Here are some of the foods may keto-dieters eat:
Coconut oil
MCT oil
Olive oil
Avocado oil & avocado
Ghee & butter
Grass-fed beef
Poultry
Eggs
Fish
Dark leafy greens
Cruciferous vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables: Cucumbers, celery, zucchini, asparagus, fresh herbs
Bone broth
Spices
Coffee & Tea

The ketogenic diet is something that is being seen more and more today, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that this diet is for everyone. An extremely low-carb diet may not be appropriate for pregnant women, nursing moms, and anyone who is very underweight. If you are interested in starting this diet, check with your doctor before starting and see what it may be able to do for your health! If followed properly, and if fueled with the right foods, a keto diet may be able to help support weight loss, boost energy levels, support brain health, and even support those with PCOS. The trick here is to consume high-quality foods, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of lean protein, while keeping carbohydrate intake low.