Getting the body into ketosis
To get the body into ketosis, as few carbohydrates as possible should be eaten, but fats (80%-90%) and proteins (10%) are more than welcome. The body no longer gets its energy from glucose, so the liver switches to breaking down fats and converts them into ketones that the body uses as an energy source. You already understand, the body burns fats instead of sugars, you quickly lose many kilos and the additional advantage is that you feel extremely fit, you have better endurance (up to 15% more) and you have a sharp mind. The ketogenic diet has a positive effect on people with epilepsy (particularly children) and a beneficial effect on diabetes, so you would say everyone is on the ketogenic diet!
Now there are also some disadvantages to the ketogenic diet that should not go unmentioned, as research into several obese adults shows that the ketogenic diet can have consequences for muscle mass, which is of course not desirable. You must also adhere to a strict diet and potatoes, bread and pasta are not allowed to enter the ketosis phase. The range of suitable fruits is also limited to low-carbohydrate (and often sour) fruits such as berries, lemon and lime, and the use of alcohol is also not recommended. On the other hand, you can liberally use oil, butter, cheese, cream, meat with a fatty edge, oily fish, eggs and tasty full-fat dairy products. If you do need an alcoholic drink, vodka, tequila and gin are the drinks with the lowest number of carbohydrates and are therefore most suitable in combination with the keto diet.
Trying out the keto diet
If you want to try out the keto diet, it is advisable to be guided by a specialist such as a dietician or nutritionist. In addition, there are devices on the market that give you more insight into your fat burning, such as the Ketoscan Mini, which uses breath analysis to indicate very accurately how much fat you are burning, but also when you are at a dangerously high level of fat burning, which affects your muscle mass. The measured values are neatly displayed in diagrams that you can view on your smartphone or PC. You can also easily share the values with your doctor or dietician so that your treatment plan can be tailored accordingly.