Keto diet for Beginners, 8 benefits of Keto Diet

For every Keto diet beginners, the one golden rule to remember in a keto diet, to avail benefits of going keto, is to limit the amount of carbs. This doesn’t just mean cutting out bread, pasta and grains, it means truly modifying your eating habits.Perhaps one of the most challenging tasks of the keto diet for people,if you are a beginner especially, can be the idea that they have to count every single carb they consume.

Keto diet experts encourage you to track your macros and always be mindful of your carb intake. But there exists one simple strategy that helps to clear up any dilemma around how much of what foods you should and shouldn’t be eating: choose mostly keto-friendly foods that have little to no net carbs.There are so many low – and no-carb options, you have hundreds of delicious options to choose from.

To help simplify things and make your keto journey as easy as possible, we’ve put together the ultimate list of zero-carb foods for you to enjoy. However, it’s important to note that nearly every kind of food has some sort of trace carbohydrate content. When we say “zero carbs,” it means about foods and beverages that contain less than one gram of net carbs per serving, and foods that aren’t usually consumed in large enough quantities to negatively affect your daily carb consumption.

Benefit of Keto diet for Beginners, zero-carb foods

To absorb the maximum benefi of keto diet, one has to pack-up his/her daily menu with zero-carb foods. If you are a Non-vegetarian,Beef, fowl and pork are familiar meats that provide you with protein.Less common types of meats, like veal, lamb, game meats, including venison and elk, and exotic meats, can help to add variety and interest to your meals.

Organ meats can be a good choice, too, but just be aware that liver contains glycogen,a source of net carbs.When possible, seek out grass-fed and pasture-raised meats.While it’s typically best to avoid processed meats, cured and dried meats, like bacon,salami, hot dogs, deli meats, jerky and canned meats are fan favorites on the keto diet that can be used on occasion.However, you must read the ingredients list and put back anything containing dextrose,starch, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or maltodextrin.Always try to buy all-natural processed meats that contain carb-free ingredients.

Fresh and tinned seafood

Many of seafoods contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and are another great source of protein.White flaky fish like cod, flounder, sole and haddock, are tasty, as are fattier, more flavorful fish, like salmon, tuna, halibut, swordfish, sardines, Spanish mackerel, trout and others. It has been found that the healthiest option is to buy wild caught salmon and sardines, canned or fresh without any other ingredients.

Snacks

While we recommend against frequent and habitual snacking, we all need snacks from time to time.Even though so many on-the-go bites you once relied on are now off the table, there are so many keto snacks to take their place!Of the bunch, those with the lowest carbs include: pepperoni slices, pork rinds,bone broth, smoked fish, canned fish, canned meat, preserved meat products, like jerky,biltong, pemmican and meat sticks, and seaweed.For a more comprehensive look at good keto snacking habits, download “Deliciously Easy Keto Recipes eBook“

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are the cornerstone of a balanced keto diet. The Zero carb fats, like extra-virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, coconut oil, MCToil, avocado oil, and animal fats (like lard) are ingredients you should be reaching for almost every meal.

Vegetable, seed, and nut-based oils are unstable when exposed to high heat. They can release toxins when subjected to high heat. Experts have suggested to avoid these.

Spices

Your spice cabinet is likely packed with flavor enhancers that are virtually carb-free!Avoid any spice blends with added sugars, of course, and instead, try salt and blackpepper, dried oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, chives and dill.Chili powder, curry powder and cinnamon may contain higher traces of carbs and should be used a bit more sparingly.Some condiments, like sugar-free hot sauces and mustard can also add tons of flavor with hardly any carbs at all.

Zero Carb Sweeteners

While all sugars are cut out from a keto diet, there are plenty of ways to add a hint of sweetness to the dishes we prepare.Zero-carb sweeteners include liquid stevia, monk fruit extract or blends, erythritol and liquid sucralose.Just be sure to choose products, either liquid or solid, that contain no other additives like maltodextrin.

Zero-carb drinks

Zero-carb drinks are available almost anywhere you go! There is water and sparkling water, of course, as well as black coffee and unsweetened tea.Sugar-free and carb-free energy drinks, diet drink mixes or drink enhancers, and diet soda and other diet drinks, without any added sugar, also count.Keep in mind that for some people, drinking sweeter drinks can trigger sugar cravings in the long-term.When it comes to alcohol, those following the keto diet need to proceed carefully.Some alcoholic drinks have virtually no net carbs, but alcohol will slow fat burning while your body processes it.We suggest limiting your alcohol intake to one drink per day and choosing spirits like gin, unflavored rum, unflavored vodka, whiskey, tequila, scotch, bourbon, brandy or cognac.Always be careful about added carbs in the alcohol you are drinking.

We hope that our guide to zero-carb foods helps to clarify some of the best things you should be reaching for as you continue on your keto journey.

8 Science-backed benefits of going Keto

Here are the 8 Important Scientifically proven benefits of Keto diet, every beginner has to be aware off.

1. The keto diet can help you obtain (and maintain!) a healthy weight

The keto diet is excellent for losing fat and keeping it off. For example, a meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials concluded that:

“Individuals assigned to a VLCKD [very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet] achieve a greater weight loss than those assigned to an LFD [low-fat diet] in the long term; hence, a VLCKD may be an alternative tool against obesity.”^[1]

What’s more, randomized controlled trials concluded these results. The keto diet produces up to three times as much weight loss as a high-carb, low-fat diet.^[2-3] .In other words, people want to reduce their weight, But are sick and tired of failing in their attempts to lose weight. In that case,the keto diet may be the key to a slim figure.

2. The keto diet boosts brain function

When going keto, most people experience an improvement in their brain function and mental clarity.[4-5]

The keto diet supports your brain in various ways and for various reasons. A major reason is that ketosis enhances mitochondrial functioning. [6]

Researchers believe ketosis stimulates the formation of new mitochondria in your brain, especially in your hippocampus. [7] This aids your mental clarity, memory, and energy levels.

3. The keto diet can help manage or even reverse diabetes

Many studies show minimizing carb intake benefits people with diabetes. In fact, the keto diet was the standard diabetes treatment before the discovery of injectable insulin. [8-9]

Consider the following:

Research published in Annals of Internal Medicine found out these facts. When type 2 diabetics went low-carb for two weeks, they improved insulin sensitivity by up to 75%. [10]

And another study involving 21 individuals with type 2 diabetes found out these facts. Seven of the patients tested could stop their diabetes medication within 16 weeks of going keto. [11]

4. The keto diet reduces heart disease risk

While saturated fat and cholesterol are often alleged to clog arteries, these compounds do not cause heart disease. [12-14].That’s good news for keto dieters because this eating style loads up on high-fat foods such as eggs, nuts, and bacon.

In fact, the keto diet reduces heart disease risk for four main reasons. The keto diet: [15-18]

Stimulates weight loss
Elevates levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol
Decreases blood triglycerides levels
Reduces blood pressure

5. The keto diet boosts mental well-being

Another Important benefit of Keto Diet is that it has found to be very effective in treatment of various mental disorders and conditions. For example, research shows the keto diet: [19-22]

Has an antidepressant effect
Improves the behavior of children with autism
May stabilize mood in bipolar disorder patients
Has cured one case of schizophrenia

6. The keto diet can be therapeutic for various neurological diseases

These include Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, infantile spasms (West syndrome), and epilepsy. [23-26]

7. The keto diet may prevent and fight some types of cancer

Most cancer cells rely on glucose as fuel, which is why keto diets may help prevent and fight the disease.

For instance, when in-vitro cancer cells only receive ketones and fat for energy, they often die. [27] Plus, various studies show the keto diet helps fight brain cancer. [28-29]

8. The keto diet can improve gut health and bowel disorders

Many bowel diseases are the result of gut pathogens and infections, both of which rely on glucose for energy.

By minimizing your carb intake, you stave off these infections and pathogens. That’s how going on a keto diet can improve gut health and treat bowel disease.

Impressive, don’t you agree? And if you’re ready to reap the benefits, you can get your customized keto meal plan.

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