Keto Diet: Overview, Benefits and Side Effects

The ketogenic diet focuses on drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, prompting the body to use fat as its primary energy source. This approach may aid in weight loss and help reduce the risk of certain health conditions. The goal is to eat more fat than carbohydrate calories. The goal is to consume more protein and fat calories while consuming fewer carbohydrates calories. Sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread, which are the easiest to digest, are the first to go. Whenever this happens, your body becomes highly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also triggers the conversion of fat in the liver to ketones, which can be used to fuel the brain.

There are different types of keto diets, and what you eat depends on the type you follow.

• Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is the most common type, with a high fat (70%), moderate protein (20%), and low carb (10%) intake.
• Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): It includes cycles of low-carb days (about 5 days) followed by higher-carb days (about 2 days).
• Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): You can eat some carbs before or after workouts.
• High-Protein Ketogenic Diet: Similar to SKD but with more protein (60% fat, 35% protein, 5% carbs).

What Does Ketosis Mean?

Ketosis is a natural process that happens when your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates for energy, so it starts burning fat instead. This process produces molecules called ketones, which your body uses as an alternative fuel source.

Normally, your body gets energy from carbohydrates found in foods like bread, rice, and fruits. When you eat very few carbs, your body has to find another way to get energy. It breaks down stored fat, turning it into ketones in the liver. These ketones then fuel your brain, muscles, and other organs.

Ketosis is the main goal of the ketogenic (keto) diet, which is a low-carb, high-fat diet. People follow this diet to help with weight loss, better energy levels, and improved focus. Some research also suggests it may benefit people with certain health conditions like diabetes and epilepsy.

It usually takes a few days of eating very few carbs (about 20–50 grams per day) to enter ketosis. Signs of ketosis include increased energy, reduced appetite, and a fruity smell in the breath due to ketones.

While ketosis is generally safe, it’s important to follow a balanced keto diet to avoid potential side effects like dehydration and nutrient deficiencies.

What Are The Basics for Keto?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that helps the body burn fat for energy instead of carbs. To follow this diet:

• Eat More Healthy Fats: Include foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, butter, and olive oil.
• Limit Carbs: Keep carbohydrate intake very low (about 20–50 grams per day). Avoid bread, rice, pasta, and sugary foods.
• Eat Moderate Protein: Include eggs, fish, chicken, and meat, but don’t overeat protein.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
• Plan Meals Carefully: Focus on whole, unprocessed foods to stay in ketosis and get proper nutrients.

How Does it Work?

Your body quickly runs out of fuel if you eat less than 50 gm of carbohydrates per day. This usually takes three to four days. Then you’ll start breaking down protein and fat for energy, which could lead to weight loss. This state is known as ketosis. It’s important to remember that the keto diet is a short-term diet designed to help you lose weight rather than improve your health.

Keto Diet Benefits

1. Keto Weight Loss

A keto diet may help you lose weight faster than other diets in the first 3 to 6 months. This could be because converting fat to energy takes more calories than converting carbohydrates to energy.

2. Diabetes

Low-carb diets appear to keep blood sugar levels more stable and predictable than other diets. Too many ketones in your blood can make you sick if you have type 1 diabetes.

3. Heart Disease

The keto diet can improve body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.

4. Cancer

Insulin is a hormone that allows your body to either use or store sugar as a source of energy. Ketogenic diets cause quick burning of fuel. Lower levels might well help protect you from cancers or even slow the growth of cancer cells.

5. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

When a woman’s ovaries grow larger than they should and small fluid-filled sacs form around the eggs, this is known as ovarian hypertrophy. High insulin levels may be the cause. Along with other lifestyle changes like exercise and weight loss, ketogenic diets, which lower both the amount of insulin you make and the amount you need, may give the keto diet benefits.

Nutritious Keto Snacks

When following a keto diet, choosing the right snacks helps keep you full and supports ketosis. If you feel hungry between meals, try these healthy, keto-friendly snacks.:

• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds.
• Cheese: Paneer cubes or cheese slices.
• Boiled Eggs: A protein-rich and filling snack.
• Avocados: Eaten plain or with a little salt and pepper.
• Coconut Chunks: A great source of healthy fats.
• Greek Yogurt: Unsweetened and full-fat.
• Olives: A tasty, salty option.

These snacks help control hunger and provide good fats for energy.

Risk Factors and Complications

There are numerous keto diet benefits. However, following the diet for an extended period can have negative keto diet side effects. An increased risk of the following health problems, according to a trusted source on health:

• kidney stones
• mineral and vitamin deficiencies, excess protein in the blood
• fat accumulation in the liver

Many people refer to the negative keto side effects as “keto flu.” These negative keto diet side effects could include:

• Constipation\fatigue
• A low blood sugar level
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches
• Low tolerance for physical activity

These symptoms are more common at the beginning of the diet as the body adjusts to its new energy source.

You can reduce this by following a regular low-carb diet for the first few weeks.

Before you completely eliminate carbs, this may teach your body to burn more fat. Because a ketogenic diet can alter your body’s water and mineral balance, adding extra salt to your meals or taking mineral supplements may be beneficial. Consult your nutritionist about your dietary requirements to reduce keto diet side effects.

Also read- 7 natural sources of zinc to gear up your lifestyle

Tips and Tricks for the Keto diet

Although starting up on the ketogenic diet can be difficult, there are a few simple ways you can use to make it go more smoothly.

• To figure out how your favourite foods can fit into your diet, familiarise yourself with food labels and check the grams of fat, carbs, and fibre.
• It’s also a good idea to plan your meals ahead of time so you can save time throughout the week.
• On a variety of websites, food blogs, apps, and cookbooks, you can find keto-friendly recipes and meal ideas.
• Alternatively, for a quick and convenient way to enjoy keto meals at home, some meal delivery services offer keto-friendly options.
• When attending social gatherings or visiting family and friends, bringing your own food can help you curb cravings and stick to your meal plan.

Conclusion

The ketogenic diet is a structured low-carb, high-fat approach designed to shift your metabolism towards fat-burning. It not only supports weight loss but may also offer benefits in managing blood sugar, enhancing energy levels, and improving heart health. However, while its advantages are notable, the keto diet is not suitable for everyone and may cause side effects, especially in the initial phase. It is essential to focus on balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and ongoing medical supervision to ensure safety. When followed mindfully, the keto diet can become a powerful tool in improving overall health and well-being.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a registered dietitian or healthcare provider before beginning any new diet plan. Individual needs may vary depending on existing health conditions and dietary restrictions.

References

Masood, W., Annamaraju, P., Khan Suheb, M. Z., & Uppaluri, K. R. (2025). Ketogenic diet. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/

Crosby, L., Davis, B., Joshi, S., Jardine, M., Paul, J., Neola, M., & Barnard, N. D. (2021). Ketogenic diets and chronic disease: Weighing the benefits against the risks. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 702802. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.702802