The ketogenic diet refers to ketosis, a state where the body will, in the absence of carbohydrates, draw on fat to make small molecules called ketones or ketone bodies which will then serve as energy. . ” It’s about pushing the body to make its own energy from fat. », Summarizes Magali Walkowicz, dietician-nutritionist. In short, we change fuel: from carbohydrate mode we switch to lipids mode.
Do we eat more fat on a ketogenic diet?
” The ketogenic diet is a lot of fat, just the right amount of protein and very little carbohydrate, explains the dietician. Everyone is different, but by adopting the 3/1 rule (3 grams of fat for 1 gram of non-fat), we usually get into ketosis.. »Translation: it’s the feast of fat!
Butter, cheese, crème fraîche, cold meats, oilseeds, vegetable oils, duck fat, yogurts, fatty fish, avocado …: all are allowed. ” However, we avoid cooked fats, limit dairy products to 2 per day, ensure a good omega 3 / omega 6 ratio with fatty fish, rapeseed or linseed oil, flax seeds, and a good intake of omega 9 with olive oil », Specifies the specialist. Priority is also given to fats containing medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which promote the transition to the state of ketosis. The champion in the field: coconut oil. On the protein side, “ we are in a normoprotein diet, with a contribution of 0.8 g to 1 g / kg of weight “. On the other hand, it is on the carbohydrate side that we do the big cleaning, because a very low carbohydrate intake is the condition. sine qua non to enter ketosis. We forget the fruits, with the exception of red berries (50 g per day max), we make a cross on cereals and starches and we favor vegetables low in carbohydrates: salad, mushrooms, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage , celery, endive.
“It is advisable to be accompanied by a specialist to check the good tolerance of the organism and the absence of deficiencies. “
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A typical day on the ketogenic diet
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What is the ketogenic diet for?
Originally, it was medical. The state of ketosis has in fact therapeutic virtues that have been used for a long time in children with epilepsy and, more recently, in patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. “MBut today its most common use is with cancer patients», Observes the dietician. Why ? Quite simply because cancer cells, which need to feed like all cells, are unable to feed on ketones, hence the idea of adopting this diet to “starve” them.
The ketogenic diet is gradually leaving this therapeutic framework and some dieticians use it for slimming purposes. The interest: get out of the infernal circle of the blood sugar yoyo, generator of cravings, and fat storage, and burn a maximum of fat.
” However, it is necessary to be rigorous on the quantities ingested to force the body to draw on its fat reserves to produce its energy. “
Is it compatible with sport?
Many bodybuilders use the ketogenic diet cyclically, during dry periods. But for the endurance athlete, do ketones provide energy as reliable as glycogen? According to a recent study published in the journal “Metabolism Clinical and Experimental”, in runners, this diet would boost the elimination of fat for equivalent performance. These results are all the same different depending on the athletic level or the build, and other studies are necessary to validate the good quality of this energy sector. What is certain, however, is that ” the ketogenic diet makes it possible to maintain a stable blood sugar level and therefore to avoid the drops in energy which are often fatal to athletes », Observes Magali Walkowicz. The small amount of protein, however, can be problematic in maintaining muscle mass, ” but if we start on high protein, it will be necessary to review the calculation of energy intake to achieve the state of ketosis », Specifies the pro. And by the time the body is “keto-adapted”, sport is put aside, because nausea, fatigue and headaches are frequently present.
Thanks to Magali Walkowicz, dietitian-nutritionist, author of “Kéto cuisine”, and “Le Compteur de glucides”, ed. Thierry Souccar (2015), € 22 and € 7.99.
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