The Keto Diet: is it Safe and will it Really help you Lose Weight?

What is the keto diet? The ketogenic diet has been around for more than 100 years when it was developed for the treatment of severe epilepsy. Doctors at the time noticed that short-term starvation helped patients to control their seizures but this wasn't a safe or convenient option for everyone, particularly children. Research showed that a 'water only' starvation diet worked because substances called ketone bodies, produced as a byproduct of fat burned for energy, were released into the bloodstream by the liver. These acted in the brain to combat the abnormal nerve impulses blamed for epilepsy. Later studies found that a low-carb, high-fat diet could do the same job and the keto diet was born. After falling out of favour for a few decades, when medicines for epilepsy improved, the diet had a resurgence in the 1990s thanks to high-profile doctors in the US, and is still used today as a first-line treatment for some neurological conditions. How does the keto diet work?

The original keto diet consisted of one gram of protein for each kilogram of body weight, plus 10-15 grams of carbs and the remaining calories from fat, which was pretty extreme. Nowadays, specialist dieticians calculate the amount of fat, carbohydrate and protein that each patient needs based on their body weight and nutritional requirements. This can make the diet easier to follow and reduce the risk of deficiency. A typical day's diet might involve double cream, meat, eggs, butter, vegetable oil with a few servings of low-carb vegetables and authordeannalynnbooks.com fruits, like celery, apple or berries. Starchy carbs, like bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, potatoes and rice, are excluded, as are bananas, peas, and corn. A keto breakfast might include a range of dishes such as French crepes, smoked salmon egg bites, and Supraketo.org a keto smoothie. A Supraketo Keto Pills lunch or dinner on the other hand might include foods such as scrambled eggs, chicken, and broccoli. Because the keto diet is not nutritionally complete, dietary supplements are advised.

The cold and darker months can take their toll on the way we feel. Often, the shorter days, dismal weather and changes to the way we eat and sleep mean we feel groggy and tired in winter - making it difficult to get out of bed. But why can our energy levels drop over winter, and what can we do about it? Is the keto diet safe? Dozens of high-quality studies and specialists reviews, called meta-analyses, have been published on the benefits of the ketogenic diet for drug-resistant epilepsy. The most important of these was a Cochrane review - the go-to evidence for medical and healthcare professionals - which looked at the findings of 11 clinical studies. The results showed that keto diets could help up to 55% of patients become free of seizures, or reduce their symptoms by up to 85%. However, the studies were small and fairly low in quality. Nevertheless, the authors concluded that there was promising evidence for keto diets, and the easier-to-use modified Atkins diets, in children as well as adults.

For other conditions, the health benefits are far less clear. Some studies show symptomatic relief in individuals with Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's but there are too few studies to be sure that keto diets would be right for everyone with these conditions. Scientists have also raised concerns about keto diets worsening malnutrition in elderly people with neurological conditions. Does the keto diet really work? For weight loss - the main reason why celebs reach for keto or low-carb diets - the results don't seem worth the effort in sticking to a highly restrictive diet. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition combined the results of 13 studies which followed patients using keto or low-fat calorie-controlled diets for at least a year. While the keto diets performed statistically better, the difference in average weight loss between the diets was less than a kilogram (1/2 lb) which is not clinically relevant to health. After two years, even those small differences vanished. Reported side effects of the keto diet include short-term stomach upsets and increased blood cholesterol levels. From a social perspective, the long list of banned foods can make celebrations and dinner invitations rather awkward. Indeed, reports show that patients find it difficult to stick to strict low-carb diets long-term.

Is Tropical Smoothie Cafe Healthy? Tropical Smoothie Cafe has 700 locations nationwide and features healthy menu items for a variety of diets and lifestyles. Its staple menu items include more than two dozen smoothies. But Tropical Smoothie Cafe actually has more savory food options than smoothies. It also offers flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, and more, generally priced under $10 each. When eating out at any quick-service restaurant, visitors may need to be cautious of the calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar in some menu items. With some careful reading of the menu and optional modifications, almost anyone can enjoy a nutritious meal at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. "Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers a wide range of healthy food, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. If you order a smoothie, consider it a meal replacement since it can be high in calories and sugar (some over 600 calories). You can also customize your smoothie to be made without sweetener and with healthy ingredients to make it more filling and prevent a post-meal crash.