Ketogenic diet
The ketogenic diet is a dietary approach to consuming food that is very high in healthy fats, small amounts of protein, and minimal amounts of carbohydrate.
The goal of the ketogenic or keto diet is to help your body reach a state of ketosis, which means the body utilizes fat as a source of energy over
using glucose or sugar for energy. Maintaining a state of ketosis can be challenging for some patients as it requires avoiding all carbohydrates and sugar. This diet is often confused with the Atkins diet or Paleo diet which are both low carbohydrate diets, but they focus on protein intake whereas the keto diet focuses on fat. A high fat diet means consuming food like coconut oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds while avoiding sugar, bread, pasta, and rice. A ketogenic diet has been used for many years for children with seizures and it has been proven helpful in weight loss, inflammation, and type 2 diabetes. There’s also research that shows that the keto diet could help patients with cancer, though it may not be recommended to all patients. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I develop individualized nutrition plans that best fit the need of the patient.
What do people eat on the Keto Diet?
Healthy fats and oils such as olive oil, nut oils, avocado oil, coconut oil, other cold pressed oils, avocados, butter, and ghee
Nuts such as macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, and pecans
Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, snapper, and halibut (check to make sure these are Ocean Wise–friendly options)
Meat such as beef, veal, poultry (aim to eat dark meat as it contains a larger proportion of fat to protein), pork, organ meats, lamb, and goat
Non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onions, asparagus, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, and celery
Fruits such as cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, raspberries, and blueberries
For more information, please contact Dr. Jill Kenney, Naturopathic Physician at Park Avenue Medical Center 203.418.7657.
*Please remember to consult with a healthcare professional prior to starting a new diet or supplement.
