Wondering What the Keto Diet is All About?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

This is about dirty fuel in a way.

So what the heck do I mean by dirty fuel?

Let me explain. There are two significant nutritional choices that will provide most of your energy throughout the day. You can eat carbohydrates or you can eat fat to convert into energy.

This occurs through processes called glycolysis and beta-oxidation both ending in the Kreb’s cycle or also known as the citric acid cycle.

Let’s keep this simple though.

This basically describes the conversion of your nutritional choices into energy.

First let me tell you that you actually enjoy about six times more energy converting fat into energy than converting carbohydrates. You may remember back in the late 70’s and early 80’s when everybody was focused on “carb loading”? At that time, we were basically told to eat carbs as your meal prior to activity and you may have been eating things like pasta, grains and flour based products with the thought that you were increasing energy.

Well, it was leading to energy production, but this was a very inefficient production of energy and also “dirty” energy.

So, back to dirty energy.

Understand that when you convert carbs into energy, your body produces a higher amount of free radical activity and oxidative stress as compared to converting fat into energy. Fat conversion into energy creates less free radicals and oxidation AND provides you about six times more energy.

Sounds like a win/win for you, right?!

What This Means For Your Nutritional Choices

Now, I am not telling you to stop eating all carbs and to stop eating your veggies. After all, your vegetables are very important for you from a fiber and nutrient uptake perspective.

I am also not telling you to go Atkin’s and eat all the fat and protein you want.

I am simply suggesting that you learn how to burn fat for fuel to enjoy “clean” energy and MORE energy.

Oh, and by the way, this will also help with:

• Mitochondria production (the little engine that drives every cell in your body)
• Help regulate blood sugar
• Help with weight loss
• Lowering insulin naturally
• Helpful anti-cancer strategy
• Increased energy

So how do you do this, you may ask?

Guidelines for Burning Clean Energy and More

Here are some general guidelines:

• First meal of the day when initially hungry, preferrably 13 – 18 hours after dinner the previous day
• You can start your day with an appropriate coffee of black tea
• Add organic butter and MCT oil
• Eat your second meal approximately 3 hours after your initial meal
• Eat dinner early
• Fast until your first meal the following day (approximately 13-18 hours)

Best carbs to eat:

• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Salad greens
• Sauté greens
• Spinach
• Zucchini
• Berries
• Grapefruit

Ideal sources of protein:

• Grass fed beef
• Lamb
• Pork (limited amounts)
• Poultry (free range and organic preferred)
• Seafood (wild caught preferred)
• Sardines/anchovies
• Wild game
• Eggs (cage free, organic preferred)
• Organ meats (organic)

Ideal sources of fat:

• Coconut oil
• MCT oil
• Krill oil
• Cocoa butter
• Avocados
• Raw, organic, grass fed butter or ghee
• Lard or tallow
• Other saturated animal fats such as duck fat
• Olives and extra virgin olive oil (third-party certified)
• Various seeds and nuts
• Organic pastured eggs
• Grass fed meats
• Coconut oil
• Animal-based omega-3 fats from healthy sources such as wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies and krill

Ideal dairy choices:

• Cheese (hard or high fat versions)
• Heavy whipping cream
• Sour cream
• Full fat crème cheese
• Raw organic grass fed butter or ghee

Best nuts and seeds:

• Macadamias
• Pecans
• Brazil nuts
• Coconut
• Hazelnuts
• Chia seeds
• Hemp hearts/seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Black sesame seeds
• Black cumin seeds
• Raw cacao nibs
• Flax seeds (ground)

Best snack choices:

• Avocado
• Olives
• Pickles (naturally fermented w/o vinegar)

Limit your sweeteners to these (limited use):

• Stevia (preferably liquid and organic)
• Lo han or monk fruit
• Xylitol
• Erythritol

Follow these guidelines for meal preparation:

• Net carbs of approximately 50 grams per day (total carbs minus carbs from fiber)
• One gram of protein for every kilogram of lean body mass
• 70 to 85% of your daily calories from ideal healthy fats

If you are the real go getter and love to take on your new focus head on and both feet in, this may be all you need to enjoy burning clean fuel and enjoy the overall benefits of burning fat for energy and fuel.

Remember, the “clean” energy and fuel!

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