Everything you need to know about the ketogenic diet – foods, benefits, dangers and recipes

And you, did you go on a diet from the first of January? Nope ? Do not panic because the first big rule of thumb when following a diet is that it is never too late to start. The threshold of determination crossed, however, you must choose a diet that best meets your personal needs. In order to give you a little help, we will present in this article one of the most widespread diets in recent times, in particular the ketogenic diet or keto as we have become accustomed to nickname it. Do not hesitate then to join us in the maze of keto from where you will come out much more informed about this dietary fashion so much loved but not only. In our guide, you will also find plenty of ketogenic recipes that are super easy to prepare and too appetizing.

Ketogenic diet – high-fat menu for the whole day

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What is a ketogenic diet?

Very popular lately among those who would like to lose weight, the ketogenic diet is not a recent phenomenon. These origins date back to the 20s of the previous century when the diet became popular in medical circles, which saw in this diet low in carbohydrates, an effective ally in the treatment of epileptic seizures. At present, however, the diet in question is rather known as a very effective remedy in the fight against overweight and obesity. It is a diet low in carbohydrates (no more than 50 g per day) in favor of clear and moderate protein consumption, which is expressed by the following ratio:

Lipids: 70 to 75% of the daily intake

Protein: 20 to 25% of daily intake

Carbohydrates: 5 to 10% of the daily intake

Macro Nutrient Ratio or What to Eat When Following a Ketogenic Diet

How it works ?

Lose weight by consuming lipids? We bet the idea sounds very strange and even unusual to many of you! And yet yes, it is possible and we explain how it works. To function our body needs energy, which it derives mainly from daily carbohydrates. When we follow a low carbohydrate diet, or even a ketogenic diet, our body turns to the fat reserves stored in the body to supply fuel and obtain the energy it needs to continue functioning. As a result of this process, the liver produces ketone bodies which are sort of the "waste" of this body's fat-burning activity. The body is then said to be in a state of ketosis, which is also where the name of this popular diet comes from. This results in a significant weight loss accompanied nevertheless by the feeling of satiety and it is undoubtedly this aspect of the ketogenic diet that we appreciate the best.

The ketogenic diet – list of authorized foods (left) and those which are banned (right)

What foods to eat?

In the list of “good” foods to consume when you follow the ketogenic diet, we find:

What about banned foods?

…. and in the list of foods to avoid you will find:

The ketogenic diet pyramid – foods to eat at the bottom and foods to eat in small amounts at the top

What are the health benefits and dangers?

The process in question results in a number of benefits for the body, which generally go well beyond rapid weight loss, including:

However, some side effects and dangers are also associated with it:

The list of benefits for your health is quite long but here are the main three

An exemplary keto menu…

Finally, to show you how it works in practice, we give you a good example of a ketogenic menu to copy to make your weight loss project a success. Here it is :

For breakfast: gluten-free pancakes with ricotta

Ingredients needed:

Preparation :

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks in two separate bowls and beat the egg whites until stiff. Then, beat the egg yolks with the sugar substitute until smooth.
2. Add the ricotta and continue mixing and then incorporate the almond butter as well.
3. Pour the dry ingredients – ground almonds, coconut flour and baking powder inside and mix well.
4. Lastly add the lemon juice and finally incorporate the egg whites carefully.
5. Heat the fattened pan over medium heat and pour in a small amount of the pancake batter. If your pan is large enough, you can cook two pancakes in it at the same time. We prefer American-style pancakes (medium size), which are also less difficult to flip.
6. When you see bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancake and then cook for up to a minute on the other side.
7. Cover with red fruits, ricotta or other favorite topping.

Ketogenic breakfast recipe – gluten-free keto pancakes

©inspectorgorgeous.com

The perfect midday meal – salmon steaks served with cheese broccoli

Ingredients needed:

Preparation :

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Cut the broccoli by isolating the small bouquets and then sauté in boiling water for a few minutes, making sure that the broccoli has kept a slightly crunchy texture and a fresh color.
3. Take the broccoli out of the water and drain. Set aside to allow steam to escape.
4. Transfer the broccoli to a well greased baking sheet. Season with pepper and salt to your taste.
5. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a golden cheesy crust.
6. However, season the salmon with salt and pepper and fry in plenty of butter for a few minutes on each side. There you go, bon appetit!

©dietdoctor.com

Salmon and broccoli steak with cheddar – a meal to lose weight without starving yourself

For dinner: ketogenic pizza recipe with gluten-free crust

Ingredients needed:

Preparation :

1. Preheat the oven to 200º C and place an upside-down baking sheet inside, or a pizza stone if you have one.
2. Put the cauliflower florets in a blender and grind into small rice-like pieces (you could also use a cheese grater to scrape the cauliflower). Then transport on a kitchen towel and press to eliminate excess water.
3. Combine cauliflower, egg, Parmesan, ground almonds, garlic, Italian herbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well until smooth.
4. Cover a pizza peel or a second baking sheet with baking paper and coat with oil. Form a wide circle from the cauliflower mixture with your hands and if necessary use a rolling pin to thin out the crust.
5. Carefully slide the baking paper onto the baking sheet or pizza stone.
6. Cook the dough until a golden crust or for about twenty minutes, rotating halfway through the cooking time.
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 1/4 mozzarella, coat with the sauce and finally put the rest of the mozzarella.
8. Return the pizza to the oven for another 5 to 7 minutes and then sprinkle the basil leaves. Let rest for 5 minutes and cut into 6 to 8 pieces.

Keto version of pizza – who says diets exclude pizza!

©epicurious.com

Chocolate mousse, ketogenic version to delight the taste buds

Ingredients needed:

Preparation :

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 15-second intervals, while stirring and being careful not to burn the chocolate. The melted chocolate, take it out of the microwave and stir until smooth. Leave to cool a little.
2. Divide the avocados in half, put in a blender and add the chocolate, cocoa, milk, vanilla and salt. Mix everything together until smooth and creamy. If the mousse lacks sweetness, add one or a few spoonfuls of agave or another sweetener.
3. Pour into verrines and let cool in the fridge for two hours.
4. Serve with raspberry topping, chocolate shavings or fresh cream.

Chocolate-avocado mousse to swallow without feeling guilty! Name name !

©wellplated.com

Apart from these three main meals, we often want to snack on something in the afternoon and it is very important to satisfy this desire. Otherwise, you risk overeating at dinner. So here is a recipe for savory muffins that are super easy to make and very keto.

Egg nests and prosciutto to bite into in the afternoon

Ingredients needed:

Preparation :

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C and coat the mold with olive oil.
2. Put a slice of prosciutto in each of the cavities, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides well and leaving a little prosciutto protruding.
3. Add a spoon of Gruyère in each of the small molds and then put an egg on top.
4. Continue with a teaspoon of heavy cream and finish by spicing.
5. Bake for fifteen minutes, remove from the oven and let rest on a wire rack.
6. Run a knife around any muffin to loosen and serve.

Small afternoon snack – egg nests, prosciutto, Gruyère and heavy cream

©epicurious.com

Finally, we also wanted to present you a recipe for those times when we crave something sweet, which will not harm our diet. The avocado-chocolate mousse is a great suggestion and super delicious in this case

Sample ketogenic menu with simple dishes for any day of the week

Gluten-free berry waffles – the perfect ketogenic breakfast

Super simple keto breakfast for every day – poached eggs, bacon bits and cooked cherry tomatoes

Ketogenic smoothie with raspberries, spinach and coconut milk

Keto chia pudding with milk and almond butter

Gluten-free zucchini savory muffins for your balanced breakfast

We continue with a great suggestion of an ultra delicious ketogenic burger

Mushrooms stuffed with cheese, tomato and chorizo ​​sauce

Pork with a parmesan crust, served with sautéed asparagus

Zucchini noodles with prawns – a great answer to what to eat tonight

Cheddar (or parmesan) nests filled with a mixture of minced meat, tomatoes, onions and parsley

Stuffed zucchini, we love them in all their pretty variations – the perfect ketogenic spring recipe

Ketogenic lasagna without pasta – a very popular and loved dish in its keto version

Chicken breasts are much more delicious with a bacon crust or topped with cheese

Cauliflower rice, vegetables and bacon to make a ketogenic risotto

Chicken patties, mozzarella and ground almonds for your dinner – simple ketogenic diet meal

Original salad with turkey, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers and greens for your light evening meal

No it's not mashed potato, it's once again cauliflower rice chosen as an accompaniment for these gourmet meatballs

Tuna salad and mayonnaise perfect for your ketogenic diet

Zucchini fries with a parmesan crust – a keto tapas to share with your friends

Avocado, coffee and coconut cream ice cream for those with a “sweet tooth”

Energy balls with avocado, cocoa and dark chocolate

Easy-to-prepare, high-fat gluten-free cheesecake recipe

Chewable Peanut Butter Cookies with Coffee

Zucchini bread with coconut flour – an original, low-calorie ketogenic dessert

Coconut flour muffins and blueberries to finish this series of sweet delights