What is the ketogenic diet? This article explains the difference between the ketogenic diet and carbohydrate restriction, as well as how to put it into practice.

October 30, 2024

The ketogenic diet is a diet method that has been attracting attention in recent years. The aim is to increase ketone bodies in the body by restricting carbohydrates and to efficiently reduce body fat. Since you need to be careful about your physical condition when practicing the ketogenic diet, let's learn the correct knowledge.

This article will explain the basics of the ketogenic diet, its benefits and disadvantages, and how to put it into practice. We will also introduce foods that are OK and not OK to eat while on the ketogenic diet, as well as recommended snacks. Please refer to this article.

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet is a method of dieting that involves severely restricting the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Normally, the human body extracts glucose from carbohydrates and uses it as an energy source. When the amount of carbohydrates you consume decreases, the body produces ketone bodies as an alternative energy source. Ketone bodies are substances produced from lipids in the liver.

When ketone bodies are produced, the body enters a ketogenic (ketosis) state, and it becomes possible to burn fat efficiently. The ketogenic diet is a diet that many people adopt for beauty reasons, and it is also a diet that athletes sometimes adopt to improve their performance.

The difference between the ketogenic diet and carbohydrate restriction

From the point of view of limiting carbohydrates in the diet, you might feel that the ketogenic diet and carbohydrate restriction are similar. In carbohydrate restriction, the main focus is on reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed. On the other hand, the ketogenic diet is characterized by the fact that meals are constructed with consideration for the balance of the three major nutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet differs from carbohydrate restriction in that it emphasizes a diet that is not only low in carbohydrates but also high in fat.

The nutritional balance recommended for a typical diet is 50-65% carbohydrates, 13-20% or less protein, and the remainder fat. On the other hand, the ketogenic diet limits carbohydrate intake to 50g or less per day, or about 10% of total energy intake. This shows that the amount of carbohydrate intake is extremely low compared to a typical diet.

The advantages and disadvantages of the ketogenic diet

The advantage of the ketogenic diet is that it allows you to burn fat efficiently, so you can lose weight quickly. In addition, while most diets restrict calories, with the ketogenic diet you don't have to worry about calories in your meals.

The ketogenic diet has many benefits, but you should also be aware of the disadvantages. If you make a mistake in the way you do the ketogenic diet, there is a risk of health problems. If you feel nauseous or dizzy, please stop the ketogenic diet.

In addition, if you are following a ketogenic diet, your body odor may become stronger depending on your constitution. Also, because the foods you can eat are restricted, this may cause you to feel stressed on a daily basis.

How to do the ketogenic diet / practical methods

As mentioned above, the ketogenic diet is different from a low-carb diet. However, a low-carb diet is required when following the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is done as follows.

Calculate your daily calorie intake
Adjust your PFC balance
Convert the calculated calories into grams
Eat with care for your nutritional intake

We will explain each of these in detail.

Calculating your daily calorie intake

The first step in the ketogenic diet is to calculate your daily calorie intake. The generally accepted calorie intake for women is 2,000 kcal, and for men it is 2,500 kcal. However, the amount of calories you need will vary depending on your age, gender and activity level. You should figure out the correct number for yourself based on your own conditions and circumstances.

For example, if you are someone who exercises a lot on a regular basis, you will probably need more calories than the figures given above. On the other hand, if you do a lot of desk work and don't exercise much, you will burn fewer calories, so you will also need to cut down on the number of calories you consume.

Adjusting the PFC balance

Adjusting the PFC balance is important in the ketogenic diet. PFC is an acronym for Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate, and refers to the three major nutrients. In the ketogenic diet, the PFC balance is set at a ratio of 3:6:1 for protein, fat and carbohydrates, respectively.

As an example, let's consider the case where your daily calorie intake is 2,000 kcal. If you apply the above ratio, you need to consume 600 kcal from protein, 1,200 kcal from fat, and 200 kcal from carbohydrates.

Convert the calculated calories into grams

Next, convert the calculated calories into grams to match the actual meal content. 4 kcal per gram for protein, 9 kcal per gram for fat, and 4 kcal per gram for carbohydrates.

Let's consider a case where the daily calorie intake is 2,000 kcal and the PFC balance is 3:6:1. 600 kcal of protein is 150 g, 1,200 kcal of fat is 133 g, and 200 kcal of carbohydrates is 50 g. The following table summarizes the figures.

【PFC balance in the case of a daily calorie intake of 2,000 kcal】

Nutrients	Ratio in ketogenic diet	Calories to be consumed	Calories per gram	Amount to be consumed
Protein	3	600kcal	4kcal/g	150g
Fat	6	1,200kcal	9kcal/g	133g
Carbohydrate	1	200kcal	4kcal/g	50g

The maximum amount of carbohydrates you can consume in a day is 50g. As one bowl of rice contains approximately 55g of carbohydrates, you can see that the carbohydrate restriction of the ketogenic diet is strict.

Eat with care about your nutritional intake.

It can be difficult to know how much nutrition you are getting from your food. If you are worried about your nutrition intake, using an app can be helpful. Recently, there have also been apps that calculate your approximate nutrition intake from photos of your meals. When you are following a ketogenic diet, make good use of apps too.

With a typical diet, you may have the image that you should avoid fats in order to reduce your calorie intake. On the other hand, with the ketogenic diet, you need to make sure you get enough fats as an energy source, as you are severely restricting your carbohydrate intake. If you restrict your carbohydrate intake and then also run out of fats, your body may enter a state of starvation. Please make sure you include fats in your diet based on the PFC balance introduced above.

What is OK and what is not OK to eat on a ketogenic diet?

Here we will introduce in detail what is OK and what is not OK to eat on a ketogenic diet.

What is OK to eat

The main foods that are OK to eat on a ketogenic diet are those with less than 10% carbohydrates.

Meat
Fish
Eggs
Dairy products
Soy products
Nuts
Mushrooms
Seaweed
Vegetables with low sugar content

Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and soy products are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Nuts are high in good fats, and mushrooms and seaweed are high in dietary fiber.

Some vegetables are high in carbohydrates, so you need to be able to tell which ones are OK to eat and which ones are not. Leafy vegetables, tomatoes and broccoli are recommended.

Foods that are not allowed to eat

Foods that are not allowed to eat on the ketogenic diet are foods and beverages that are high in carbohydrates.

Rice
Bread
Vegetables that are high in carbohydrates
Soft drinks
Alcoholic beverages that are high in carbohydrates

Rice and bread generally contain a lot of carbohydrates. Root vegetables tend to be high in carbohydrates, so try to avoid them as much as possible while on a ketogenic diet. Examples of vegetables that are high in carbohydrates include potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and lotus root. However, this does not mean that you should never eat them - as long as they are within the PFC balance range introduced above, there is no problem.

You also need to be careful about the drinks you drink, as well as the food you eat. Try not to drink sugary soft drinks or alcoholic drinks that contain a lot of sugar. It is fine to drink water, tea, and coffee, which do not contain sugar.

Why “NATUVIEW” is recommended for the ketogenic diet

Many people on a ketogenic diet will want to eat delicious food. If the foods you can eat are severely restricted, it can lead to a lot of stress while you're dieting. If you want to eat foods that are low in carbohydrates, we recommend the keto food brand NATUVIEW.

NATUVIEW offers a wide range of low-carb, but not low-flavor, sweet and delicious foods. The carefully selected ingredients used mean you can enjoy a satisfying snack while still being mindful of your health. If you can take a break with a delicious snack even while on a ketogenic diet, you will be able to continue your diet restrictions without difficulty.

5 recommended snacks for the ketogenic diet

We will introduce 5 recommended snacks from NATUVIEW that are low in carbohydrates and delicious.

Gateau au chocolat
Basque cheesecake
Financier with hazelnuts
Cassata
Sable with Sayama tea

We will introduce the characteristics of each.

chocolate cake

The moist texture and exquisite flavor of this gateau au chocolat are its charms. Unlike ordinary gateau au chocolat, NATUVIEW's gateau au chocolat is gluten-free because it does not contain any flour. It also does not contain any margarine, shortening, or other oils or fats that contain food additives.

NATUVIEW's Gateau au Chocolat is baked using carefully selected ingredients such as low-sugar chocolate, fresh eggs and grass-fed butter. It is delivered in a high-quality, elegant package, making it a great gift.

Basque cheesecake

This cheesecake lets you enjoy the rich flavor of cream cheese. The outside has a deliciously bitter, toasted flavor, while the inside has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It's not too sweet, and the mild flavor means you'll never get tired of it. We also recommend eating it with jam or maple syrup.

Another great thing about NATUVIEW's Basque cheesecake is that it contains about 78% less sugar than regular Basque cheesecake. It also contains no margarine, shortening, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives.

Financier - Hazelnut

These financiers are made with a generous amount of nuts. The surface is covered with hazelnuts and almonds, which give them a deliciously fragrant flavor. The dough is made with grass-fed butter, which gives it a distinctive, rich aroma. There is also a plain flavor, so you can enjoy them according to your mood.

NATUVIEW's financiers are made by measuring the sugar content to the nearest gram to ensure consistency. As the ketogenic diet requires you to accurately track the nutrients you consume, we recommend the carefully made NATUVIEW products.

cassata

This is a cassata made with lots of fruit and nuts. The surface is decorated with organic dried cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and other fruits. Pistachios, almonds and other nuts add texture.

NATUVIEW's Cassata can be enjoyed in three different ways, depending on how it is defrosted. If you eat it straight out of the fridge, it will have the texture of an ice cream cake. If you defrost it halfway, the sweetness of the cream will come through. If you defrost it completely, it will melt in your mouth and you will be able to enjoy the flavors of the fruit and nuts to a greater extent.

Sable Sayama tea

These are shortbread cookies made with Sayama tea, which is one of Japan's three most famous teas. Sayama tea is a specialty of Saitama Prefecture and is a green tea known for its rich, full-bodied flavor. You can taste the deliciousness of Sayama tea in just one bite.

NATUVIEW's Sayama tea shortbread is made without the addition of artificial coloring, and has a natural, elegant appearance. The dough is measured in 1g increments and baked, so it is useful for accurate carbohydrate restriction.

Key points for successfully following a ketogenic diet

The main points for successfully following a ketogenic diet are as follows.

Implement the diet in a short period of time to see results
Make sure to consume high-quality fats

We will explain each in detail.

Achieve results in a short period of time

The ketogenic diet is a diet method that is designed to be followed for a short period of time. If you continue to follow an extremely low-carb diet for a long period of time, there are concerns about the burden it may place on your body. For this reason, we recommend following the ketogenic diet for 2 to 3 months, and then switching to a more gradual diet method.

Because the ketogenic diet restricts what you can eat, you may find it difficult to continue. However, if you have a set period of time to practice, it will be easier to maintain your motivation. Stress relief through the use of low-carbohydrate snacks is also a key point to avoid falling off the wagon.

Make sure you get enough good fats

On a ketogenic diet, you need to actively consume more fats than you would on a normal diet. Choose good fats, i.e. unsaturated fatty acids. Fats are divided into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are found in meat and butter, while unsaturated fatty acids are found in plants and fish.

Unsaturated fatty acids are thought to help lower cholesterol levels. They are also said to have a positive effect on blood circulation. On the other hand, it is important to be careful not to consume too much saturated fatty acids, as this is thought to lead to lifestyle-related diseases.

We recommend “NATUVIEW” for practicing the ketogenic diet

To succeed with the ketogenic diet, you need to limit carbohydrates and eat good fats. You should understand the PFC balance you should be aiming for, and think about your meals after gaining knowledge of ingredients. During the ketogenic diet, you may feel stressed because the foods you can eat are limited.

If you want to enjoy delicious snacks while on a ketogenic diet, we recommend NATUVIEW products. Cakes and baked sweets generally contain a lot of carbohydrates and sugar. On the other hand, NATUVIEW sweets are low in sugar, but without compromising on taste. Use NATUVIEW to continue your ketogenic diet without stress.

Click here for more details about the products

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