5 Outstanding Keto Diet Rules for Beginners

Keto Diet | Explained | Keto vs Low-Carb | Macro Rules | Ketones | Benefits | Types | How to Start | Rules for Beginners | Foods to Avoid | Shopping List | Meal Plan | Recipes | Conclusion | FAQ | Studies

The ketogenic diet for beginners is a low-carb diet that focuses on healthy fats. It is more popular than ever because of its tremendous fitness and health benefits.

I wrote this article to give beginners the basic knowledge they need and a plan to incorporate the ketogenic diet into their lives today.

What Is the Keto Diet for Beginners?

The ketogenic or keto diet aims to burn fat as the primary energy source.

Because it is more readily available, the body prefers energy from carbohydrates. Only when no longer enough glucose does the body attack fat reserves.

After we are used to eating carbohydrates around the clock in Western society, many people’s bodies have unlearned to burn fat for energy.

Do you look forward most to side dishes like potatoes, pasta, or bread when you eat out and find it hard to say no to dessert?

Then you’ve come to the right place. This beginner’s guide explains step-by-step how your body regains the ability to burn fat through a ketogenic diet effectively.

How the Keto Diet Works

The keto diet is a so-called low-carb healthy-fat or low-carb high-fat (LCHF) diet.

Accordingly, it reduces carbohydrates and maximizes healthy fats while keeping protein consumption moderate.

However, few people know that this composition lowers insulin, setting the hormonal course in the body to lose weight.

On the other hand, when you feed your body carbohydrates, it converts them into glucose. Consequently, blood sugar and the level of the storage hormone insulin rise.

As the name suggests, insulin has the task of storing excess glucose in the form of glycogen and fat.

As long as stored carbohydrates (glycogen) are present, the body uses them preferentially for energy production.

When glycogen stores are empty, the body must break down stored fat and convert it into ketones.

As soon as these fat energy bodies predominantly feed the energy supply, the metabolic state of ketosis is reached.

In contrast, insulin blocks the enzyme that breaks down body fat (Meijssen et al. 2001¹).

In light of this, researchers can now predict up to 75% of gains and losses in overweight individuals based on insulin levels (Kong et al. 2013²).

However, it is not only carbohydrates that increase insulin levels.

What’s the Difference Between Keto and Low-Carb?

Since it was already developed in the 1960s, the Atkins diet is considered the classic low-carb diet.

Low-carb diets focus on one thing: reducing carbohydrates.

But that’s where their problem lies. Standard low-carb diets neglect the role of fats and proteins. Because of the ubiquitous demonization of fats, low-carb diets are usually paired with lean proteins.

Moreover, until the 1990s, it was unknown that protein could stimulate insulin (Nuttall et al. 1991³).

On the other hand, pure fats such as extra virgin olive oil cause almost no insulin response. 

For this reason, classic low-carb diets such as the Atkins diet are not nearly as effective for weight loss as the keto diet.

In addition, research has also led health authorities to admit that saturated fat prevents heart disease instead of causing it (Hite et al. 2010⁴; Mozaffarian et al. 2004⁵).

The ketogenic diet takes advantage of all these new findings.

Keto Diet Macro Rules for Beginners

The keto diet for beginners follows one essential rule concerning fat, protein, and carbohydrates, also known as macronutrients. 

For this reason, the following macronutrient distribution about energy intake is the cornerstone of a keto diet:

• Fat: 75-80%
• Protein: 20-25%
• Carbohydrates: 5-10%

Although the fat percentage seems intimidating initially, it’s easier to achieve than you might think. 

While a gram of protein or carbohydrate provides four calories, a gram of fat puts nine calories into your body.

Thus, fat only makes up about half the weight of your food. Furthermore, fiber is not counted in the carbohydrate balance because the body excretes it.

Accordingly, only net carbohydrates (carbohydrates – fiber) are essential for calculating macros on keto.

While most people can eat between 20 to 50 grams of net carbohydrates daily to maintain ketosis, experienced keto enthusiasts may sometimes eat up to 100 grams.

You can adapt your protein intake according to your exercise capacity. However, you shouldn’t undercut 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to maintain muscle.

What Are Ketones?

During ketosis, the liver converts fatty acids into so-called ketones or ketone bodies, a new energy source for your body.

The body must adapt to these circumstances when you reduce carbohydrate intake for a long time and replace these calories with healthy fats and proteins.

In this regard, the metabolic state of ketosis is an entirely natural mechanism that has ensured the survival of our species.

If the carbohydrate stores were empty during food shortages, the body had to call on the fat reserves as a primary energy source.

Accordingly, the keto diet attempts to put the body into ketosis by depriving it of carbohydrates, which you can otherwise only achieve by fasting for 2-5 days (Courchesne-Loyer et al. 2017⁶).

Since the Standard American Diet (SAD) is based on constant carbohydrate intake, the body can take 3-6 weeks after starting keto to learn to burn fat efficiently again.

Three primary ketone bodies exist:

• Acetone
• Acetoacetate
• Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)

In ketosis, ketones predominantly take the place of carbohydrates (Evans et al. 2017⁷). 

Meanwhile, gluconeogenesis, the conversion of glycerol, lactate, and amino acids to glucose, kicks in to ensure that blood glucose does not become dangerously low (Melkonian et al. 2020⁸).

Because the brain and other organs can use ketones more readily than carbohydrates for energy, many people report improved mental clarity, mood, and reduced appetite in nutritional ketosis (LaManna et al. 2010⁹). 

In addition, ketones have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help repair the cellular damage refined carbohydrates, and industrial seed oils are causing (Cannataro et al. 2019¹⁰; Kim et al. 2019¹¹).

Keto Diet Benefits for Beginners

Countless health benefits show that the ketogenic diet is more than a weight-loss fad:

• Gut Health: Studies show that keto can improve abdominal pain and quality of life in people with inflammatory bowel syndrome (Austin et al. 2009¹²).
• Diabetes: A ketogenic diet helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. Therefore, it reduces the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (Dashti et al. 2007¹³)
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): The ketogenic diet can also counteract this common metabolic disorder by lowering insulin levels (Paoli et al. 2020¹⁴).
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): The keto diet’s anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-regulating properties can relieve pain and symptoms of PMS (Masino et al. 2013¹⁵; Schmelzer et al. 2015¹⁶).
• Heart Disease: Ketogenic diets may improve risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar (Paoli et al. 2013¹⁷).
• Cancer: Keto diets have been the focus of cancer research for some time, as they can significantly slow tumor growth (Weber et al. 2018¹⁸).
• Epilepsy: Research shows that ketogenic diets help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy (Ulamek-Koziol et al. 2019¹⁹).
• Parkinson’s Disease: A recent study suggests that the keto diet may improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (Phillips et al. 2018²⁰).
• Alzheimer’s Disease: Depending on the duration and intensity of ketosis, keto helps improve Alzheimer’s disease (Rusek et al. 2019²¹).
• Brain Injury: Research suggests ketones are the better energy source for healing traumatic brain injuries (Prins et al. 2014²²).
• Endurance: The ketogenic diet may help athletes use fat more efficiently as a muscle substrate, improving endurance performance (Phinney et al. 1983²³).
• Weight Loss: It’s still the primary reason for its popularity. While keto improves weight, body fat, and blood lipids, it maintains muscles (Dashti et al. 2004²⁴).

Keto Diet Types for Beginners

There are five main types of ketogenic diets. Each takes a slightly different approach to the distribution of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can choose the best method from the five depending on your daily routine, training, and weight loss goals.

1. Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)

The SKD is the most common and best-researched version of the keto diet, which is why this article refers to it.

Here, you stick to the classic keto macronutrient distribution and take under 50 grams of net carbohydrates daily.

2. Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD)

The cyclical ketogenic diet is an excellent starter method for people intimidated by keto.

In this, you alternate between periods of low-carb eating for several days, followed by a period when more carbs are allowed.

For example, athletes also use this method to add more carbohydrates on training-intensive days.

3. Targeted Keto Diet (TKD) 

The targeted ketogenic diet is similar to the cyclic diet because it allows increased carbohydrate intake after exercise.

Hence, the TKD makes particular sense to athletes since that is the best time to eat carbohydrates to help with muscle recovery (Ivy 1998²⁵).

4. High-Protein Keto Diet

Compared to the standard approach, protein intake changes only during the high-protein ketogenic diet. 

Due to the higher protein and lower fat intake, this variation is more similar to the Atkins diet than the others.

Here, macros distribution is around 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

5. Keto Carnivore Diet

A strict carnivore diet eliminates all plant foods from the diet plan. Keto Carnivore is the precursor to this extreme diet that allows carbohydrate-free, non-animal fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, or avocado oil.

Although there is no fixed macronutrient ratio in the keto carnivore diet, you will burn fat as a primary energy source due to a lack of carbohydrates.

How to Start the Keto Diet

Let’s not kid ourselves – getting started with keto sounds easier than it is. For this reason, I designed a comprehensive how-to guide to help you to get started on a ketogenic diet today.

Essential Keto Diet Rules for Beginners

So you don’t throw in the towel after the first few days, here are essential tips to help you avoid the biggest beginner mistakes.

1. Stay Hydrated

When you start a ketogenic diet, your body is slowly but surely forced to empty its glycogen stores.

Since 2-3 grams of water are attached to every single gram of carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, you will inevitably lose lots of fluid.

If you don’t drink enough on keto, you will experience the following symptoms, also known as the keto flu, especially in the beginning:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Low motivation
• Nausea
• Stomach pain

But it’s not just fluid loss that can trigger physical symptoms.

2. Do Not Fear the Shaker

Once you deplete glycogen stores, electrolytes are flushed out with water. The most essential of these is salt (sodium), so its deficiency is also responsible for 90% of all physical ailments.

In particular, headaches and dizziness, the main symptoms of keto flu, are clear signs of too little salt consumption.

Unjustly, an unhealthy image has been attached to sugar’s white counterpart.

While sugar consumption promotes insulin resistance and body fat storage, salt increases insulin sensitivity and aids weight loss (Sakuyama et al. 2016²⁶).

Contrary to popular belief, countries with the highest salt consumption yield the lowest cardiovascular disease rates (Park et al. 2016²⁷).

In addition, salt takes the bitter taste out of food and acts against cravings. Since it also has a positive feedback loop, unlike sugar, your body will tell you when you’ve had enough salt.

Accordingly, if you’re aiming for a smooth start on the ketogenic diet, you don’t need to fear salt.

Since the keto diet increases the need for sodium, I recommend always seasoning foods sufficiently with a natural salt like pink Himalayan salt.

3. Embrace Healthy Fats

In a world that has been declared fat public enemy number one for decades, it’s not easy to suddenly eat this macronutrient in larger quantities.

For example, getting fattier meat cuts at the local butcher is already challenging. While cuts with natural fat end up in the trash, grocery stores are packed with nutrient-poor fillets and lean hams.

Nonetheless, we need to re-learn to get healthy fats from whole foods. Therefore, the following foods with healthy fats can help you establish a ketogenic diet:

• Coconut oil
• Coconut milk
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Olives
• Avocado (oil)
• Cod liver (oil)
• Fish roe
• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Salmon
• Anchovies
• Grass-fed beef
• Grass-fed butter
• Ghee
• Organic lard
• Beef tallow
• Pastured eggs
• Walnuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Flaxseeds

Once you become aware of healthy fats, you can find keto easier. Additionally, these fats taste fabulous and help you stay fuller longer.

4. Track Your Macros

Especially in the beginning, it’s not easy to keep track of everything when switching to a ketogenic diet.

That’s why some people find it helpful to calculate their daily intake of macronutrients and note their actual consumption.

Once you get used to the ketogenic lifestyle, you’ll have a better idea of how much protein and carbohydrates you can eat to stay in ketosis.

Especially since everyone’s body is different, tracking the exact nutrients you need to maintain ketosis can prevent you from not reaching your goals.

Therefore, to customize your eating pattern to your body, knowing when you’re in ketosis is essential.

5. Learn How to Know When You Are in Ketosis

One of the most common questions when starting the keto diet is: How long does it take to get into ketosis?

Depending on your body’s ability to adapt to burning fat as a primary energy source, it can take 1-3 days or even a few weeks to get into ketosis.

Once you achieve the state of ketosis, you will notice it primarily by a decidedly clear head. In addition, cravings will decrease, and your energy level will increase.

Nevertheless, the best way to check ketone levels is through testing. Since ketones are transported throughout the body, there are several ways to measure them:

• In your urine, through test strips
• With a breath meter
• In the blood through a glucose meter

Each method has advantages and disadvantages, but measuring ketones in the blood is usually the most accurate.

Although a breath meter can be expensive, it is probably the most convenient way to measure ketone levels. On the other hand, urine testing is quick and inexpensive but typically the least accurate method.

Foods to Avoid

The cornerstone to mastering the ketogenic diet for beginners is to know which foods you should avoid.

Sugar

The white crystal is poison for your health and makes losing weight almost impossible.

Sugar can appear in countless forms, such as sweets, pastries, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, lemonade, juice, honey, agave, or maple syrup.

Contrary to popular belief, you should also avoid zero-calorie sweeteners and zero drinks, as they can negatively affect metabolism and fuel cravings (Pepino et al. 2015²⁸; Yang 2010²⁹).

Processed foods

After decades of optimizing food production, most processed products contain cheap synthetic ingredients instead of expensive natural ones.

You’ll be surprised at what’s inside if you turn over some brand-name products. In particular, look for hidden sugars, starches, emulsifiers, stabilizers, sweeteners, and other chemical additives.

Also, labeling them as low-carb or keto foods rarely makes fake food aid weight loss, even if there are few net carbohydrates.

Sauces and Dressings

Ready-to-eat foods are a mecca for added sugars. I often can’t believe how much sugar can be in hot mustard. 

Moreover, balsamic vinegar is often 50% sugar. Likewise, ready-made dressings are pumped with sugar and sweeteners.

With barbecue sauces, the result can often be even worse. For this reason, making sauces yourself makes sense, or investing the amount in pasture-raised meat, which tastes better without needing condiments.

Low-Fat Products

Although low-fat products are equally highly processed foods, it’s hard to get the idea out of many minds that they would help with weight loss.

Yet, the exact opposite is true. While natural fat in whole foods dampens the blood sugar and insulin response, defatting significantly increases it.

In this context, the classic fats are usually dairy products such as skim milk, cream, yogurt, or even cheese.

Protein Bars and Drinks

So-called sports nutrition sounds ideal for getting your body back in shape.

Nevertheless, these are highly processed foods full of hidden sugars, sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavors, and cheap plant proteins, such as soy.

Likewise, protein shakes are the same fake food as bars. At the same time, even keto-friendly bars often contain over 40% net carbs.

For this reason, I would give these products a wide berth.

Grains

Grains have been able to get humanity through many harsh winters because of their ease of storage and sensational ability to build fat reserves.

In times of abundance, however, we no longer depend on grains. Because grains contain lectins such as gluten or wheat germ agglutinin that can bind to insulin receptors, whole grains, in particular, prevent weight loss (Shechter 1983³⁰).

For these reasons, you should avoid wheat, bread, pasta, rice, oats, cereal, corn, or pseudo-grains such as quinoa on a ketogenic diet.

Legumes

While vegetarians often have no choice but to eat legumes as a source of protein, you shouldn’t depend on them for keto.

Legumes are full of carbohydrates and lectins, making it difficult to lose weight at any time.

It is crucial to avoid beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, or peanuts in particular.

Starchy Vegetables

Starch is nothing else than multiple sugars your body converts back into glucose, drastically increasing your blood sugar.

Classic vegetables rich in starches include potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips.

Fruits 

Although touted as healthy, most fruits are sugar bombs that also can’t compete with vegetables, fish, or meat in terms of nutrients.

While small amounts of berries and some citrus fruits are allowed, you should avoid common sugary fruits like bananas, pineapples, oranges, apples, or grapes.

Industrial Seed Oils

Subsequent vegetable oils are predominantly omega-6 fatty acids, which are already damaged during their industrial production, promoting inflammation and weight gain (Marchix et al. 2015³¹):

• Safflower oil
• Peanut oil
• Corn oil
• Canola oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Grape seed oil
• Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat)
• Margarine (trans fat)

Barbecue season, in particular, is a trap for cheap seed oils. That’s why you should never buy marinated meat. It will always contain refined vegetable oils that oxidize during heating.

Likewise, fried foods are a problem because people commonly use these cheap fats. Virgin coconut oil is the exception for frying and deep-frying because it is particularly heat resistant.

Alcohol

Although some spirits and wines are keto-friendly due to their low sugar content, alcohol consumption inhibits weight loss.

When you drink, the liver prefers to break down the alcohol instead of making ketones. Furthermore, avoiding beer, mixed drinks, and cocktails would be best.

Instead of syrups, juices, and energy drinks, mix spirits with soda water to stay keto-friendly.

Keto Diet Shopping List for Beginners

Once you’ve stocked your pantry with these keto staples, you’ll be ready to whip up a delicious LCHF meal anytime:

• Pastured Eggs
• Fatty Meats: Pasture-raised beef, lamb, chicken, pork
• Cured Meats: Bacon, salami, prosciutto
• Fatty Fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel
• Dairy: Grass-fed butter, cream, ghee
• Cheese: Full-fat hard cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese, mozzarella cheese
• Nuts and Seeds: Pecans, macadamia nuts, walnuts, flaxseeds. 
• Green Vegetables: Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lettuce
• Low-Carb Vegetables: Mushrooms, celery, onion
• Fruits: Avocados, olives, lemons
• Oils: Extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, avocado oil
• Spices: Himalayan salt, black pepper, turmeric
• Drinks: Mineral water, green tea, coffee

These largely unprocessed natural foods guarantee keto diet success for beginners and help you maximize the health benefits.

7-Day Keto Diet Meal Plan for Beginners

Below you will find an example of a keto diet meal plan for one week. Here, you can go wild with the keto staples and adjust the guidelines as you see fit.

However, it would be best not to exceed 50 grams of net carbohydrates daily. In addition, you don’t have to skimp on healthy fats and can refine the meals with olive oil or butter as you like.

Monday

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with fried bacon and flaxseed
• Lunch: Avocado tuna salad with egg
• Dinner: Pork chops baked with cheese and steamed broccoli in olive oil

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, peppers, and onion
• Lunch: Chicken mayonnaise salad with cucumber, avocado, onion, and walnuts
• Dinner: Roasted chicken legs with cauliflower puree

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Full-fat Greek yogurt with almonds, cocoa powder, and berries
• Lunch: Ground beef lettuce wraps with cheddar cheese, onion, and bell pepper
• Dinner: Chicken stuffed with cream cheese, served with roasted asparagus

Thursday

• Breakfast: Fried eggs with onion and mushrooms
• Lunch: Roasted pork belly, served with steamed kohlrabi 
• Dinner: Mackerel fried in coconut oil with kale and toasted pine nuts

Friday

• Breakfast: Cream cheese pancakes with raspberries 
• Lunch: Grilled salmon with a salad of leafy greens, feta, and tomato
• Dinner: Ribeye steak with butter and coleslaw

Saturday

• Breakfast: Fried bacon with two soft eggs
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives, and lettuce
• Dinner: Pasture-raised beef burger (no bun) with tomato, onion, cheese, and kale

Sunday

• Breakfast: Omelet with egg, feta cheese, garlic, and spinach
• Lunch: Garlic butter steak with mushrooms and asparagus
• Dinner: Cheese bowl tacos with guacamole

This ketogenic diet plan intentionally does not include snacks. On the one hand, not having snacks between meals helps you lose weight after it keeps insulin levels low.

On the other hand, the satiating effect and constant blood sugar levels of the high-fat, low-carb diet will eliminate cravings over time.

Of course, some situations cry out for snacks. For example, when you’re going on an outing. Here are the 40 best keto snacks to buy and make for that purpose.

Keto Diet Recipes for Beginners

The first few days of the keto diet can be challenging for beginners. While it’s difficult to include enough fat in your diet, cravings can sometimes be a nuisance.

For this reason, here are the best recipes to fight cravings with the help of healthy fats without compromising ketosis.

Print Pin

Bulletproof Coffee (Keto)

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 1 Cup

Author Dave Asprey

Ingredients

• 2½ Tablespoons Coffee freshly ground
• 1-2 Tablespoons MCT Oil or Coconut Oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons Grass-Fed Ghee or Butter

Instructions

• Brew a cup of coffee using 2 ½ tablespoons of freshly ground coffee beans.
• Add 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil. Start with 1 teaspoon and work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons over several days.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of grass-fed butter or ghee.
• Mix everything in a blender for 20-30 seconds until it looks like a creamy latte.

Print Pin

The Best Bone Broth Recipe (Beef)

Cook Time 12 hours

Servings 12 cups

Ingredients

• 4 lbs beef bones cut with marrow
• 1 slice celeriac
• 1 pcs leek
• 2 pcs carrots
• 1 pcs onion yellow
• 2 pcs bay leaves
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2-3 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 145 oz water filtered, enough to cover the bones
• 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Peel the carrots, leek, and celery and cut them into coarse pieces. Then cut the onion in half, but do not peel it since the peel gives the soup a lovely color.
• Now fry the onion halves briefly in the pot with the cut side down. Then add the rest of the vegetables and bones and fill the pot with water.
• Add spices and apple cider vinegar, the acidity of which helps to extract collagen and minerals from the bones better.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 12 hours. The further it reduces, the more intense the flavor will be, and the more collagen will be extracted. Optionally, you can add water and get a thinner broth. Alternatively, you can use an Instant Pot as well.
• Strain broth and enjoy or store.

Print Pin

Simple Golden Milk Recipe (Vegan, Keto, Traditional)

Prep Time 1 minute

Cook Time 4 minutes

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup Almond or Coconut Milk (or both)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 slice Ginger (0.5 inches thick, finely chopped)
• 1 pinch Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (ground, optional)
• 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Grass-Fed Butter (optional)
• 1 pinch Chili (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Honey (optional)

Instructions

• Warm coconut or almond milk in a small pot at medium heat.
• Add the remaining ingredients in a large cup and mix.
• Dribble a teaspoon of the warmed milk into the cup and mix until the liquid is smooth and lump-free.
• Add the remaining milk and mix well. The remaining ginger pieces can stay in the cup or be strained.
• Last but not least, you can season the golden milk to taste and add optional spices.

Master the Keto Diet With This Guide for Beginners

Living a ketogenic lifestyle can be very refreshing. You’re euphoric, energetic, and less hungry.

While the metabolic state of ketosis burns your body fat more efficiently, it also allows you to think more clearly. So you’ll have to ask yourself: Why didn’t I start keto earlier?

Especially the beginning is not only challenging but also a stumbling block. Without the necessary basic knowledge, you will not get results even after weeks. Hence, many people give up on keto early.

With this beginner’s guide to the keto diet, that can’t happen to you. From essential rules and methods to vital tips and a diet plan, this article has everything you need to get started on keto today!

Keto Diet for Beginners FAQ

Studies

#1-6

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⁵Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB, Herrington DM. Dietary fats, carbohydrate, and progression of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Nov;80(5):1175-84. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/80.5.1175. PubMed PMID: 15531663; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1270002. 

⁶Courchesne-Loyer A, Croteau E, Castellano CA, St-Pierre V, Hennebelle M, Cunnane SC. Inverse relationship between brain glucose and ketone metabolism in adults during short-term moderate dietary ketosis: A dual tracer quantitative positron emission tomography study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2017 Jul;37(7):2485-2493. doi: 10.1177/0271678X16669366. Epub 2016 Jan 1. PubMed PMID: 27629100; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5531346. 

#7-13

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⁸Melkonian EA, Asuka E, Schury MP. Physiology, Gluconeogenesis. 2021 Jan;. Review. PubMed PMID: 31082163. 

⁹LaManna JC, Salem N, Puchowicz M, Erokwu B, Koppaka S, Flask C, Lee Z. Ketones suppress brain glucose consumption. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009;645:301-6. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-85998-9_45. PubMed PMID: 19227486; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2874681.  

¹⁰Cannataro R, Caroleo MC, Fazio A, La Torre C, Plastina P, Gallelli L, Lauria G, Cione E. Ketogenic Diet and microRNAs Linked to Antioxidant Biochemical Homeostasis. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Aug 2;8(8). doi: 10.3390/antiox8080269. PubMed PMID: 31382449; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6719224. 

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¹²Austin GL, Dalton CB, Hu Y, Morris CB, Hankins J, Weinland SR, Westman EC, Yancy WS Jr, Drossman DA. A very low-carbohydrate diet improves symptoms and quality of life in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Jun;7(6):706-708.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2009.02.023. Epub 2009 Mar 10. PubMed PMID: 19281859; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2693479. 

¹³Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Khadada M, Al-Mousawi M, Talib H, Asfar SK, Behbahani AI, Al-Zaid NS. Beneficial effects of ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects. Mol Cell Biochem. 2007 Aug;302(1-2):249-56. doi: 10.1007/s11010-007-9448-z. Epub 2007 Apr 20. PubMed PMID: 17447017. 

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¹⁴Paoli A, Mancin L, Giacona MC, Bianco A, Caprio M. Effects of a ketogenic diet in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Transl Med. 2020 Feb 27;18(1):104. doi: 10.1186/s12967-020-02277-0. PubMed PMID: 32103756; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7045520. 

¹⁵Masino SA, Ruskin DN. Ketogenic diets and pain. J Child Neurol. 2013 Aug;28(8):993-1001. doi: 10.1177/0883073813487595. Epub 2013 May 16. Review. PubMed PMID: 23680946; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4124736. 

¹⁶Schmelzer K, Ditzen B, Weise C, Andersson G, Hiller W, Kleinstäuber M. Clinical Profiles of Premenstrual Experiences Among Women Having Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Affective Changes Predominate and Relate to Social and Occupational Functioning. Health Care Women Int. 2015;36(10):1104-23. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2014.954701. Epub 2014 Nov 3. PubMed PMID: 25186770. 

¹⁷Paoli A, Rubini A, Volek JS, Grimaldi KA. Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Aug;67(8):789-96. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.116. Epub 2013 Jun 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 23801097; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3826507. 

¹⁸Weber DD, Aminazdeh-Gohari S, Kofler B. Ketogenic diet in cancer therapy. Aging (Albany NY). 2018 Feb 11;10(2):164-165. doi: 10.18632/aging.101382. PubMed PMID: 29443693; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5842847. 

¹⁹Ułamek-Kozioł M, Czuczwar SJ, Januszewski S, Pluta R. Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 18;11(10). doi: 10.3390/nu11102510. Review. PubMed PMID: 31635247; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6836058. 

²⁰Phillips MCL, Murtagh DKJ, Gilbertson LJ, Asztely FJS, Lynch CDP. Low-fat versus ketogenic diet in Parkinson’s disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Mov Disord. 2018 Aug;33(8):1306-1314. doi: 10.1002/mds.27390. Epub 2018 Aug 11. PubMed PMID: 30098269; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6175383. 

#21-28

²¹Rusek M, Pluta R, Ułamek-Kozioł M, Czuczwar SJ. Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 9;20(16). doi: 10.3390/ijms20163892. Review. PubMed PMID: 31405021; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6720297. 

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²⁴Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Hussein T, Asfar SK, Behbahani A, Khoursheed MA, Al-Sayer HM, Bo-Abbas YY, Al-Zaid NS. Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients. Exp Clin Cardiol. 2004 Fall;9(3):200-5. PubMed PMID: 19641727; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2716748. 

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²⁷Park J, Kwock CK, Yang YJ. The Effect of the Sodium to Potassium Ratio on Hypertension Prevalence: A Propensity Score Matching Approach. Nutrients. 2016 Aug 6;8(8). doi: 10.3390/nu8080482. PubMed PMID: 27509520; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4997395. 

²⁸Pepino MY. Metabolic effects of non-nutritive sweeteners. Physiol Behav. 2015 Dec 1;152(Pt B):450-5. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.06.024. Epub 2015 Jun 19. Review. PubMed PMID: 26095119; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4661066.   

#29-35

²⁹Yang Q. Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010 Jun;83(2):101-8. PMID: 20589192; PMCID: PMC2892765.   

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³¹Marchix J, Choque B, Kouba M, Fautrel A, Catheline D, Legrand P. Excessive dietary linoleic acid induces proinflammatory markers in rats. J Nutr Biochem. 2015 Dec;26(12):1434-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.07.010. Epub 2015 Jul 30. PubMed PMID: 26337666.