What does ketosis actually do?

One reason to aim for ketosis is that the ketone bodies in the blood during ketosis have a very good satiating effect. They act directly on the satiety centre in the brain, reduce hunger and lessen cravings. Fat burning is also strongly increased in ketosis, and overall you are more focused and more capable, because ketone bodies are a source of energy for the brain as well.

Ketosis is a very particular metabolic state that can arise on a ketogenic diet or during fasting, for example. Ketosis is defined by having more ketone bodies in the blood than on a normal diet with carbohydrates. From around 0.5 mmol/l of ketone bodies in the blood we speak of ketosis. It can go up to 6 mmol/l, for instance.

The ketogenic diet is built above all on a lot of vegetables. They are the base of every plate. They deliver fibre, micronutrients and a small amount of carbohydrates. On top of that comes very good protein, for example meat, fish and eggs, and enough fat. Avocado, nuts, high quality oils, or the fat from grass fed beef or from an oily sea fish such as salmon.

What should definitely not land on the plate are the classic carbohydrate sources: potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, juices and sugar. All of that is completely off limits. Something else you should not eat too much of is protein. The ketogenic diet is not a high protein diet like a bodybuilder diet with a lot of chicken breast or lean meat. Instead you eat only moderate amounts of protein.

There are two things you can do to get into ketosis. Fast, or eat ketogenically. Fasting is not that pleasant, because if you keep it up indefinitely there is not much left of you, simply because you take in no energy. The ketogenic diet is far nicer, because you can eat very well and still get into ketosis. What matters is that you eat very few carbohydrates, not too much protein, and cover the rest of your energy with fat.

Ketone bodies are molecules that matter especially on a ketogenic diet. What makes them special is that they can supply the brain with energy. They are very small, they travel beautifully in the blood and they can cross the blood brain barrier. The two most important ones are beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate. They are produced in the liver when more fatty acids are released from fat tissue.

The amount of carbohydrates you can eat on a keto diet and still stay in ketosis is completely individual. To start with, though, we recommend 30 grams of carbohydrates a day, taken mainly from fresh vegetables. That way you are well supplied with micronutrients and still eat few enough carbohydrates to get the liver to produce ketone bodies.