Most of us associate fat with a problematic figure and an unhealthy lifestyle, but some nutritional systems directly refute this. Do not be afraid of fats – you need to make friends with them!
Contrary to popular belief, a high fat content in the diet can lead not only to significant weight loss, but also to the health of the body. This is how the popular high-fat diets – keto and LCHF – work. Nutritionist, health coach, ideological inspirer and creator of the Garden City Lecture Center Olesya Tereshchenko tells about their main principles and advantages.
Table of Contents
Keto diet
The ketogenic diet (or keto diet) is a strict version of a low-carb diet in which the body uses ketones from fat in the liver as an alternative fuel for the body, instead of glucose from carbohydrates.
During the keto diet, the body goes into a special metabolic state – ketosis – due to a strong decrease in carbohydrates (up to 5%), a moderate amount of protein (25%), and a high-fat content (70%)
The benefits of this diet include weight loss (reduced body fat), blood sugar stabilization, increased mental performance, increased energy, satiety, and improved skin condition (acne). The keto diet has also been shown to help treat epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.
Exclude from the diet:
All refined products (industrial production), all grains (wheat, oats, corn, rice, etc.), all types of sugar (honey, maple syrup, agave, Jerusalem artichoke syrup, etc.), fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, etc.) , as well as starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.), legumes, pasta, etc.
What you can eat:
Fatty meats and fish, organ meats, ground (non-starchy) vegetables, large amounts of leafy greens, high-fat dairy products, nuts, avocados, non-sweet berries, sweeteners (stevia and erythritol), and other healthy fats (coconut oil, lard, olive oil, oil avocado, etc.).
To go into ketosis, stop worrying about eating a lot of fat: it’s your fuel now! Drink more water (at least 2 liters), give up snacks (try to stick to 2-3 meals a day), do not forget about sports, try not to eat after 7 pm. When shopping for food, always check the labels – they may contain hidden carbohydrates that will prevent you from entering ketosis. For any discomfort, it is better to stop the sharp reduction in carbohydrates. The main thing is to listen to your body.
Low Carb High Fat (LCHF)
LCHF is also a high-fat and low-carb nutritional system, but less strict than keto. Low Carb High Fat means limiting your carbohydrate intake to 20-100 grams per day and increasing your dietary fat and protein content.
The LCHF diet is based on whole foods: fish, meat, eggs, low-carb vegetables and nuts; the ban covers processed foods, as well as foods with added sugar and starch (pasta, bread, rice, potatoes)
LCHF differs from the keto diet in more lenient requirements (in the case of keto, experts recommend limiting yourself to 5 g of carbohydrates per day).
Why LCHF?
First, it’s a quick and safe way to lose weight: thanks to the high amount of fat in the diet, you do not feel hunger due to increased insulin sensitivity.
Second, a carbohydrate-restricted diet has been shown to be effective in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s. This type of diet is thought to also inhibit cognitive decline and dementia.
The LCHF diet has a positive effect on heart and vascular diseases: with such a nutritional system, the level of sugar and “bad” cholesterol in the blood decreases, and the pressure stabilizes. This diet is recommended for people with diabetes (under the supervision of an understanding physician).
Exclude from the diet:
- all grains (bread, pasta, cereals)
- starchy foods
- sweeteners (sugar, honey, agave syrup, maple and other syrups)
- starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, peas, pumpkin)
- fruit should be limited
- alcoholic drinks (beer, cocktails, wine)
- low fat foods
- processed foods should be limited (or better off)
What you can eat:
- eggs are a real LCHF superfood
- oils (especially olive, coconut, avocado)
- fish (give preference to fatty varieties: salmon, sardines, trout)
- meat and poultry (red meat, chicken, turkey, game)
- fatty dairy products (cheeses, butter, cream, yoghurts). If you have no contraindications.
- non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms)
- avocado
- berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
- nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds)
Recipes for dishes from the Gorod-Sad chain of cookery and healthy food stores (LCHF, Keto)
Chicken curry with coconut milk
Ingredients:
- Chicken fillet – 470 g
- Leeks or onions – 80 g
- Coconut milk – 110 g
- Olive oil – 35 g
- Curry – 1 g
- Turmeric – 1 g
- Salt – 1.5 g
Cooking method:
- Cut the chicken fillet into cubes and fry in a pan, add the onion and fry for another 5 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, mix thoroughly.
- Add curry, turmeric and salt. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
KETO quiche with chicken and broccoli
Ingredients for the dough:
- Flaxseed flour – 1 glass
- Psyllium – 1 tbsp. l.
- Ghee oil – 4 tablespoons l.
- Egg – 1 pc.
Ingredients for pouring:
- Egg – 12 pcs.
- Chicken breast – 120 g
- Broccoli – 130 g
- Salt – 3 g
- Olive oil – 10 g
- Cream 33% – 200 ml
Cooking method:
- Preheat oven to 175 ° C;
- Combine the flaxseed flour and the rest of the dough ingredients to form a crust.
- Place in a thin layer in a baking dish.
- Pre-bake the cake base for 10-15 minutes.
- Boil the chicken fillet, cool, and cut into cubes.
- Boil broccoli for 3 minutes, cool, and divide into inflorescences.
- In a bowl, combine broccoli and chicken breast, add eggs, and the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour into a mold with pre-baked dough and send it to the oven at 150 degrees for 35 minutes.
Walnut bun
Ingredients:
- Butter – 50 g
- Egg – 250 g
- Cream cheese – 100 g
- Peanut flour – 300 g
- Psyllium – 24 g
- Baking powder – 8 g
- Salt – 2 g
- Walnut – 64 g
Cooking method:
- Combine butter, egg, cheese in a bowl and beat with a blender.
- Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine both masses and knead a homogeneous dough.
- Place in a piping bag. Form 74 g balls on top, spreading them over the silicone mold, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
- Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 14 minutes.
