You might be considering a low-carb diet like the ketogenic diet if you want to get a head start on your health and fitness objectives. You’ve probably heard this term before since it’s become a popular diet buzzword, but you might be wondering what it actually means.
First, a primer: The well-liked ketogenic diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. Meanwhile, you should try to get about 20 to 30 grammes of protein every day. That’s right; it’s a radical departure from the low-fat diet fads of yore (and, indeed, from any diet).
According to Stacey Mattinson, RDN, based in Austin, Texas, the primary distinction between the ketogenic diet and other popular low-carb diets is the ketogenic diet’s goal of inducing a metabolic state called ketosis, in which the body begins burning stored fat as a source of energy rather than carbohydrates. She also says that once you’ve modified your diet to reach ketosis, it can happen in as little as a few days. Another restricted diet, particularly a very low-calorie diet, can also cause nutritional ketosis. This sort of diet is typically prescribed by doctors and comprises of 600-800 calories per day.
Keto Cinnamon-Orange Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) Baking Keto Wheat Flour
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 tbsp butter, chilled
- 2 tbsp King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 8-oz of cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp heavy cream
- 1/3 cup King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Baking Sugar Alternative, add 1 additional tbsp as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
1. The bottom layer: Set oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Leave a 2-inch excess on two opposite edges when lining an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, combine the King Arthur Baking Keto Wheat Flour, walnuts, butter, King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative, salt, egg, and egg white until a dough ball forms.
3. Spread the dough out in the pan. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the center is just set and the top is golden brown. Get absolutely cold.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix until smooth. Stir on low until complete incorporating the King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice. The eggs should be added one by one and mixed in after each addition. The batter might be ruined by overmixing.
5. Scoop out half the batter and add the cinnamon to a new bowl.
6. Create a checkerboard pattern over the cooled crust by alternating scoops of plain and cinnamon batter. Tap the pan on the counter gently to get rid of air bubbles and to spread the batter evenly. Then, combine the two mixtures and swirl them together using a toothpick or cake tester.
7. Baking time should be around 35-40 minutes, or until the sides are just set and the center still jiggles a little when the pan is shaken. The cake should be cooled fully on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, before cutting into 16 bars when they have cooled.
8. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat to make the praline walnut.
9. Mix in the King Arthur Baking Sugar Substitute. To the heavy cream, whisk in the spices and extracts (cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and molasses). Put the walnuts in the pan and toss them around so they become covered.
10. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
11. After the mixture has cooled, pour it into a parchment-lined pan or dish. When it has cooled, split it into little pieces. Putting aside.
12. Combine all ingredients for the whipped cream in a medium bowl and whisk with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Overheating will cause the mixture to become lumpy, so be careful.
13. After topping the cheesecake bars with praline walnuts and fresh orange zest (optional), spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top.
If you wish to create your personal keto diet you can also try Keto Creator.
Is Keto Good For Weight Loss?
Want to reduce your overall fat content? Ketogenic diets have garnered a lot of attention recently for their purported ability to help people quickly and significantly reduce their weight. There’s some validity to it, however the exact amount of weight loss you experience will depend on you.
When it comes to weight loss, “Ketogenic diets will cause you to lose weight within the first week,” as stated by Mattinson. She notes that keto’s low-carb nature would cause the body to deplete its glycogen reserves, where glucose is temporarily stored. Glycogen depletion leads to a loss of water weight. While it’s encouraging to watch the scale needle drop, remember that initially most of it is just water weight loss.
But the ketogenic diet can be a good long-term solution for dropping extra pounds. One research found that following a low-carb diet for as little as two weeks and as long as a year resulted in significant weight reduction among obese participants. A meta-analysis also found that the high-fat content of the diet may help people feel fuller for longer, which might explain the weight reduction. You can also get a customized weight loss keto plan from Custom Keto Diet to kickstart your keto journey.
When compared to a standard diet or other diets with fewer restrictions, the ketogenic diet for weight reduction might be more challenging to stick to. For weight reduction, “studies show that the results from being on a low-carb diet for more than 12 months tend to be the same as being on a normal, healthy diet,” adds Mattinson. The very low-carbohydrate nature of the ketogenic diet means that you are much more limited in terms of what is allowed on the diet, which can make everyday situations, like eating dinner with family or going out with friends, much more challenging. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight, as eating more satiating fats (like peanut butter, regular butter, or avocado) can help you feel full longer. People have a hard time sticking to this diet, therefore it works best as a temporary eating plan rather than a permanent way of life.
Risks Of A Ketogenic Diet
The keto flu is another possible adverse effect of the keto diet. A third of participants who commented on 43 different online forums for persons following the keto diet reported having this transient adverse effect. Headaches, muscular cramps, exhaustion, nausea, constipation, and other flu-like symptoms are common in the first few days on a ketogenic diet, reports Harvard Health Publishing. According to a StatPearls post from 2022, keto flu symptoms often subside between a few days to a few weeks, and you may assist fight them by consuming enough of fluids with electrolytes.
Mattinson advises people to examine themselves, “What is really realistic for me?” before beginning. Get your physician’s approval, then. Since you won’t be eating any vegetables, fruits, or entire grains, you may want to consult with a local registered dietitian nutritionist to discuss vitamin and mineral supplementation. (You could be consuming some high-fat dairy, though.) Whole food group elimination diets raise warning flags for me. You shouldn’t treat it lightly or try it without first consulting a doctor, she warns.
Final Word
A ketogenic diet is typically used for weight loss, but it also has the potential to aid in the management of medical problems such as epilepsy. More study is needed to determine whether or not it can assist with other conditions, such as heart disease, acne, and neurological disorders. If you have type 1 diabetes, you should see your doctor before beginning a ketogenic diet.
