Author: Derek Beres / Source: Big Think
- The traditional ketogenic diet requires only 5% carbohydrate intake per day.
- Alternatives considered “less restrictive” are gaining in popularity.
- What you get out of each diet depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
Twenty years ago, while I was working as a reporter in Princeton, I met a vegetarian butcher.
She was a hearty Russian grandmother, very reminiscent of my own. Day after day she sliced meat in her deli but refrained from indulging—except, she told me, around Thanksgiving. Then she allowed herself a few slices of turkey.I’ve given up trying to follow the many strange strains of diets we concoct. Was the butcher truly vegetarian? Activists would say no. Yet is “mostly vegetarian” a vegetarian? Do a few slices of meat per year matter that much in the larger scope of nutritional content?
I’ve met vegans who eat eggs and have heard it argued that shellfish can be part of a vegan diet. There’s that weird philosophy about nightshades ruining meditation, and we can spend hours debating biblical-era food rules. Recently, at the farmer’s market, a woman at the Korean stand asked if tempeh has protein, because she was on a “no protein diet.” Too many layers to dissect there.
Of course keto fans would have to confuse things further. Instead of saying, “I’ve reduced carbs a bit,” the following four keto-esque diets are gaining steam. Not that any of these diets are bad, mind you—carb reduction, as mentioned, is positive for many people. Before we dive into the varieties, let’s start at the beginning.
On it’s most basic level, a ketogenic diet requires restricting your daily carbohydrate intake to under 50 grams a day to force your body to burn stored fat instead of glucose for energy. This generally means eating 85 percent fats, 10 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs, though I’ve seen differing variations of the fat/protein trade-off. The 5 percent carbs standard is the constant in what we associate with getting into ketosis.
Mild Keto Diet
Source: Perfect Keto
As mentioned above, this diet is basically just carb reduction. Your daily fat intake is still high, at around 60-65 percent, with protein coming in at 20 percent and carbs making up the other 15-20%. This diet is popular among those who feel that a full ketogenic diet misses the consumption of essential nutrients….
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