Is There A Difference Between The Banting And Ketogenic Diets?
The Banting Diet: Tim Noakes and the Banting Diet have gained popularity in South Africa faster than the next big boy band. But did you know that the Banting diet is actually nothing new? It has been around since 1863 when William Banting wrote a booklet called the Letter on Corpulence in which he documented all of the unsuccessful diets he had experimented with as well as the one which worked for him, now known as the Banting diet. This diet placed emphasis on consuming meat, greens, fruit and dry wine while avoiding sugar, saccharine matter, starch, beer, milk and butter.Things have changed slightly since Tim Noakes has reinvented this diet. While the diet still avoids things like sugar and starch, it promotes the healthy fats like whole milk and butter. In fact, the only fat that Tim Noakes recommends staying away from is trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils). In Tim Noakes’ approach to his diet, he does not specifically recommend that you follow a restriction on your calories. The thought pattern behind this is basically that if you are not eating carbs, your insulin levels aren’t spiking to levels which will encourage fat storage. Secondly, the increased intake of protein and fat should keep you feeling satiated for a far longer period meaning that you will naturally eat less in a day. These two elements work in conjunction to help you lose weight. The controversy surrounding this diet is that it is, or should I say was, believed that an increased level of fat intake leads to increased cholesterol levels which can then cause heart disease and many other ailments. However, it has recently been proven that healthy fats actually improve LDL, or good, cholesterol and decrease the amounts of HDl, or bad, cholesterol. The Ketogenic Diet: Bodybuilders and fitness e Continue reading >>
Could Ketosis Be The Answer?
Nutritional ketosis has fascinated me for a while now, for many reasons actually. The first one being the role ketosis plays in weight loss, secondly its advantage when it comes to endurance sports and thirdly due to the amazing discoveries scientist are making when it comes to the role a ketogenic diet plays in fighting back against cancer, Alzheimer’s, autism, PCOS, depression, diabetes, psoriasis, Crohn’s and heart disease, to name just a few. In this post, I will use content from Jimmy Moore’s and Dr. Eric Westman’s new book, Keto Clarity (which I can highly recommend) to explain a bit more about this little known gem of nutrition science. What is ketosis? When you consume a diet that is very low in carbs, moderate in protein and high in fat, your body converts from using glucose as its primary source of fuel to running on ketones. It’s the ketones that provides your body with the energy it needs. Your body changes from being a sugar-burner to being a fat-burner. Did you know that ketones are actually the preferred fuel source for the muscles, heart, liver and brain. These vital organs do not handle carbs very well; in fact they become damaged when we consume too many carbs. There is a growing body of research supporting the beneficial effects of a ketogenic diet on ageing, inflammation, metabolism, cognition and athletic performance. – Franziska Spritzler Here is another interesting fact: Before there was medication to control epileptic seizures in children, there was the ketogenic diet, which managed to do this very effectively until the anticonvulsant medication, Dilantin, was introduced in 1937. Ketosis and weight loss When you consume too many carbs, the excess that your body doesn’t need for fuel, gets stored as fat, which cannot be easily access Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis?
What is ketosis? Being in ketosis is truly a magical thing. Ketosis happens when your body starts producing ketone bodies instead of utilizing carbohydrates as energy. Both can be used as energy sources, but I find that converting to a fat-burner over a carbohydrate-burner to be most favorable. Signs of being in ketosis There are a few signs that could suggest you’re in ketosis: a metallic taste in mouth strong smelling urine random bursts of happiness (it’s weird, but it’s true!) decreased appetite How to get into ketosis The best way to get into ketosis is to immediately drop all major carb sources in your diet and focus on high-quality fats. Some find that going extremely low carb for a couple days will jumpstart ketone production and ultimately reaching a state of ketosis. Initially when you first remove a majority of carbohydrates from your diet, most people experience signs of lethargy and flu-like symptoms. This is what people consider the “low carb flu.” The low carb flu could last anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. It’s important to stay extremely hydrated on a ketogenic diet, so much make sure you’re getting enough water and electrolytes. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you won’t experience any low carb flu symptoms at all. Carbohydrate tolerance varies from person to person to maintain a ketogenic state. Some report that they can eat up to 80 grams and still be in ketosis. A safe spot for most people seems to be between 20-30 grams. Benefits of being in ketosis You will find it hard to believe that an array of benefits can be obtained from following a ketogenic diet, but the proof is in the research! Some of these include: Effortless weight loss Awesome blood sugar regulation Reduced blood pressure Reduced inflammation Appetite Continue reading >>
Breastfeeding Mom On Banting (lchf) Diet Almost Dies
A Swedish mother developed a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis as a result of a low-carbohydrate diet (LCHF) - or Banting diet - while she was breastfeeding. In a medical report, published on 1 October 2015 in the Journal of Medical Case Reports, authors Louise von Geijer and Magnus Ekelund discuss the case of a 32-year-old woman who arrived at a Swedish hospital suffering from nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, trembling and extremity spasms. Read: Patrick Holford warns that Banting is dangerous Ketones can be poisonous The woman, who was breastfeeding her 10-month-old son, had no family history of diabetes. She had started a strict LCHF diet (aka Banting diet), with an estimated carbohydrate intake of less than 20g per day, 10 days before admittance, lost 4 kilograms and had felt growing malaise. Ketoacidosis normally affects people with diabetes and occurs when sugar cannot be used by the body because of a lack of insulin. Fat is then used for fuel, and acidic waste products called ketones build up in the body. High levels of ketones in the body can be poisonous. Read: Diabetic ketoacidosis According to the authors, ketoacidosis can on rare occasions be caused by a low-carbohydrate diet. This was, however, to their knowledge “the first reported case in the literature of ketoacidosis in a non-diabetic patient, associated with a combination of low carbohydrate, high fat diet and lactation”. The report mentions that “ketosis during lactation is a well-known phenomenon in lactating cattle and is well described in veterinary literature”. In humans, however, non-diabetic ketoacidosis is usually caused by starvation where “lack of glucose can force the body into ketogenesis, causing a metabolic acidosis”. Read: Why you may not lose weight on the Tim Noa Continue reading >>
Banting Diet Curated Resource Guide
What exactly is Banting? Banting is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet, named after William Banting, the first person to do it. It’s been made popular by Professor Tim Noakes in his book The Real Meal Revolution. The idea is that this way of eating makes your body switch from burning carbs for energy to burning fat. Banting for Beginners What is the Tim Noakes diet? Timothy David Noakes (born 1949) is a South African scientist, and an emeritus professor in the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He is also a member of the National Research Foundation of South Africa, who list him as one of their highest-rated members. He has run more than 70 marathons and ultramarathons, and is the author of several books on exercise and diet. He is known for his support of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet, as set out in his book The Real Meal Revolution. Tim Noakes What are you allowed to eat on the Banting diet? There are no tedious recipes or complex calculations with this one – the principles are simple: eat foods that are high in fat, low in carbohydrates and are medium in protein. Only eat when you’re hungry and stop when satisfied. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, before you sign along the dotted lines there are a few big no’s to be mindful about. There is no sugar, no grains (of any kind), no fruit or very little, and definitely no snacking allowed. You can also say goodbye to that afternoon beer or cider, too. But what you can do is, embrace the love for foods like avocados, coconut oil, eggs, fatty fish (these are the good fats). And be sure to stock up on proteins like salmon, lentils and chicken. Dairy foods such as yogurt, milk and cheese are okay. Banting diet: What to eat and not to eat What are the side e Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis?
Ketosis is the name for a state achieved in a low-carbohydrate diet. When you are in ketosis, it means your body is burning fat for energy. When you eat a low-carbohydrate diet, you minimize the amount of blood glucose present after you eat. In the absence of blood glucose, the body does not release insulin to return to normal blood sugar levels. With no insulin (which is a fat storage hormone) present, your body burns stored fat as its primary fuel. When that happens, your body releases ketones into your bloodstream, and you are in ketosis. This state may cause a host of temporary symptoms. It will also show up in your urine as ketones. Understanding Ketosis Symptoms Many dieters develop ketosis symptoms that let them know ketones are present. For many people beginning a low-carb diet, ketosis kicks in after a few days with minimal carbohydrate intake. In fact, most low-carbohydrate plans have an initial phase in which dieters take in extremely low amounts of carbohydrates (usually less than 25 grams per day) in order to kick start ketosis. You can test for the presence of ketones in the urine using ketosis strips. Many symptoms may also indicate that your body is in ketosis. Early Stages Ketosis symptoms change depending how long you've been in the state. In the early stages of ketosis, the symptoms may be a bit unpleasant. However, as your body adapts to the presence of ketones in the bloodstream, symptoms lessen and change. Early ketosis symptoms usually last for several days or up to a week in some people. This typically continues until the body is used to burning fat instead of glucose. After the several days, the levels of ketones in the body will lessen, but that does not mean you are no longer using fat. It simply means your body has found a balance and is no l Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis And Ketoacidocis?
Many who are on a low carbohydrate diet aim to be in a state of Ketosis. This metabolic state is known as nutritional Ketosis. When we eat very little carbohydrates our body runs out of fuel(glucose). Then we enter a state of Ketosis where our liver produces Ketone bodies and we begin burning fat for fuel. There is nothing dangerous about this, and it is a perfectly natural state to be in. In fact it is really good for us, and there are many health benefits to being in Ketosis. Nutritional Ketosis, as described above is NOT Ketoacidocis. It has nothing to do with Ketoacidocis. Ketoacidocis is something that happens to people who do not produce insulin. This is associated with Type 1 Diabetes. So if you eat carbohydrates and your body does not produce insulin, then your blood sugar rises, and you have no way to lower your blood sugar as you are a Type 1 Diabetic and you do not produce insulin. So you have fuel for your body(high blood sugar), but you cannot use it. So in effect you run out of fuel. Then your body produces Ketones. So in the end you have high blood sugar and extremely high levels of Ketones.(much higher than when in nutritional Ketosis) The whole system is out of whack and turns acidic. You now have Ketoacidocis and it is dangerous and life threatening. You will spend time in intensive care, and it is extremely dangerous. This has nothing to do with nutritional Ketosis, and only happens where people do not produce insulin and the person is untreated. If a Medical doctor, nurse, dietician, nutritionist, or anyone else tells you that a low carb diet and Ketosis is dangerous, and tells you that you are going to get Ketoacidocis then, A. They are ignorant, and should not have a qualification(if they have one) B. They are lying. Possibly because it does not fi Continue reading >>
- Reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Nutritional Ketosis
- Caffeinated and Decaffeinated Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and a Dose-Response Meta-analysis
- Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin stores in the pancreas of subjects with type-2 diabetes and their lean and obese non-diabetic controls
Ketosis And Banting.
Ketosis and banting for weight loss go hand in hand. Ketosis occurs when your body runs out of its energy source mainly Glucose. Sugar and Carbs – starchy foods like potatoes, bread and pasta all convert into glucose once consumed. If you eat more food than what your body needs it stores *it (energy/glucose) as fat. When your body is done digesting and has stored the energy, you instantly feel hungry again and need to supply more glucose. 3 Foods to Throw Out Ad Cut a bit of belly bloat each day, by avoiding these 3 foods nucific.com Learn more When you are banting, and your body is in a state of ketosis, it changes the way it uses energy. Your body still needs glucose as energy, but instead of you consuming so many carbs and sugar, your body uses your fat reserve. Ketosis breaks down fats your body has stored for energy and uses them to keep you fueled instead. During your first week, getting into a state of ketosis is your primary goal. Once you get there, you want to stay there for as long as possible. Why? Because the longer you are in ketosis, the more weight you will lose. While you are in ketosis, your body will need lots of water, and you need to stay hydrated at all times. To get into ketosis fast eating only 20 carbs a day will get you there in only 3-5 days if you are a beginner 50g carbs are a little easier to keep up with and you will go into ketosis in just 5-7 days. Signs that you are in Ketosis is bad breath and sudden water loss (in weight). Chew on some mint leaves or use mouthwash before important meetings or appointments. Your breath will eventually go back to normal. There’s no rush, never starve yourself in an attempt to lose more weight faster as that’s just plain dangerous on a Low Carb diet. Your body will adjust slowly and your weight los Continue reading >>
24 Benefits Of The Ketogenic Diet
You may have heard the term ‘ketosis’, ‘keto’ or ‘ketogenic diet’ thrown about in various health, weight-loss and sports performance blogs. The ‘keto diet’ is growing in popularity – especially in the circles I just mentioned. If you haven’t heard of these terms, or you’re still confused as to what exactly ‘ketosis’ is then have a listen to this podcast - -and make sure you tune in to the online keto summit that is happening right now at www.ketosummit.com Otherwise in a nutshell ketosis can be defined as a “metabolic state that happens when you consume a very low carb, moderate protein, high fat diet (or fast for extended periods) that causes your body to switch from using glucose as it’s primary source of fuel, to running off ketones. Ketones themselves are produced when the body burns fat, and they’re primarily used as an alternative fuel source when glucose isn’t available.” (Keto Clarity) In other words, you switch from being a sugar burner to being a fat burner. But I should point out that simply going on a low carb diet is often not enough to reach nutritional ketosis. Why would one want to do this? Well there are a lot of reasons, and I’m going to share 24 of them below. Note: If you already understand all the benefits of ketosis and want to delve into the nitty gritty of the how, why and what be sure to check out my article 'Everything You Ought To Know About Ketosis' and be sure to download my FREE one page Ketosis Cheat Sheet guide by clicking HERE. 1. Weight Loss Low carb, high fat diets have been used for centuries by doctors when working with obese patients. William Banting published the widely popular booklet titled ‘Letter on Corpulence Addressed to the Public’ in 1863. In this booklet he explained how he had sli Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis, And How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis?
Ketosis is a natural state of the body in which it is fueled almost solely by fat. This happens when a person fasts or adheres to a very low carbohydrate diet. The exciting thing about ketosis and ketogenic diets is that you can lose a lot of weight while eating a normal quantity of food. You don’t have to suffer through skimpy portions. There are other benefits of keeping a ketogenic diet as well. These will be explained in the following article. An Explanation of Ketosis The root “keto” in the word ketosis comes from the type of fuel that the body produces when blood sugar is in low supply. The small molecules that are used as fuel are called “ketones.” If you consume very few carbohydrates and only a moderate amount of protein, then the body begins to produce ketones. Ketones are made by the liver from fat. Both the body and the brain can use them as fuel. The brain cannot directly function from fat. It must convert the fat into ketones. Legionella Testing Lab - High Quality Lab Results CDC ELITE & NYSDOH ELAP Certified - Fast Results North America Lab Locations legionellatesting.com When you go on a ketogenic diet, your body almost solely runs on fat. Your insulin levels become rather low as well. Since you are burning so much fat, this is a great way to lose weight. Studies show that ketogenic diets result in greater weight loss. The fastest way to get into ketosis is by fasting. However, you cannot fast for very long, so you need to start a low carb diet. The Brain and Ketones Many people think that the brain needs carbohydrates to function. This is not really true. The brain can work well simply by burning ketones. The reality is that many people feel like they have even more energy and focus when they are fueled by ketones. Benefits of Ketosis There ar Continue reading >>
Keto Shock
Being in the MCT game and being closely associated with many Low Carb and ketogenic forums we have seen something happening over and over again. Some describe it as severe dizziness while their blood pressure is normal others as brain fog or being light-headed but we are calling it Keto Shock and it is a term we have come up with to aptly describe something we are starting to see way too often. This is not normal carb flu, and in some cases people have reported almost passing out at the wheel of a car. In every case its been a case of too higher dose of MCT oil to start with or an extreme sudden carb cut, down to something like 25g per day. Due to the abundance of high carb foods most of us have never been in ketosis and despite being designed to use ketones our bodies and brains are not used to it which is why you need to become keto adapted. Ketosis normally occurs when your liver’s glycogen stores are depleted as happens in a very low carb diet and your body being the incredible thing it is, tells your liver to start producing ketones from fat as an alternate source of fuel. Normally, unlike so many who dive head long into Banting LCHF etc, one would start off on 50-100g of carbs a day and slowly lower till you get into keto. This allows your body to get used to ketones as it will be dual fuelling for some of the time and once it switches, it is already used to ketones as a fuel. Suddenly cutting your carbs to ultralow levels will leave your body no choice but to go into ketosis but your brain especially may not be used to using ketones and you may experience being light-headed or dizzy spells of varying intensity. We call this Keto Shock because that’s pretty much what it is and the symptoms, while not damaging (to your brain) can range from subtle to very sever Continue reading >>
Prof. Tim Noakes On Banting And Lchf
A revolution by definition is a fundamental change that takes place in a relatively short time. I know the team behind the book’ The Real Meal Revolution’ never expected their revolution to be so big and go viral in the way that it has. Prof. Tim Noakes is behind the science of the book and he says, ‘the beauty of this lifestyle is that you can find out if it works for you in the first few weeks and you can make the decision to stay on it for yourself. You can’t always believe the power of the anointed, the professor telling you this is the only way to do it. You have to find this out for yourself. I can’t tell you 100% why this diet works so effectively but it cuts out messaging to the brain that is trying to make you eat too many calories and that is carbohydrate driven and we know that. Carbohydrates drive hunger so if you are always eating carbohydrates, you will always be hungry.’ We gathered some burning questions from members of the various banting groups and posed these to the Prof. Here are his answers. ON KETOSIS Q What is ketosis in simple terms and does everyone on the banting lifestyle go through it? Ketosis is when you cut out carbohydrates and protein dramatically. Your body starts to produce and release more fat and the liver turns that into ketone bodies which are a replacement fuel for glucose. It is a better fuel so your brain and muscles start burning ketone bodies instead of glucose because you are not getting much glucose in. This is a starvation response without which humans would not have survived. You don’t have to be ketotic to benefit from this diet. Most people will go through mild ketosis. As soon as you eat more protein you will get rid of the ketosis. We are all a bit different. It is very difficult to stay in ketosis on this Continue reading >>
About The Banting Chef Community
Ketosis is a state at which the body has an extremely high fat-burning rate. Even the brain runs on fat, via ketone bodies. These are energy molecules in the blood (like blood sugar) which become fuel for our brains after being converted from fat by the liver. To encourage ketone production, the amount of insulin in your bloodstream must be low. The lower your insulin, the higher your ketone production. And when you have a well-controlled, sufficiently large amount of ketones in your blood, it’s basically proof that your insulin is very low – and therefore, that you’re enjoying the maximum effect of your low-carbohydrate diet. That’s what’s called optimal ketosis. Today, there are reasonably-priced gadgets available for measuring ketone levels at home. One needle prick of the finger, and in just a few seconds you’ll know your blood ketone level. Blood ketones are best measured on a fasted stomach in the morning (before breakfast, that is). Here are a few pointers on how to interpret the result: Below 0.5 mmol/L is not considered “ketosis”. At this level, you’re far away from maximum fat-burning. Between 0.5-1.5 mmol/L is light nutritional ketosis. You’ll be getting a good effect on your weight, but not optimal. Around 1.5 – 3 mmol/L is what’s called optimal ketosis and is recommended for maximum weight loss. Values of over 3 mmol/L aren’t neccessary. That is, they will achieve neither better nor worse results than being at the 1.5-3 level. Higher values can also sometimes mean that you’re not getting enough food. For type 1 diabetics, it can be caused by a severe lack of insulin Ketone levels can also be measured in a more old-fashioned way, with urine test sticks (sold prescription-free in pharmacies). Ketone sticks give less reliable result Continue reading >>
Paleo, Banting & Ketogenic Diets: All You Need To Know
There has been much talk about the Paleo, Ketogenic and Banting Diets. At Nutriseed, one thing is for sure, we are fans of all them and the healthy lifestyle associated with each. We have been asked repeatedly about each of them, their differences and similarities, merits and drawbacks. Here, once and for all, we’d like to debunk exactly what each of these involves, and which way may be right for you. We don’t see these as ‘fads diets’; some date back as far as the 1800’s! One thing for sure, if you are looking to make strong lifestyle changes, achieve your fitness and health goals these are 3 mindsets of eating that may help you get there. The Paleo Diet What is the Paleo Diet? The basic premise of the Paleo Diet is to consume the foods that date back to the pre-agricultural hunter gatherers. Thus, it promotes foods that are predisposed to our genetics. Studies have shown that modern-day diets of refined foods, trans fats, and sugars, are a major source of various degenerative diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity, (hardly surprising, right?). The Paleo Diet, unlike many others (but similar to the Banting and Ketogenic Diets), does not restrict calories or involve portion control. So in essence, you can eat as much as you like… of the correct foods. The Paleo Diet is structured on the following precepts: High protein intake Protein typically represents 15% of the average western diet, which is far lower than the 20-35% found in hunter-gatherer diets. Lean meats, seafood and other animal products are staples of the modern Paleo diet, helping you to feel full and satisfied, grow strong muscles and healthy bones. Low carbohydrate intake Key carbohydrate intake comes from non-starchy fruit and vegetables, and represent around 35-45% of your dai Continue reading >>
Banting And Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diets
Over the past year, the Banting diet has increased in popularity with more and more people finding the positive benefits that such an approach to eating and lifestyle offers in terms of weight loss but also in terms of overall health. In this blog we trace the origins of the Banting diet, explore it’s current format and help to explain the similarities between Banting and a Low Carb Ketogenic Diet. What is Banting? The original Banting diet, was first proposed by William Banting back in 1864, an English undertaker in Victorian England. His advice, published in "Letter on Corpulence" (found online at: would be in modern times described as high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate, with no calorie restriction. Banting published his experience at his own expense and his medical advisor, William Harvey, followed his lead publishing a more in depth medical approach explaining how this dietary approach works in 1872. Banting in the 21st Century The classic composition of the banting diet i.e. Low carb/ High fat/ moderate protein, is exactly how the Natural Ketosis meals are composed, providing you with less than 15% of total carbohydrates throughout your day. The Banting version currently proposed by Prof Noakes, the main advocate for this approach in 2015, states that items such as wheat, oats, and peas are on the red list. The reason for this being that when following a Banting diet on your own, avoiding items is much easier and more effective than portion control. However, some of the items on the orange list, even in the portion sizes advised by Prof Noakes, would have a direct impact on your body's ability to efficiently burn fat for energy due to their naturally high sugar/starch content and in turn impact on insulin levels. Examples include apples, bananas, honey, Continue reading >>
