Who Would Benefit Most From Switching To A Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet
The paucity of research on how the Mediterranean keto diet affects different populations makes it difficult to determine who would gain the most from following this dietary approach. However, there is enough evidence to make a few speculations.
People who may benefit more from the Mediterranean keto diet vs. a standard keto diet are:
Who Will It Help
It seems to help similar numbers of patients as the ketogenic diet . It works for men and women equally and is being used actively in adolescents and adults. Like the ketogenic diet, it is mostly used for patients with daily seizures who have not fully responded to medications. It is under study for regions of the world with limited resources for which the classic ketogenic diet would be too difficult or time-consuming as well.
The Modified Atkins Diet And Mental Health
The Modified Atkins Diet is a low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat diet that has been shown to be effective for weight loss. It is also a healthy and sustainable way to eat that has been shown to be good for mental health.
The Modified Atkins Diet has been shown to be good for mental health in a few ways. First, it is a low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat diet, which means that it is a healthy way to eat. This can help to promote weight loss and help to regulate blood sugar levels. Second, the Modified Atkins Diet is a sustainable way to eat. This means that it can be maintained over time, which can be helpful for people who are trying to improve their mental health. Finally, the Modified Atkins Diet has been shown to be good for mental health in terms of mood. This is because it can help to improve feelings of hunger and cravings, which can lead to better eating habits and weight loss.
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What Is The Ketogenic Diet
The “classic” ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. It is prescribed by a physician and carefully monitored by a dietitian. It is usually used in children with seizures that do not respond to medications. It is stricter than the modified Atkins diet, requiring careful measurements of calories, fluids, and proteins. Foods are weighed and measured.
- The name ketogenic means that it produces ketones in the body. Ketones are formed when the body uses fat for its source of energy.
- Usually the body uses carbohydrates for its fuel. Because the ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, fats become the primary fuel instead. The body can work very well on ketones .
- Ketones are not dangerous. They can be detected in the urine, blood, and breath. Ketones are one of the more likely mechanisms of action of the diet, with higher ketone levels often leading to improved seizure control. However, there are many other theories for why the diet will work.
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What Kind Of Foods Can You Eat On Keto 20

As with regular keto, you can technically eat anything you like within the parameters of the diet, but things like sugar, fruits, beans, legumes, and grains are typically severely limited.
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A huge issue many nutrition pros have with keto is that it tends to pack in a lot of saturated fats or, at least, many people fall into the trap of eating lots of foods loaded with saturated fats, like bacon and butter. While these foods can ~technically~ help you lose weight on keto when you stay within your macros, theyre not exactly great for your heart health or overall well-being.
But keto 2.0 seems to be big on achieving a well-rounded diet, with more fruits, vegetables, and leaner proteins thrown into the mix. Sure, you can have these in limited quantities on regular keto, but keto 2.0 gives you more wiggle room for them, along with healthier, complex carbs like beans and oats.
Another big perk, per Ansel: Youll get more fiber in your diet on keto 2.0 and that can help keep you satiated, lower your disease risk, and improve overall digestion.
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History Of The Keto Diet
The classic keto diet was developed in 1923 by Dr. Russell Wilder of the Mayo Clinic, according to StatPearls. Initially, the diet was created to treat children with epilepsy.
More research published in Trials shows the diets effectiveness when it comes to this condition as well. In 2008 at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a clinical trial showed a 40 percent reduction in the number of seizures children experienced while on the keto diet.
Over the years, several offshoots of the keto diet have been created mostly for weight loss, but scientists and doctors have noticed other health benefits.
If you are looking for a more personalized approach to your diet, then Noom may be the answer. This program offers custom meal plans, access to a personal coach, and food logging to help users lose weight. If you are ready to try the Noom program for yourself, make sure to check out their free trial offer.
Keto Diet Food List Including Best Keto Foods Vs Worst
The ketogenic diet is a very high-fat, very low-carb diet that has gained tons of attention lately for its weight loss benefits. The goal of the keto diet is to enter and then stay in a metabolic state called ketosis, in which you burn fat for energy, rather than carbohydrates .
In the typical diet, our bodies are fueled by glucose that we get from eating carbohydrate foods. But if those carbs stop coming in and glucose levels drop, we can use our fat for fuel.
In fact, once all our our reserved glucose/glycogen runs out after several days on a low-carb, keto diet, our bodies create compounds called ketone bodies from our own stored body fat, as well as from fats in our diet. In addition, researchers have discovered that ketones contain main benefits, such as fat loss, suppressing our appetites, boosting mental clarity and lowering the risk for a number of chronic diseases.
Intrigued? If so, before starting a ketogenic diet, its critical to get to know a properly constructed keto diet food list and also understand how much of each type of food group you consume.
It starts with limiting carbohydrate intake to just 2030 net grams per day. Net carbs describes the amount of carbs remaining once dietary fiber is taken into account. Because fiber is indigestible once consumed, simply dont count grams of fiber toward their daily carb allotment. So that means subtracting grams of fiber from total carb games, to give you the total net carbs.
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The Modified Atkins Diet For Diabetes
The Modified Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that has been shown to be effective for managing type 2 diabetes. The diet is based on the theories that carbohydrates are the main source of glucose in the body and that a high intake of carbs leads to increased blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes.
The MAD is a restrictive diet that limits the amount of carbohydrates that can be eaten each day. Carbohydrates are divided into two categories: simple and complex. Simple carbs are those that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and cause blood sugar levels to spike. These include things like refined grains, sugars, and fruits. Complex carbs are those that are broken down into glucose and take longer to be absorbed into the bloodstream. These include things like whole grains, beans, and vegetables.
On the MAD, all carbs are limited to 20 grams per day. This includes both simple and complex carbs. The goal is to keep blood sugar levels under control by restricting carbs and allowing the body to switch to using other sources of glucose for energy. The MAD has been shown to be effective for managing type 2 diabetes and has a lower risk of heart disease.
What Is It Like
- Lots of high fat foods such as bacon, eggs, mayonnaise, butter, meats, heavy whipping cream, and oils are encouraged.
- Certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, avocados, olives, and cheeses are used as well.
- Fluids such as Fruit2O, diet soda, and other flavored waters are favorites of many patients. Fluids are encouraged and help avoid side effects.
- Carbohydrates are limited but the patient chooses what to eat. For example, they can choose blueberries or chocolate .
- Compared to a patient on the classic ketogenic diet, the biggest differences reported are 1) more food and 2) more proteins.
- Many patients will supplement the diet with ketogenic products . One study showed improved benefit in children when a ketogenic diet formula was used as a supplement for the initial month.
- It’s still not easy though, and most families need help and support.
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The Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet Food List
The Mediterranean keto diet primarily consists of these foods:
- Mediterranean protein sources fatty fish, seafood, poultry, and eggs
- Fats/oils olive oil, avocado oil, and MCT oil
- Low-carb vegetables leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and other low carb veggies >
- Low-carb fruits avocados, olives, and tomatoes
- Common Mediterranean flavorings paprika, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, coriander, anise, Spanish saffron, lemon or lime juice, mint, parsley, garlic, etc.
Foods you can eat in moderation:
- Nuts and seeds macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pecans, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are the lowest carb options.
- High-fat dairy hard full-fat cheeses, full-fat low-carb yogurt, heavy cream, etc.
- Low-carb fruits low-carb berries, melon, and other low-carb fruits >
- Red meat beef, pork, veal, lamb, etc.
- Saturated fat-rich fats/oils coconut oil, butter, ghee, and animal fats
If necessary, limit these common keto foods to help lower LDL cholesterol numbers:
- Fatty cuts of red meat
Foods to avoid:
- Grains wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
- Legumes lentils, black beans, peas, etc.
- Sugar honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
- Fruit apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
- Tubers potato, yams, etc.
The Case For The Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet: The Best Of Both Worlds
In 2008, researchers from Spain sought to explore the potential impact of combining the ketogenic diet with the Mediterranean diet. Their diet plan featured these primary characteristics:
- Unlimited calories .
- Olive oil as the major source of added fat, with over 2 tablespoons consumed per day.
- Green vegetables and salads as the primary carbohydrate source.
- Fish was the major source of protein.
- Participants also drank a moderate amount of daily wine .
The researchers called this a Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean diet, and it resulted in changes youd expected from a standard keto diet, including significant decreases in body fat, blood pressure, glucose, and triglycerides.
The most noteworthy finding, however, was what happened to each subjects cholesterol numbers. On average, there was a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol .
In other words, the Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean diet mitigated the increase in LDL cholesterol commonly experienced as a result of standard keto dieting while keeping its HDL boosting benefits. This indicates that consuming more unsaturated fat-rich foods like fish and olive oil and less saturated fat from other animal foods while restricting carbs may be a suitable strategy for those who struggle with unhealthy cholesterol levels.
- Significant reductions in total cholesterol
- Significant decreases in LDL cholesterol
- Increases in HDL cholesterol
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The New Modified Keto Diet: Keto 20
By Summer Banks FNS, SPTon Dec 23, 2021HomeNew
Keto is one of those diet plans that have been around for ages and just keeps popping its head up to say hello every once in a while. For the last several years, keto and keto 2.0 has been the hot ticket diet one that tens of thousands of people claim helped them lose weight that they couldnt lose any other way.
Theres little doubt that keto is effective for weight loss, at least in the short term while you can stay on the diet. The heavy restrictions on carbohydrates and extremely high fat intake are hard to maintain long-term. However, its this strictness that created the need for a hybrid diet. In this case, Keto 2.0 was born.
Unlike traditional or classic keto diets, which suggest up to 80% of calories from fat, Keto 2.0 suggests far less rigid macronutrient intake. You can consume 55% of calories from fat, 30% from protein, and 15% from carbohydrates.
Before digging deeper into the modified Keto 2.0, lets take a look back at where it all started.
Is The Keto Diet Healthy

Eating a ketogenic diet is safe if done correctly, but be sure to always consult your doctor, registered nutritionist or dietician. They can watch for potential nutrient deficiencies and health reactions. However, studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can help with appetite control and benefit individuals with specialized medical conditions. For example, the keto diet is often recommended in treating epileptic seizures.
Nutrition studies debate the long-term effects of low-carb diets, especially for individuals dealing with the liver, pancreas and gallbladder issues. A nutritionist or a dietitian can inform you of what to expect, like the potential for muscle loss and another side effect known as the keto flu.
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Modified Keto Diet Plan For Beginners
Modified Keto Diet Plan for beginners is a simple way to follow a keto diet if youre just getting started. It focuses on making low carb foods the priority, and adding high-fat foods to fit your calorie needs.
The modified ketogenic diet turned out to be a lifesaver for many of people whove tried it. They finally have the chance to lose weight which they didnt have while being on a regular keto diet plan. And this is the topic we will deal with in todays article.
Mediterranean Diet Vs Keto Mediterranean Diet
Although the Mediterranean keto diet provides us with most of the benefits of keto and the Mediterranean diet all in one, this doesnt mean we should ignore the traditional Mediterranean diet altogether. In fact, a Mediterranean diet with moderate carbs may be the best option for some people.
Here are the three main instances when the Mediterranean diet may be the better option:
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How Is It Different From The Ketogenic Diet
Although the foods are very similar, there are key differences between the modified Atkins diet and the ketogenic diet.
- First, with the modified Atkins diet, there is no fluid or calorie restriction or limitation.
- Although fats are strongly encouraged, they are not weighed and measured. Most patients will consume plenty of dairy and oils.
- One of the biggest differences is that there are no restrictions on proteins. Typically 35% of calories for a patient on the MAD come from protein.
- Foods are not weighed and measured, but carbohydrate counts are monitored by patients and/or parents.
- It is started outside of the hospital and the person does not need to fast before starting the diet.
- Lastly, foods can be eaten more freely in restaurants and outside the home, and families can do it as well.
The diet is a “modified” Atkins diet as it allows for less carbohydrates than the traditional Atkins diet and more strongly encourages fat intake. Please remember that no diet should be tried without a neurologist involved.
Modified Keto Side Effects
Since the modified keto is still a very low-carb plan, you get most of the negative side effects of following this type of diet. Here is a list of the drawbacks.
- The first few weeks, you might experience symptoms of the keto flu
- It might not be a sustainable lifestyle for certain people
- Reducing the fiber intake might produce constipation
- If you are not careful with controlling the carb portion, you might go overboard
- Long-term health risks like kidney stones
- Could decrease your exercise performance the first few weeks
- Ketones might produce bad breath
There are several pros and cons of following this eating style. The biggest question to ask yourself is whether or not you see yourself following it in the long term. The best results are achieved by those that make it a lifestyle.
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Is A Modified Low
For endurance athletes, it can be a good option.
It is still high in fat, but it has more carbs than the traditional ketogenic diet. For athletes, increasing carbs could improve performance since carbs are a faster energy source than fats. Check out our Targeted Keto Plan for more information on keto for atheletes.
What Is The Future Of The Modified Atkins Diet
Lots of studies continue to occur, several evaluating this newer diet in comparison to the classic ketogenic diet. Other studies underway include:
- Improving efficacy and safety in adults
- Expanding usage in developing countries
- Adding supplements to improve efficacy
- Using MAD for milder epilepsies not often treated with the ketogenic diet
- Using MAD for conditions other than epilepsy .
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Who May Require A More Traditional Ketogenic Approach
A more structured or hybrid traditional /modified approach may work better in institutional or care home settings, where many staff may be involved in food choice, preparation and feeding.
Ketogenic tube feeds also tend to be based on a classical ketogenic regime so if there are any additional oral meals or snacks required alongside, these tend to be based around classical principles too.