How long has the keto diet been around?

People usually think that the Keto diet or ketogenic diet is a modern concept. However, only a few people know about the history and origin of the Keto Diet. While reading about the benefits of the Keto Diet, you have certainly thought about how long has the keto diet been around and tried to find the answer to the question. Well, you will be surprised to know that the Keto Diet has almost 150 years of history behind it. In this, we try our best to elaborate on the history and origin of the Keto Diet. You will also know about the first person who created the Keto Diet and used It.

History and Origin of the Ketogenic Diet

The first use of the Keto Diet was in the early 1900s when doctors used the keto diet to treat patients suffering from seizures and epilepsy. The Keto diet was originated from the term “fasting” or you can say “healthy fasting” in the language of early people. Today, the main purpose of the Keto Diet is to cut out the carbohydrate intake of patients. Only those foods are allowed in today’s Keto Diet which a rich in fats and proteins. However, in the starting days of the Keto Diet, there were no such limitations at all. Doctors had used the term “Keto Diet” for healthy fasting in a professional way

Who was the Creator of the Keto Diet?

Dr. Russell Wilder is considered as the creator of the Keto Diet according to the history of the Keto Diet. He designed a Ketogenic Diet (which was known as the classic Ketogenic diet at that time) in 1923 at the Mayo Clinic. The ratio of fats, protein, and carbohydrates was 4:1:1 in Dr. Russell’s classic ketogenic Diet. This was the first brick in the foundation of the Ketogenic Diet. 

If you analyze the concentration of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the classic ketogenic diet, you will find that it was a nutritional plan containing 90% of fats, 4% of carbohydrates, and 6% of proteins. The main purpose of the classic Ketogenic Diet is to replace the energy fuel source of the body with fats instead of carbohydrates. As a result of this energy fuel change, Dr. Russell expected that the body will enter a state of Ketosis in which the concentration of ketones will become high in blood and the body. Dr. Russell was fairly successful in his purpose of designing the classic ketogenic diet.

The second era of the Ketogenic Diet

Many researchers have investigated the potential health benefits and therapeutic uses of the ketogenic diet after Dr. Russell Wilder. The main purpose of these researches was to use the Keto diet for weight loss and dieting. In the second ear (1970), the keto diet was reborn. We would like to discuss some main contributions of scientists in the second ear of the Keto Diet:

• A senior cardiologist names as Dr. Atkins has published his book on the topic of a low-carb diet for weight loss in 1972. He has claimed that a low-carb diet can be also helpful in cardiovascular diseases and conditions.
• In 1990, a famous US television network NBC has broadcasted a complete show on the outcomes of the ketogenic diet. The participants of this show investigated a big spike in publications related to the Keto. In this show, a two-year-old child was presented who was suffering from severe seizures. The boy had shown improvement after taking the ketogenic diet. 
• In 2013, many health benefits and therapeutic uses of the Ketogenic diet were explained in a publication in Science magazine.

The Keto Diet today

As you have acquired some basic knowledge about the history of the ketogenic or keto diet, now we will discuss the keto diet today. The popularity of the keto diet has been increasing continuously in recent years due to its potential health benefits and therapeutic uses. 

Several scientific research studies have reported many health benefits of the Ketogenic diet, but there are three big reasons people are going for keto:

• Weight Loss

Obesity has now turned into a farm of disease. A large population of the world facing this problem. Many people suffering from this disease, want to lose weight easily and naturally. According to many research studies, the Keto Diet can help in quick weight loss and that is the reason why people are running behind the Keto. By using Keto Diet, you are intaking less carbohydrates and more fats and proteins. By doing so, your body starts burning fats to meet the energy needs instead of carbohydrates. When fats are burnt, they are converted into free fatty acids. The liver captures these free fatty acids and converts them into ketones.

So, with the Ketogenic diet, the concentration of the ketones in the body becomes high and this state is known as Ketosis. In ketosis, people have reported a quick weight loss.

• Brain Health

Ketones produces as a result of ketosis, have a very positive impact on brain health. The Ketogenic diet, for this reason, can support neurological conditions in the brain. It can also improve concentration of mind and focus. Many people use the Keto Diet for reducing brain fog.

• Cancer

Several researches are ongoing to investigate the positive effects of the Keto Diet on the treatment of cancer. Many researchers have reported that ketones are antioxidant and that is why they can kill cancerous cells. The ketogenic diet can also enhance the effects of drugs used for the treatment of cancer.

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