Are you a meat lover but need to lose weight? Then you might find yourself in a dilemma as most diets out there limit the intake of meat and other fatty food products because of high fat content and calories as well. With that said, people who need to lose weight no longer have to be contented with eating carrot sticks or lettuce as one can now enjoy their favorite bacon and egg while still losing weight. The ketogenic diet, which once served as an epileptic prevention meal plan, is now being used by people who need to shed excess weight. There are 2 types the “long chain triglycerides” (LCT) and the medium chain triglycerides (MCT).

Ketogenic Diet Overview

In a normal diet, humans need to consume higher amounts of carbohydrates as this acts as energy source for the body to be able to function well and less of fat as fats are only stored in the body as a reserve for when the body needs more fuel. As the body needs more carbohydrates, it processes the food group first and thus one feels hungry after a while which is not so in the case of breaking down meals that are high in fat content.

In the ketogenic diet, this theory is reversed. One will need to consume higher amount of fats and trick the body into realizing that it has insufficient amount of glucose so that it would breakdown the fats first and convert these into energy. The first diet which is the LCT deals with high fat – low carbohydrates with adequate protein. Calories are restricted and fluid intake may be taken into consideration as well. The strict diet usually makes use of strict meal plans taking into consideration the dieter’s calorie and protein needs per day. These are then divided into several meals for the day which are designed by dietitians.

In the Medium or MCT diet, the meal plans are less strict and structured especially when it comes to the calorie prescription; however, dieters should stick to the meal plan and make the necessary substitute as needed. Unlike the LCT which makes use of complex fats, the MCT makes use of fats that have higher ketones, the most popular of the use of coconut oil. Some dieters develop intolerance with the MCT diet; as such, dietitians make use of the John Radcliffe diet. The John Radcliffe diet is a combination of LCT (30%) and MCT (30%) ration with the rest coming from protein and carbohydrates.