Keto is one of the most popular diet plans out there. Its purpose is to attain a state of metabolic ketosis, which has a lot of health benefits. This diet plan is quite popular when it comes to the issue of weight loss, especially if you have a perfect keto fruit list. However, it was initially used to suppress the symptoms of epilepsy among children in the early 1900s. Nowadays, individuals are more concerned about lifestyle because of the increased cases of such conditions as cancer and diabetes. In this blog, we are going to discuss how a ketogenic diet deals with cancer cells. But remember, you can only gain these health benefits if you sustain metabolic ketosis, which means you have to do keto the right way.

Cancer is a mitochondrial metabolic disease, and in the last two decades, it has been rampant. While some people inherit genes that make them more vulnerable to the disease, others get due to their lifestyle and eating habits. This is a chronic disease that does not seem to decrease despite having an advanced health care system. But it has been discovered that therapeutic approaches are more beneficial. 

This disease has defied the advancement in pharmacology, surgery, and genetic treatments. One of the best ways to manage the illness is the regulation of metabolism in the body. Most of the delicacies consumed by families are different from traditional foods. Sugar has been classified as the number one starch that feeds cancer, leading to inflammatory. 

How Does Ketogenic Diet Help with Cancer?

The ketogenic diet puts the body in a metabolic state called ketosis. It makes the body burn ketones to create energy instead of getting it from the starch you eat. Fatty acids metabolize the ketones in the liver. By ensuring there is glucose in the body, an excellent environment to create ketones is created. The body adapts this process when there are carbs or sugar. This also ensures there are no carbohydrates to feed cancer cells. When the body gets into ketosis, the cancerous cells starve because they cannot find energy supply.

Cancer cells are different from normal cells in that they are rich insulin receptors. Their outer surface is as high 10 times in insulin reception compared to the other cells in the body. They take in more glucose and other nutrients faster, which makes them thrive and spread in the body like wildfire. 

Cancer cells are not able to metabolize fatty acids because they cannot make energy through aerobic respiration. This leaves the cells without energy and eventually starves them. 

  • Best Foods to Include in Ketogenic Diet for Cancer

A ketogenic diet includes foods rich in fats. There should be no starch and most recommended foods when looking forward to fighting cancer.

  • Olive
  • Eggs
  • Butter 
  • Coconut
  • Avocados
  • Raw nuts and seeds

Some of the low carbohydrates to include in the diet are the following vegetables:

  • Cabbage
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Kale
  • Collard greens
  • Celery
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach 
  • Broccoli 

Healthy proteins to include in the diet should be obtained from the following:

  • Wild game
  • Fermented
  • Seafood
  • Wild game
  • Grass-fed beef
  • Organic poultry
  • Organic dairy

The diet should also be rich with organic acids and antioxidants. This creates an alkaline environment, which is not friendly to cancer cells. Some of the foods like dried herbs, lemons, fermented drinks with low or no sugar, and apple cider vinegar.  

A diet rich in proteins is risky as it can help cancer cells to thrive. In ketogenic diets, very little protein is recommended. According to studies, a diet with healthy fats 75%, protein 20%, and carbohydrates less than 5% will starve cancer cells. Probiotics should also accompany a ketogenic diet for cancer along with omega-3s and multivitamins.

  • What Avoid When on a Ketogenic Diet

When on a ketogenic diet, you should not eat anything with added sugar, including soft drinks, sports drinks, ice creams, cakes, breakfast cereals, chocolate, candy, buns, and juice. Some of the starches to avoid in your diet are potatoes, muesli, cereal, porridge, bread and potato chips, and French fries. Besides, do use processed oils like margarine and cooking oils and avoid beer at all costs.

  • Combining Ketogenic Diet and Intermittent Fasting

According to studies, a ketogenic diet works even better when combined with fasting. It helps the body to get into ketosis quickly, and it produces high amounts of ketones. Intermittent fasting has rapidly shown changes in cancer patients. It starves the cancer cells fast and quickens the treatment procedure.

Most doctors advise patients to go on a low carb diet because of its ability to weaken cancer cells. This diet nourishes the cancer patient and keeps the body healthy enough to fight the diseases. However, the food alone may not be sufficient enough to fight cancer. A patient must undertake all the recommended treatments while following a ketogenic diet.

  • How to Be Careful With Ketogenic Diet for Cancer Treatment

A ketogenic diet makes most people lose weight. While it helps most patients, the biggest problem is living on this diet for a long time. It is hard to cut out most foods from your diet or take them in small amounts a lifetime. Patients must also be careful with the highly recommended fatty foods in ketogenic diets. They can cause heart disease and a lot of weight gain in some people.

The Bottom Line

Keto is full of health benefits and has proven essential in cancer treatment. You can also use it to lower the risks of getting this dreaded disease. While this diet has shown positive results in weakening cancer cells, it is not an alternative solution for a cancer patient. You must get medical treatment or even surgeries as recommended by your doctor.

Mainstream treatments given by oncologists have shown effectiveness in various cancers. The best thing about ketogenic diets is that they do not have significant side effects in patients as long as you follow the right diet. Avoid too much fatty foods and, instead, go for healthy alternatives. You will lose nothing by trying the diet but talk to your doctor before you switch to keto.