The standard ketogenic diet is the typical ketogenic diet that people are familiar with.¹ It focuses on the consumption of very low amounts of carbohydrate, very high amounts of fat, and moderate amounts of protein. It usually recommends consuming 70% of daily calories from fat, 10% from carbohydrates, and 20% from protein. The standard ketogenic diet typically does not allow for cheat days, recommending individuals to stringently stick to a low carbohydrate consumption to keep the body in a state of ketosis.

What Are the Benefits?  

Evidence supporting the use of ketogenic diet for metabolic and weight improvement is compelling.^2–5 Most research studies have also focused on analyzing the effects of the standard ketogenic diet, versus other types of ketogenic diet including cyclical ketogenic diet and targeted ketogenic diet.

Various studies suggest that the ketogenic diet is an effective dietary pattern to promote weight loss through carbohydrate restriction.^2–5 One meta-analysis shows that individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus on the ketogenic diet experienced significant reductions in weight, waist circumference, and body mass index.⁴ The diet also significantly improved diabetes-related parameters, including fasting blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1C, and insulin resistance. Other reviews on the effects of the diet on metabolic health have shown similar results, finding that the diet can lead to improved weight, lipid profiles, and insulin sensitivity.⁵

How Do You Get Started?  

Those who are interested in the standard ketogenic diet can start by counting their macronutrients – how much carbohydrate, fat, and protein they consume every day. For instance, if you are on a 2,000-kcal standard ketogenic diet, you can allot for yourself 1,400 kcals to come from fat, 200 kcals from carbohydrate, and 400 kcals from protein. You can use various sources of fat, carbohydrate, and protein to diversity your diet, but sticking to this ratio every day is key. If meal planning with stringent restrictions is difficult, there are ketogenic delivery services available to help you get started. Additionally, avoiding some common mistakes and researching keto-friendly snack ideas can help you be on track.