What is it?
Keto is short for ketogenic or ketosis, which is the state your body enters when glucose isn’t available for energy, so your body has no choice but to burn fat instead.
The diet first came about in the 1920s to treat epilepsy as it was found that patients had fewer seizures when they were fasting.
The keto diet is used for rapid weight loss and fat burning.
In order for ketosis to kick in, you must cut down heavily on carbs (roughly 10 per cent of your diet) and protein (20 per cent) while increasing your fat intake to 70 per cent.
Say goodbye to rice, pasta and bread, as well as refined and natural sugar.
What can you eat?
You can have healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil, dairy, eggs, meat and seafood, and non-starchy vegetables, such as cauliflower and dark, leafy greens.
Is it effective?
While you will lose weight in the initial stages, dietitians say this is purely due to the loss of water.
There also hasn’t been any long-term study on the effectiveness and safety of the diet.