Keto Diet Ultimate 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary reason the ketogenic diet was originally developed as a medical therapy?
- To treat obesity
- To manage epilepsy in children (Correct answer)
- To lower blood pressure
- To reverse type 2 diabetes
Correct answer: To manage epilepsy in children
The ketogenic diet was developed in the 1920s at the Mayo Clinic as a treatment for epilepsy, particularly in children who did not respond to medication.
Question 2: Which organ produces ketone bodies during ketosis?
- Pancreas
- Kidneys
- Liver (Correct answer)
- Small intestine
Correct answer: Liver
The liver converts fatty acids into ketone bodies (acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone) when carbohydrate intake is severely restricted.
Question 3: What happens to insulin levels when you follow a strict ketogenic diet?
- They spike significantly
- They remain unchanged
- They drop significantly (Correct answer)
- They become erratic
Correct answer: They drop significantly
Low carbohydrate intake results in significantly reduced insulin secretion, which promotes fat mobilization and ketone production.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT one of the three main ketone bodies produced in ketosis?
- Acetoacetate
- Beta-hydroxybutyrate
- Pyruvate (Correct answer)
- Acetone
Correct answer: Pyruvate
Pyruvate is an intermediate in glucose metabolism, not a ketone body; the three ketone bodies are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone.
Question 5: On a standard ketogenic diet, approximately what percentage of daily calories should come from protein?
- 5–10%
- 15–20% (Correct answer)
- 30–35%
- 40–45%
Correct answer: 15–20%
A standard ketogenic diet typically calls for about 15–20% of calories from protein, with fat making up 70–75% and carbs only 5–10%.
Question 6: What is gluconeogenesis, and why is it relevant to keto dieters?
- A process where fat is stored from carbohydrates
- The conversion of protein or glycerol into glucose (Correct answer)
- The breakdown of ketones back into fat
- The absorption of dietary fat in the gut
Correct answer: The conversion of protein or glycerol into glucose
Gluconeogenesis is the liver's ability to synthesize glucose from non-carbohydrate sources like amino acids and glycerol, which is why excess protein can prevent ketosis.
Question 7: Which electrolyte is most commonly lost rapidly in the first days of a ketogenic diet due to glycogen depletion?
- Calcium
- Iron
- Sodium (Correct answer)
- Phosphorus
Correct answer: Sodium
Glycogen binds water and sodium; as glycogen stores deplete in the first days of keto, sodium and water are rapidly excreted by the kidneys.
Keto Diet Ultimate 2
What is the primary reason the ketogenic diet was originally developed as a medical therapy?