Ketogenic diet also called keto diet is a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet. The diet mimics aspects of starvation by forcing the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrate. If there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. When the body produces ketone bodies, there is an anticonvulsant effect.

The diet has just enough protein for body growth and repair, and sufficient calories to maintain the correct weight for age and height. The "classic" ketogenic diet contains a 4:1 ratio by weight of fat to combined protein and carbohydrate.

Keto diets differ from Atkins diets because Atkins is a low carb plan for those who are quite sedentary (walk maybe 3 times a week at the most). The Keto diet is for those who's main concern is true fat loss and muscle preservation for sports and high intensity activities. During Atkins there is muscle loss. Athletes do not want to lose muscle, so the Keto diet is a better choice.

Ketogenic diets are primarily used to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. Every step of the ketogenic diet process for children must be managed by an experienced treatment team, usually based at a specialized medical center.

Does this mean you eat foods high in fat on the keto diet?

Yes, that is correct. But this diet is not for everyone.

Sounds like a tough diet to maintain.

Yeah, that's why this diet is not really for that many people!