Ofelos Keto Products
At Ofelos LTD, we specialise in producing food products that belong to the category of health products, more specifically, products that are suitable for KETOGENIC DIET. Our range of products includes cookies, crackers, bars, jams, sweeteners and other items.
The Basics of Low-Carb Diets
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet that is rich in proteins and healthy fats and poor in carbohydrates. This makes it automatically suitable for diabetics. The food that we consume can be divided into the following categories:
- Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
Fibers are also carbohydrates, but since they pass through the system without being metabolized, they can be consumed by diabetic patients. The cells absorb glucose with the help of a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that complicates metabolism and absorption of carbohydrates in the body, either because of lack/insufficient insulin production by the pancreas, or insulin resistance by the cells.
Type 1 diabetes occurs in young age and implies lack of insulin in the body. These patients are dependent on injecting insulin daily.
Type 2 diabetes occurs in old age and is due to either insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or resistance of the cells to insulin, or both. These patients can manage their diabetes through diet and other medication, but at later stages, as the disorder worsens, they need to inject insulin as well.
Everything we eat is ultimately metabolized to glucose, the purest form of carbohydrates, and the only form of energy that human cells can absorb.
In order for cells to absorb incoming glucose they need insulin. It is important to manage metabolism of what we eat to glucose; otherwise we get blood sugar spikes or constantly high levels of blood sugar, which are dangerous to health in the long term. Apart from damaging vital organs in the body, high levels of blood sugar make it difficult for the body to fight infections.
In managing blood sugar levels, it is important to consume food with low glycemic load, which is the amount of carbohydrates in a specific food item and above all low glycemic index. Glycemic index is the rate of metabolism of nutrients into glucose. Technically, glycemic index is a measure of the increase in the level of blood glucose caused by eating a specific carbohydrate compared with eating a standard amount of glucose. Thus, pure glucose itself has an index of 100.
Proper diabetic diet contains as little carbohydrates as possible. Generally, low glycemic index is considered any rate from 1 to 55. Medium glycemic index is from 56 to 69. High glycemic index is from 70 and higher.
Indicatively, white table sugar (sucrose) has a glycemic index of 65; white bread (wheat) has a glycemic index of 75; boiled potatoes 78; French fries 63; mango 51 etc.
There is a trend around the world right now to follow what is called Keto Diet - a diet that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates that causes the body to break down fat into molecules called ketones. Ketones circulate in the blood and become the main source of energy for many cells in the body. The trend sees keto diet not only as healthy but also as a good way to build muscles in the body rather than accumulating fat (carbohydrates are seen as the main culprit for fat formation), and for weight loss.
By and large, keto diet is essentially the same as diabetic diet; however, a diabetic may also consume some carbohydrates depending on his/her blood sugar level (e.g., hypoglycemic episode requires urgent intake of sugars) and other factors.
Naturally, a diabetic who needs to consume sugars can manage it on his/her own; however when a company like Ofelos Ltd sells products that are suitable for diabetics they must be very low in carbs i.e., they must be keto.
Consulting with a healthcare professional to monitor and adjust medication and insulin dosages when starting a keto diet cannot be underestimated as it may impact blood sugar levels and require medication modifications.
Encourage individuals to work closely with healthcare providers such as registered dietitians and endocrinologists to receive personalized guidance regular check-ins and necessary adjustments to keto diet and diabetes management strategies.