National Keto Day Date in the current year: January 5, 2024

The ketogenic diet was created for treatment of epilepsy in children in the 1920s. It is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body to burn fats for energy rather than carbohydrates. Fats are converted into fatty acids and ketone bodies, resulting in a metabolic state called ketosis that eventually lowers the frequency of seizures.

The effect is achieved by excluding high-carbohydrate products such as bread, grains, pasta, sugar (you’ll be surprised to learn how many products are high in sugar!), fruits and starchy vegetables, etc. The main sources of energy in the keto diet are products high in healthy fats such as dairy products, eggs, avocado, non-starchy vegetables (asparagus, broccoli), vegetable oils, salmon, nuts, seeds, etc. People who follow the keto diet also need to take supplements because the lack of fruits and vegetables may cause vitamin deficiency.

As anticonvulsant medications became more effective, the popularity of the keto diet waned. It experienced a revival in the mid-1990s, when Hollywood producer Jim Abrahams, whose son Charlie got his severe drug-resistant epilepsy under control thanks to the keto diet, began to promote diet therapy. He appeared on television and even directed ...First Do No Harm, a drama film starring Meryl Strip inspired by Abrahams’s son’s story.

Since then, the keto diet has made its way into popular use. People use it to lose weight, improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reduce acne, improve brain function, and more. However, since the keto diet is first and foremost a therapeutic diet, you should consult a doctor before trying it to make sure it won’t do you more harm than good.

National Keto Day was created in 2019 by The Vitamin Shoppe, a New Jersey-based retailer of nutritional supplements, herbs, aromatherapy products, natural beauty products, and more. The main goals are to celebrate the keto community, help bust the myths surrounding the keto diet, and educate the general public about its many health benefits. The holiday is celebrated early in the New Year because this is when a lot of people make a New Year’s resolution to live healthier and are looking for solutions that will help them achieve their goal.

How can you celebrate National Keto Day? If you haven’t tried the keto diet yet, learn more about it and consider giving it a try if you have no contraindications. Once again, we recommend that you consult a doctor before switching to the keto diet because, while it does have a number of health benefits, it is not for everyone.

If you’re already a member of the keto community, you can celebrate by sharing photos of your favorite keto foods on social media using the hashtag #NationalKetoDay to spread the word about the holiday, trying new keto recipes, and hosting a keto meal for your friends and family. Another great way to celebrate is to donate to or volunteer at a nonprofit that helps epilepsy patients.