If you have friends or family members who’ve lost weight or are very focused on their health, chances are you’ve heard of the ketogenic diet.

As those who’ve adopted the low-carb, high-fat diet will tell you, it comes with many health benefits, especially when it comes to dropping extra pounds. But did you know that besides making it easier for you stay in shape, it could potentially prevent major diseases as well?

According to HealthLine, over 20 studies show that following the ketogenic diet will help with weight loss, and may even prevent significant diseases such as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. But it gets even better.

Health professionals including Dr. Valter Longo from the University of Southern California’s Davis School of Gerontology have found that low-calorie diets can slow tumor growth and starve cancer cells of the glucose they require for fermentation.

According to The International Journal of Preventative Medicine, studies “indicate that [the Ketogenic Diet] had an inhibitory effect on tumor growth and 9 researchers expressed that [the Ketogenic Diet] could enhance survival time.”

So what exactly does this diet entail? It focuses on high-fat, adequate-protein, and low-carbohydrate foods, which put your body in a metabolic state known as ketosis, forcing it to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. The standard guideline is to make sure what you eat consists of 75% fat, 20% protein, and just 5% carbs.

Diet Doctor recommends you keep your carb intake to under 50 grams per day, as the fewer carbs you eat, the more effective the diet will be. Meals should be based on meats, fish, eggs, butter and cheeses, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, avocados, and low-carb vegetables. Coffee or tea without sugar or sweeteners is acceptable, as is an occasional glass of wine — but water should be what you’re drinking the most.

(via Providr)

It should be noted that diet alone cannot cure chronic conditions like cancer and diabetes, but it may help prevent them in certain circumstances. As always, make sure you consult with your doctor before making any major lifestyle changes.