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The keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is a very low carbohydrate (<50 g per day), high-fat diet that helps to increase the body’s efficiency at burning fat for energy.
The key to the keto diet is that low carbohydrate consumption shifts metabolism to form ketones, a backup energy source for the brain in the absence of sufficient glucose (blood sugar). The keto diet has been used to treat certain forms of epilepsy and can also help to promote healthy blood sugar and insulin levels, which may have a positive influence on weight management.1,2
The keto diet encourages eating high fats, limited levels of protein, and keeping carbohydrate intake low, e.g., below 50 grams per day. Generally, total calories are divided into 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrates.
For more information on the basics of the keto diet, please read my article “The Keto Diet Benefits: Brain Health, Weight Management, and More.” It provides important information on how to construct the healthiest version of the keto diet.
Starting a keto diet requires thoughtful planning to create meals that align with individual preferences and nutritional needs. While there may be a learning curve at first, with time and practice, it becomes easier to navigate. This article offers practical tips to help keto beginners smoothly transition into a keto lifestyle.
There may be a bit of an adjustment period for your body and digestion when first starting out on the ketogenic diet. Until the body makes the switch to ketosis, the lack of carbs can cause people to experience headaches, brain fog, fatigue, irritability, and gastrointestinal complaints like bloating, nausea, and constipation. When these symptoms occur it is often referred to as "the keto flu” and typically goes away on its own after the first week or so, but there are some useful keto supplements that can help support energy levels when starting the keto diet as well as using while continuing on the diet.
The first supplement to consider is a multivitamin specific to supporting a keto diet. It can help to ensure sufficient intake of essential nutrients and fill deficiencies that might leave the dieter feeling tired or grumpy. These nutrients are also involved in proper energy production in the body and metabolism.
The keto diet involves eating significantly more fat, up to 150-200 grams per day. In comparison, typical recommendations suggest only 20-60 grams daily. Keto dieters may eat 3 to 10 times more fat than most other diets. This increase can strain the pancreas to produce enough lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fat. A lack of enzymes may cause the common digestive issues linked to keto. Using digestive enzyme supplements high in lipase or tailored for keto can help.
Protein intake is usually not a focus on the keto diet unless a person is on a vegan version of the keto diet. If so, incorporating 15-20 grams of protein once or twice daily from a vegan protein powder into your routine either as the base ingredient in a smoothie or in recipes is recommended to ensure adequate protein intake.
Since the keto diet is so high in fat, there has to be a conscious awareness to focus on foods rich in health-promoting fats and oils such as those found in nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocadoes, fish, and other seafood. To provide sufficient intake of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that are so critical to health, taking a fish oil or algal-based supplement to provide a daily intake of 1,000 mg of EPA+DHA is recommended.
The high fat intake of keto may seem indulgent, but many dieters struggle to make healthy choices. The key is focusing on health-promoting fats and oils.
Most keto dieters gravitate to eating lots of avocado and avocado oil. Sliced avocados are extremely easy to enjoy on their own as a side dish or added as an enhancement to virtually any main dish or smoothie. And avocado mousse is a popular dessert for many keto dieters. Avocado oil tastes delicious and works well when mixed into salad dressings, meat marinades, and vegetable stir-fries.
MCT oil is made up of the medium-chain triglycerides found in coconut oil. This vegan oil is very light and flavorless so it can be added to keto-fat bombs and smoothies without changing the taste. It is also nice to have on hand because a person can easily take a shot of it when they just want to increase fat intake without having to cook. MCTs promote improved energy metabolism, and weight management, and can provide a quick burst of brain power.4
One of the most useful foods for keto dieters is nut butter. While peanut butter is thought of as a nut butter, technically peanuts are a legume. Regardless, nut butter and peanut butter are great foods for the keto diet if they do not contain more than a gram or two of sugar per serving. Nut butters are now available from pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, and cashews. These nut butter can be blended into smoothies, eaten as a basic snack with low glycemic vegetables (e.g., celery), or used as a component of sauces and dips.
With the right products, you can still bake favorites like biscuits, bread, cookies, pancakes, waffles, and cake on the keto diet. The key is using keto baking substitutes like almond or lupin flour.
These low-carb flours are perfect for replacing wheat flour, with just 1 gram of net carbs. Keto dieters can often substitute them one-to-one in recipes. Almond and lupin flour have a neutral flavor and add a small boost of protein.
For baking, allulose and monk fruit sugar alternatives are great options. Allulose is nearly as sweet as sugar, and when combined with monk fruit extract, it works as a one-to-one substitute in recipes. Unlike regular sugar, allulose is absorbed but not used by the body for energy. It can also help improve blood sugar control and metabolism, supporting weight loss.
Stevia-based sweeteners, made from the stevia plant, are a popular choice. Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar but has no carbs or calories, so a small amount goes a long way. While early products had a metallic aftertaste, many newer options offer high sweetness with minimal aftertaste.
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