Keto Diet: Week 3 Carb Intake Explained

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat eating regime that has become one of the most popular methods worldwide for weight loss and health improvement. The diet involves dividing meals into three sections: 5-10% carbohydrates, 30-35% protein, and 55-60% fat. This forces the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it uses ketones as its main source of fuel instead of glucose. While in ketosis, the body also produces less insulin and stores less fat.

The keto diet is particularly useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. It can also help lower blood sugar, which is important for people with diabetes.

To stay in ketosis, a person can consume up to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, though some sources suggest staying under 20 grams to guarantee nutritional ketosis. The average recommended daily protein intake for a person assigned female at birth following a keto diet is 46 grams, and for a person assigned male at birth, it is 56 grams.

The keto diet involves eating foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, oils, and non-starchy vegetables. It excludes foods like bread, pasta, rice, sweets, sugary drinks, starchy vegetables, beans, legumes, and certain fruits.

While the keto diet has been shown to be effective for weight loss and improving health conditions, it is not suitable for everyone and can be challenging to maintain due to its restrictive nature. It may also lead to side effects such as keto flu, which includes symptoms like leg cramps, digestive issues, and bad breath.

What to eat and what to avoid

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. The diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

What to Eat

• Meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey
• Fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
• Eggs: pastured or omega-3 whole eggs
• Butter and cream: grass-fed butter and heavy cream
• Cheese: unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
• Nut butter: no-sugar-added peanut, almond, and cashew butters
• Oils rich in healthy fats: olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil
• Avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole
• Non-starchy vegetables: greens, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, and peppers
• Condiments: salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and spices
• Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
• Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
• Berries

What to Avoid

• Bread and baked goods: white bread, whole wheat bread, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and rolls
• Sweets and sugary foods: sugar, ice cream, candy, maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, and coconut sugar
• Sweetened beverages: soda, juice, sweetened teas, and sports drinks
• Pasta: spaghetti and other noodles
• Grains and grain products: wheat, rice, oats, breakfast cereals, and tortillas
• Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, peas, and pumpkin
• Beans and legumes: black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans
• Fruit: citrus, grapes, bananas, and pineapple
• High-carb sauces: barbecue sauce, ketchup, honey mustard, sugary salad dressings, and dipping sauces
• Certain alcoholic beverages: beer and sugary mixed drinks

How to calculate carbs

To calculate your daily carbohydrate intake, you need to determine your daily calorie allowance. This can be done using the Mifflin-St Jeor gender-specific formulas:

• BMR (Females) = 10 x Weight (kg) + 6.25 x Height (cm) - 5 x Age (years) + 5
• BMR (Males) = 10 x Weight (kg) + 6.25 x Height (cm) - 5 x Age (years) – 161

The recommendation for a balanced diet is that carbohydrates should make up approximately 45% to 65% of your daily calorie intake. This equates to 4 grams of carbohydrates per 4 calories.

Once you have your daily calorie allowance, you can calculate your daily carbohydrate intake by multiplying your total calories by the desired carbohydrate percentage, and then dividing that number by 4 to get the number of grams of carbohydrates.

For example, if your daily calorie allowance is 2,000 calories and you want to consume 40% of those calories in carbohydrates, you would first multiply 2,000 by 40% (0.40), which equals 800 calories. Then, divide 800 by 4, which gives you 200 grams of carbohydrates for the day.

It's important to note that the type of carbohydrate you ingest, not just the quantity, will influence weight loss. Refined grains and added sugars should be avoided, as they can cause unhealthy spikes in insulin and are often associated with weight gain. Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates and high-fibre foods, such as whole-grain breads, oatmeal, beans, and starchy vegetables.

Ketogenic diet meal plan

A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions, as demonstrated in many studies. On a keto diet, you cut back significantly on carbohydrates to burn fat for fuel.

Day 1

• Breakfast: Two eggs fried in butter served with sauteed greens
• Lunch: A bunless burger topped with cheese, mushrooms, and avocado atop a bed of greens
• Dinner: Pork chops with green beans sauteed in olive oil

Day 2

• Breakfast: Mushroom omelet
• Lunch: Tuna salad with celery and tomato atop a bed of greens
• Dinner: Roast chicken with cream sauce and sauteed broccoli

Day 3

• Breakfast: Bell pepper stuffed with cheese and eggs
• Lunch: Arugula salad with hard-boiled eggs, turkey, avocado, and blue cheese
• Dinner: Grilled salmon with spinach sauteed in sesame oil

Day 4

• Breakfast: Full-fat yogurt topped with keto granola
• Lunch: Steak bowl with cauliflower rice, cheese, herbs, avocado, and salsa
• Dinner: Bison steak with cheesy broccoli

Day 5

• Breakfast: Baked avocado egg boats
• Lunch: Caesar salad with chicken
• Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables

Day 6

• Breakfast: Cauliflower toast topped with cheese and avocado
• Lunch: Bunless salmon burgers topped with pesto
• Dinner: Meatballs served with zucchini noodles and Parmesan cheese

Day 7

• Breakfast: Coconut milk chia pudding topped with coconut and walnuts
• Lunch: Cobb salad made with greens, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, cheese, and turkey
• Dinner: Coconut chicken curry

Ketogenic Snacks

Snacking between meals can help moderate hunger and keep you on track while following a ketogenic diet. Here are some keto-friendly snack options:

• Almonds and cheddar cheese
• Half an avocado stuffed with chicken salad
• Guacamole with low-carb veggies
• Trail mix made with unsweetened coconut, nuts, and seeds
• Olives and sliced salami
• Celery and peppers with herbed cream cheese dip
• Berries with heavy whipping cream
• Greens with high-fat dressing and avocado
• Keto smoothie made with coconut milk, cocoa, and avocado
• Avocado cocoa mousse

Ketogenic Drinks

It is best to limit or avoid high-carb drinks, just like high-carb foods. Here are some keto-friendly beverage choices:

• Water
• Sparkling water
• Unsweetened coffee
• Unsweetened green tea

Tips for Sticking to a Ketogenic Diet

• Focus on reducing carbs while increasing the fat and protein content of meals and snacks.
• Sticking to keto-friendly foods and avoiding items rich in carbs is the best way to successfully lose weight on a ketogenic diet.
• Choose plenty of whole foods and steer clear of processed foods and trans fats when possible.
• Work with a nutritionist to make sure you get the proper amount of nutrients and calories for your personal goals or health history.

Keto-friendly drinks

When on a keto diet, it's important to stay hydrated, and water is the best drink to help you do that. It has no calories, carbs, or additives.

However, you may want a drink to boost your energy or provide some flavour, and there are plenty of keto-friendly options to choose from.

Tea and Coffee

Tea and coffee are great no-calorie, no-carb choices. You can drink them hot or iced, and add keto-friendly additions such as heavy cream, zero-calorie sweeteners, and sugar-free flavouring syrups. Avoid adding milk, honey, or standard flavouring syrups.

Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are usually loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners, but there are keto-friendly options. Diet sodas are technically keto, but they contain artificial sweeteners that may damage the healthy bacteria in your gut. Instead, opt for sodas sweetened with natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia or erythritol.

Sparkling Water

Many sparkling water options are flavoured but unsweetened, making them an excellent low-carb choice.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Fruit juice is usually loaded with sugar, but lemon and lime juices are low in carbs and can be added to water, tea, or other beverages. Some vegetables can be juiced, too, but be aware that juicing removes most of the nutritious fibre.

Milk Alternatives

Cow's milk contains natural sugar, so it's not recommended on keto. However, unsweetened plant-based milk alternatives like almond and coconut milk are keto-friendly.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks may harm the brain, heart, and liver, especially in adolescents. If you choose to consume them, opt for those sweetened with natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia, and be mindful of their caffeine content.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks can help to replenish electrolytes after exercise, but most are loaded with sugar. Try to choose electrolyte powders that are sweetened with stevia instead.

Alcoholic Beverages

Beer is typically high in carbs, but low-carb beers are made by using less wheat or allowing a longer fermentation process. Hard liquors like vodka, whiskey, rum, and tequila are also carb-free. Avoid mixed drinks, as they often contain sugar from fruit juices or soda.

Benefits and risks of the keto diet

The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb eating approach. It is extremely strict and difficult to maintain. The diet calls for consuming 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. After a few days of following the diet, the body enters ketosis, which means it has started to use fat for energy.

Benefits

The keto diet has been shown to aid weight loss, lower blood sugar, and reduce epileptic seizures in children. It may also play a role in treating metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder, obesity, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, certain cancers, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Risks

The keto diet may be difficult to stick to and can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches and fatigue ("keto flu"). It may also lead to kidney stones, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, decreased bone mineral density, and gastrointestinal distress. It could also cause low blood pressure, an increased risk of heart disease, and social isolation or disordered eating.

The keto diet is not suitable for people with type 1 diabetes, a history of eating disorders, those who have had their gallbladder removed, or those with thyroid disease or multiple sclerosis.

Frequently asked questions