Lowering Carb Count For Keto: Easy Tips For Success

The ketogenic or keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been used to treat specific medical conditions and is now popular for weight loss. The keto diet involves limiting carbohydrates and replacing them with fats, putting the body into a state of ketosis. To stay in ketosis, a person should consume up to 50 grams of net carbs per day. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fibre and sugar alcohols from the total carb count. Net carbs can be tracked using online databases or by reading food labels.

Eat more fat

Eating more fat is a crucial component of a keto diet. This is because the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

Benefits of Eating More Fat on Keto

• Weight Loss: A keto diet can help you lose weight by reducing your carbohydrate intake and increasing your fat intake. This forces your body to burn fat for energy, leading to weight loss.
• Improved Blood Sugar Control: Lowering your carb intake and increasing healthy fats can help improve your blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance.
• Increased Energy: Eating more healthy fats can provide your body with a more stable and long-lasting source of energy, helping you feel more energised throughout the day.
• Better Appetite Control: The combination of high-fat and low-carb intake on a keto diet has been shown to reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness, making it easier to control your food intake.

How to Eat More Fat on Keto

• Choose Fatty Cuts of Meat: Opt for fatty cuts of meat such as beef, lamb, pork, chicken with skin, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines.
• Add Healthy Fats to Meals: Liberally add healthy fats to your meals, such as olive oil, avocado oil, grass-fed butter, or ghee.
• Include High-Fat Dairy: Dairy products like cheese, cream, and full-fat yoghurt are excellent sources of healthy fats and can be included in your keto diet.
• Snack on Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds are high in healthy fats and make a great keto-friendly snack option. Try macadamia nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
• Avocados: Avocados are a delicious and versatile source of healthy fats. Add them to salads, spread them on low-carb toast, or make some fresh guacamole.
• Coconut and Coconut Oil: Coconut meat and coconut oil are excellent sources of healthy saturated fats. You can eat coconut meat as a snack or use coconut oil for cooking.

Remember, when increasing your fat intake, it's important to choose healthy fats like monounsaturated and omega-3 fats. Avoid trans fats, as these can have negative health effects.

By incorporating more healthy fats into your diet, you'll not only meet your macronutrient goals but also enjoy the benefits of stable energy levels and improved appetite control.

Eat fewer carbs

To eat fewer carbs, it's important to understand the difference between total carbs and net carbs. Total carbs refer to all carbohydrates in a food item, while net carbs are the ones that are absorbed into your body. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting dietary fiber and some sugar alcohols from the total carb count. On the keto diet, it's recommended to consume no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day, and the fewer, the better.

To achieve this, focus on food groups that are naturally low in net carbs. Meat, such as beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, and turkey, and fish, such as cod, sardines, tuna, and salmon, are excellent choices. Most green and leafy vegetables also fall into this category and can be enjoyed freely. Additionally, include high-fiber, low-fructose fruits in your diet.

When it comes to packaged foods, reading nutrition labels is crucial. Look for the total carbohydrate content, including sugars, fiber, and sugar alcohols. Remember that starches, which are not always listed separately, make up the remaining carbs after subtracting sugars and fiber.

By choosing your carbs wisely, you can still enjoy a varied and sustainable keto diet while keeping your blood sugar within healthy limits.

Avoid protein in excess

While it is important to eat enough protein, especially when on the keto diet, it is possible to eat too much. Excess protein can prevent the body from reaching ketosis, which is the goal of the keto diet.

The amount of protein you should eat depends on your body weight and activity level. A good range to aim for is 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound (1.5–2.0 grams per kg) of body weight. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to about 75g of protein or about 10-20% of your total calorie intake.

When the body doesn't have enough carbohydrates, it will start to convert the amino acids from excess protein into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. This can become a problem on a keto diet because it prevents the body from reaching full ketosis.

Ketosis is important because it is a state in which the body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to weight loss and improved body composition.

Tips to Avoid Eating Too Much Protein

• Focus on eating fatty cuts of meat rather than lean protein sources.
• Make sure to include other sources of fat in your diet, such as nuts, seeds, and healthy oils.
• Use a keto calculator to determine your ideal macronutrient ratios and stick to them.
• If you are unsure about how much protein to eat, consult a healthcare professional or a dietitian.

Don't fear fat

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet. However, despite the abundance of healthy natural foods one can eat on a ketogenic diet, many people still don't get enough fat. This is due to the widespread fear of fat, which is unnecessary and can lead to several consequences.

The Root of Fat-Phobia

The fear of fat can be traced back to questionable science from the 1950s and '60s that demonized saturated fat. This led people to switch out butter and lard for industrial canola and seed oils, and food manufacturers to remove fat from products like yogurts and replace them with sugar. Despite the lack of sufficient evidence, people began to fear foods that naturally contained fat, and the 'fat-is-bad' mantra spread.

The Importance of Dietary Fat

Dietary fat, including saturated fat, from healthy natural sources like fatty meats, seafood, and coconut oil, is critical for important bodily functions, including cell regeneration and hormone production. Fatty acids are considered essential because your body needs them but can't produce them. In fact, every cell in your body is encased in a fatty membrane.

Saturated fat has been exonerated in valid scientific literature, yet misconceptions remain. One is that eating dietary fat makes you put on body fat. However, dietary fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. Insulin is the hormone that helps you use sugar for energy and prevents high blood sugar levels. When you eat sugar, you spike insulin, which is also the fat-storage hormone. On keto, you lower your need for insulin, and your body can switch over from storing fat to burning fat instead.

Protein Poisoning (Rabbit Starvation)

Too much protein and not enough fat can lead to protein poisoning, which can be fatal. Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson and his friend ate only meat for one year. They only experienced illness when they ate lean meat, with symptoms including diarrhea and discomfort. They recovered after eating a fatty meal of brains fried in bacon fat with a sirloin steak.

Digestive Side Effects

Not eating enough fat can lead to digestive side effects such as discomfort, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. However, it can take time for your body to adjust to a higher-fat ketogenic diet and produce the enzymes and bile necessary to metabolize that fat.

Frequent Hunger and Cravings

Carbs trigger certain neurotransmitters and the reward center in your brain. Sugar is addictive, and excess carb consumption increases your risk of problems like diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Dietary fat is satiating and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. If you don't replace carbs with enough fat, you risk spurring cravings and hunger.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning your body needs dietary fat to absorb them properly. These vitamins play a huge role in crucial body functions, including hormone signaling, gut health, and the immune system. Vitamins A and D regulate the bile acid production needed to metabolize dietary fat. If you're in ketosis but are fatigued and lacking an energy boost, you could be lacking in those healthy, energizing fats.

Replenish sodium

When starting a keto diet, it's important to be aware of the potential for a sodium deficiency. Sodium is a crucial electrolyte, and when your carb intake is very low, your body can start to shed excess sodium, which can lead to mild sodium deficiency. This can cause side effects such as lightheadedness, fatigue, headaches, leg cramps, and constipation.

To avoid these issues, it is recommended to add more sodium to your diet. Here are some ways to do this:

Salt Your Food

Be generous with the salt shaker at mealtimes. You can also add a teaspoon of salt to a litre of water and drink it throughout the day. This will help you increase your sodium intake without having to drastically change your eating habits.

Drink Broth or Bouillon

If salting your food isn't enough, try drinking a cup of broth or bouillon every day. These are good sources of sodium and can help you replenish your body's sodium levels.

Eat Sodium-Rich Foods

In addition to salting your food, try incorporating more sodium-rich foods into your diet. Some examples include:

• Processed meats
• Canned foods
• Salted nuts
• Pickles
• Olives

Take Electrolyte Supplements

If you're still struggling to get enough sodium, you may want to consider taking electrolyte supplements. Look for supplements that contain sodium, magnesium, and potassium, as these electrolytes work together to maintain the body's fluid balance.

It's important to note that the recommended daily sodium intake is between 3 and 7 grams for most people on a low-carb diet. However, if you have certain medical conditions such as hypertension, kidney disease, or congestive heart failure, you may need to be more cautious about your sodium intake. Always consult your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or taking supplements.

Frequently asked questions