Keto And Carbs: What Happens When You Indulge?

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that's popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. As the keto diet is very strict, you may be tempted by the occasional high-carb food. Eating more than 50 grams of carbohydrates can kick your body out of ketosis, and it takes several days to one week to get back into it. When you eat carbs, your body will use them as its primary energy source instead of burning fat. In addition, reintroducing carbs may cause a temporary gain in water weight and a sugar crash.

What happens on keto when you eat carbs?

You will be kicked out of ketosis

When you eat carbs while on a keto diet, you will be kicked out of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. To achieve and maintain ketosis, you need to consume fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Eating more than this recommended amount can quickly kick your body out of ketosis.

When you consume carbs, your body will prioritise using them as fuel over ketone bodies, which are derived from fats. Even a single high-carb meal can easily exceed your daily carb allowance and disrupt ketosis. This is because your body prefers using carbs as an energy source, and it only takes a sufficient amount of carbs to switch back to utilising them.

Being kicked out of ketosis can have several consequences. Firstly, it can disrupt your weight loss progress, as ketosis is a key mechanism for burning fat and losing weight on the keto diet. Secondly, reintroducing a high-carb meal to your ketogenic diet may potentially damage your blood vessels. Additionally, cheating on the keto diet can lead to overeating, which can further sabotage your weight loss efforts and promote unhealthy eating habits.

If you are kicked out of ketosis, it will take several days to one week to re-enter this metabolic state, depending on your carb intake, metabolism, and activity levels. To get back into ketosis, you will need to strictly adhere to the keto diet again. This may involve techniques such as intermittent fasting, fat fasting, and increasing your physical activity.

To avoid being kicked out of ketosis, you can implement strategies such as keeping tempting foods out of your household, planning your meals and snacks, practising mindfulness, and finding an accountability partner to help you stay motivated and on track.

Your blood sugar will spike

When you eat carbs while on a keto diet, your blood sugar will spike. This is because your body will switch back to glucose as its primary source of fuel. This is a natural metabolic response, but it can be dangerous if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing it.

When you're on the keto diet, your body is in a state of ketosis, which means it's burning fat, not glucose, for fuel. Ketosis can lead to significant weight loss and improvements in symptoms of diseases like type 2 diabetes. However, when you introduce carbs back into your diet, your body will stop producing ketones and switch back to using glucose for energy. This will cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous if you're not careful.

The amount of carbs needed to kick you out of ketosis varies from person to person and depends on how long you've been on the keto diet. But generally, any high-carb meal over your recommended daily carb limit will do the trick. And the effect is immediate – you'll be out of ketosis the same day.

If you're following the keto diet to lose weight or manage a health condition like diabetes, it's important to be mindful of how many carbs you're consuming. A single high-carb meal can easily exceed your daily carb allowance and take your body out of ketosis. This will not only disrupt your weight loss efforts but can also be harmful to your health.

Research has shown that a sudden spike in blood sugar levels after a period of ketosis can damage blood vessels. A study from the University of British Columbia in Okanagan, Canada (UBCO) found that consuming a 75-gram glucose drink after being on a keto diet for 7 days caused damage to the blood vessels of young, healthy males, similar to that seen in people with poor cardiovascular health.

So, if you're on the keto diet, it's important to be mindful of your carb intake to avoid spiking your blood sugar levels and potentially undoing the benefits of the diet.

Ketone production will stop

When you eat carbs while on a keto diet, your body will stop producing ketones and switch back to using glucose as its primary source of fuel. This is because carbs are your body's preferred energy source, and it will use them instead of ketones whenever they are available.

The number of carbs needed to stop ketone production can vary depending on the person and how long they have been on the keto diet, but any high-carb meal over the recommended daily carb limit will likely take you out of ketosis. This process is immediate, and you can expect your body to stop producing ketones as soon as it has a sufficient number of carbs to use as fuel.

Once your body stops producing ketones, it will continue to use the available glucose and glycogen stores until they are depleted. At this point, ketone production will resume, and your body will switch back to using ketones as its primary source of fuel.

It's important to note that falling out of ketosis doesn't mean starting your diet from scratch. While it may take several days to fully reach ketosis during the initial stage, it usually takes less time to get back into ketosis after a brief period of eating carbs. However, if you stop following a low-carb diet for more than just a meal or two, you may gain back some of the water weight you initially lost.

You may experience a sugar crash

A sugar crash, also known as reactive hypoglycemia, is a sudden drop in energy levels after consuming a large amount of carbohydrates. This can include foods like pasta, pizza, and desserts. Sugar crashes are common after eating simple carbohydrates, also known as simple sugars, such as cake and ice cream.

When you eat a lot of carbs or sugar in a short period, your blood sugar levels spike and can later result in a sugar crash. This is because your body rapidly produces insulin to keep blood glucose levels consistent. This causes blood glucose to decrease, leading to a sudden drop in energy levels.

During a sugar crash, you may experience undesired symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, confusion, abnormal behaviour, and the inability to complete routine tasks. People with diabetes may experience more severe symptoms like loss of consciousness, seizures, or coma if the crash is harsh enough due to their increased sensitivity to inconsistent sugar levels.

To avoid a sugar crash, it is recommended to eat smaller, more frequent meals with a balance of protein sources, fibre, and healthy fats. Eating complex carbohydrates that contain protein and fibre, such as wheat or bean-based pasta, can also help stabilize blood sugar levels.

If you are on the keto diet and decide to indulge in a carb-heavy meal, you may experience a sugar crash. This is because your body will switch back to using glucose as its primary source of fuel, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels followed by a sudden drop.

To recover from a sugar crash, it is important to eat some protein and maintain a consistent level of sugar in your body.

You may experience a keto flu

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms that some people experience when they start a ketogenic diet. The symptoms can feel similar to the flu and are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates. The keto flu can happen to you if you drastically and suddenly remove carbs from your diet.

Some of the most frequently reported symptoms of the keto flu are:

• Stomach aches or pains
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Sugar cravings
• Cramping
• Muscle soreness
• Irritability
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Poor focus and concentration
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Headaches

The keto flu is not recognised by medicine and there is a lack of research on the topic. However, it is believed that genetics, electrolyte loss, dehydration, and carbohydrate withdrawal are the driving forces behind the keto flu.

The keto flu can last from a few days to several weeks, and in extreme cases, it can last up to a month.

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and boost your energy levels.
• Take an electrolyte supplement to stop cramps and nausea.
• Get plenty of rest to help with sleep issues.
• Try light exercise, such as restorative yoga, to help relieve muscle pain and tension.
• Eat enough fat, the primary fuel source on the ketogenic diet, to reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied.

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