Carb Limits On Keto: How Much Is Too Much?

The ketogenic diet is a popular low-carb, high-fat diet that has been used for decades to help with weight loss and manage certain health conditions. To succeed on keto, it's essential to know your daily carb limit to keep your body in a state of ketosis. Typically, the ketogenic diet limits carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less per day and can go as low as 20 grams, depending on individual needs. Maintaining this low-carb intake helps your body switch to burning fat for fuel, leading to weight loss and other health benefits. However, different people have different carb limits, and factors such as activity level, weight goals, age, gender, and health conditions can influence how many carbs you should consume daily on keto.

Net carbs vs. total carbs

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It involves taking a very low amount of carbohydrates and substituting them with fat to stimulate the body's fat-burning processes.

Total Carbs

Total carbs include all types of carbohydrates present in food, including fiber and sugar alcohols, which are not fully absorbed by the body. The total carb diet does not restrict carbohydrate intake but emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes while limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.

Net Carbs

Net carbs are all the carbohydrates in food that can be absorbed and used by the body for energy. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber and certain sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. Net carbs are the only carbs that count on the keto diet because they are the ones that raise your blood sugar and kick you out of ketosis.

How to Calculate Net Carbs

To calculate net carbs, you need to know the total amount of carbohydrates in a food or meal, which can be found on the nutrition label. Then, determine the amount of fiber and sugar alcohols in the food or meal and subtract this amount from the total carbohydrates. The result is the net carb count.

Benefits of Using Net Carbs vs. Total Carbs

Using net carbs instead of total carbs on the keto diet is less restrictive, allowing for more food options like avocados, berries, nuts, and low-carb veggies. It also keeps nutrient-dense foods in your diet, which is important for getting crucial micronutrients.

The amount of net carbs you should consume on a keto diet depends on your individual goals. For therapeutic use, such as managing epilepsy, net carbs should be kept close to zero. However, for most people, a good starting point is to keep net carbs at 5-10% of daily calories (15 to 30 grams).

Bottom Line

While total carbs include all carbohydrates, net carbs are the ones that are absorbed by the body and affect blood sugar levels. On the keto diet, net carbs are the only carbs that count, and keeping them low is essential for maintaining ketosis.

The role of fibre

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that the human body cannot digest. Unlike other carbs, fibre does not get turned into glucose for energy. Instead, it passes through the body undigested, and this is why it is not included in the daily allowance of net carbs. Net carbs are the ones that get absorbed into the body and are used for energy.

The keto diet is an extremely low-carb, high-fat diet. To stay in ketosis, a person can consume up to 50 grams of net carbs per day, but the fewer carbs, the better. The standard keto diet recommends limiting total daily carb intake to less than 50 grams, and in some cases, as low as 20 grams.

To calculate net carbs, subtract fibre and sugar alcohols from the total amount of carbs. This calculation ensures that the body gets the essential fibre it needs for proper function while still limiting net carbs.

High-Fibre Foods on a Keto Diet

Avocados are a great source of fibre on a keto diet, containing only about 2-3 grams of net carbs per serving. They are also high in essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium and magnesium, and are a good source of monounsaturated fat.

Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli are also low in carbs and rich in fibre. They are also low in calories and nutrient-dense, making them a perfect keto-friendly carb source.

Olives are another good source of fibre, with half of their carbs coming from fibre. A 14-gram serving of olives contains only 1 gram of total carbohydrates.

Benefits of Fibre on a Keto Diet

Fibre is essential for proper body function and has several health benefits. It aids in digestion, helps lower blood cholesterol levels, and can help control blood sugar levels. Fibre can also help with weight loss by adding bulk to the diet, which can lead to increased feelings of fullness and reduced appetite.

By including fibre-rich foods in a keto diet, individuals can ensure they are getting the recommended amount of fibre while still maintaining a low net carb intake. This helps promote overall health and well-being, in addition to the weight loss and health benefits associated with the keto diet.

How to calculate net carbs

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts the body into a state of ketosis. To stay in ketosis, a person should consume no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day. Net carbs are absorbed into the body and are calculated by subtracting fibre and sugar alcohols from the total amount of carbohydrates.

Calculating Net Carbs in Whole Foods

To calculate net carbs in whole foods, simply subtract the fibre content from the total number of carbs. For example, a medium avocado contains 17.1 grams of total carbs, 13.5 grams of which is fibre. So, 17.1 grams of total carbs minus 13.5 grams of fibre equals 3.6 grams of net carbs.

Calculating Net Carbs in Processed Foods

To calculate net carbs in processed foods, it is best to have as much information as possible. Generally, half of the carbs from sugar alcohols can be subtracted from the total carbs listed on the nutrition label. However, if erythritol is the only sugar alcohol listed in the ingredients, its carbs can be completely subtracted from the total.

For example, an Atkins bar sweetened with maltitol lists 3 grams of net carbs on the label. However, when only subtracting half of the sugar alcohol content, the net carb value is 8.5 grams: 23 grams of total carbs minus 9 grams of fibre, minus 11 grams of sugar alcohols (11 grams multiplied by 0.5) equals 8.5 grams of net carbs.

The Benefits of Calculating Net Carbs

Understanding how your body processes different types of carbs can help you manage your blood sugar, weight, and overall health. Counting net carbs may be a more sustainable way to track macros, and it encourages the consumption of whole foods and vegetables, which are important for a well-rounded diet.

Tips for the Keto Diet

The keto diet can be challenging to maintain due to its restrictive nature. It is important to consult a doctor before making any significant changes to your diet, especially if you have diabetes, as you will need to monitor for hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). It can be helpful to ease into the diet gradually by stopping the consumption of one type of high-carb food at a time.

How to track carb intake

Tracking your carb intake is a crucial part of a keto diet. Carbohydrates are one of the three primary macronutrients that provide energy, along with fats and proteins. When following a keto diet, it is important to monitor your carbohydrate intake to ensure you stay in ketosis. Here are some detailed, direct, and instructive steps to help you track your carb intake:

Identify Food Items:

Firstly, identify all the individual food items in your meal. If you're eating pre-packaged food with a nutrition label, this step is straightforward. However, if you're cooking from a recipe, make a list of all the ingredients used. You can use pen and paper or a spreadsheet program like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel for this purpose.

Calculate Serving Sizes:

If your food comes with a nutrition label, note the serving size and the number of servings per container. Convert the units from the recipe to match the serving size units, if they differ. Then, calculate how much of each ingredient is in one serving by dividing it by the serving size.

Determine Carbohydrate Content:

For pre-packaged foods, the total carbohydrate content will be listed on the nutrition label. For fresh foods without a nutrition label, you can use a tool like the USDA Food Search tool to look up the carbohydrate content of each ingredient.

Calculate Net Carbs:

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Some sources, like fiber and sugar alcohols, are not absorbed into your bloodstream and, therefore, don't count towards your daily carb allowance. To calculate net carbs, subtract the amount of dietary fiber and half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrate amount. Remember, on a keto diet, it is recommended to stay under 50 grams of net carbs per day.

Estimate Consumption:

Estimate how much of the meal you consumed. If you ate the entire dish, it's 100%. If you ate half, it's 50%, and so on. Multiply this value by the total grams of carbs and total calories from carbs to determine your consumption for that meal.

Repeat for All Meals:

To effectively track your carb intake, you need to repeat this process for every meal and snack you consume throughout the day. This comprehensive approach will help you understand your eating habits and make adjustments as needed.

By following these steps, you can accurately track your carb intake, which is crucial for maintaining a keto diet and ensuring you stay in ketosis. Remember to seek professional advice from a dietitian or healthcare professional before making any significant dietary changes.

Carbohydrate alternatives

The keto diet is an extremely low-carb, high-fat diet that helps people lose weight quickly and effectively. While on the keto diet, it is important to keep track of your net carbs, which are the carbs absorbed into your body. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the amount of dietary fibre and sugar alcohols from the total amount of carbohydrates.

To stay in ketosis, a person can consume up to 50 grams of net carbs per day. Here are some low-carb alternatives to common foods:

Almond Flour Instead of Regular Wheat Flour

Almond flour is a high-protein, gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. It is made from ground blanched almonds and is commonly used in cakes, bakes and brownies. A 1:1 ratio can be used when replacing wheat flour with almond flour.

Nuts Instead of Croutons

Croutons are made from toasted bread and are high in carbohydrates. Nuts, on the other hand, are low in carbs and rich in nutrients and good fats. They make a great, satisfying topping for salads.

Cauliflower Rice Instead of Rice

Cauliflower rice is a low-carb alternative to rice. It can be easily made by blitzing chunks of cauliflower in a food processor and then cooking it in the microwave or oven.

Vegetable Ribbons Instead of Pasta

Vegetable ribbons, such as courgetti, can be used as a low-carb alternative to pasta. They can be made with a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. Vegetable ribbons can also be mixed with regular pasta for a colourful and nutritious dish.

Cloud Bread Instead of Regular Bread

Cloud bread is made mostly from eggs and has a similar taste and texture to soufflé omelettes. It can be used as a lighter alternative to regular bread in sandwiches.

Lettuce Wraps Instead of Tortilla Wraps

Lettuce leaves can be used as a low-carb alternative to tortilla wraps. They are a fresh and crunchy option that can be filled with various flavour combinations.

In addition to these swaps, there are several other foods that are naturally low in carbs and suitable for the keto diet. These include:

• Animal proteins such as fish, shellfish, meat, poultry and eggs
• Dairy and dairy alternatives such as cheese, plain Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, cream and unsweetened plant-based milk
• Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens
• High-fat veggies such as avocados and olives
• Other non-starchy vegetables such as summer squashes, peppers and cauliflower
• Plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, berries, shirataki noodles, dark chocolate and cocoa powder
• Unsweetened coffee, tea and sparkling water

Frequently asked questions