Keto Ratio: Understanding The Ideal Macronutrient Balance

The best keto ratio depends on the individual's unique physiology and health goals. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich eating plan that has been used to treat specific medical conditions and is also gaining attention as a potential weight-loss strategy. The standard keto macro ratios are 70-80% fat, 5-10% carbohydrates, and 10-20% protein. However, these ratios can be adjusted depending on the individual's needs and goals. For example, active individuals may benefit from a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet that includes 1-2 high-carb days per week, while obese and overweight people may want to keep carbs under 5% of calories to promote ketosis, appetite suppression, and weight loss. Ultimately, determining the ideal keto macros is a highly individual process that may require some trial and error.

Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)

The Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It is the most common type of keto diet and is typically used by people who want to lose weight quickly and only engage in low to moderate-intensity activities such as walking, cycling, yoga, and light weightlifting.

On the SKD, carbohydrate intake is restricted to 30 grams or fewer per day to induce and maintain ketosis, which is one of the primary purposes of limiting carb consumption. The specific carb limit depends on the individual, but the general rule is to avoid fruits, starches, added sugars, and other foods high in net carbs. The main sources of carbohydrates on the SKD are low-carb vegetables, nuts, seeds, and high-fat dairy products.

The SKD is the strictest type of keto diet in terms of carbohydrate restriction. During the initial phase, carb intake may be limited to less than 20 grams per day, which restricts several nutrient-rich foods like fruits and whole grains. On a 2,000-calorie diet, this equates to less than 50 grams of carbs each day.

The SKD typically consists of around 10% carbohydrates, 70% fat, and 20% protein in terms of macronutrient ratios. However, some dietitians recommend increasing fat intake to 75% and reducing protein to 20%.

The SKD is not suitable for everyone. People who engage in high-intensity exercises regularly may struggle to maintain their workout performance due to the restricted carbohydrate intake. In such cases, a cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) or a targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) may be more appropriate.

Additionally, the SKD may have some potential downsides, such as the "keto flu," which includes flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues during the first week of the diet. It is also important to consult a healthcare practitioner before starting the SKD, especially for individuals with certain health conditions like chronic kidney disease, familial hypercholesterolemia, or hypothyroidism.

Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)

The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) is an advanced variation of the standard keto diet. It is meant for low-carb athletes who want to increase their performance while burning fat for fuel. It is also used by bodybuilders to build muscle without gaining fat. TKD is for serious athletes who train rigorously and eat low-carb. It is an essential tool for anyone who wants to increase their performance while on a ketogenic diet.

TKD is a "compromise" between a standard ketogenic diet and a cyclical ketogenic diet, meaning you increase net carb intake to promote high-intensity exercise performance, but you won't be out of nutritional ketosis for long periods. It is most appropriate for beginner or intermediate strength trainers, high-intensity sporting athletes, or those who cannot use cyclical keto due to scheduling conflicts or health reasons.

The TKD macro ratio may look like this:

• Carbs: 10% to 15% of your calories
• Fat: 65% to 70% of your calories
• Protein: 20% of your calories

On a TKD, you consume your daily allotment of carbs before, during, or after a workout. Eating a small number of fast-absorbing carbs before, during, or after intense workouts can help fuel your session and top off your glycogen stores.

To get the benefit from the TKD, you need to be fat-adapted and glycogen-depleted. Fat adaptation typically happens several weeks into the keto diet, and it allows you to slip in and out of ketosis more easily. If you eat carbs when your muscle glycogen isn't depleted, the glucose from carbs will stay in your blood, and rising blood sugar will take you out of a ketogenic state.

The TKD may only benefit certain keto dieters. It is designed for athletes but can work for anyone who performs hard, glycogen-depleting exercises like CrossFit, sprints, high-intensity exercise, or long-distance races. The extra carbs around the workout help fill glycogen stores, prevent low blood sugar, and stave off exercise fatigue.

Macronutrient-wise, a TKD looks similar to an SKD. By calories, it's about 60% healthy fats, 30% protein, and 10% carbs.

Healthy fats include monounsaturated fats from olive oil, avocados, palm oil, and nuts; saturated fats from butter, ghee, animal fat, coconut oil, and MCT oil; and polyunsaturated fats (in moderation) from nuts and fish.

For carbs, the standard TKD recommendation is to consume 15-50 grams of fast-absorbing carbs before, during, or after your workout. These simple carbs can come in powder form (dextrose) or from real food (glucose). Your best bets for real food are white potato or white rice. Just a few bites. Quick shots of glucose.

When it comes to protein, include a complete protein source like whey protein or high-quality pastured meat and wild-caught fish.

If weight loss is your goal, you should keep energy intake constant on a TKD. If you're adding carb calories before your workout, subtract fat calories from somewhere else.

• Setting Up Your Keto Macros and Carb Intake: Calculate your macros, taking into account the extra calories you'll get from eating carbs – adjust your fats as needed.
• Pre-exercise Timing and Best Carbohydrate Sources: Consume carbs 30-60 minutes prior to your workout, with around 25 grams of carbohydrates. High-intensity sessions lasting longer than an hour may require up to 50 grams. Ingest quickly absorbing, high GI carbohydrates. The best sources are glucose gels, hard candies, gummy bears, sugary sports drinks (without high-fructose corn syrup), natural maple syrup/sugar, and dextrose supplements.
• Optimal Post-exercise Nutrition: Instead of ingesting carbs post-workout, have a high-quality protein shake to boost recovery and lean muscle growth.

The targeted ketogenic diet doesn't need to be a lifelong commitment. Try it for a week or two and see how you feel.

Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)

The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) is a form of carb cycling or keto cycling. On the CKD, you eat a high-carb diet for 1-2 non-consecutive days per week, and a Standard Keto Diet (SKD) for the remaining days. The SKD is a very low-carb diet, with 55-75% of calories from fat, 20-30% from protein, and less than 10% from carbohydrates. On the other hand, during the 1-2 high-carb days on the CKD, you invert the SKD macros, with 300-400 grams of carbs and a lower fat intake.

The CKD is popular among athletes as a performance enhancer, as the extra carbs can help enhance exercise performance. The high-carb days refill glycogen stores, helping athletes recover and prepare for the next exertion. However, there is limited research on the CKD, so the benefits are somewhat speculative.

• Exercise enhancement: The extra carbs on the CKD can provide the glucose needed for longer, harder efforts like marathons, obstacle racing, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
• Weight management: The theory involves the hormone leptin, which is stimulated by carbs and promotes satiety and weight regulation. Cycling carbs may help regulate leptin levels and aid in weight loss.
• Makes Keto easier: The CKD allows for more flexibility, as you can have an "apple (or lots of apples) once or twice a week." This can improve morale and make it easier to stick to the keto diet in the long run.
• Added fiber increases gut microbiota: The CKD unlocks many fiber-rich foods like sweet potatoes, turnips, and carrots, which are usually forbidden on the keto diet. The added fiber can increase the diversity and richness of the gut microbiome, which is linked to good health.

If you're considering the CKD, here are some tips on how to get started:

• Do standard Keto for a month first: This allows your body to fat-adapt and helps you return to ketosis faster after eating carbs.
• Plan your carb days: Pick 1-2 days per week to eat high-carb and stick to it. You can also carb cycle on a daily basis, saving all your carbs for one meal.
• Eat healthy carbs: Choose whole food carbs like fruits, sweet potatoes, and other starchy vegetables. If your gut is sensitive to fiber, white rice can be a good hypoallergenic option.
• Manage your carbs: The CKD requires some irregular carb counting, so make it easy by using a carb-counting app.

It's important to note that the CKD may not be suitable for everyone, especially those at risk of diabetes or sensitive to carbohydrates. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new diet.

High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD)

The High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD) is a variation of the standard keto diet, with a higher percentage of protein. While the standard keto diet typically includes 75% fat, 15-20% protein, and 5-10% carbs, the HPKD shifts the ratio to 60-65% fat, 30% protein, and 5-10% carbs. This equates to around 120 grams of protein per day, or about four palm-sized servings.

The HPKD is similar to the standard keto diet in that fat makes up the majority of the daily macronutrient intake, but with a higher protein percentage. This version may be easier for some people to follow as it can be intimidating to eat a large amount of fat (around 150 grams) when first starting the keto diet. The HPKD allows for a higher protein intake and a lower fat intake.

However, one of the drawbacks of the HPKD is that excess protein in the body is converted to glucose and used as fuel, which can hinder the body's ability to reach and maintain ketosis, the ultimate goal of the ketogenic diet.

The HPKD can include the same types of food as the standard keto diet, with a focus on upping the protein intake. This includes healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, and nuts; quality protein such as beef, poultry, pork, seafood, and nuts; and non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, cucumbers, broccoli, and tomatoes.

The benefits of the HPKD include reduced cravings, increased or maintained muscle mass (when exercising), increased satiety levels, and a reduction in the incidence of chronic illnesses with weight loss. It can also slightly increase metabolism as the body burns more calories when processing protein than with other macros.

Some drawbacks of the HPKD are similar to those of the standard keto diet and include keto flu, reduced performance for athletes or very active people, constipation, reduced nutrient intake, and increased costs.

To start the HPKD, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider first. Then, calculate your daily calories and determine whether you need to be in a caloric deficit or surplus to lose or gain weight. Next, calculate your macros, using the breakdown of 5-10% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 60-65% fats. Finally, create a weekly menu to help stay on track and make it easier to reach your goal.

Ketogenic diet for epilepsy

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s. The diet is designed to change how the brain gets energy to function, switching the body's metabolism from burning glucose for energy to using ketone bodies. The diet is typically recommended for children with epilepsy that continues despite medication, as the restricted food choices make it hard for adults to follow.

The "classic" ketogenic diet follows a ratio of 4:1 or 4 grams of fat for every 1 gram of protein and carbohydrate. This means that people with epilepsy who follow this diet can expect to consume about 80-90% of their calories from fat, 6-8% from protein, and 2-4% from carbohydrates. The diet is very strict and requires careful measurements of calories, fluids, and proteins, with foods being weighed and measured.

The modified ketogenic diet is slightly less restrictive, following a ratio range of 3:1 down to 1:1. This version allows for more protein and carbohydrates and is often used for infants, adolescents, and children who require higher amounts of these food groups.

The ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective in reducing seizures in people with epilepsy. Studies have found that the diet can reduce the frequency of seizures by 50% or more, and some people have even reported no seizures after starting and maintaining the diet. However, it is important to note that the diet is not without its risks and side effects. Long-term use of the ketogenic diet can lead to potential complications such as high cholesterol levels, chronic constipation, and an increased risk of bone fractures.

The ketogenic diet should be closely monitored by healthcare providers, and it is important to work with a doctor and a nutritionist to ensure it is followed correctly. It is also important to maintain a state of ketosis by consistently keeping daily carbohydrate intake low, as eating too many carbs can knock the body out of ketosis.

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