Milly Gaines
Cravings for carbs and sugar are common when starting a keto diet. This is because your body is looking for carbs to burn for energy, and it can be difficult for your body to adapt to burning fat instead. Sugar withdrawal can also trigger cravings, as eating sugar activates similar areas of the brain as addictive drugs. Sleep deprivation is also linked to carb cravings, as a lack of sleep diminishes functioning in the areas of the brain that control hunger and willpower. To combat carb cravings on keto, it is recommended to eat more fat than protein and carbs, as this signals to your body to burn fat for fuel instead of glucose. Eating fatty and healthy foods like macadamia nuts, avocados, eggs, and coconut meat can help curb carb cravings. Additionally, getting adequate sleep and removing tempting foods from your house can also help reduce cravings.
What to eat on keto when craving carbs
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep | Aim for 7 hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation is linked to sweet cravings. |
| Water | Drink water with a few shakes of salt. What you think is a carb craving might be a sodium craving. |
| High-fat foods | Eat more fat than protein and carbs. Your body will start burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. Try macadamia nuts, avocados, eggs, coconut meat, cheese, and dark chocolate. |
| Low-carb alternatives | Switch out traditional pasta and rice for low-carb alternatives like It's Skinny noodles and rice. |
| High-protein foods | Eat more protein. Try a chicken breast, a few slices of bacon, or a roast chicken. |
| Vegetables | Include non-starchy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. |
| Fruits | Enjoy berries, avocados, and other healthy fruits that contain natural sweetness and micronutrients. Be careful with high-sugar fruits like bananas. |
| Sugar-free treats | Opt for sugar-free treats like sugar-free jello or keto-friendly chocolate bars. |
| Remove temptations | Remove tempting, high-carb foods from your house and focus on other activities to keep busy. |
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What You'll Learn
Eat more fat than protein and carbs
It is important to remember that the keto diet is all about converting your body's fuel source to fat. Therefore, if you are craving carbs, it is a sign that you need to eat more fat. Eating high-fat foods will signal to your body to start burning fat for fuel instead of glucose.
To curb your cravings, you can eat fatty and healthy foods like macadamia nuts, avocados, eggs, coconut meat, and organic or grass-fed cheese. Avocados, in particular, are a great option as they are high in fat and fiber, which will help you feel full and satisfied. You can add avocado to smoothies, eat it as a snack with some sea salt, or incorporate it into meals like salads or guacamole.
Additionally, you can opt for keto-friendly swaps such as "It's Skinny" noodles and rice, which are made from konjac root and have zero carbs. This will allow you to enjoy your favorite pasta and rice dishes without derailing your keto diet.
Remember, it takes time for your body to adjust to a new fuel source, so be patient and consistent with your keto diet. Aim for at least 70% of your daily intake to come from healthy fats, and make sure your last meal of the day includes high fat, moderate protein, and extremely low carbohydrates to keep cravings at bay.
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Get a good night's sleep
When starting a keto diet, it is common to experience cravings for carbohydrates. This is because your body is looking to restore its supply of glucose, which has been reduced due to the diet's low-carb nature. To compensate, your body activates backup systems to maintain normal blood sugar levels, but this adjustment takes time and can lead to hypoglycemia and increased hunger.
Sleep deprivation is directly linked to sweet cravings. Research shows that a single night of insufficient sleep can disrupt hunger hormones, increasing levels of Ghrelin, which is responsible for appetite and hunger. Aim for a solid seven to nine hours of sleep each night to curb cravings. Adjust your environment to support a healthy sleep schedule by reducing noise and screen time before bed and eating earlier dinners.
To manage cravings while on a keto diet, it is crucial to eat enough protein and fat to feel satiated. Consume large, filling portions of keto-friendly foods and ensure you eat before you get hungry. Focus on healthy fats, such as macadamia nuts, avocados, eggs, and grass-fed cheese. You can also try keto-friendly treats like chocolate bars made with healthy fats or whipped cream sweetened with monk fruit. Additionally, remove tempting non-keto foods from your house and stay hydrated with zero-calorie lemonade or bone broth.
Remember, it takes time for your body to adjust to a keto diet. Be patient and give yourself time to power through the initial cravings. You may experience the ""keto flu," which includes symptoms like malaise, headaches, and decreased appetite. To avoid this, pay attention to your electrolytes and ensure adequate intake of sodium, magnesium, and potassium.
By combining a healthy sleep schedule with a well-planned keto diet, you can effectively manage cravings and stay on track with your dietary goals.
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Try keto-friendly alternatives
It is completely normal to crave carbs and sugary treats when starting a keto diet. This is because your body is transitioning from burning glucose to burning fat for fuel. Therefore, it is important to eat more fat than protein and carbs to help your body switch from a glucose burner to a fat burner.
If you are craving carbs, it might be a sodium craving in disguise. Our bodies are programmed to crave salty things because sodium was scarce in ancestral times. Try adding a few shakes of salt to a glass of water and to your food—you may find that your carb cravings go away.
If you are craving junk food like pizza and burgers, try making a big batch of Buffalo Wings. This can give you the feeling of having eaten junk food without the carbs. You can also try sugar-free jello with whipped cream for a satisfying dessert, or bone broth.
There are also keto-friendly alternatives to traditional carb-heavy foods. For example, you can switch out pasta and rice for products made from konjac root, which have zero carbs and very few calories.
Finally, if you are craving sweets, try eating berries or avocado, which are low-carb fruits that can help you with sugar cravings.
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Eat more salt
It is important to remember that when you start a keto diet, your body is shifting into ketosis—a state where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This shift can lead to a feeling of malaise, often referred to as the \"keto flu\".
One way to combat carb cravings on a keto diet is to increase your salt intake. When following a keto diet, your fluid and electrolyte needs increase. What you may interpret as a carb craving might actually be a sodium craving. This is because sodium was scarce in ancestral times, so we evolved to crave salty things. Therefore, adding a few shakes of salt to your water and food may help curb your carb cravings.
It is recommended that you consume at least 2 teaspoons of salt per day. You can also drink Powerade Zero and eat salty cheese to increase your sodium intake. However, it is important to complement your salt intake with lots of water, as the keto diet can cause dehydration.
In addition to increasing your salt intake, there are other ways to manage carb cravings on a keto diet. Firstly, ensure that you are getting adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation is linked to sweet cravings, as it can increase levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for appetite and hunger. Secondly, remove tempting, non-keto foods from your house and plan your meals in advance. This will help you stick to the keto diet and reduce carb cravings. Finally, increase your intake of healthy fats and proteins. Aim for at least 70% of your daily intake to come from healthy fats, such as macadamia nuts, avocados, eggs, and grass-fed cheese.
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Eat high-fat, healthy foods
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. The diet aims to keep net carbs under 10% of your daily calories, so that your body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates—a state called ketosis.
When starting a keto diet, it is important to eat enough fat to compensate for the reduced carbs. Aim for at least 70% of your daily intake to be from healthy fats. Good sources of healthy fats include fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, and sardines, which are high in omega-3s and protein. Nuts are another great source of healthy fats, with studies showing that a higher intake of nuts is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Nuts are also a convenient snack when you're on the move. Hemp hearts or seeds are another nutrient-dense option, providing 15 grams of fat per 30-gram serving, as well as vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, calcium, iron, and potassium. Chia seeds are also rich in healthy fats and fiber, and they can be easily added to smoothies, salads, soups, or overnight oats.
If you're craving something salty, your body may actually be craving sodium, which is important to include in your keto diet as your fluid and electrolyte needs go up. Adding a few shakes of salt to your water and food may help curb these cravings.
It's important to note that not all sources of fat are good for your health. Artificially produced trans fats, found in highly refined oils and commercially prepared processed foods, should be avoided as they can increase your risk of heart disease. Fried foods, processed meats, and anything containing artificial trans fats should be limited or avoided on a keto diet.
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Frequently asked questions
Firstly, ensure you are getting adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation is linked to sweet cravings as it confuses the body's hunger hormones. Secondly, make sure your meals are high in fat and moderate in protein, as cravings can increase if you are not replacing reduced carb calories with adequate fat calories. Thirdly, try to minimise sights and smells that trigger cravings, such as keeping carbs out of the house or at least out of sight. Finally, ensure you are eating enough protein and replenishing crucial minerals.
It's Skinny Pasta and It's Skinny Rice are great alternatives to traditional pasta and rice, as they are made from the konjac root with no carbs and very few calories. Avocados are another excellent option, as they are high in healthy fats and fibre. Other keto-friendly foods to curb carb cravings include macadamia nuts, eggs, coconut meat, cheese, and keto chocolate bars.
Some keto-friendly snacks to curb carb cravings include nuts, unsweetened peanut butter, bone broth, sugar-free jello, buffalo wings, and berries.
It is normal to crave carbs when starting a keto diet as your body is adapting to burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. This transition can be challenging for the body, and it may take a few weeks for your body to adjust. Additionally, lack of sleep can increase cravings, and your environment—what you see, smell, hear, taste, and touch—can stimulate cravings.
