Keto Recipes Taste Bad: What's The Deal?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. While it can help with weight loss, it can also cause keto breath, a distinct taste or odor in the mouth that's different from ordinary bad breath. Some people describe it as metallic or fruity-smelling, similar to nail polish remover. This is due to the production of ketones, which are natural chemicals that the body produces when it burns fat for energy.

However, there are ways to improve the taste of keto food. For example, adding oil or butter, using alternative sweeteners, and experimenting with spices can enhance the flavor of keto meals. Additionally, ketosis can alter how your body uses energy, affecting your palate and reducing your desire for sweet foods.

Keto changes your taste buds

It's not just you; keto really does change the way your food tastes. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating, and it can have a profound effect on your palate.

Ketosis causes an alteration in how your body uses energy, and this change affects your palate. Ketones can reduce your desire for sweet foods, and your taste buds will sense stronger sweetness in foods that you previously thought weren't sweet. For example, you might find that unsalted almonds taste sweet and satisfying.

Your taste buds can change astonishingly quickly on a keto diet. Some people report that after just two weeks, they find extremely sweet foods, such as chocolate, too sweet or even revolting.

How to Make Keto Food Taste Better

If you're finding keto food unappetising, there are some simple things you can do to improve the taste of your meals:

• Add oil or butter: The keto diet runs on fat, so adding fats like oil or butter to your meals is not only tasty but also aligns with the keto diet. Just be sure to stick to high-quality oils like olive oil and avoid processed seed oils.
• Use alternative sweeteners: While cane sugar is off-limits, you can use alternative sweeteners like Stevia or Monkfruit, which are 100% natural.
• Experiment with spices: Most of taste is actually smell, and you have thousands of smells to choose from when it comes to spices. Try adding them to oils, making stock, or simply dusting them over your meal.
• Add salt: Salt makes everything taste better (except maybe salt itself). It tends to make existing flavours stand out, and it's also invaluable on the keto diet for health reasons, as it helps to replenish salts and electrolytes that are flushed out when your body gets rid of water more quickly.
• Play with textures: Your brain likes foods that have multiple textures, so try adding seeds or nuts for crunchiness, yoghurt for gooeyness, or mozzarella for softness. You can also cook ingredients differently to change their texture—for example, boiling or frying chicken will give it a soft or crispy texture, respectively.

Other Keto Side Effects

In addition to changing your taste buds, the keto diet can have several other strange effects on your body. Some people experience the "keto flu" when transitioning to the diet, which includes symptoms like temporary loss of energy, body aches, and brain fogginess. You might also notice increased urination, bad breath, digestive changes, and a libido boost.

Bland food tastes bad

Bland food is generally recommended for people experiencing gastrointestinal distress. A bland diet is typically soft in texture, low in fibre, high in pH, and mildly seasoned. While it is designed to be easy on the gut, it can also be tasty. However, the perception of taste differs from person to person.

Keto and Taste Buds

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating. It is known to affect people's taste buds, making them more sensitive to sweetness and refined palates. Some people report that processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and even certain favourite foods start tasting bad or too sweet after being on the keto diet. This could be because the diet cuts out a lot of added sugars and processed ingredients, making it easier to detect them in food.

Tips to Combat Bland Taste

If you find your keto recipes tasting bland, here are some tips to enhance the flavour:

• Dress your food with rich sauces like pan sauces or hollandaise.
• Experiment with different herbs and seasonings like basil, parsley, and salt.
• Try new vegetables and vary your protein sources to add more variety to your meals.
• If you're craving something sweet, treat yourself to a small portion of berries or dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa).
• Make sure to wait until you're hungry before eating, as appetite can also affect your perception of taste.

Oil and butter can improve taste

Oil and butter are great ways to improve the taste of keto recipes. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, so adding fats like oil and butter is not only tasty but also aligns with the diet's requirements.

Types of Oil and Butter

There are several keto-friendly oils and fats to choose from, including:

• Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is a heart-healthy option that can be drizzled over salads, added to soups or stews, or used for sautéing vegetables.
• Avocado oil: This oil has a mild flavor and a high smoke point, making it versatile for dressings, marinades, and sautéing.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and has a unique coconut flavor. It's suitable for baking and low-heat cooking. Refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point and no coconut taste but is more processed.
• Butter: Grass-fed butter is preferable as it contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2. Butter is great for cooking, baking, or spreading on keto-friendly foods like muffins or waffles.
• Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter with the milk solids removed, giving it a longer shelf life and a higher smoke point. It's a good option for cooking at high temperatures.
• Animal fats: Animal fats, such as lard and tallow, can add a unique, meaty flavor to dishes and are suitable for high-heat cooking.

Tips for Using Oil and Butter

When using oil and butter to improve the taste of keto recipes, keep the following tips in mind:

• Quality matters: Opt for high-quality oils like olive oil and avoid highly processed seed oils.
• Experiment with different oils and fats: Different oils and fats have distinct flavors and smoke points, so experiment to find the ones that best suit your taste preferences and cooking methods.
• Balance your fats: While keto is a high-fat diet, it's important to balance your fat intake. Animal fats, for example, are high in saturated fat, so moderation is key.
• Use oil and butter as carriers for other flavors: Oil and butter can be infused with spices, herbs, or garlic to enhance the flavor of your dishes.
• Don't be afraid to be generous: Keto is a high-fat diet, so don't skimp on the oil and butter! They will improve the taste of your recipes and help you meet your fat macros.

Alternative sweeteners can be used

Keto-friendly alternative sweeteners can be used to sweeten your recipes without kicking you out of ketosis. These include:

• Stevia: A natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It's 200-300 times sweeter than regular sugar, so a little goes a long way. It has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels and is available in both liquid and powdered forms.
• Sucralose: An artificial sweetener that is not metabolized by the body. It passes through undigested and provides no calories or carbs. However, it may not be suitable for baking as it can produce harmful compounds when exposed to high temperatures.
• Erythritol: A type of sugar alcohol that is 80% as sweet as regular sugar but contains only 5% of the calories. It has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels and typically doesn't cause the digestive issues associated with other sugar alcohols.
• Xylitol: Another type of sugar alcohol that is as sweet as sugar but contains fewer calories. It doesn't raise blood sugar or insulin levels to the same extent as sugar and can be easily added to tea, coffee, shakes, or smoothies. However, it has been associated with digestive problems when used in high doses.
• Monk fruit: A natural sweetener extracted from a plant native to southern China. It is 100-250 times sweeter than regular sugar and contains no calories or carbs. It may also help improve blood sugar regulation.
• Yacon syrup: Derived from the roots of the yacon plant, this sweetener is rich in fructooligosaccharides, a type of soluble fiber that the body cannot digest. It has been found to help lower blood sugar and insulin levels but is not recommended for cooking as it can break down when exposed to high temperatures.

When choosing a sweetener, it's important to read the ingredients label carefully and avoid products that contain fillers such as maltodextrin, dextrose, or isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO), which can increase blood sugar levels. It's also crucial to limit your intake of other sweeteners high in carbs or sugar, such as maltodextrin, honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, and dates.

Fasting can make food taste better

Many people who follow a keto diet report that their taste buds change, and that they become more sensitive to sweetness. This can make keto recipes, which often include artificial sweeteners, taste bad.

Fasting can be a way to reset your taste buds and make food taste better. Here's how:

Dopamine Receptors

Over time, your brain gets used to the taste of food, and produces less and less dopamine when you eat. But when you fast, your dopamine receptors get to rest, so when you eat again, they are stimulated more, and you enjoy the taste of food more.

Heightened Senses

Fasting has been shown to increase the acuity of all your senses, including taste, hearing, and smell. Your taste buds become more electric, and you may find that healthy foods taste better.

Resetting Your Palate

Fasting can reset your palate and help you appreciate food more. When you're only eating a few times a day, you tend to choose your food more carefully, and you may find that everything tastes better.

Health Benefits

Fasting has a multitude of health benefits, from improving your brain function to giving you superhuman confidence and willpower. All these benefits can make you feel better overall, which may translate to a better experience when eating.

A Word of Caution

Be careful with fasting, especially on a keto diet. If you have never tried it before, start with a few hours at a time before you attempt a full-day fast. Otherwise, your body may not be happy about the change, and can trigger carb cravings or other negative side effects.

Frequently asked questions