How to Eat Enough Carbs on a Ketogenic Diet

How to Eat Enough carbs in keto diet. Unless you’re diabetic, the ketogenic diet requires you to eat at least 20g of carbs per day, which can be very difficult if you’re not prepared in advance. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get through your low-carb days in ketosis!

Why carb counting is important

One of the main criticisms of keto diets is that they’re too restrictive and difficult to follow. If you’re like most people, your diet probably relies heavily on carbs—think bread, pasta, pizza, chips, and cereals. But when you cut out carbs entirely (or nearly so), your body switches over from relying on glucose as its primary fuel source to burning fat instead.

The two types of high-fat low-carb foods

Animal fats such as butter, lard, bacon fat, tallow, and duck fat are also good sources of saturated fatty acids. They’re present in large amounts in avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil. Nuts and seeds are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples include macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, and almonds. Unsaturated fats form part of a healthy diet too.

Some examples of high-fat low-carb foods

full-fat cheese, high-fat meats like lamb and beef, butter, olive oil. And some examples of low-carb foods: low-carb veggies like broccoli and cauliflower; legumes like lentils and beans; seafood like salmon and shrimp. Avoid carbs such as grains, cereals, fruits, rice, pasta, and baked goods.

Getting enough fiber when following a diet  with carbs in keto diet

Eating enough fiber (and vegetables) is also crucial for getting enough carbs when following a keto diet. You can easily meet your daily fiber requirement through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A low-carbohydrate diet emphasizes foods that are high in protein and fat but aren’t too starchy; you eat lots of meat, eggs, cheese, butter, oils (such as olive oil), nuts, and seeds.

Should you count net or total carbs in keto diet?

It’s important to keep in mind that net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) are what count in determining your best weight-loss results. This is because neither fiber nor sugar alcohols have any effect on blood sugar levels, and you can get them both from most foods—even sweets. In other words, total carbs -fiber = net carbs!

Make sure your body gets enough vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes

The reason keto advocates advise eating enough carbs is that cutting them out can lead to deficiencies in other nutrients. The nutrient most people are concerned about? Sodium. If you’re planning on doing keto for more than a few weeks, make sure you supplement with potassium. This will help prevent any muscle cramping or weakness. Besides that, check your nutrient levels regularly and ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals—you can use an app like MyFitnessPal for help with nutrition tracking.