The ketogenic diet, or the keto diet, is a popular diet that promises quick weight loss. People from all walks of life have used this diet as a way to turn their bodies into fat-burning machines. The diet limits the intake of carbohydrates and focuses on fat and protein consumption to get the body into the state of ketosis. During this state, the body burns fat (rather than sugar) for energy, but health experts worry about the side effects of this popular diet. 

Where other low-carb diets focus on protein, the keto diet’s primary focus is on fat. There are modified versions of the diet that vary the fat, protein, and carb percentages to achieve the state of ketosis. The restrictiveness of the keto diet forces the body to use fat as the primary fuel source, which helps you drop weight. Over time, though, experts have warned that the high-fat nature of the keto diet may lead to heart complications. This is because of the excessive meat, dairy, and unhealthy fat consumption. Granted there are healthier versions of the keto diet that include more fresh produce, but not every keto follower eats in this way. 

Entering ketosis is new for the body, so there is an adaptation phase, during which you may experience temporary side effects. It takes the brain and body time to adapt to burning ketones for energy instead of carbs. According to health experts, you may experience the following side effects once you go keto. 

Reduced Athletic Performance

A lot of athletes have been able to improve performance in their sport after losing weight on the keto diet. For example, many cyclists say that they pedal faster and better once they switch to keto. A 2018 study found that participants performed worse on high-intensity cycling and running tasks after four days of eating keto than participants who spent four days on a high-carb diet. The body is in a more acidic state during ketosis, which may limit its ability to perform at peak levels. Losing a few pounds won’t drastically improve athletic performance, but significant weight loss might. Just keep this in mind on your ketogenic journey. 

Constipation

One of the most common side effects after starting keto is a bout of constipation. Low-carb eating and constipation tend to go hand in hand, as you exclude many high-fiber foods from your diet. Beans, large amounts of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains are not keto-approved foods, and avoiding them can cause some bowel irregularity. The body also excretes more water, so that is a recipe for clogged pipes. If you want to keep things moving, enjoy keto-friendly, fiber-rich foods like avocado, nuts, non-starchy vegetables, and berries. Increasing your water intake also helps you avoid constipation.

The “Keto Flu”

Many people report that after starting the keto diet, they experience a range of flu-like symptoms. The “low carb flu” or “keto flu,” as people refer to it, affects about 25% of people who try a keto diet. Although the most common symptom is fatigue, people may experience headaches, brain fog, nausea, poor sleep, increased hunger, and decreased physical performance. These issues may discourage people from adhering to the keto diet before they start feeling or seeing the benefits. Symptoms tend to subside within a few days, though.

Bad Breath

Acetone is a ketone that is a byproduct of fat metabolism, and it can make your breath a little stinky. Often described as fruity and slightly sweet, ketosis breath results from the rise of blood acetone levels. This is because the body gets rid of some of the acetone via your breath, in addition to sweat and urine. For most people, the unusual breath smell will go away within a few weeks. 

Leg Muscle Cramps

If you experience leg muscle cramps on a regular basis when you switch to keto, you may need to drink more water. They can be painful and typically stem from dehydration or mineral loss. This is because keto can help get rid of water weight, as glycogen, the storage form of glucose in muscles and liver, binds water. The body flushes out glycogen as a result of low carb intake, and it’s one of the primary reasons that people see immediate weight loss on the keto diet. Continue to drink plenty of water to reduce the risk of dehydration and leg cramps and electrolyte imbalance. 

Intense Cravings

In case you didn’t know, carbs are incredibly addicting. That’s why so many people have a problem giving up bread, for example. When you eliminate carbs from your diet, the brain releases neuropeptide-Y (NPY), which signals the body that it needs carbs. When the body doesn’t get those carbs, NPY builds up and can intensify your cravings, increasing your desire to eat foods that are not keto-approved. The cravings are a direct result of the body’s biological response to carb deprivation, and less so your willpower to resist the temptation.

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You’ve heard the stories about people losing 40 pounds in two months and you want a piece of the pie. After doing your research, you concluded that the ketogenic (keto) diet is right for you and you can’t wait to get started. As attractive as the keto diet may be, it can be difficult to jump into a very carb-restricted eating plan. This is especially difficult when you consider that so many foods in the Standard American diet are carb-rich and on the keto diet’s naughty list. 

What Is The Keto Diet?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high fat diet that is very similar to the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets. Essentially, you replace most carbohydrates with fat to put your body in the metabolic state of ketosis. In this state, your body becomes efficient at burning fat for energy, as opposed to burning glucose for energy. Additionally, the body turns fat into ketones in the liver, which work to supply energy to the brain. 

In the beginning of the keto craze, the diet was outlined as about 70-70% daily calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbs. However, these percentages have adjusted because health experts noted that that approach to the keto diet increased the risk of heart problems. This was because of the meat-centric, dairy-rich keto recipes that people consumed. Now, there is keto 2.0, which has adjusted percentages for carbs, protein, and carbs. You can learn more about keto 2.0 by clicking here. 

How To Start

The main reason people have subscribed to the keto diet is for weight loss. Anecdotal reports suggest that it is a quick fix, but the benefits may be short-term if you immediately switch back to your pre-keto eating habits. The most important thing to do in regards to starting the diet, though, is to do your research. Figure out what are the diet’s main principles and understand which foods are low-carb and which ones are high fat. You’ll soon learn that many foods are off limits because you cannot enjoy refined or whole grains, baked goods, starchy vegetables, legumes, pasta, bread, or sweetened beverages. 

Choose Healthy Proteins

It can be very easy to buy all of the meat and chow down when you’re following the keto diet. Keep in mind that focusing on unhealthy meats that are not sustainably raised can have long-term effects on your overall health, especially your heart. Bison, tempeh, wild caught tuna, tofu, free-range and organic poultry, wild caught salmon, and organic eggs are great sources of protein. Now, protein doesn’t just come from animal products. Nuts, which are keto-approved, supply the body with lots of fat and protein. Almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and more are excellent to consume when following the keto diet. 

It’s Not A Quick Fix

When you start keto, you have to think about why you are doing the diet in order to stay on track. Making your food choices for the right reasons can keep the drive alive. The “why” reminds you of your goal and the reason you started the diet in the first place. According to dietitians, it is helpful to think of keto as a lifestyle choice, as opposed to a quick fix diet. In the beginning, stick to keto as strictly as possible to help the body’s transition into ketosis. There will likely be some wiggle room down the line, in regards to what you can enjoy. For example, a glass of wine, a slice of dessert, or other carbohydrates may not kick your body out of ketosis after following it religiously. Keto 2.0, for example, is not an all-or-nothing approach to keto, which makes it more accessible. 

Plan Your Meals Ahead

When you have your meals planned, you can easily stick to the diet. You should always plan your snacks, and meals at least a day in advance, but this isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Statistically, people are more successful at adhering to diets when they meal plan for the entire week. If you decide that you want to go out to eat, look at the restaurant’s menu to see if keto-approved options are available. Because of the popularity of the diet, there are many restaurants that actually cater to keto followers. 

Don’t Skimp On Vegetables

Sure, vegetables have carbs, but there are many veggies that don’t have high carb count. Plus, the carbs from vegetables are complex, which are much healthier than the carbs from refined grains, bread, or other processed foods. Load your plate with vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and roast them as opposed to steaming them. You can impart a bit more flavor during the roasting process, especially in regards to seasonings and adding high-fat coconut oil.

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Famed for its ability to assist people with impressive weight loss, the ketogenic diet became very popular several years ago. The pitch for the diet was appealing: focusing on fats and protein with minimal carb intake. People ate bacon, cheese, steak, avocados, coconut milk coffees, and avoided almost all carbohydrate-rich foods. Within the past couple years, however, many people who were keto die-hards fell off the low-carb eating plan. 

The keto diet is very restricting, which is one reason dietitians did not grow fond of it. Restrictiveness aside, the focus on animal-based foods like red meat, cheese, bacon, and more did not sit will with nutritionists. The reality is that these foods have been linked to increased inflammatory markers and other health conditions. With more people switching their focus to plant-based meal options, it seems that regular keto is receiving a few updates. These changes all belong to keto 2.0.

What Is Keto 2.0?

Where did this term come from? Well, most say that the name came from the updated version of the original keto diet. Everyone’s approach to keto varied slightly, but the usual goal was to get 70% of calories from fat, 15-25% of calories from protein, and 5-10% of calories from carbohydrates. Because of the focus on these macros, many people had to forego fruits, whole grains, and healthy, high-carb vegetables. Even though weight loss occurred while eating pepperoni and cheese, people also experienced elevated LDL cholesterol levels, in addition to constipation and hemorrhoids. 

Keto 2.0 changes these macro percentages to 50% of calories from fat, 20% of calories from carbs, and 30% of calories from protein. Even at 50% of calories coming from fat, meals are highly satiating, which prevents overeating. Additionally, keto 2.0 focuses more on lean protein sources like wild caught fish and grass-fed/grass-finished steak. The allowance of more plant-based foods and fiber, though, promotes the growth of beneficial gut microbes that improve immune function and reduce inflammation.

More Plants, Less Meat

Yes, the body can still remain in ketosis if you consume more plants, but this is a surprising change in keto 2.0. Limiting red meat consumption will help people following keto 2.0 maintain optimal heart health. Getting the bulk of your fat content from plant-based sources like avocado, nuts, seeds, legumes, and other plant oils is a much healthier approach. It’s not just about reducing meat consumption, though. Cutting back on dairy and focusing on non-dairy milks or nut-based cheeses is a better option. 

Different Macros

As mentioned earlier, the macro percentages for keto 2.0 received a major update. Because people will eat more plant-based foods, which are rich in fiber and complex carbs, keto 2.0 allows for more carb consumption. 10-20% of calories will come from carbs, but this may worry some traditional keto purists. Will the body enter ketosis by introducing more carbs? Although you consume more carbs in keto 2.0 than in traditional keto, they are rich in indigestible fiber. That type of fiber does not spike glucose levels, but you can amp up your fitness routine to burn off the extra carbs if you’re worried.

Change Up The Protein

Many keto enthusiasts worry when there’s talk of changing up protein sources. You can still enjoy plenty of protein, but keto 2.0 encourages the consumption of healthier protein sources. That means go easy on the steaks, bacon, and ribs and focus more on wild caught fish and plant-based proteins. Great seafood options include wild caught tuna, mackerel, fresh salmon, or wild caught sea bass. You can get complete proteins from plant-based foods by combining certain whole grains and legumes. 

At the end of the day, the keto 2.0 diet is a much more balanced way of eating. It ticks more nutritional boxes, including more fiber, plant-based fats and proteins, and other foods that are easier to digest. It may not be the right diet for you, but it’s better than the all-or-nothing extreme that it was before the new upgrade. 

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There are many popular diet plans that contribute to weight loss. There’s the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, vegan diet, paleo diet, carnivore diet, and many more. Research on which diet you want to choose is always encouraged before embarking on that journey. Consider weighing the pros and cons of the diet to decide whether or not it will help you achieve your health goals. Many people focus on the weight loss aspect, and fail to acknowledge the potential harm that certain diets can have on the body.

Since warm weather is all anyone can talk about nowadays, dehydration is a popular topic of conversation. Some diets very easily cause dehydration, despite the fact that water is allowed on many of them. These diets don’t forbid water, but the reality is that people don’t drink enough water to begin with. The body needs water to survive, helping all tissues, cells, and organs. Failure to meet the recommended daily intake of water can cause numerous health symptoms and increase the risk of heatstroke or heat exhaustion.

Symptoms of Dehydration

No diet should cause dehydration, but the fact remains that some accelerate this process more than others. There are some telltale signs that indicate dehydration. If you notice some of the following symptoms, be sure to increase your water intake. Set reminders on your phone to drink water if you think you’ll forget. Little preventative measures go a long way.

• Dry mouth
• Feeling thirsty
• Dry skin
• Sweating less than usual
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dark-colored urine
• Dizziness

Intermittent Fasting

This dietary regimen alternates between periods of eating and fasting throughout the day. There are several variations of this program, with people choosing the best one that fits their lifestyle. For example, 16:8 approach involves fasting for 16 hours a day and eating planned meals and snacks during the other eight hours. Even during periods of fasting, you are allowed to drink water, yet people rarely do. The reality is that people forget to drink water when fasting. Without sitting down to enjoy a meal regularly, drinking water falls by the wayside. Don’t forget to make water a priority during fasting periods. Additionally, consume hydrating foods during allotted eating periods. 

The Atkins Diet

This popular low-carb diet, which isn’t quite as low-carb as the ketogenic diet, puts people at risk of dehydration. Say goodbye to starchy vegetables and most fruits when you adhere to the Atkin’s diet. Only after you have been on it for a couple weeks can you incorporate some low-carb fruits into the diet. By eliminating fruits and many vegetables, the risk of dehydration dramatically increases. These foods contain beneficial electrolytes and water, which aid optimal hydration. 20% of hydration comes from diet, so don’t skimp on water consumption if you decide to try this diet out. 

Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a popular low-carb diet that focuses on high-fat and high protein foods. The goal of this diet is to get the body to enter a state of ketosis, which is a metabolic state that leads to the body burning fat in the absence of carbs. When you eliminate carbs from your diet, the body naturally releases water. The body resorts to glycogen storage to break down carbs, losing more water in this process. Always take the steps to hydrate every single day. Drink a tall glass of water when you wake up and before each meal. Carry a reusable water bottle around and fill it up when it gets empty. There are many hydration apps that can help you keep track of your water intake. 

High-Protein Diet

A diet that is predominantly focused on protein intake slowly causes dehydration, especially in endurance athletes. One study found that the degree of hydration drastically decreased when more protein was consumed. The paleo and Dukan diets focus on protein, recommending that 10-35% of all daily calories come from protein. Nitrogen exists in amino acids that comprise protein. Eating too much protein causes the body to flush out excess nitrogen with fluids and water. Because the body uses more water to flush out the excess nitrogen, you can experience dehydration more quickly. Make sure to overcompensate your water consumption if you happen to follow this type of eating model. 

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Within the past several years, the ketogenic diet rose to popularity because of the proven weight loss stories. Not only that, people lost weight while focusing on butter, bacon, cheese, meats, and other high-fat foods. That’s appealing to lot of people, but it isn’t exactly the healthiest way to diet. That’s the “dirty” version of keto, but there’s still a way to successfully lose weight, focusing on high-fat, keto-approved foods that are healthier for the body.

How The Ketogenic Diet Works

If you subscribe to the ketogenic (keto) diet, the idea is that you consume a lot of fat, some protein, and very minimal carbs. The idea behind this diet is that the body enters into a state of ketosis by depriving it of sugars and carbohydrates. Instead of burning glucose for energy, the body begins to burn fat for energy. It takes a few days or even a week for the body to enter into this low-carb, fat-burning state. 

On a base level, roughly 70% of your total caloric intake comes from fat. Another 20-25% comes from protein, and the remaining 5% comes from carbohydrates. It has a popular reputation because of the quick fat loss, but people tend to focus on the wrong fats. While it’s keto-approved to eat a bacon cheeseburger with no bun, that isn’t the healthiest meal to eat daily. Sure, this meal fits the keto parameters of high fat and protein content, but it’s also difficult for the body to digest. Fortunately, there are much cleaner fats and proteins that can keep the body in a state of ketosis.

What Is Clean Keto?

Clean keto is a form of eating that keeps the body within the same macronutrient keto guidelines. The clear difference is that it is a healthier, nutrient-dense approach that enhances micronutrient intake. Food quality is very important. Clean keto typically consists of olive oil, non-starchy vegetables, grass-fed/grass-finished beef, MCT oil, avocados, coconut milk, almonds, wild-caught seafood, pine nuts, chia seeds, almond butter, free-range eggs, and more. Focusing on these foods helps to limit your consumption of processed meats, antibiotics, hormone-rich foods, etc. A potential meal could consist of wild-caught salmon with a side salad drizzled with a coconut oil dressing. Not only does clean keto help promote weight loss, but it also offers long-term benefits that include:

• Improved digestion
• Better immune function
• Faster metabolism
• Sustained energy levels
• Improved skin
• Steady weight loss
• Improved focus

When you focus on healthier, keto-approved foods, you’re able to consume more micronutrients. This helps to enhance your fiber, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant intake, setting the body up for optimal physical and mental health. 

What Is Dirty Keto?

The sad reality is that when people diet, they tend to gravitate to the unhealthiest parts of it. Is it possible to get away with eating this or that? We hear it all the time when it comes to diet restrictions during the Full Body Cleanse. Dirty keto essentially prays on the weakest parts of people’s cravings, showing them that they can eat “unhealthy” foods and still lose weight. 

Dirty keto still follows the same macronutrient guidelines as clean keto, adhering to the limited carbohydrate intake. More often than not, dirty keto involves eating a lot of pre-made or packaged convenience foods, bacon, butter, lots of meat, protein bars, shakes, and other low-carb options. It’s trendy, but it isn’t necessarily healthy. Ultimately, it’s lazy dieting, involving high-sodium meals, fatty dairy products, and more. The meals are fatty and protein-rich, but there’s no emphasis on food quality. You still get the macronutrients, but limiting micronutrients can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 

The Bottom Line

The primary difference between the clean and dirty versions of keto is the quality of food. It’s optimal to choose clean keto and focus on high-fat, nutrient-dense whole foods. You can eat spinach, kale, asparagus, kohlrabi, cucumbers, okra, fennel, rutabaga, spaghetti squash, turnips, eggplant, and collards during clean keto. Dirty keto doesn’t encourage those foods. Lastly, dirty keto has known negative effects on long-term health, so keep it clean if you’re doing keto.

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The ketogenic diet is one of the most popular fad diets in existence. People are attracted to the diet because of the fact that they can eat butter, bacon, and cheese and lose weight. Well, that’s the lazy way to adhere to the keto diet. Is it possible to remain in ketosis while solely eating plant-based foods? We have the answers and some great recipes in this article. 

What Is The Keto Diet?

The keto-diet is an extremely low-carb diet that focuses primarily on fats and protein. The typical breakdown is about 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. The point of eating on this model is to allow your body to enter into ketosis, whereby it begins burning ketones instead of glucose for energy. Many common benefits include decreased cravings, increased metabolism, improved blood pressure, and an increase in muscle mass.

How Does Eating Fat Help The Body Burn Fat?

Typically, people consume excess carbohydrates and sugars, which the body cannot burn fast enough. The ending result is that fat accumulates in the body, typically around the midsection. You’d think that eating a fat-rich diet would increase fat storage, but when you deprive the body of sugar and carbohydrates, the primary fuel sources, the body adapts and begins burning fat for energy. As the body burns fat, it creates ketones that help to naturally increase metabolism.

We often get asked if people can continue to eat keto on a raw vegan diet, which accompanies all of our cleanses. The majority of the fats have to come from olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, and MCT oil, but know that you’ll be eating more carbs than the typical keto-diet calls for. This is due to the fact that vegetables and fruits contain natural carbohydrates. The goal is to swap high-starch vegetables for low-carb options that are rich in fats and proteins. Ultimately, you should be focusing on nutrient dense low-carb foods like:

• Leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens, and chard)
• Non-starchy vegetables (asparagus, carrot, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, & peppers)
• Healthy nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans)
• Seeds (chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, & flax seeds)
• Healthy fats (coconut oil, MCT oil, & olive oil)

To get you going with keto-approved raw vegan recipes, try the recipes below and let us know how you like them.

Keto-Approved Chocolate Chia Pudding

The great thing about using avocados as the base of chocolate pudding is that they are filled with healthy fats and nutrients. This dessert tastes like a rich dark chocolate bar!

Click here to make the recipe.

Keto-Approved Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

Keep your body in ketosis by staying refreshed with this chocolate avocado smoothie. It’s truly the perfect low-carb breakfast smoothie.

Click here to make the recipe.

Keto Approved Hemp Seed Tabbouleh

If you have a hankering for Mediterranean food, this recipe will satisfy that craving. Dressed in a tahini sauce, this tabbouleh is delish!

Click here to make the recipe.

Keto-Approved Walnut Meat Tacos

After taking one bite of these 100% raw vegan, keto-approved tacos, you’re going to crave them forever. They’re the perfect filling entree!

Click here to make the recipe.

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The classic piña colada got a ketogenic makeover! Made with full-fat coconut milk, pineapple, spinach, and ginger, this omega-3 rich smoothie should be your go-to breakfast or midday fat bomb!

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The ketogenic diet has taken the health world by storm. The high-fat approach to losing weight seems like a foreign concept to a lot of people, yet there are many people who have lost 40 pounds or more while doing this diet. Some people are curious about the diet, but don’t know where to start; while others think they are doing it right, but are going about it all wrong.

It can be difficult to know exactly what is going on inside your body. The main objective of the ketogenic diet is to get your body into the metabolic state of ketosis. When you reach ketosis, your body becomes a fat-burning machine as opposed to a sugar-burning machine. Because the body burns fat for energy, the fat on your body starts to vanish. How do you know whether or not your body is in ketosis, though? The following signs can help you determine if you are in ketosis.

Weight Loss

This is the sign that people want to see, and people who follow the diet perfectly can experience between 4-10 pounds of weight loss within the first week. Most of this weight is water and carbs that the body has stored in fat cells. After the initial rapid weight loss, you can continue to lose body fat if you stick to the diet and exercise. A lot of people go wrong after the initial process and start making common keto mistakes, which destroys the progress.

Mental Clarity & Energy

A lot of people get the afternoon crash and instinctively reach for an unhealthy snack and some sort of caffeine out of habit. One of the benefits of ketosis is that your blood sugar isn’t riding a crazy rollercoaster, helping you to feel continuously alert and energized.

Loss Of Appetite

You aren’t as hungry when you are on the keto diet because the healthy fats that comprise 70% of the diet help to keep you full. This means that you only eat when you necessary. Not only does this prevent overeating, but it also helps to reduce your caloric intake, which is an essential part of losing weight.

Short-Term Fatigue

Hang on a second…Didn’t we just talk about mental clarity and more energy? Yes, yes we did. It can take a little time for the body to catch up with the process of ketosis, though. While the body is catching up, some people can experience the “keto flu,” a phase in which one can experience fatigue, mild nausea, and minor headaches. This can only last for a couple days so don’t let this deter you from sticking to the diet. The benefits will come.

Upset Stomach

A person who is entering into ketosis may experience a couple digestive troubles. You may experience nothing of the sort, but it is possible to experience constipation or diarrhea. These symptoms will subside once the body adapts to being in the state of ketosis. Eat the following keto-approved veggies to minimize digestive troubles.

• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Peppers
• Spinach
• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Cucumbers
• Cabbage
• Berries

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The ketogenic diet requires people to severely cut back on sugars, starches, processed foods, and high-carb foods. Continuing to eat these foods will kick the body out of ketosis, and your quest to lose weight will remain difficult. It can be confusing to navigate the right path that will keep your body in ketosis, especially when it comes to sweeteners, which should still be used in moderation. There are, however, sweeteners that are extremely low in net carbs and calories.

The Role Of Sweeteners On Keto

The most important thing to remember about sweeteners, in relation to the keto diet, is to always use them sparingly. You aren’t about to load up on stevia just because it is on the keto-approved sweetener list. Sweeteners can easily raise blood sugar and kick the body out of ketosis, but a little monk fruit in your fat bomb coffee recipe will be just fine.

A Quick Guide To Sweeteners

When it comes to the sweeteners (the few that you can have) that you put into your body on the keto diet, it is integral to educate yourself on their various forms. The three big types of sweeteners to be aware of are broken down below.

Artificial Sweeteners

As the name suggests, artificial sweeteners are synthesized and do not originate in natural sources. Originally used to sweeten foods and beverages without adding calories, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are not healthy for the body, and they can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome. Even though these are actually marketed to people on the keto diet, we recommend avoiding them for an overall healthier body.

Sugar Alcohols

Derived from sugar, sugar alcohols typically contain half the amount of calories as white sugar. They are comprised of sugar and alcohol molecules, and they act like dietary fiber. The most common types of sugar alcohols include glycerol, maltitol, erythritol, and sorbitol/glucitol.

Natural Sweeteners

Unlike artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners are derived from natural plant sources. The most popular natural sweeteners include raw honey, monk fruit, grade A 100% maple syrup, coconut sugar, and stevia. Not all of these sugars are low in carbohydrates, meaning that only a select few are keto-friendly.

One last thing to remember is that one must aim to only consume 20-30 grams of net carbs per day to remain in ketosis. You can keep your net carb intake down by eating high fiber foods like non-starchy vegetables. Try these keto-approved sweeteners to keep your body in ketosis.

Stevia

Stevia is considered to be a nonnutritive sweetener, meaning that it contains little to no carbs or calories. It contains about 5 grams of net carbs per 100 grams, which is a lot of stevia. You probably will never use that much at once in your life. This is because a little goes a long way, due to the fact that stevia is 200-400 times sweeter than cane sugar. Not all stevia products are created equal, so opt for the most natural products when available.

Monk Fruit

Extracted from the monk fruit, monk fruit sweetener contains powerful antioxidants known as mogrosides. These antioxidants can help stimulate the release of insulin, which may improve the elimination of sugar out of the bloodstream, aiding healthy blood sugar management. It is a keto-friendly sweetener that has a glycemic index (GI) of zero, yet it is 300-400 times sweeter than cane sugar. When you purchase monk fruit extract, make sure that it isn’t mixed with molasses or can sugar, because that can increase that calorie and carb content.

Yacon Syrup

Yacon syrup is naturally derived from the root of the yacon plant. Containing a high percentage of prebiotics, yacon syrup works to increase beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. It measures as 1 on the GI scale, and can be found in many health food stores, as well as online. When using it, you only need about a teaspoon.

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Did the ketogenic diet scare you away from eating fruit? Despite what you may have read, keto-approved fruit is a real thing. The keto diet does not make you to say goodbye to fruit forever, but it is integral to know that not all fruits are keto-friendly.

Many fruits have a high fructose content, and fructose is a big “no no” for people trying to remain in ketosis. Excess fructose is metabolized by the liver, which turns it into fat that typically gets stored in the abdominal area. Fructose-rich fruit need to be omitted from the keto diet in order to avoid blood sugar spikes, which releases insulin (also known as the fat storage hormone). You don’t want your body retaining fat if you are trying to kick it into ketosis.

Why Must You Limit Sugar?

Processed sugar and sugar in fruit are far from the same thing. Sugar is a carbohydrate, and the goal is to drastically limit carbohydrates on the keto diet. Excess sugar consumption can lead to blood sugar spikes, causing you to crave foods you are trying to avoid on keto. Sugar has the ability to trigger the reward and craving areas in the brain, similar to the effects of addictive drugs.

While high-sugar fruits like bananas, apples, mangos, watermelon, and peaches should be avoided on keto, not all fruits are bad. Yes, fruit must be limited, but it is not forbidden to eat certain low-sugar fruits. The important thing is keeping track of your net carb intake. Remaining in ketosis means that carbs should only comprise 5-10% of your total caloric intake each day. You calculate your net carbs be subtracting fiber from total carbs. There is no reason to count fiber on keto because it doesn’t impact blood glucose levels. That’s why you pay attention to net carbs. Now that you know all that, let’s explore the best keto fruits.

Avocados

Avocados probably have fewer carbs than any other fruit. They should be a staple in every keto person’s diet because of the healthy fats, minerals, fiber, protein, and vitamins they contain. When you consider that half of a medium avocado only has one gram of net carbs, you can see why it is the ultimate keto fruit.

Olives

With only one gram of carbs per 100 grams, olives were made to be on the keto fruit list. Olives, specifically extra virgin olive oil, contain heart-healthy fats that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Olives are also beneficial for bone health!

Blackberries

Blackberries are rich in powerful antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation and fight free radicals in the body. They contain 4.9 grams of carbs per 100 grams and they actually lower blood glucose levels. Make sure to include blackberries in your keto diet!

Tomatoes

The great thing about tomatoes is that you can include them in myriad recipes. They are rich in micronutrients and contain a cancer-fighting carotenoid known as lycopene. They only contain 2.7 grams of carbs per 100 grams!

Star Fruit

This tropical fruit is not always available, but you should get your hands on it when it is. Rich in powerful antioxidants and electrolytes, star fruit contains 4.2 grams of carbs per 100 grams. It is amazingly delicious and is a great source of vitamin C.

Coconut

If you have been on keto for a while, you should already have coconut oil or coconut milk stocked in your pantry. Coconut is the perfect ingredient for fat bomb recipes, and it is useful for making low-carb snacks. Coconut meat contains only 6.25 grams of carbs per 100 grams, and it is rich in medium-chain triglycerides, which the body uses for instant energy production.

Other Keto-Approved Fruits

• Lemons & Limes
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Gooseberry
• Blueberries

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