How Many Net Carbs On Keto Should You Consume?
Seeing those extra inches on your body is not a great feeling. You’re probably tired of sucking in your tummy every time you dress up for an event. Or look at those bad medical reports.
But the good news is – that you can shed all those extra kilos by jumping on the Keto bandwagon. All you need is an eye on how many net carbs on Keto you can eat.
In this article, we’re going to talk about what are net carbs, how many net carbs are allowed on a Keto diet, and a simple formula to calculate net carbs.
We also have for you, a list of superfoods that have little-to-no carbs in them and what you can do to make sure you don’t consume more carbs than allowed. So, let’s get started.
What Is A Keto Diet?
A keto diet is essentially a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims at making fats the primary energy source instead of carbohydrates.
It focuses on depriving the body of the major source of energy – glucose. When this happens, the stored fat creates an alternative fuel called Ketones (thus the word “Keto”).
What Are Net Carbs?
Net carbs are the carbohydrates that the body can fully digest and convert to glucose.
A similar term you often see on labels is Total Carbs.
Total carbohydrates and net carbs vary in that total carbs include all of the different types of carbs in a dish or meal. Starches, nutritional fiber, and sugars are among them.
But you should know, your body does not utilize all of the nutrients you consume. Some carbohydrates, such as fiber and sugar alcohols, are difficult for your body to break down and absorb entirely. They do not get digested and travel through your body.
How To Calculate Net Carbs?
When we remove the undigested amount of carbs from Total carbs, we get Net carbohydrates.
Here’s a simple formula:
Net carbs = Total carbs – Fiber – Sugar alcohols
Why Is It Important To Calculate Net Carbs?
Eating too many carbohydrates on a Keto diet might cause your body to get kicked out of Ketosis.
By calculating net carbs for each food, you’ll have a better understanding of how many carbohydrates you’re eating in a day. It also helps you choose food for your diet. Plus, it makes you aware of your fiber intake.
How Many Net Carbs on Keto Should You Consume?
Ideally, you should eat as low as 20 g of net carbohydrates per day, or 5-10% of your total calorie intake, on a normal Ketogenic diet. But the “correct” quantity of net carbohydrates is entirely up to your body. For some, it can even 50g. (1)
Once you know how many net carbs on a Keto diet your body can take, you can easily keep track of the amount that you’re consuming and wait for the rewarding Keto diet benefits. But first, let’s understand what exactly are net carbs.
5 Foods With Little-To-No Carbs
You should be able to keep your blood sugar within acceptable levels while fueling your body with critical vitamins and minerals if you choose your carbs correctly. This list will help. But be careful because if you snack on these low-carb foods in excess without considering the net carbs on the Keto diet, you may create trouble for yourself.
1. Leafy Greens
Spinach is a low-carb vegetable that is simple to integrate into your meals. If you don’t like spinach in salads, freeze baby spinach and use it whenever you want to fry eggs or make a green smoothie. A cup of spinach has 1.1 g of total carbohydrates and 0.4 g of net carbs.
2. Strawberries
Strawberries are a great addition to your Keto diet. A cup of sliced strawberries contains more than 3 g of fiber and roughly 9 g of net carbs. (2)
Simple sugars make up most of the net carbohydrates in strawberries, with glucose and fructose being the most common. Fructose does not elevate blood glucose quickly and is not harmful to one’s health in fewer amounts.
Strawberries also have a considerable quantity of fiber, which is great for digestion.
3. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are perfect if you’re looking for a low-carb, high fiber option. A 100g of chia seeds has about 42 g of carbohydrates, 34g of fiber, 30 g of fat, and 16 g of protein. (3)
They are an excellent source of healthy fats, so you need to include them in your diet. However, chia seeds’ net carb content is slightly higher (7.7g per 100g). So consume it in small amounts.
4. Meat
The Keto diet calls for chicken and other forms of meat as a staple.
Fresh meat has no carbohydrates and is high in B vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in high-quality protein, which may help you maintain muscle mass on a low-carb diet.
5. Eggs
Eggs are one of the richest sources of proteins and are very low in carbs. They can also keep blood sugar levels constant and boost weight reduction by making you feel fuller for longer.
A 100g of eggs provides 14.1 g of protein, 9.6 g of fat, and very few carbs.
How To Make Sure You Don’t Eat More Carbs Than Allowed
1. Avoid junk food.
On a low-carb diet, junk snacks can be terrible. Avoid packaged snacks unless they originate from whole-food sources, such as fruit and nuts bars. Regular dry, packaged snacks, contain flour, sugar, or refined starchy components, that may ruin the diet for you.
2. Stay hydrated.
If you have enough fluids in your body, you will avoid electrolyte imbalance and stay energized for longer. This means you will crave less unhealthy or carb-rich foods.
But when it comes to hydration, water should be your first option. Beverages such as soda, are high in calories and sugar but lack nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
If water isn’t interesting enough for you, go with Keto-friendly energy drinks.
3. Use “the plate” method.
It’s really simple to consume more than you require without even realizing it. The plate technique is a straightforward, visual way to ensure that you consume enough non-starchy veggies and lean protein while reducing your intake of higher-carb meals.
Take a 9-inch plate and fill half of it with non-starchy veggies, one quarter with proteins, and the remaining quarter with carbs.
Remember how many net carbs on Keto your body can take and add your favorite low-carb foods.
4. Cut down on sugar.
Some carb sources will be easy to notice, but others, particularly those derived from sugar, may be more difficult to detect. Added sugar is sometimes present in places that are generally savory rather than sweet, such as salad dressing.
So, keep a close eye on the labels and avoid sugar.
The Final Words
Following a Keto diet plan doesn’t have to be dull and difficult. With a few dietary changes here and there, you can enjoy your meals and have a healthy lifestyle. The net carbs play a crucial role if you really want the Keto diet benefits.
Knowing how many net carbs you can consume and how to calculate them, you can make the transition to a Ketogenic diet much smoother.
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