Carbs on Keto

#1

Hi - new member here who started the keto diet 5 weeks ago. I bought the Keto Mojo ketone/blood glucose monitor, and it’s been pretty helpful in tracking my progress and also how my body reacts to different foods. But I am wondering if it’s normal/accurate for my ketone level to maintain at a steady 1-2 mmol/L (tested every day in the morning during fasted state, and even at times before bed when I felt I had gotten too close to my daily carb limit that day), even when I’ve recently started incorporating foods like paleo granola, frozen paleo waffles (Birch Benders), and even some gluten-free bread (Little Northern Bakehouse millet & chia). I’m still staying under 50 net carbs a day even when I do eat them, since they’re all under 10-15 or so net carbs each per serving, but I went into the “experiment” expecting my ketone levels to drop significantly and was pleasantly surprised when they didn’t.

So is that normal, or is the Keto Mojo just not as reliable as I thought and I should drop these foods immediately because they could hurt my results on the diet? For some background, I’m 29 years old, was 165 pounds going in (5’9") and had a fairly sentient lifestyle with very low energy levels which was my main reason for trying keto. Down to 157 pounds now - was a mess Week 1, started showing elevated blood ketone levels from Week 2 to 3 (4-5 mmol/L), which came down to a more reasonable 1-2 mmol/L in recent weeks even before I started eating more carbs in Week 5 (intake was below 20 grams a day prior to that) and a corresponding increase in energy.

(Jill F.) #2

I eat 20 net carbs or less a day. I am 5 ft 4, sit almost all day ar work, but I do exercise 4 to 5 times a week. I have lost 26 pounds so far and as many inches, so I think under 20 a day is working well for me. I eat meat, cheese, green veggies primarily.

(Alec) #3

Different people react to carbs in different ways. We say 20g limit on carbs as everyone will be in ketosis when they consistently limit carbs to this amount. But there are lots of folks that can stay in ketosis with a higher level of carbs (eg 50g) per day. It looks like you might be one of them. I would trust the monitor and if it says you have the ketones, believe it!

However, should you drop those foods, in my opinion, yes. Although I don’t know the specific foods, they sound processed? I have an aversion to any food that says it is paleo: by definition it must be processed. Best paleo food: meat from the butcher. Only label required: beef/pork/lamb/chicken/goat/alligator/roo (:joy:).

It sounds like your main goal is to up your energy levels rather than weight loss. In which case, personal experimentation is the way to go, and it sounds like this is exactly what you are doing. KCKO!

(Full Metal KETO AF) #4

Hi @rketoz welcome to the forum. So you’re still pretty young, weren’t overweight and just weren’t feeling the juice flowing through your veins. I think you’re doing the right thing at the right time for you.

I wouldn’t recommend the foods that you mention, simply because I’m not familiar with any of them. I favor a single ingredient approach to buying foods whenever possible. I don’t put a lot of trust in industrial produced foods. You can’t put a brand name on a real Paleo or Keto food I believe. That gives us control. You KNOW what’s in your food that way. I make some exceptions for bacon and cheese and a few keto friendly condiments.

But you seem to be staying in ketosis doing what you’re doing. Many of us have or had serious medical conditions we are dealing with from diabetes to heart disease and cancer, mental health and a myriad of other conditions. You are doing the right thing changing your diet now before the damage of living sets in. You might be fine with more carbs than many of us, if so enjoy them responsibly but stay with keto and the 30-40-50-60 carbs that you can tolerate and stay in ketosis and count yourself among the lucky ones metabolically. :cowboy_hat_face:

(less is more, more or less) #5

What they said.

The best thing about low-carb is you don’t need to buy processed foods. Everything you need is at your local grocer.

If “PALEO” or “KETO” is four-color printed on the label, increase your skepticism.

(Running from stupidity) #6

No matter what the colour!

(less is more, more or less) #7

Heh, “4-color” meaning “we’ve spent more on marketing than making a solidly healthy food.”

(Running from stupidity) #8

Yeah, but even if it’s on B&W I still agree you’re right :slight_smile:

(Cristian Lopez) #9

So I know a lot for “being a kid” around this.
Regardless of size, The human brain requires 20 grams of glucose a day by which your body produces (via gluconeogenisis path way) or diet. The way 20 grams of net carbs impacts the body is static for all human life regardless of size. Now, the grey area and theory that needs more study for exacts amounts is the
NPUT(excersize type/calories) = OUTPUT (calories burned/depletion of glycogen).
What is true, is that with enough activity, you can deplete your glycogen stores and hit that sweet spot for ketosis. Thing is that we dont have an equation for it sadly.

Thats the most “English” way I could put it to you.
In fin, I dont have a direct definitive answer.

*studies taken from Thomas Delauer, Logan Sneed, Frank Tufano, and Joe Rogan
Podcasts + USDA research"

#10

I don’t think a keto meter will help workout which food items on a bite by bite basis might push you out of ketosis - for that you’d need a Continuous Glucose Meter (CGM).

We are trying to avoid insulting overload, measuring carbs is an indirect approximation, measuring glucose is also indirect but if done continuously then its fairly representative of where your insulin levels would be. Measuring ketones is just too many levels of indirection.

High or lower numbers don’t correlate to “better” or “more ketosis”. Time of day matters, time after a meal matters, everyone is different … too many factors.

I use a keto meter but only look for zero or none-zero. I do not chase any particular idea of goodness. I discovered hidden carbs several times, I had indeed been knocked out. So I’m glad I have the meter…,

If I wanted to push the carb boundary and find out my personal carb threshold I’d get a GCM. Meantime I just stick to the rather pedestrian limit of 20g carbs. But may be I’m depriving myself of so many carbs I may have tolerated? it’s no great loss there’s no carb food I crave. No not even pizza. Maybe fruit? But if you eat to satiety and never hungry the temptation is not high.

(Running from stupidity) #11

I’m not.

(Rob Grantham) #12

Phinney et al recommend 50 or under to achieve nutritional ketosis. Obviously the more metabolically damaged you are the lower this number will be. As previously mentioned there are atheletes who can stay in ketosis at 100g. In my opinion It’s what works best for you and is sustainable as a way of life