Exogenous ketones as dessert?


#1

I know a lot has been written about exogenous ketones and I have also heard they are pretty useless. If anybody has a personal opinion/experience I am glad to hear it. I just wanted to mention this to those of us who are struggling with a yearning for something sweet at times and have trouble with the subsequent insulin reaction. I bought a chocolate flavoured powder some time ago which contains exogenous ketones, and when I put it in almond milk yesterday, I did not find my appetite enhanced afterwards. What I am thinking or imagining or supposing, is that perhaps this kind of sweet taste which includes ketones creates less of an insulin reaction? Maybe while ingesting ketones PLUS stevia/monkfruit, blood glucose levels do not come into play? Maybe those with a glucose meter might want to try it and see what happens? I just know if I eat sugar free jello- then BAM - I am dying of hunger later. With this stuff I am not. So I had a glass yesterday and woke up this morning totally hunger free and ready to fast again. I had my first meal a 3 pm. Its been a while since i felt this way. I have no idea however if this creates a weight stall as I have not weighed myself since I got this in the mail. But I am amazed to drink something that tastes like a chocolate milkshake and not be voracious afterwards -but quite the opposite - to be hunger free in the way I used to feel eating keto more strictly. So for those of us who struggle with this kind of insulin reaction to sweeteners- maybe if plus ketones- it doesnt create such hunger? I am not sure but just throwing this out there for feedback.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

The thing to bear in mind is that if your goal is nutritional ketosis, exogenous ketones are not going to magically put you into ketosis if you are still eating too much carbohydrate. Moreover, when you are eating a ketogenic diet, exogenous ketones are generally not necessary. So in most cases, you can save your money and not worry about taking them. However, if you find them helpful for whatever reason, I say, Why not?

However, if you are getting hungry between meals, you can safely increase your calorie count, whether by adding fat to your diet (you are probably already getting enough protein without worrying about it), or by adding exogenous ketones. Fatty acids and ketone bodies are both nutrients that will not stimulate insulin secretion (not beyond the absolutely minimal level necessary for life, at any rate). Remember that the point of a ketogenic diet is not actually the ketones, but the way it helps lower chronically elevated insulin levels.

P.S.—If you are using one of those diet apps, such as Cronometer, try setting the calorie level to Maintenance, rather than Weight-loss. In our experience, cutting calories too low causes the body to hang on to our fat store, because it assumes there is a famine going on. It takes an abundance of calories to convince the body to let go of our excess fat.


#3

One opinion I enjoyed went something like, “If I poured a bottle of sweat on myself, it doesn’t mean I had a great workout.”

But, if it something works for you…


#4

LOL!
I am not trying to trick myself into ketosis! :grin:
No my focus was just on the need for something sweet from time to time. I was just so surprised that i could fast today after having the keto " chocolate milk shake" plus ketones yesterday.
Like I said- usually if I have something sweet it makes me hungry- probably due to insulin secretion. Maybe if we have an excess of ketones the insulin reaction to fake sweet is suppressed? Maybe then any glucose in the bloodstream is not lowered which is what causes the hunger ( insulin) because the ketones are in abundance? Just guessing around here. Because it is astounding that I was ZERO hungry until late afternoon today.


(Jane) #5

Interesting!

I don’t think the other responders knew you meant you eat sugar-free stuff (so keto) and it makes you hungry. But adding the ketones has much different results.


#6

@Janie
Bingo. You understood me.:smile: Sugar free sweet stuff.