The keto diet limits the intake of carbohydrates and replaces them with fats. Which leads to the body entering a state of ketosis, where the energy necessary for the body to perform its various functions is obtained by burning fat stored in the body instead of burning sugar found in carbohydrates. What is the amount of carbs in keto ? Learn about this in the following article.
When a person consumes carbohydrates, the body converts those carbohydrates into sugar, which the body’s cells use to obtain energy. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates eaten makes the body depend on burning fat for energy. As a result, glucose levels in the body decrease. . and this leads to:
- Losing excess weight by reducing the feeling of hunger and increasing the metabolic rate.
- Controlling type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin resistance.
A person who follows the keto diet eats foods that contain high levels of fat, moderate levels of proteins, and very low levels of carbohydrates. It is important to know the amount of carbs in keto in order to adhere to the amount of carbohydrates allowed in keto.
Why should the amount of carbs be controlled on keto?
A female who follows the keto diet must consume 40 to 50 grams of protein per day, while a male must consume 50 to 60 grams of protein per day, meaning that in general a person must consume up to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day to maintain the body. In ketosis and continuing to burn fat.
However, different keto diets vary in the amount of carbohydrates allowed in keto, as well as the amount of protein and fats allowed as follows:
- Standard ketogenic diet:
70% of a person’s intake is fat, 20% is protein, and 10% is carbohydrates.
- High protein ketogenic diet:
In general, 60% of a person’s intake is fat, 35% is protein, and 5% is carbohydrates.
- Cyclic ketogenic diet:
There is a cycle of 5 low-carb days and 2 high-carb days.
The amount of carbs in keto varies depending on the type of diet followed. But experts who recommend ketogenic diets tend to recommend the standard keto diet as the subject of many studies and research.
How to calculate the amount of carbs on keto
Knowing the amount of carbohydrates in different foods is important for anyone following the keto diet , and anyone can calculate the number of net carbohydrates in a meal by subtracting the amount of fiber from the total number of carbohydrates.
If the food is processed, a person should also subtract half of the alcohol content from the sugar. These amounts are included on food labels, and here’s how to calculate them in more detail:
- Net carbs
They are also called digestible carbohydrates because the body is able to absorb them. To calculate the number of net carbohydrates in a meal, you subtract the fiber content from the total carbohydrates, and if the food is processed, we also subtract half the sugar content from the alcohol.
- Total carbohydrates
These are all the carbohydrates in a serving of food, including the kind that the body can’t completely digest and turn into glucose for energy.
- Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and therefore cannot be converted into glucose and the body does not store it and use it for energy. The amount of fiber is usually included in the total carbohydrate count, but not in the net carbohydrate count.
- Sugar alcohol
Not all sugar alcohols are digested by the body, so their effect on blood sugar levels is less than that of regular sugar. Some examples of sugar alcohols include:
- Hydrogenated starch
- Mannitol
- Sorbitol
- Isomalt
- xylitol
- Maltitol
- Lactitol
In order to calculate the number of net carbohydrates in processed foods, a person also needs to subtract half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates.
Low-carb foods
We will learn about the amount of carbs in keto by knowing how many net carbs various foods contain. Subtracting fiber and half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates in these foods.
- Fresh meat and fish
These foods form a large part of the keto diet , because they do not contain carbohydrates and are good sources of proteins and other nutrients. This is a list of meat and fish that can be eaten on the keto diet:
- veal.
- Lamb.
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Oysters
- salmon
- Tuna
- cod
- Sardines
- Eggs, dairy products and cheese
The amount of carbohydrates in these foods is as follows:
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| eggs | 0.76 grams |
| Cheddar cheese | 2.44 grams |
| Greek yogurt | 3.98 grams |
Cheese contains a low amount of carbohydrates but is high in fat, which makes it a good choice on the keto diet, as 100 grams of cheddar cheese contains 2.44 grams of carbohydrates and 34 grams of fat.
- Vegetables
Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, are low in carbohydrates and rich in magnesium, protein, vitamin C and antioxidants. This is the amount of carbohydrates in some vegetables
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| Broccoli | 4.04 grams |
| Cauliflower | 2.97 grams |
| Kale | 0.32 grams |
| Courgettes | 2.11 grams |
| Eggplant | 2.88 grams |
| Spinach | 1.43 grams |
- the fruit
Fruit contains high levels of sugar, so it is preferable to reduce the amount of fruit eaten and replace it with vegetables, as this is the amount of carbohydrates found in low-carb fruits.
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| Avocado | 1.83 grams |
| tomatoes | 2.69 grams |
| raspberry | 5.44 grams |
| Yellow melon | 7.36 grams |
- Nuts and seeds
This is the amount of carbohydrates in seeds:
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| Brazil nuts | 4.24 grams |
| Walnut | 6.63 grams |
| Almonds | 10.03 grams |
| Hazelnut | 7.00 grams |
| Flax seeds | 1.58 grams |
Foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates
Products containing wheat, such as rice, pasta and cereals, are high in carbohydrates. Therefore, a person following the keto diet should avoid them. Here’s the amount of carbohydrates in high-carb foods
- High-carb vegetables
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| potato | 16.17 grams |
| Turnip | 13.09 grams |
| Beetroot | 6.76 grams |
| Maize | 16.70 grams |
| carrots | 6.78 grams |
- High carbohydrate fruits
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| Apples | 11.41 grams |
| Pear | 12.13 grams |
| the banana | 20.24 grams |
| Mango | 13.38 grams |
- Nuts, beans and legumes
| foods | Net carbs per 100 grams |
| Cashews | 24.97 grams |
| Hummus | 16.80 grams |
| Beans | 10.75 grams |
| Lentils | 52.65 grams |
It is more important to know the amount of carbohydrates in different foods than to know the amount of carbs in keto, and this allows optimal adherence to the keto diet and obtaining the various health benefits associated with it.
