When starting a ketogenic diet, one of the questions is how many carbs can you eat and still stay in ketosis. It’s a question that many people ask themselves- how much carbs can I eat and stay in ketosis? It’s important to know the answer because if you go over your carb limit, it will kick you out of ketosis. This article is all about how many carbs per day on keto and how many carbs will kick you out of ketosis. We’ll also discuss a great tool for calculating your carb intake!
What is ketosis and why does it matter
Ketosis is a state that occurs when people don’t eat enough carbohydrates. It’s characterized by low blood sugar levels and high ketone bodies – which are produced in the liver from fatty acids. Ketones, or ketone bodies, are what give this metabolic state its name as they can act as an alternative fuel source to glucose – the body’s usual fuel source.
Many people follow a ketogenic diet to lose weight or get their energy from fat instead of sugar, which is why low-carb diets are often employed for those who want to enjoy foods like bacon and avocados while still getting results. But how many carbohydrates can you eat before being kicked out of ketosis? The answer may surprise you!
When Should I Eat Carbs if I’m on a Low-Carb Diet
If you’re following keto, your carbs will typically be below 20g per day. That said, there are a few occasions where it’s ok to eat some extra carbs (usually anywhere from 20-50g). For example: when training for a marathon or race; during the first week of keto-adaptation while transitioning off sugar and starches; if blood sugars have been high for long periods of time with no explanation other than genetic predisposition but otherwise healthy; if eating all vegetables becomes too difficult due to budget or personal circumstances. It is also possible that someone who usually eats around 40-60% carbs in their diet might need more carbohydrate calories after an illness, infection, injury etc., which would result in them eating more carbs than usual. Lastly, if you’re pregnant and/or breastfeeding then it’s important to pay attention to your needs for additional carbohydrates because this can vary from person to person based on size, activity level etc., as well as how long they plan to breastfeed.
How many carbs can I eat in a day while still staying in ketosis
You can eat different amounts of carbs each day while staying in ketosis. The amount will depend on your activity level, weight goals and other factors like whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
The following guidelines are for a person who has less than 25 pounds to lose: 14-30 grams per day if you have just started the diet; 20-35 grams per day if you’ve been eating low carb/keto without excessive exercise for some time (meaning not losing any more weight); 30-50 grams per day if exercising vigorously every day such as running, biking etc.; 40-70+ grams per day with an athlete training schedule that entails daily long slow cardio sessions interspersed with high-intensity interval workouts spread throughout the week.
Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding the number of carbs you should eat each day:
– Your activity level – How many hours per week of exercise do you engage in? Low, medium or high intensity; how often and for how long? The more intense your workouts, the higher your carb intake will need to be. If you’re not very active daily at all (very few low impact exercises like walking), then 30 grams per day may be enough even with an athlete’s training schedule. Remember that ketosis does allow people to have a lot less appetite so this means there might be room for other vegetables which can help offset any cravings for starchy foods.
The difference between net carbs and total carbs
Net Carbs
The net carbs (also called effective carbohydrates) are the number of carbs that impact your blood sugar levels. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fibre, fructose and sugars from the total carbohydrate content in a food item. This means that you can eat plenty of foods such as vegetables without worrying about going out of ketosis or getting kicked out due to a high carb count because the net carb value for these items is zero.
Total Carbs
In contrast, Total Carbohydrates includes all types of carbohydrates including those which don’t have any effect on your blood sugar levels like dietary fibres and certain sugars. For example, if there are 30g glucose and 25g fibre then this would be considered 45 grams of total carbohydrates but only 15 grams of net carb.
Keto Diet Carb Calculator
One way to calculate how much carbs a person should be eating on a keto diet with their desired macronutrient ratio (macros) would be through the use of an online calculator. For example, if your preferred macronutrients are 50% Fat/35% Protein/15% Carbs then this means that your daily caloric intake will need to be 2300 calories and 445g Net Carbs which translates into 131 grams of total carbohydrates but only 59 grams net carbs. It’s important not to go over the allotted amount of carbs for the day because this will cause your body to break down ketones into glucose which can disrupt ketosis and prevent weight loss.
Carbohydrates that are allowed on the keto diet
The ketogenic diet is usually a low-carb, high protein and fat-based diet. For most people on this type of diet, the goal is to stay below 20 grams of carbs per day to remain in ketosis. This level of carbohydrates will be enough for you which will help burn your body’s fats as fuel instead of glucose (blood sugar). Some people may find that they need even less than 20 grams but it depends on how many calories you are eating each day and what kinds of foods you eat. The fewer calories or more protein/fatty foods eaten, the lower the amount of carb intake we can have without kicking ourselves out of ketosis.
Carbs that are allowed:
– Vegetables: Veggies are the best sources of low carb and high fibre. You can eat as many veggies as you want without worrying about how many carbs they contain. They will keep your body from storing fat because most vegetables have a lot of water content which makes them great for filling up on!
Vegetables that ketogenic dieters should use include broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, cucumbers and peppers (capsicum).
Types of carbohydrates to avoid on the keto diet
– Sugars: all types, including high fructose corn syrup
– Starchy vegetables like potatoes and winter squash
– Legumes (beans)
– White rice
– Corn
– Refined flour products like bread and pastries
Conclusion
With the keto diet, it is important to know how many carbs you are eating and when. This includes understanding what counts as a carb, net carbs versus total carbs, and staying within your daily limit of carbohydrates for the day while still being in ketosis. Being in ketosis is a natural process that the human body initiates when carbohydrate intake is too low. We hope with this article, you now know how many carbs you should take to stay in ketosis.
