3 Frequently Asked Keto Questions Answered

Ready to embark on a ketogenic diet plan, but have a few questions that need clearing up first? Here are three that are commonly asked- get your answers below!

What is keto flu?

When you first embark on a ketogenic diet, you might find you feel a little under the weather for the first few days. There are a few reasons for this; primarily it’s because your body is switching over from burning carbohydrates as its main source of fuel, to tapping into burning your own body’s fat reserves. As your body becomes depleted of carbs you can feel a little lightheaded, nauseous or headachy. If you’ve previously had a very high carb diet then this may be more intense, but some people don’t experience any negative effects at all. Another reason could be as you’re withdrawing from sugar, as a result your body can send out strong cravings as it realises sugar levels are crashing. The good news is that these symptoms dont last long, and once your body switches over to a state of fat burning (ketosis) you’ll experience reduced appetite, less cravings and lots of other fantastic symptoms such as more energy and better sleep. If you’re considering going on a ketogenic diet, you could reduce your carb intake slowly over a few days if you’re worried about these symptoms. Or you could start when you know you have a couple of days that aren’t too busy- just arm yourself with some painkillers and drink plenty of water. 

How can I satisfy my sweet tooth on a ketogenic diet?

Keto foods are based around very savoury ingredients such as meat, eggs and fish, and you have to completely eliminate sugar. For this reason, traditional desserts and sweets are off the menu, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still satisfy your sweet tooth. If you search things like Keto fudge recipe, keto cake or keto cookies you’ll find that by replacing ingredients like flour and sugar with approved alternatives that there are some clever hacks out there. You can also buy keto approved protein bars which give you a chocolatey tasting fix if you want something quick and aren’t the best at baking. Just be sure to count your carbs, and practice moderation as you’ll want to focus on mainly whole foods while you’re on plan. 

What drinks are allowed? 

It’s recommended that you drink plenty of water on keto, it can aid in the fat eliminating process and is good for general health. But alongside this, there are some other drinks you can have to make life a bit more interesting. Teas including white tea, green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh, are keto friendly- the trick is to avoid fruit teas and anything with extra carbs or sugars added. Black coffee is also keto friendly so good news if you need your caffeine fix. While dairy milk tends not to be classed as a keto ingredient due to the natural sugars, some people do add a dash to their drinks so if you do, just be sure to keep count of your carbs. Almond milk is a good alternative, and you could even add a sweetener tablet if you prefer your hot drinks a little sweeter. Diet fizzy drinks can be a nice treat when you’re on keto and won’t affect your plan, although for general health reasons it’s worth keeping them to a minimum. Again, avoid fruit varieties and go with options like cola instead.