The keto diet is an almost no-carb, high-fat diet. But, how many carbs on keto should you consume? You have to be careful, as even a little extra carb consumption can prevent the body from entering ketosis and prevent you from burning fat effectively. Dr. Michael Rogowski, a senior nutrition scientist, says, “These diets are not synonymous with the more typical “low carb” diets that usually allow up to 30% or so of total dietary calories from carbohydrates. There is no slack in Keto for extra carbs.” Naturally, two things come to mind — how many carbs to consume per day while on keto and what low-carb foods are safe to consume. Scroll down for the answers to these questions and a keto calculator.
In This Article
What Is The Keto Diet And Why Is The Carb Limit Important?
Dr. Carly James, Ph.D, says, “A Keto diet tries to create the state of ketosis where the body uses fat as its primary fuel source in place of carbohydrates. It does this by reducing the number of carbs you eat, so the body is forced to stop relying on glucose and start using fat (1).”
The carb limit in Keto diet is of utmost importance to keep your body in a fat-burning state. Dr. Michael Rogowski, Senior Nutrition Scientist, says, “High fat and low carbohydrate diet is designed to keep the amount of available carbohydrate in the body low enough to shift the metabolism towards ketosis. It is a metabolic process that allows the body to create metabolites from fat called ketone bodies. These ketone bodies function as nutrients for the brain and neural tissue that otherwise heavily rely on carbohydrates for their energy needs (2).”
He further explains, “Despite being a restrictive diet, many people lose weight with a keto diet. This is due to a combination of the increased metabolic cost associated with ketogenesis (ketone synthesis) and gluconeogenesis (conversion of amino acids, lactate, and pyruvate to glucose) in the liver (3), in addition to the appetite suppressive effects of increased levels of ketone bodies.”
Key Points: The ketogenic diet primarily uses fat as fuel, which happens when you lower your carb intake to a minimum. According to the National Lipid Association Nutrition and Lifestyle Task Force, a very-low-carbohydrate diet may help suppress appetite and lead to weight loss (4). Also, a report from the American Diabetes Association concludes that this diet aids in diabetes control (5). Now, the question is, what is the maximum limit of carbs you can consume while on a keto diet? Let’s find out.
How Many Carbs To Consume On The Keto Diet?
The keto diet allows about 20-50 grams of carbs per day (6). The complete breakdown of the macros is 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 10-20% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrate.
But there are several versions of the keto diet with variations in the carb content. To make it a true success, learn how to calculate your net carbohydrate intake. While 20-50 grams of carbs seem enough, given the high-carb lifestyle most of us are used to, the keto diet can seem restrictive in the initial stages. Hence, it is important to learn how to calculate your net carbs to consume nutritious and fiber-rich foods while following a low-carb diet.
Also, it is important to know whether your body can achieve ketosis at 20, 30, 40, or 50 grams of carbs. Usually, it differs from person to person. Why? Scroll down to find the answer.
Individual Carb Limit: Why Is It Different For Everyone?
The keto carb limit is 20-50 grams per day. To be more specific and scientific, the carb limit is 35 grams of total carbs and 25 grams of net carbs. Total carbs include fiber, starch, and sugar alcohols. Net carbs consist only of carbohydrates absorbed by your body, calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbs.
Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fiber |
For ketosis to kick in, you need to limit your net carb intake to 20 grams per day. However, you can also go into ketosis at 35 grams of net carbs per day. How do you find your carb limit? Find out in the following section.
How To Find Your Carb Limit
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If you are a beginner, your net carb limit would be 20 grams per day. It is sufficient for ketosis to start kicking in. However, there are a few factors that determine the individual carb intake:
- Body’s metabolism
- Workout routine
- How long you have been on keto
- Sleep
- Types of carbs you consume
- Stress levels
The best way to go forward is to stick to 20-30 grams of carbs for the first three months. Here’s a keto calculator to know how much carbs you should consume.
Stylecraze SaysIf you are a beginner, it is best to start familiarizing yourself with the labels on food items to keep a tab on the types and amounts of fats, carbs, and fiber you are consuming.
