The ketogenic diet has gained significant popularity for its potential to help individuals shed excess weight, boost energy, and enhance overall well-being. But how strictly do you have to follow it in order to see those benefits—especially when it comes to sugar?
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the intricacies of sugar on the ketogenic diet, helping you make your own decision about what role you want sugar to play in your keto lifestyle.
The Sugar Conundrum
Sugar, in its various forms, is the very essence of carbohydrates. Consuming sugary foods and beverages can rapidly spike your blood sugar levels, leading to insulin release. For someone on a ketogenic diet, this poses a challenge, as excess insulin can hinder the production of ketones and prevent you from achieving or maintaining ketosis.
This is one of the key reasons that sugar is avoided on keto. But let’s take a closer look at different types of sugar and their impact on ketosis:
1. Table Sugar (Sucrose)
This common household sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. Due to its high carbohydrate content, it’s best to avoid table sugar on a keto diet.
2. Natural Sugars
Sugars found naturally in whole foods, like fruits, are accompanied by fiber and nutrients that can slow down their absorption. While many fruits are restricted on keto due to their carb content, small portions of berries can fit into a well-planned ketogenic diet.
3. Added Sugars
These are sugars incorporated into processed foods and beverages. Reading labels for hidden sugars in products like sauces, dressings, and even seemingly healthy snacks is important.
4. Sugar Alcohols
Some sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol are commonly used as keto-friendly sweeteners. They have minimal impact on blood sugar and can be used in moderation, if you choose to include them in your plan. Some ketonians choose to avoid sugar alcohols because they experience some GI issues, or they find anything sweet triggers unhealthy habits.
5. Other Keto Sweeteners
Popular sweeteners include sucralose (which we use in Keto Chow), monk fruit, and stevia. So there are plenty of options for satisfying that sweet tooth while sticking to your keto plan!
Remember, it’s not just about what you’re excluding from your diet, but the healthy and delicious options you’re embracing on your keto journey.
Need a sugar-free keto meal?
Then check out Keto Chow! Keto Chow is a low-carb shake with 1/3 of your daily recommended nutrients. Not only that, but it can also be made in seconds, so you can save yourself time on meal prep! Choose from over 30 delicious flavors.
