Kelly LeVeque On Sugar, The Ketogenic Diet & Weighing What You Want (2024)

FAQs

How much sugar is allowed in keto? ›

One of the main principles of the keto diet is to limit carbohydrate intake, which includes sugar. However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much sugar you can have on keto. Limiting your sugar intake to 20 to 30 grams daily or less is recommended to stay in ketosis.

In conclusion, sugar can kick you out of ketosis and prevent your body from burning fat for energy. If you're following a ketogenic diet, it's important to limit your intake of sugar and opt for keto-friendly sweeteners. This will help you to reach your weight loss or health goals and maintain optimal health.

Here are the basics. The keto diet aims to force your body into using a different type of fuel. Instead of relying on sugar (glucose) that comes from carbohydrates (such as grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits), the keto diet relies on ketone bodies, a type of fuel that the liver produces from stored fat.

In order to remain in ketosis, the body must be using ketone for energy. Ketone are produced when the body processes fats. In thus proces, insulin is also reduced significantly. 1 teaspoon of sugar is not from a fat source, will raise insulin and creates conditions not suitable for ketosis to occur.

Net carbs are calculated by taking the total grams of carbohydrate in a food and subtracting the amount of fiber. In this case, popcorn contains 6 grams of carbs per 1 cup serving and 1.2 grams of fiber, bringing the net carbs per serving to 4.8 grams. Yes friends, popcorn is indeed a keto food.

As do coffee and tea with added sweeteners. “While unsweetened coffee and tea are generally acceptable on a keto diet, adding sweeteners such as sugar or honey can increase the carb content and disrupt ketosis,” offers Winnifred.

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

Not following accepted ketogenic diet guidelines can disrupt ketosis because carbs are the body's preferred energy source. If your carb intake is too high, carbs may be used for fuel instead of ketone bodies, which is the main source of fuel during ketosis.

Honey is 100% carbohydrate, so it isn't part of the keto diet plan. For reference, one tablespoon of honey contains 17.2 grams of sugar. If you want to kick yourself out of ketosis, honey is a good way to do that.

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

What is a keto substitute for sugar? ›

Allulose, monk fruit, stevia, and erythritol are all keto sweeteners that taste and bake like sugar, without the negative health impacts. In fact, these low-carb sweeteners (all of which can be found right here at Splenda) have health benefits. You'll feel good about eating your keto cookie.

As mentioned earlier, a minimum intake of 50g of carbohydrates per day and 20g of sugar is allowed on a keto diet. Ideally, the sugar intake should be 0g. However, as long as you limit or maintain a balance between carbs and sugar consumption, your blood glucose level will remain within the limit.

Strictly speaking, any amount of calories will break a fast. If a person follows a strict fasting schedule, they should avoid any food or drinks containing calories.

For reference, 50 grams of sugar is equivalent to about 4 tablespoons of table sugar or a little less than what is in a 20 oz cola! Before you raid your pantry, 50 grams a day isn't as challenging as you may think!

30 grams of white refined sugar is 2 tablespoons (tbsp). You may also be interested in my blog about salt, which includes a picture of what 6g of salt looks like.