FAT LOSS

How To Improve Sleep On Keto [Keto Insomnia Remedies]

When starting a ketogenic diet, it's not uncommon to be suffering from a bit of “keto insomnia.” I've been there, and it wasn't fun at all.

After doing a bit of research, this is what I've been able to gather.

What causes insomnia on keto? A ketogenic diet mimics the metabolic effects of fasting. During fasting, the brain is tricked into thpinking that food has suddenly become scarce and ramps your body into overdrive to allow you to hunt and find food.

In this article, I will explain the mechanisms behind why keto might be keeping you up at night, a.k.a giving you keto insomnia. Not only will you learn why you may be having sleep troubles on keto, but how long it may last, what you can do in the meantime, and strategies to get back to sleeping like a baby.

Does Keto Affect Sleep?

A ketogenic diet affects people's sleep differently. One person may have improved sleep while another may have the complete opposite effect.

It's not a black or white answer, but the fact you're here means you may be part of the latter.

Without going too far off the deep end, fasting (complete abstinence of food) and ketogenic diets are metabolically very similar. The only difference between the two is that during a ketogenic diet, you get to eat food, and during fasting… well, you don't eat.

You can look at the two as ‘starvation ketosis' vs. ‘dietary ketosis.' A ketogenic diet mimics the metabolic effects of fasting, except while consuming food.

During starvation, your brain is tricked into thinking that food has suddenly become scarce. When food is low, your body ramps into overdrive to practically give you the energy to go out and hunt for food so you won't starve… it's a survival mechanism.

It's no wonder why some individuals have trouble sleeping while fasting or during the early stages of a ketogenic diet.

When fasting or starting a ketogenic diet, your body essentially activates its sympathetic nervous system, which is what is commonly referred to as the “fight or flight” part of your nervous system.

4 Additional Reasons You May Suffer From Keto Insomnia

While the keto-adaptation period may be an overarching factor to poor sleep when starting a ketogenic diet, there may also be other culprits.

Keto Flu

The keto flu is precisely as it sounds. Without “actually” having the flu, you may experience the same signs or symptoms you would typically have with the common influenza flu.

Nausea
Dizziness Headache
Lethargy
Runny nose

Many of the keto flu symptoms result from an electrolyte imbalance, most notably a lack of sodium and potassium in the diet.

To help combat the keto flu, you may want to increase your intake of potassium-rich vegetables such as leafy greens and make sure to add salt to your foods liberally.

Alternatively, you can supplement electrolytes with one of my below recommendations:

Or if you prefer a pill

Perfect Keto Electrolytes (Use code: AOK15 for 15% off your entire order)

Eating too little

One thing is sure: you need to be eating less than your body is burning to lose weight. However, many people who switch to a ketogenic diet feel so satiated, not hungry on keto, that they cut calories drastically.

While feeling full and satiated when attempting to lose weight is a great thing, it may result in you eating TOO LITTLE calories.

There is often a sweet spot in how fast you should lose weight when it comes to weight loss. It is usually recommended that individuals lose between 0.5% – 1.0% of total bodyweight per week.

Very overweight individuals may choose to lose between 1.0% – 2.0% of body weight per week, but the leaner you are, the more you should aim towards the lower end.

This means that an individual who weighs 200 pounds should aim for a weight loss of one to two pounds of weight loss per week. By losing weight in this manner, you put yourself in a better position to maintain muscle/lean mass and have a sustainable caloric deficit.

Eating too little can often lead to an increase in stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol during less than ideal times, such as during the nighttime.

If you find yourself waking abruptly in the middle of the night or a lot earlier than you would like to, your stress hormones may be a likely culprit.

Increase in stress

There are a lot of variables in life that can influence your body's stress response. While a certain amount of stress is good and causes our bodies to adapt, repeated stress can wreak havoc on your sleep.

The thing is, your body can't tell if you're running away from a lion or staying up late trying to file your taxes before the deadline. Your body perceives stress very much the same way no matter what it is that's causing it.

Besides eating too little, as mentioned above, people tend to gravitate towards different “hacks” to lose weight as fast as possible. In particular, individuals like to make complete lifestyle changes when it comes to losing weight.

It's not unheard of for someone to go from sedentary and eating your (SAD) Standard American Diet to following a ketogenic diet, beginning a new exercise routine, and then throwing in something like intermittent fasting on top of it.

Instead of trying to do everything at once, try to slowly introduce one new variable and get your body used to it before introducing another.

Waking up to pee

A common reason for interrupted sleep, especially within the first week of starting a ketogenic diet, is waking up frequently to urinate.

On average, the human adult stores ~500 grams of carbohydrates in their muscle and liver. For every gram of carbohydrate your body stores, an additional ~3 grams of water is stored with it.

When you begin to restrict carbohydrates, as with the case on a ketogenic diet, your body will start to use up their carbohydrate (glycogen) stores and begin to expel the tag-a-long water as a result.

This is why you may find yourself peeing more when starting a ketogenic diet and also notice a significant drop on the scale.

While there is only so much you can do to correct this, it's during this period that many electrolytes are flushed from your body. I would highly suggest supplementing with an electrolyte drink during the first week or two of starting a ketogenic diet.

Or if you prefer a pill

Perfect Keto Electrolytes (Use code: AOK for 15% off your entire order)

Is Insomnia A Sign of Ketosis?

I wouldn't quite put insomnia as a sign that you're in ketosis, but it might be. Besides, I wouldn't wear insomnia as a badge of honor of being in ketosis; there are many downsides to a lack of sleep.

One notable downside of not getting enough sleep is that it could derail your weight loss efforts through various mechanisms.

First, you're awake longer, which means more time to eat. Additionally, here are just a few other negatives when it comes to sleep and weight loss:

Digestion is effected
Poorer blood glucose control
Cravings for junk food increase
A larger proportion of weight loss from lean mass/muscle instead of fat.

How To Know You're In Ketosis Without Testing

While the only real way to know if you're in ketosis is via a blood ketone meter, there are other less costly methods such as urine test strips or tell-tale signs.

Purchase a blood ketone meter here Purchase keto urine test strips here

Let's forget insomnia as a sign if you're in ketosis or not. And, assuming you don't want to do a blood or urine test, here are a few other signs and symptoms you may be in ketosis.

Appetite suppression Keto flu
Keto breath
Increased focus

Can Lack Of Sleep Kick You Out Of Ketosis?

Lack of sleep is bad news, and at the very worst, not sleeping at the extreme end can lead to death.

Yes, death.

Fatal familial insomnia, while EXTREMELY rare, can be fatal.

But I digress.

Lack of sleep shouldn't impede your ability to get into ketosis, that is unless it causes you to eat carbohydrates.

Ketosis is a metabolic state that is achieved through extreme carbohydrate restriction. This also means that you DON'T need to eat tons of fat to get into or maintain a state of ketosis.

But I digress once again.

While lack of sleep shouldn't kick you out of ketosis, and I'd be surprised if it did, stranger things have happened.

How Long Does Keto Insomnia Last?

Let me first say that once you've become keto-adapted or ‘fat-adapted,' chances are that your sleep will naturally improve. However, this adaptation period can take anywhere from 3 weeks to a couple of months.

So, in the meantime, we need to find ways to help cure that keto insomnia of yours.

How To Improve Sleep On Keto

Now that we have all of those pesky questions out of the way, how can we get your sleep to improve?

Here are a few tips to help improve your sleep until you become keto-adapted.

How to sleep better on keto:

Nighttime carbs and/or foods rich in L-Tryptophan

By saving your carbohydrates for your last meal of the day, you may naturally increase serotonin. If you'd instead not do that, you can also increase foods that are rich in L-tryptophan, such as:

chicken
eggs
cheese
fish
turkey

L-tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, meaning it eventually becomes serotonin, as shown in the image below.

L-tryptophan -> 5-HTP -> Serotonin

Alternatively, it may be worth experimenting with a few more carbohydrates in your diet to see if it helps with sleep.

The few extra carbohydrates for a good night's rest will have a much bigger return on your weight loss effort.

Maintain a conducive sleep environment

What exactly is an environment that is conducive to sleep?

Avoid bright and blue light… or all light for that matter.

First, you can make sure that your room is dark (I'd suggest blackout curtains if that's an option). The hormone melatonin is released during the evening, but exposure to light during sleep AND even before sleep can suppress this hormone that helps us get to bed.

Another helpful accessory is blue-blocking glasses, which filter out blue light typically radiated from LED lights and electronic devices (cell phones, computers, televisions). I like to dawn mine at least 1-2 hours before I plan to snooze.

There are also apps for your computer, such as f.lux, or Apple's nightshift on your phone that will automatically decrease the blue light that your device emits.

Blue Blocking Glasses
Need something to fit over your glasses? I got you.
Fitover Blue Blocking Glasses

Cool down

Second, studies show that a room temperature of around 65°F (18.3°C) is optimal. While this may seem shocking at first, your body temperature naturally drops to prepare for sleep. If your body is too warm, you may have trouble falling and staying asleep.

Another helpful piece of advice is to take a warm/hot shower before bed.

Wait, you just said to cool down.

By taking a warm or hot shower, you're pulling the heat to the surface of your skin and away from your core, thus cooling it down.

Be quiet

The last puzzle piece for a conducive sleep environment is noise.

You don't want heavy metal blasting or people screaming while you're trying to sleep, or maybe you do? Earplugs can be a lifesaver if your environment is generally noisy around your bedtime.

On the other hand, some people may need noise, whether the television or ambient noise, so your mileage may vary (YMMV).

I love these ear plugs that mold to your ear

Purchase Ear Plugs Here.

Maintain a regular sleep schedule

Our bodies work on what's called your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm regulates your sleep-wake cycles and repeats every ~24 hours, and rests primarily by exposure to light.

Going to bed the same hour and waking up at the same time +/- 1-hour will help get your body into a rhythm and allow it to expect to get to bed at a specific time.

If you've given these ideas a fair shot, then we can move to some more shotgun approaches, a.k.a. supplementation.

Exercise earlier

While not always possible, it may be best to get your workout in at least two to three hours before attempting to hit the pillow.

As mentioned earlier, you want to try and cool down before getting ready for bed. Working out will temporarily increase your body temperature and may affect sleep if close to bedtime.

Limit caffeine intake in the afternoon

Caffeine is a part of almost everyone's life all across the globe. However, that morning or early afternoon cup of goodness may still be affecting your sleep long after you've consumed it.

The half-life of caffeine is around 6-hours. This means, after around 6-hours, half of that caffeine is still in your system. After 12-hours, there is still 25% of the caffeine in STILL your system.

If you have a problem falling or staying asleep, it's best to avoid caffeine entirely, or at least reserve it for the early part of the morning.

Alternatively, there's an ingredient called rutaecarpine that comes from the plant evodia rutaecarpa, which has been shown to help eliminate caffeine from the body at a faster rate.

Purchase rutaecarpine here.

Give yourself enough time to sleep

You might be thinking, duh… but bear with me for a second. If you know that you need 8 hours of sleep to feel good the next day, you have to allow yourself MORE than 8 hours to get the required amount of sleep.

You have to consider how long it takes you to fall asleep, if you have frequent awakenings, etc.

While it seems like it doesn't need to be said, you may have to give yourself 9 hours in bed to get 8 hours of sleep.

Always remember, you want quality over quantity sleep, but if you can get both then even better,

Keto Sleep Supplements To Try

While nutritional and lifestyle changes should always be implemented first, supplements can be a great way to act as a buffer or go-between until those take hold.

Sleep is contingent upon being in a relaxed, parasympathetic dominant state. Therefore, we want to facilitate the production of inhibitory neurotransmitters like serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) while reducing excitatory neurotransmitters' activity.

Melatonin

While I wouldn't recommend supplementing with melatonin regularly, sometimes it can help during stressful periods or when traveling and switching to a new timezone.

However, melatonin can sometimes leave you groggy or cause you to wake up too early. Additionally, many melatonin products available over the counter are notoriously under or overdosed.

To learn more about melatonin, you can read about it in the article I wrote on melatonin and ketosis.

Also to note, melatonin supplements are notorious for being severely under OR overdosed, it's always best to go with a third-party tested supplement.

Melatonin supplement I recommend

Magnesium

A lack of magnesium has been shown to impair sleep. A lack of magnesium can result in the excitatory neurotransmitters' abnormal activity, which is the opposite of what we want.

Supplementing magnesium has been shown to improve sleep quality, especially in the elderly, who tend to have relatively low magnesium intakes compared to younger people. 23

For sleep, in particular, I would recommend the glycinate version of magnesium.

Purchase magnesium glycinate Here.

Lavender

The scent lavendar has been shown to promote relaxation, alleviate insomnia, and even improve sleep quality.4567

Purchase lavender here.

GABA

GABA helps regulate many of the sedative actions in your brain tissue and is crucial for relaxation. In other words, it is involved in a wide range of activities intimate with the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).

Purchase GABA Here.

L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP

L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP are precursors to serotonin, which can also convert to melatonin. Depending on who you ask, they would tell you to supplement with either L-Tryptophan or with 5-HTP.

My best suggestion is to try both (not at the same time) and see which one has a more pronounced effect. Both supplements are looking to accomplish the same goal, so using both simultaneously is unnecessary.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is considered a cofactor to both serotonin and GABA. You can think of B6 as a “helper” that must be present before other enzymes can work their magic.

In this case, enough B6 must be present for enough serotonin and GABA to be produced.

I highly recommend this version of Vitamin B6. (P5P)

Zinc

Zinc deficiency is quite common in developing countries, but as much as 12% of the population and 40% of the elderly are zinc deficient.8

Similar to Vitamin B6, Zinc is a cofactor in the production of GABA.

If you're familiar with ZMA supplements, they are a combination of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6, which makes sense given the above recommendations.

However, many (most) ZMA supplements have less than ideal forms of the vitamins and minerals mentioned above.

Purchase Zinc Here.

How Keto Can Improve Sleep

We've gone on and on about how a ketogenic diet may cause insomnia and impair sleep.

BUT

A ketogenic diet may also improve your sleep over time, so instead of with the good comes the bad… with the bad comes the good.

Improved blood sugar control

If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night hungry, hence the term midnight snack, then you may have experienced what is known as hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.

Your blood sugar may have risen from a carbohydrate-based meal earlier on and plummeted during your sleeping hours, causing you to wake up looking for a bite to eat.

While following a ketogenic diet, you will have fewer highs and lows, meaning less of a chance you'll wake up due to a dip in blood sugar.

GABA and Glutamate

From the supplement section above, you now know how vital GABA production is and its role in relaxation and, thus, sleep.

A ketogenic diet has been shown to boost GABA levels in not only mice but humans as well.9

Weight loss

I'm assuming you're utilizing a ketogenic diet for weight loss, and that's great. Why? Because obese individuals tend to sleep less, wake up more, and feel less rested than non-obese individuals.10

People who lose weight typically see an improvement in sleep and sleep-related ailments such as sleep apnea.11

The Keto, Insomnia, and Sleep Takeaway

There are a variety of reasons that a ketogenic diet may cause you to have impaired sleep. A ketogenic diet and fasting (complete abstinence from food) are similar metabolically.

In times of fasting or limited food availability, the brain is tricked into thinking that food is scarce, and you sleep less due to different excitatory neurotransmitters and stress hormones being released.

Essentially, your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) part of your body is activated, thus leading to low quality and quantity of sleep.

There are also other reasons that a ketogenic diet may disrupt sleep, such as eating too little, an electrolyte imbalance, and frequent awakening due to increased urination.

While many of these symptoms and adaptations will alleviate themselves over time, you can expedite the process by making sure you're eating an adequate amount of food (and the right foods), practicing proper sleep hygiene, and possibly including some supplements.

19 Amazing Sugar Free-Syrup Brands [Keto Friendly]

I get it, what good is that keto-friendly pancake or waffle, in our case, a chaffle, without some syrup to top it off.

I'd almost venture to say I've tried every sugar-free syrup in existence, or at least what I could get my hands on, and here's what I've discovered.

What is the best sugar-free syrup for keto? While there is no “best” sugar-free syrup as that is relative to what you like in terms of sweetness and thickness, here are 19 of my favorite ones that are keto-friendly.

Stay tuned to find out the learn a bit more about sugar-free syrups, how they fit into your ketogenic diet, and the entire list with net carb count and sugar substitute used.

Are sugar-free syrups ok on a ketogenic diet?

You might be wondering if sugar-free syrups are ok on a ketogenic diet, and to answer that briefly, yes they are.

While sugar-free syrups are generally ok to include in moderation while following a ketogenic diet, they shouldn't be abused.

What do I mean by abuse? Well, sometimes people assume that just because something is “keto-friendly,” that gives you a free pass to consume them ad libitum (basically as much and as often as you like).

What people often fail to realize is that these products still contain calories, and consuming too much will begin to add up, causing fat loss to come to a screeching halt.

And we don't want that do we?

Consuming sugar-free syrups are ok on a ketogenic diet, but like anything… too much can be a bad thing.

19 sugar-free and keto-friendly syrups

Below is a list of the sugar-free and keto-friendly syrups I've come across along with their net carbs per serving and which sugar-free substitute they use.

Serving sizes vary, but they are generally between 1tbsp – 4tbsp.

Brand	Calories	Net Carbs	Sweetener
Walden Farms Pancake Syrup	0	0g	sucralose
Walden Farms Maple Walnut Syrup	0	0g	sucralose
Walden Farms Blueberry Syrup	0	0g	sucralose
Walden Farms Strawberry Syrup	0	0g	sucralose
Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup	25	1g	monk fruit
ChocZero Low Carb Maple Syrup	35	1g	monk fruit
All-U-Lose Natural Maple Syrup	2.68	0.32g	allulose
Pyure Organic Maple Syrup	70	4g	erythritol, stevia
Maple Grove Farms Vermont Sugar Free Syrup	5	1g	sorbitol, aspartame
Good Good Sweet Like Syrup Maple	50	1g	stevia
Cary's Sugar Free Syrup	15	1g	sorbitol, aspartame
Mrs. Butterworth's Sugar Free Syrup	20	0g	sorbitol, aspartame
Sukrin Maple Syrup	60	2g	sorbitol, erythritol, stevia
Smuckers Sugar Free Breakfast Syrup	10	0g	sorbitol, sucralose
KNOW Better Maple Syrup	10	0g	allulose
Blackberry Patch Maple Praline Syrup	90	0g	maltitol
Nature's Hollow Sugar Free Maple Syrup	25	0g	xylitol
Nature's Hollow Sugar Free Raspberry Syrup	25	1g	xylitol

Where to find sugar-free syrups for keto

While you may be able to find some of the ones listed at your local grocery store, most of the specialty syrups can be found online.

Certain sugar-free syrups like Cary's or Mrs. Butterworth may be available at a local grocery chain such as Walmart. However, the rest can be purchased by using the links below.

What is the best sugar-free maple syrup for keto?

There is no clear cut answer when it comes to sugar-free syrups and what's “best” for a ketogenic diet. Almost all of the sugar-free syrups listed below have nearly the same amount of net carbohydrates and the same impact on blood sugar.

The best sugar-free syrup comes down to personal preference, and of course, accessibility in obtaining said syrup.

As for MY personal favorite, I prefer Walden farms syrups due to its thick consistency and flavor profile. In particular, I enjoy the regular pancake syrup by Walden Farms.

I'll not only use the Walden Farms pancake syrup on keto-friendly pancakes and waffles but also use it to drizzle on some greek yogurt or berries for a refreshing dessert.

What is maple syrup?

Real maple syrup is produced from maple tree sap that has been boiled down to reduce the water content and concentrate the sugars.

Unfortunately, real maple syrup is too high in carbohydrates for a ketogenic diet. There is hardly any real maple syrup included when you see a sugar-free or keto-friendly maple syrup.

Instead, natural maple flavor or extract gives the sugar-free syrup the same maple flavor without the added sugars.

How is maple syrup made?

The process of making maple syrup is quite simple.

A spout is tapped into a maple tree, usually a red or black maple tree. Once the temperature is warm enough, the sap flows through the spout into a container.

After the sap is collected, the liquid is processed by boiling it down and allowing the water to evaporate, leaving the sweet thick syrup we've grown to love. Finally, the sap is filtered, graded, and made ready for packing.

Sugar-Free Maple Syrup Nutrition

Depending on the specific brand, each sugar-free syrup is made with their spin. Below are just three examples of how many net carbs are in the different sugar-free syrups brands and what they're made of.

First up, my favorite Walden Farms pancake syrup.

Walden Farms pancake syrup is stated as having 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates. While it does say 0 calories, companies can do so if a serving contains less than five calories. It may be safe to assume that each serving is nearly around three calories and has 0.5 grams of carbs per serving.

Ingredients: Triple filtered purified water, maple flavor, natural flavors, sea salt, cellulose gum, sucralose, lactic acid, sodium benzoate.

Second, Lakanto maple-flavored syrup.

Lakanto maple-flavored syrup has 25 calories per 2 tablespoons and seven total carbohydrates, of which 6 grams come from dietary fiber, leaving 1 gram of net carbs per serving.

Ingredients: Purified water, tapioca fiber, chicory root inulin, potato starch, natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, natural flavors, sea salt, monk fruit extract, fruit juice (color), natural citrus extract.

Lakanto Maple Syrup back update 1500x1500 da3c966c 390d 41f1 b8db a45e35ce4fdf 768x768

Third, Choc Zero maple syrup.

Out of the three, choc zero has the most calories with 35 calories per tablespoon. Each tablespoon serving also has 16g of total carbohydrates, of which 15 grams come from dietary fiber, leaving 1 gram of net carbs per serving.

Ingredients: Soluble corn fiber, natural maple flavor, natural caramel color, monk fruit extract.

As you see, the nutrition facts for sugar-free maple syrup can vary widely, but they all generally have about 1 gram of net carbs per stated serving size.

When choosing a sugar-free syrup, it's probably best to try a few different ones to see how you enjoy the flavor and if you have any adverse reactions.

What sweeteners are keto-friendly?

All of the above sugar-free syrups are keto-friendly and made with keto-friendly sweeteners.

Any non-nutritive or sugar substitute is generally considered keto-friendly, except for maltitol. Maltitol seems to be the most questionable sugar alcohol that has a larger impact on blood sugar levels when compared to others.

In general, the majority of the syrups listed above are made with the following keto-friendly sweeteners.

Stevia
Sucralose (popular brands include Splenda)
Aspartame (popular brand names include Nutrasweet and Equal)
Monk Fruit
Allulose

Are sugar alcohols keto-friendly?

Sugar alcohols are also considered keto-friendly, and some of the syrup brands listed above do contain sugar alcohols.

The flavor profile of sugar alcohols is similar to table sugar and often used to mask some sugar substitutes aftertaste, making it a popular choice for many products.

You'll be able to distinguish sugar alcohol on the ingredients list because they tend to end with ‘tol.'

Example: erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, and mannitol.

Sugar alcohols are hard for the body to digest, thus having a negligible effect on blood sugar levels when compared to sugar. This is also another reason to use these syrups in moderation as too much may lead to increased gas, bloating and gastric distress.

Will sucralose and other keto-friendly sweeteners break a fast?

I'm often asked if a particular food will break a fast, and when it comes to answering that question, context is everything.

If you're looking for the longevity and health benefits of fasting, then I'd argue to say that anything besides water will “break a fast.”

However, if you're doing intermittent fasting or fasting with the sole purpose of weight loss, then adding sweeteners should generally be ok.

Recent research has shown that intermittent fasting offers no more significant benefit than calorie restriction when it comes to weight loss. Meaning, whether you're eating throughout the day or restricting your food to a particular eating window will make no difference (as long as you're eating the same amount of calories).

Therefore, including things like coffee or artificial sweeteners during your “fasting” period will not make a difference when it comes to fat loss, but may slow or negate stuff like autophagy.

How to make your own keto-friendly sugar free syrup

If you're adventurous in the kitchen, here are a few recipes to create your own keto-friendly sugar-free syrups.

I'm a big fan of simple, so this keto low carb sugar-free maple syrup from Wholesome Yum is perfect with only four ingredients.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Wholesome Yum

This keto maple syrup is also another recipe requiring four ingredients.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Keto Diet Yum.

Last, if you prefer to follow along, here is a great video courtesy of Desserts With Benefits that requires only five ingredients.

When to avoid sugar-free syrups on a ketogenic diet

I know I said sugar-free syrups are perfectly ok in moderation on a ketogenic diet, but there are times I would strongly recommend against them.

If you're the type of person triggered by sweet foods (like myself), then merely the taste of something sweet can often lead to cravings. So, if you lack a bit of self-control, it may be worth avoiding such syrups.

Secondly, sometimes the ingredients in many of the syrups can cause digestive distress, gas, and/or bloating in specific individuals. If you find yourself with any of the symptoms mentioned earlier, it may be worth easing up on their use or getting rid of them completely.

Final thoughts on the best sugar-free syrup brands for keto

As you can see above, there are so many choices regarding sugar-free keto-friendly syrups that you can choose.

While my personal favorite is the Walden Farms pancake syrup, you may find that you prefer another brand due to its thick consistency and specific maple flavor.

The best thing you can do is experiment with different ones to see which one you enjoy best. After all, the only way you'll make keto sustainable for you is by finding the foods and products you enjoy.

Is Tuna In Oil Keto Friendly? [Should You Drain It?]

If I told you how many cans of tuna and all the concoctions, I would make with it in my early “bodybuilding days” you’d probably think I lived off the stuff, which I guess isn’t too far off from the truth.

Canned tuna in oil or water is an often forgotten source of protein and healthy fats that’s not only convenient, but versatile in the ways you can prepare it.

Is tuna in oil keto friendly? Most tuna in oil or water is free of carbohydrates, which make them perfect to include while following a ketogenic diet.

In this article, I’ll cover tuna in oil and other variations, the health benefits, the downsides, why you may want to get tuna in water or strain your oil, and some keto-friendly ideas you can use to spice up your tuna game.

Can You Eat Canned Tuna On A Keto Diet?

Can you eat canned fish like tuna or salmon on a ketogenic diet? Of course you can. Canned tuna whether in oil or water is perfect acceptable to enjoy while following a ketogenic diet.

Canned tuna in oil or water is generally carb-free which makes it an ideal food choice to include while following a keto diet.

However, not all tuna is created equal. Some brands or variations of tuna also pack in added sugar, which make it less desirable.

Notice I said less desirable, but not completely off limits. We’ll dive into that topic later on in the article.

Canned tuna is not only a high-protein food that’s rich in nutrients and heart-healthy fats, but you can use tuna in an endless assortment of ways to keep your diet a bit more exciting.

How Many Carbs Are In Canned Tuna?

For about 99% of canned tuna and most tuna sold in packets, you can expect zero carbohydrates per serving. Canned tuna is purely a source of protein and some fat, similar to that of eating any other type of fish or meat like chicken and steak.

The only time you need to concern yourself with the carb count of tuna is when you start getting into the flavored varieties. Often times, certain flavored variations of tuna as pictured below will have added sauces and seasonings that increase the carbohydrates count.

The most popular brand of tuna that has these flavored tuna pouches is Starkist. The carbohydrates vary according to flavor so I have included a list that breaks down each flavor below for you to compare.

Are Starkist tuna pouches keto friendly? Yes, Starkist tuna creations pouches are keto friendly. However, some flavors have more carbohydrates than others which make them less ideal, but can be accounted for in your daily carb intake.

Carbs in Starkist Tuna Creations Pouches (per pouch)

Tuna Creations Ranch: 1g of carbs
Tuna Creations Herb & Garlic: 2g of carbs
Tuna Creations Lemon Pepper: 1g of carbs
Tuna Creations Hickory Smoked: 0g
Tuna Creations Sweet & Spicy: 4g of carbs
Tuna Creations Deli Style Tuna Salad: 3g of carbs
Tuna Creations Bacon Ranch: 2g of carbs
Tuna Creations Honey BBQ: 4g of carbs
Tuna Creations Ginger Sesame: 9g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD Thai Chili Style: 7g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD Jalapeño: 2g of carbs
Tuna Creations Hot Buffalo Style: 1g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD With Rice & Beans In Hot Sauce: 14g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD Sriracha: 4g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD Tapatio: 0g
Tuna Creations BOLD Korean Style With Gochujang: 6g of carbs
Tuna Creations BOLD Red Curry With Coconut: 4g of carbs

Health Benefits Of Tuna

Canned tuna Is more than a convenient source of protein.

Canned tuan is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients.

Source of Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3’s)

Tuna is a great source of the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both DHA and EPA may help reduce inflammation and your risk of chronic diseases.

Your average 5 oz. can of tuna will provide you upwards of 28 mg of EPA and 850 mg of DHA. Canned albacore is likely to provide more EPA and DHA than light tuna, but you’ll also be getting more mercury form canned albacore.

May Aid Weight Loss

Despite what you may have read, protein is not your enemy, even on a ketogenic diet.

Not only is protein considered the most satiating macronutrient compared to fat or carbohydrates, but protein has the highest thermogenic effect.

Increasing your protein intake will help you feel more full much quicker and far longer than carbohydrates or fat. Something you definitely want to be mindful of when attempting to lose fat.

When you eat food, it takes a certain amount of energy (calories) to absorb, digest, and utilize it known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). 12 Protein has a TEF Of 20-30%, meaning upwards of 30% of the calories is burned just to digest it. Compare that to fat which only has a TEF of 0-3% and carbohydrates with a TEF of 5-10%

Promote Thyroid Health

Your thyroid regulates your metabolism, maintaining energy levels, and producing hormones.

Tuna is high in the mineral selenium that plays a vital role in the health of your thyroid gland. Some studies show that selenium supplementation may be of benefit for certain conditions like hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis 2

Negative Of Canned Tuna

Regarding tuna, one of the biggest concerns is mercury poisoning. Tuna contains mercury as mercury content accumulate the larger a fish is (i.e., higher on the food chain).

For most individuals, there isn’t enough mercury in tuna to cause a concern. However, there are certain groups of people that the mercury content can pose an issue.

They are:

Pregnant women
Nursing women
Babies and young children

With canned tuna though, there is less of a concern. Canned tuna is primarily made using smaller fish (which accumulate less mercury). It’s typically the fresh or frozen tuna that contain a higher level of mercury.

Light canned tuna contains less mercury than albacore tuna (white canned tuna).

Unless you fall into one of the high-risk categories mentioned above, there isn’t likely much of concern. But as with everything, moderation is always great to practice.

Should You Strain The Oil From Canned Tuna On Keto?

I often get the question on whether you should buy the canned tuna that’s packed in oil or packed in water, and to be honest, it just depends.

While there is nothing wrong with either tuna packed in oil or tuna packed in water, it boils down to what your preference is and what your goals are.

If you only like tuna that’s packed in oil, well, then you have your answer. However, if weight loss is your goal, a simple way to save some calories is to opt for canned tuna in water instead.

If you purchase tuna in oil and drain the oil, you’ll also be saving some calories. If you’re following a macro approach where you track calories and macros, it would be almost impossible to give you an accurate measure if you’re draining the oil and wondering how much oil is left.

Your best bet is to buy canned tuna packed in water if you’re intending to strain it anyway.

Should you strain the oil from canned tuna on keto? There’s no need to strain the oil from canned tuna while following a ketogenic diet. However, if you’re looking to save calories, then straining the tuna is the better option, and purchasing canned tuna in water would be the best option.

What To Mix With Canned Tuna On Keto

If you’re looking for keto-friendly mix-ins to make your canned tuna more palatable, below is a list of some things you may want to consider.

Mayonnaise
Hot sauce
Avocado
Marinara Sauce like Rao's
Tomatoes
Your favorite cheese (not velveeta cheese) (not velveeta cheese)
Mustard
Greek Yogurt
Salt and Pepper
Other spices like garlic and onion
Kimchi
Sliced mushrooms
Dill pickles

Other Keto Friendly Canned Tuna Recipes

If you’re looking for some inspiration on what to do with some of that canned tuna in oil (or water), then here are a few great ideas to transform some canned fish into a healthy keto tuna snack.

Keto tuna cakes

These tuna cakes taste great, and there’s no need for bread crumbs or flour of any kind. Whip up this recipe using ingredients like eggs and mustard for a super delicious and easy keto-friendly meal.

Pair it with some keto-friendly bread or have it with a side of your favorite veggies. I like to top them with keto friendly Greek yogurt for a bit of tang.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Healthy Recipes Blog. If you want another idea from Healthy Recipes, here is a tuna casserole great for the family.

Keto tuna salad

Most tuna salad is probably keto friendly, except for something doused with a sweet sauce.

For my tuna salads I like to mix in the following ingredients:

Can of tuna (light or albacore)
Diced celery
Sweet or red onion
A little mayo
Dijon mustard
Avocado
Squeeze of lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Serve it right away or let it chill in the fridge overnight for an easy keto snack the following day. You can also use it in a multitude of ways such as lettuce wraps, on a salad, or in a sandwich.

The Takeaway

Tuna whether in oil or water is keto friendly. Whether you should drain the oil is a matter of preference or if you’re trying to save some calories.

If the latter, I’d probably just opt to get the tuna packed in water.

Is Velveeta Cheese Keto Friendly? [What You Must Know]

We all know that yummy “cheese” known as Velveeta. Whether you use it to make some nacho cheese out of it or to amp up your Mac & cheese, there’s nothing like it. With cheese, most of them are considered keto-friendly. However, Velveeta falls in this gray area that may lead to confusion.

The original Velveeta cheese may be eaten in moderation while following a keto diet. Velveeta cheese is higher in carbohydrates than other milk-based non-processed cheeses, with 7 grams of carbohydrates for a 1/4 cup serving. Small amounts may be ok, but can quickly add up.

In this article, I’ll cover why you may or may not want to include velveeta cheese in your ketogenic diet, how many carbs are in velveeta cheese, what it’s made of, and some better alternatives you may want to consider.

Is Velveeta Allowed On Keto?

Velveeta cheese is moderately keto friendly, meaning it has some carbohydrates, so you’ll just have to be a little more cautious if you do include it in your ketogenic diet.

Most other websites will tell you to stay away from velveeta, but if you can act responsibly and be mindful of your portion size, there’s no reason to avoid it completely. Within the context of staying in ketosis and weight loss, velveeta can be incorporated into your ketogenic diet.

So yes, velveeta is allowed on a ketogenic diet, you simply need to be mindful of your portion size since it is quite calorie dense and contains more carbohydrates than other milk-based cheeses.

Weight loss is still a matter of energy balance.

i.e., you must expend more energy (calories out) than you consume (calories in).

Regarding ketosis, so long as you restrict carbohydrates low enough (whatever that amount is for you), ketosis can be established and maintained regardless of the food source. a.k.a. you won't be kicked out of ketosis.

How Many Carbs Are In Velveeta?

Relative to other cheeses, velveeta has more carbohydrates, and that’s because velveeta is no longer made from real cheese as it once was in the past.

A 1/4 cup (67g) serving of velveeta cheese provides 7 grams of total carbohydrates.

Most individuals following a ketogenic diet typically range between 20 and 50 grams of net carbs per day in order to established and stay in ketosis. So long as you keep this in mind, fitting in a serving of velveeta cheese is definitely a possibility.

Just remember, you’re doing so at the expense of not eating something that can be potentially more satiating and nutritious.

While I would always recommend using your carbohydrates on things such as vegetables, including slight amounts of “forbidden” foods occasionally won’t hinder your results.

If it leads you to binge on other junk food, then yes…

Read: Is Gluten Free Pizza Keto?

What’s Velveeta Made Of?

They made the original velveeta cheese from actual cheese back in the day, but today’s version of velveeta cheese is different. While they derive the main ingredients from dairy, there is no actual cheese in the present-day velveeta cheese.

Velveeta Cheese Main Ingredients:

Whey
Milk
Canola Oil
Whey Protein Concentrate
Milk Protein Concentrate

Aside from the canola oil, velveeta cheese is primarily made from milk and milk-derivatives (whey). You can almost say that what velveeta is to cheese is what margarine spread is to butter.

Is Velveeta Bad For You?

I never really say whether something is “good” or “bad” for you, because honestly… everyone has an opinion.

Within the context of weight loss, you can incorporate velveeta cheese and still lose weight. There may be better options out there in terms of food quality, but you’re an adult and can make your own choices.

At first glance, there is nothing inherently detrimental about the key ingredients in velveeta. However, if you’re lactose-intolerant or sensitive to lactose, stay away.

Compared to a standard cheddar cheese which has a lactose content of around ~2%, velveeta cheese averages around 9%. So, even if you could eat small amounts of regular cheese without too much stomach upset, you may experience discomfort with velveeta cheese.

Beyond that, you can’t eat it unless it’s melted… so if you like to snack on cheese like me then velveeta just won’t cut it.

Alternatives To Velveeta On Keto

There are plenty of low-carb velveeta cheese knock-off recipes floating around, but for alternatives… it just depends what you’re looking for.

As a first option, I would always recommend you use real cheese instead of Velveeta.

Most cheese that is naturally made by curdling milk are relatively low in carbohydrates. For example, the same 1/4 cup (67 grams) of velveeta that gives you 7 grams of net carbs, when compared to cheddar cheese, only provides 1 gram of net carbs. 3

If you’re looking for more of that queso/melted cheese sauce, then I would recommend taking some of your favorite cheese and melting them in a pot with more keto-friendly ingredients.

Below is what I like to do to make a lower-carb version of velveeta (and much yummier).

1/2 lb Cheddar (I like Dubliner Irish Cheddar)
1/2 lb Pepperjack Cheese
1/2 cup regular sour cream
1 8 oz block regular cream cheese
1 10 oz can Rotel (optional)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp onion powder

I’ll throw all the ingredients in a pot on the stovetop using low-heat until it’s all melted together. Use whatever cheese you like and experiment with the different ingredients. Try adding a bit of marinara sauce, which is keto friendly by the way, and you have a great dip for whisps or pork rinds.

You can also use fresh garlic and onion if you desire, and sometimes I toss in jalapeños for a kick.

The Takeaway

While velveeta may not be the most ideal choice in cheese on a ketogenic diet, you may still enjoy it in moderation while following a ketogenic diet.

A single serving of velveeta cheese (1/4 cup) has roughly 7 grams of net carbs, so be mindful of your intake and include it in your carb count for the day.

My first recommendation would be to stick to real cheese, but velveeta can also work in a pinch or if you just have a hankering for it.

Is Corona Hard Seltzer Keto Friendly? [Must Know Facts]

You know something is popular when all the mainstream brands release their own versions, in this case I’m referring to Corona hard seltzers.

Hard seltzers have been increasing in popularity as of 2019, and now some other big players are getting into the game.

Is corona hard seltzer keto friendly? Corona hard seltzer is a no-carb alcoholic beverage which makes it keto-friendly in moderation.

In this article, I’ll cover why you may or may not want to drink corona hard seltzer despite it being keto-friendly, what’s in corona hard seltzers, how many carbs it has, and much more.

Can You Drink Corona Hard Seltzer On A Keto Diet?

Corona hard seltzer is a keto-friendly alcoholic beverage with very few net carbs per can. Due to the no-carb nature of Corona hard seltzer, you may enjoy them in moderation while following a ketogenic diet.

Alcohol itself isn’t off limits in a ketogenic diet, but there is a fine line between being keto-friendly and overconsumption. As with anything, please enjoy your Corona hard seltzer in moderation.

Unless you plan to drink a bunch of them in a single day, a couple Corona hard seltzers can easily fit into your diet (once in a while). However, I wouldn’t make a habit of drinking one or a few every single day.

Which Corona Hard Seltzer Flavors Are Keto Friendly?

Currently, Corona hard seltzer may be found in 4 unique flavors:

Tropical Lime
Mango
Cherry
Blackberry Lime

Is tropical lime Corona hard seltzer keto friendly? Tropical lime Corona hard seltzer is keto friendly with 0 grams of carbs.

Is mango Corona hard seltzer keto friendly? Mango Corona hard seltzer is keto-friendly with 0 grams of carbohydrates.

Is cherry Corona hard seltzer keto friendly? Cherry Corona hard seltzer is keto-friendly and has 0 net carbohydrates per can.

Is blackberry lime Corona hard seltzer keto friendly? Blackberry lime Corona hard seltzer has 0 carbohydrates per can make it keto-friendly.

Is Corona Hard Seltzer Low Carb?

As per the previous section, every Corona Hard Seltzer as of this writing contain 0 sugar and 0 carbohydrates per can.

According to the nutrition label, each can have 90 calories and 0 grams of total carbohydrates and has 4.5% alcohol by volume.

What Is Corona Hard Seltzer Made Of?

Compared to its other competitors, Corona hard seltzer seems to have more ingredients.

Corona hard seltzer ingredients include:

Carbonated water
Alcohol
Natural flavors
Citric Acid
Sodium Citrate
Potassium Citrate
Malic Acid
Yeast
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate

Drinking Corona Hard Seltzer And Weight Loss

While you can still lose weight and fat while consuming Corona hard seltzer and other alcoholic beverages, there are tradeoffs you need to make.

Weight loss is a matter of energy balance meaning you must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. Each can of Corona hard seltzer has 90 calories per can, which is low, but can still add up to a lot.

I have experienced a slowdown in weight loss when consuming alcohol which makes sense on the surface.

When you consume alcohol, your body will prioritize burning off the alcohol before burning fat.

Meaning, if you were burning fat prior to drinking, then consuming alcohol will temporarily stop the process to rid your body of the alcohol first.

Second, we all know that our decision-making skills may not be the greatest after knocking back a few alcoholic beverages.

If being under the influence leads you down the path of raiding the cupboards or finding yourself at the local drive-thru, you’ll definitely be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. It may be a smart idea to have some lower calories keto-friendly snacks ready for when you’ll inevitably be hungry.

Otherwise, you may just default to eating what’s convenient… so make that convenient option something that will put you closer to your goals.

Over Consuming Corona Hard Seltzer And Alcohol

Excessive alcohol intake, especially while on a ketogenic diet, can be dangerous when done in excess.

Many people don’t realize, but alcohol can INCREASE ketone levels, which isn’t always the best thing. When too many ketones build up in the bloodstream, your blood becomes acidic, and this can lead to what we call ketoacidosis.

Ketoacidosis is a condition that is often experienced by type 1 diabetics and alcoholics which may lead to life-threatening complications.

For alcohol-induced ketoacidosis, this typically happens in individuals who consume nothing but alcohol for extended periods. However, it’s worth mentioning since your body is already primed and producing ketones while following a ketogenic diet.

While probably nothing to worry about for 99.9% of individuals, it’s important to know. Chances are you may drink less than you normally would have while following a keto diet since you’ll feel the effects of alcohol much quicker.

Alternatives To Corona Hard Seltzer

Corona wasn’t the first to the game, nor will they be the last.

For hard seltzer, the two most notable brands in the space are White Claw and Truly.

Both White Claw and Truly offer a plethora of different flavor options compared to Corona. Also, White Claw and Truly are 5% alcohol by volume each compared to 4.5% in Corona hard seltzer.

You should also know that White Claw and Truly have 0-3 grams of net carbs per 12 oz. can compared to the 0 grams in Corona.

However, White Claw has 3 distinct flavors that are 0 carb, pure hard seltzer, 70 clementine, and 70 pineapple.

Last, both White Claw and Truly contain less overall ingredients than Corona hard seltzer if that’s of any importance in your decision making.

Interested in finding out other alcoholic keto-friendly beverages? Check out the write-up.

Where To Find Corona Hard Seltzer

Corona hard seltzer can be found in almost all nationwide grocery chains, but you can also have it delivered directly to your door using an alcoholic delivery service like Drizly.

The Takeaway

Corona hard seltzer is only 90 calories and contain 0 total carbohydrates per can making it a keto-friendly alcoholic beverage.

While it’s ok to enjoy a Corona hard seltzer while following a ketogenic diet, you should still be mindful of your consumption as drinking too much alcohol can impair fat loss temporarily. And for some, it may lead to poor food choices, so it’s recommended to be prepared with healthy snacks.