The Art Of Keto

Dispelling keto misinformation and helping you lose fat.

KETO

Is Tilapia Keto Friendly?

Tilapia’s mild flavor, inexpensive price, and beneficial nutrient are the reason behind why it’s one of the most commonly consumed seafood types in America.

It’s widely popular in the US because of its not-so-fishy fishy flavor, but is tilapia keto-friendly?

Is Tilapia Keto Friendly

Thankfully, about 100 grams of cooked tilapia contains next to zero carbs, which makes it keto-friendly. It's relatively high in protein, vitamins, and minerals and low in calories, making healthy weight loss and health improvement through ketosis a dream come true.

However, not all kinds of cooked tilapia are keto-friendly, and there’s a lot you should know before including this fish in your keto diet.

What is a Keto Diet?

The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and high-protein diet that revolves around ketosis, a process where the body uses fat as the primary energy source in the absence of carbohydrates. Typically, the glucose or blood sugar in the body acts as the main fuel source to provide quick energy.

Carbohydrates – such as sugars and starches – are the primary source of glucose for the body. The human body breaks carbs down to glucose, uses it as the primary source of energy, and then stores the rest in the liver to be released as per requirements.

Tilapia Keto

Since a keto diet limits your carb intake, the body does not have enough carbohydrates to be used as the primary energy source and thus shifts to fat after depleting its resources.

The breakdown of fat results in the production of ketones, a product that replaces carbohydrates as the main energy source for your brain and body.

The fat used to produce ketones may come from your diet, known as nutritional ketosis, or from your body’s stored fat reserves, which reduces weight.

Although the liver produces a small number of ketones on its own, a reduction in carbohydrate concentration in the body decreases insulin levels, prompting your liver to increase the production of ketones.

During ketosis, your body has high levels of ketones to provide adequate energy for proper brain functioning. Therefore, the ketogenic diet alters your body’s consumption of food. It effectively reduces your carb intake, teaching your body to use fat as fuel instead.

Most nutrient-rich foods typically deemed healthy, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, contain an abundance of carbohydrates, making them unsuitable for a keto diet. The foods allowed include fat-rich options, such as cheese, eggs, butter, cream, nuts, olive oil, canola oil, and seeds.

What is Tilapia?

Tilapia refers to several kinds of freshwater fish species belonging to the cichlid family. Wild tilapia is actually native to Africa but has now been introduced all over the world through farming in more than 135 countries.

Tilapia is one of the best fish for farming since it can grow quickly in crowded areas on an inexpensive vegetarian diet. All these qualities make it a comparatively affordable option compared to other seafood.

Presently, China is the largest producer of tilapia in the world, producing more than 1.6 million metric tons annually. Despite concerns regarding farming practices, most of the Tilapia in the United States comes from China.

Nutritional Profile of Tilapia

Tilapia is abundant in protein; 3.5 ounces or 100 grams of this fish contains 26 grams of protein and merely 128 calories.

The concentration of minerals and vitamins in tilapia is also quite impressive; it is rich in vitamin B12, niacin, potassium, selenium, and phosphorus.

The following table can provide better insight into the nutritional profile of 100 grams of cooked tilapia:

Calories128
Protein26.2 grams
Carbs0 grams
Parts of carbs that are fiber0 grams
Fat2.7 grams
Selenium78% of the Daily Value
Vitamin B1231% of the Daily Value
Niacin24% of the Daily Value
Phosphorus20% of the Daily Value
Potassium11% of the Daily Value

Is Tilapia Keto Friendly?

Yes! Tilapia is completely keto-friendly and will not kick you out of ketosis because of its low-carb content. It is packed with vital nutrients and does not contain any non-keto ingredients that may jeopardize your ketosis.

Keto Tilapia

It satisfies all the stipulations of a keto diet and is also a healthy food option to consider. One hundred grams of this fish contains about 18.8 grams of protein, making it a great option for those who wish to build muscle but lose fat on a keto diet.

Let us look at a few reasons that make tilapia keto-friendly:

Low in Net Carbs

Tilapia is very low in net carbs and thus does not harm ketosis. Limiting your daily carbohydrate intake is one of the fundamental principles of a keto diet, as consumption of too many carbs can spike your blood sugar and insulin levels, killing your ketosis by hampering ketones production.

Thankfully, the low carb count in tilapia does not pose this danger.

Natural

Tilapia is a whole food and is packed with essential minerals and vitamins that promote overall health. It is rich in potassium, fatty acids, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium.

It’s vital to consume natural foods on a keto diet as they’ll help you cut the pounds while improving your overall health.

Whole Food

Tilapia falls into the category of whole foods, which should be a staple of a healthy keto diet.

Whole foods not only promote weight loss on a keto diet but also decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and various cardiovascular disorders linked to the consumption of high-carb foods.

Minimally Processed

Tilapia is minimally processed and does not contain any potentially harmful ingredients such as food additives, highly refined oils, and non-keto sweeteners.

It is vital to keep the ingredients of your food and your macros count in check to attain healthy weight loss through ketosis.

Low In Healthy Fats

Despite its health benefits and keto-friendly options, tilapia is low in healthy fats. Since keto diets require a fat-rich diet, it is important to supplement your tilapia intake with fat-rich foods to provide adequate energy to your body.

You can increase your dietary consumption of this macronutrient by cooking or baking tilapia with olive or canola oil, paired with vegetables sautéed in grass-fed butter.

Read More: Is Imitation Crab Keto Friendly?

Comparing Tilapia to Other Fish

If you are looking for the best fish, this comparison can help you determine its position against three of the most popular options.

pan seared tilapia keto

Salmon

3 oz of cooked salmon contains 131 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 22 grams of protein. The primary difference between salmon and tilapia comes in their fat content; the former contains nearly three times more fat than the latter.

Since salmon is a fatty fish, it also contains 500 to 1500 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids in each portion which contributes to its heart healthiness. Tilapia, in contrast, contains less than 200 milligrams.

Cod

Cod can easily be substituted for Tilapia, both fish boast a similar flaky white meat. A 3 oz piece of cooked cod contains 89 calories, 19 grams of protein, and less than 1 gram of fat. Cod and tilapia both contain relatively similar amounts of omega-3 fatty acids: less than 200 mg in each 3-oz portion.

Tuna

A 3 oz can of tuna has a nutritional profile comparable to that of tilapia, with 109 calories, 20 grams of protein, and 2.5 grams of fat. However, it possesses considerably more omega-3 fatty acids than tilapia.

For reference:

  • Wild bluefin tuna contains around 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids
  • Canned white albacore tuna contains between 500 to 1,000 milligrams
  • Wild skipjack tuna and canned light tuna contain around 200 to 500 milligrams.

Read More: Is Tuna in Oil Keto Friendly?

Health Benefits of Tilapia

Tilapia is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and low-fat protein, with 2 grams of total fat and 1 gram of saturated fat.

Since the American Heart Association recommends the consumption of fatty fish with higher omega-3 acids to decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it’s important to consume this fish twice a week. This is especially true if you replace high saturated-fat foods with tilapia, such as processed or red meats.

Tilapia contains a wide array of nutrients and can act as a lean protein source for your diet.

How To Cook Tilapia?

Tilapia is a considerably tasty fish, especially when prepared with a number of seasonings and spices. Not only is it a versatile fish, but it’s also very easy to prepare. Here are a few ways you can bring tilapia to your table in a flash:

Steaming

You can steam tilapia with a bunch of vegetables to make a tasty, keto-friendly meal option. All you need to do is wrap it in a foil packet and heat it in the oven for twenty minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit or grill it for five minutes.

Searing

Thoroughly rinse your fish and dry it by patting it with paper towels. Season it with salt, and cook on a hot, oiled skillet for around two minutes on each side.

Baking

Heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake your fish uncovered for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Keto Friendly, Low-Carb Baked Tilapia Recipe

Let us look at an easy, keto-friendly recipe for baked tilapia that you can easily make at home!

Ingredients:

Mayonnaise½ cup
Garlic1 teaspoon (crushed)
Onion powder¼ teaspoon
Salt¼ teaspoon
Pepper⅛ teaspoon
Thyme¼ teaspoon
Basil¼ teaspoon
Parmesan cheese or Asiago cheese½ cup (grated)
Tilapia fish filets or loins6

Recipe

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Take a baking dish or cookie sheet and grease it with cooking spray. Put your tilapia fish filets into the dish and remove the extra moisture by dabbing them with a paper towel. This helps the mixture to stick to the fish better.
  3. Take a small bowl and mix all the other ingredients mentioned above together. Spread the mixture evenly over the filets.
  4. Bake the fish for 15 to 20 minutes or until it turns flaky. If you use tilapia filets, 15 minutes in the oven is enough. However, the loins would take more time. You can also broil the fish for two to three minutes to make it more brown on the top.
  5. Take the fish out of the oven and serve it hot! This delicious low-carb dish contains 341 calories and 1.7 grams of carbohydrates.

Summing Up

Tilapia is one of the best protein-rich fish options you can enjoy on a keto diet. Not only is it low in carbs and rich in fats and protein, but it is also packed with vital nutrients and minerals that make it suitable for healthy weight loss and improvement in health. Now that you know the answer to “Is tilapia keto-friendly?”, it is time you add it to your cart the next time you go keto shopping and come back for more interesting tips on how to make your keto diet healthy, nutritious, and delicious, all at the same time.

CICO VS KETO [Which Is Best?] The Shocking Truth

Here’s the thing about diets; everyone has their opinion on what works best. The truth is, any and every diet can work IF you can stick to it. 

Studies show that neither Calories In Calories Out (CICO) or a keto diet is superior for weight loss. In the case of CICO vs. Keto, neither is superior to the other. The best diet is the one that a person can adhere to, as adherence is the best predictor of weight loss success.

A lot of what I see around the ketogenic community is whether CICO, which stands for calories in vs. calories out works compared to Keto. Well, the answer may come as a shock, but they are essentially the same, or rather, work in the same way.

But I’ll get to that.

In this article, I’m going to explain how people misinterpret CICO, why it may work for some people and not for others, how CICO and Keto can work together, and much more.

CICO VS KETO PINTEREST

How Does CICO work? 

What does CICO mean? CICO, which is short for calories in vs. calories out works on the premise of calorie balance.

The following equation can define calorie balance:

  • Calories In – Calories Out = Net Weight
  • Calories In = The calories from the foods you eat
  • Calories Out = The number of calories you burn

Think of calories like your bank account.

  • Money In – Money Out = Net Balance

If you put more money in the bank then you take out, your bank account grows bigger. On the opposite end, if you take more money out then you put in, your bank account becomes smaller (or negative). 

 Therefore, if you eat more calories (calories in) then you expend (calories out), you will gain weight. On the opposite end of that, if you eat fewer calories (calories in) then you expend (calories out), you will lose weight.  

That’s CICO in a nutshell, but we’ll expand upon this in a little bit. 

How Does Keto Work?

Now that we know how CICO works, how does Keto work?

Well, Keto works on the same premise, except we’re restricting the foods that come from carbohydrates. 

In the calories in part of the equation, the foods we eat consist of calories from protein, carbohydrates, and fat. 

On a ketogenic diet, we’re nearly eliminating the calories that come from carbohydrates, which puts us in a metabolic state known as ketosis.

 However, to lose weight on Keto, the same equation holds. We must have more calories going out than calories going in; there’s no way around it. 

Whether you don’t believe it, tracked calories, didn’t track calories, or ate until you were full each day and still lost weight.

How Keto Causes Weight Loss

With adherence being the most significant predictor of successful weight loss, 1 there are reasons why following a ketogenic diet make it easier for individuals to adhere to a diet versus a diet mixed with carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

One of the biggest reasons people end up losing weight on a ketogenic diet is because ketogenic diets have been shown to reduce appetite. 2 3 4 5

As anyone can attest to being on a weight loss diet, hanger is a real issue. Any diet that helps you feel less hungry is most welcomed. 

Additionally, in a study done on athletes to assess strength and performance, the athletes following a ketogenic diet lost fat, and this was WITHOUT trying to lose weight. 6

A major contributing factor, maybe the biggest one, is that people simply can stick to a ketogenic diet better than other diets. 

Many people who stick with a ketogenic diet feel as if they have more steady energy, less hunger, and find they enjoy lower carb/higher fat food options.

 So in the end, weight loss occurs on Keto the same way the CICO model does, by expending more calories than you’re taking in (eating).  

While we can somewhat accurately measure food coming in, energy out is quite tricky.

How Energy Out Is Measured (Metabolism)

Energy out is more tricky because four main processes burn calories:

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR or RMR). Most of the calories you burn daily come from sustaining essential human functions, such as your heart, fueling your brain, and everything else keeping you alive and ticking. 

Thermic Effect Of Food (TEF), a.k.a. Digestion. You may not realize it, but it takes calories to digest calories. You heard that correctly, you burn calories digesting what you ate, and the amount will vary depending on what you eat.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). NEAT is an interesting subject, and that’s because this is the most significant variable seen among studies. NEAT may vary by as much as 2,000 calories per day in two people of the same height and weight. 

For reference: a pound of fat has ~3,500 calories. 

NEAT is all of the activity that you do throughout your day that ISN’T formal exercise. NEAT may include doing your laundry, washing the dishes, heck… even sex would count as NEAT (unless you do it to try and burn calories, LOL) 

Physical Activity (PA). I think physical activity is self-explanatory, but it’s everything you do that you would generally consider “working out.” Physical activity would be things like going for a run, lifting weights at the gym, playing basketball, etc. 

As you can see, so many things may affect the calories out portion of the equation, but you can generally get an average of how much we burn if you routinely do the same things daily.

Does CICO Work?

First, let’s not confuse health and weight loss. 

Calories in versus calories out does hold for weight loss, but, not all calories are created equal.

So yes, CICO does work, but it’s not as simple as it may sound.

Take, for instance, protein, due to digestion, eating a more substantial proportion of your calories from protein would result in more calories burned during digestion.

Also, different foods may affect your hormones in different ways.

Again, let’s not confuse this with only insulin and hormones matter; it all matters. 

 Even with the “most optimized” hormones, you STILL need to eat less than you burn to lose weight… you just may be able to eat a little more than the next person and achieve the same results. 

Why CICO Doesn’t Work

There are various reasons why calories in versus calories out may not have worked for you, some of the main reasons I’ve outlined below.

Bad estimation

CICO doesn’t work, because most people, not you, of course, are notorious for overestimating how much they exercise and underestimating how much they consume. 7

Along with that, how much we eat and how many calories we burn daily can be an always changing value. 

However, the law of averages always holds, and if you were to do something over a long period consistently, you would achieve results.

But most people are impatient; I get it, so am I.

The margin of error on labels

What’s even more shocking is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows food companies a margin of error in the accuracy of the calories listed on nutrition labels. 

How much is this margin, you ask? A whopping 20 percent in either direction. 

This means you could be eating 20 percent more or 20 percent less than you think you are. However, in this study, done on common snack foods, there was only about a 4 percent margin of error. The calories were found to be higher than what the label had claimed. 8

However, again, the law of averages holds true. If you stuck to the same foods, you would be able to adjust for this error over time. 

But most people like to eat different things for every meal every day. Again, I get it; I do too! 

Thermic effect of food

As you’ve read earlier, your body burns calories by digesting the food you’ve eaten. This is one of those examples where not all calories are created equal.

Relative to the other macronutrients, protein has the highest thermic effect, with 20 – 30% of it being used just to digest it! 

Compare protein with fat, which has 0-3% and carbohydrates at 5-10%.

By eating a more significant proportion of your calories from protein, you’ll be burning more calories by simply changing your food choices. 

As you see, there is al little more nuance to CICO, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

How Many Calories Following CICO?

How many calories you should eat while following Keto or CICO will vary, but a good rule of thumb for weight loss is to multiply your body weight in pounds by 10 – 12. 

The smaller and/or more sedentary you are, the more toward, the lower end you would gravitate towards. The more muscle and activity you do, the higher you can generally go and still lose weight. 

Again, these would just be starting points in which you would use and then adjust as necessary. 

If you are not losing weight, you would gradually decrease your calories. If you are losing too much weight too quickly, you would slightly increase your calories. 

I like to aim for between 0.5 – 1.5% of body weight loss per week, with leaner individuals sticking toward the lower end and larger individuals toward the higher end. 

How To Calculate CICO?

The best way to calculate CICO is by monitoring your food intake (calories in) with a food journal or an app like My Fitness Pal. 

Alongside your calorie intake, you would monitor your weight to receive an estimate of what your calorie expenditure (calorie out) is.

Based on your weight change, you would be able to have a general idea of how many calories it takes to maintain your weight. 

As an example, let’s say you tracked your daily calories for seven days and averaged 2,000 calories per day. 

If at the start you weighed 150 lbs, and at the end of the seven days you weighed 149 lbs, then we can assume you would maintain your weight with ~2,500 calories. 

This is because there are ~3,500 calories in one pound of fat. If you lost one pound, we could assume you were averaging a ~500 calorie deficit per day. 

3500 / 7 = 500 

If you ate 2,000 calories per day and didn’t lose any weight, we might say that 2,000 calories are what it takes to maintain your current weight.

To lose weight, you would need to average less than 2,000 calories per day OR increase exercise if you don’t want to eat less. 

While not a 100% fool-proof method, this is the general premise on how to calculate and use CICO to maintain, lose, or gain weight.

Keto Plus CICO

Now that we’ve learned that both CICO and Keto work for weight loss, and primarily through the same means…

A caloric deficit.

You now just need to combine the two to achieve the results you want. 

That being said, it may not always be necessary to track calories, though it can be a great tool to have when things aren’t going as you planned.

As I’ve said before, If you’re following a ketogenic diet, there’s a good chance you may be able to lose weight without tracking. Ketogenic diets are notorious for causing people to feel satiated, thus causing them to eat less overall, and as a result, lose weight.

There’s a cost with everything, including weight loss. 

 Even with the “most optimized” hormones, you STILL need to eat less than you burn to lose weight… you just may be able to eat a little more than the next person and achieve the same results. 

You just have to weigh the pros and cons, and then decide if it’s worth it to you.

The Takeaway

Calories in versus calories out (CICO) and ketogenic diets cause weight loss through the same mechanism.

A caloric deficit.

However, ketogenic diets are notorious for appetite suppression, thus leading people to eat less and lose weight naturally.

While counting calories isn’t necessary to lose weight, that’s not to be mistaken with calories don’t matter when it comes to losing weight.

CICO and Keto can work together to give you the best of both worlds.

At the end of the day, CICO still holds to be accurate, but many variables make it difficult for many to implement successfully. 

The Secret Behind Kefir And Ketosis

Kefir is growing in popularity, popping up in almost every grocery store. If you’re not familiar with kefir, it’s a fermented drink that contains a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria, similar to how you would make sourdough bread. That leads us to question is kefir keto friendly?

Yes, you can consume kefir and kefir water in moderation on keto . An average glass (8 oz) of kefir has the same amount of carbs as a glass of milk with 10 grams of net carbohydrates. However, this amount is reduced further through longer fermentation. 

In this article, I’ll go over what kefir is and its health benefits, how to reduce the number of carbs, and alternatives that are even more keto-friendly.

IS KEFR KETO PINTEREST

Is Kefir Keto Friendly?

Keto-friendly is just another way of saying whether or not a food is generally ok to eat because no food is inherently keto or not keto. Foods aren’t “keto” since keto is a metabolic state achieved by limiting carbohydrates under a certain amount, which is different for everyone.

On average, an 8 oz. serving of kefir from most brands contain ~10 to 13 grams of net carbs. Since most people following a ketogenic diet limit carbohydrates between 20 and 50 grams of net carbs, kefir fits the bill as it falls under that threshold.

The real question is whether using up 10 to 13 grams of your net carbs is worth a glass of kefir. Of course, you can get the health benefits of kefir without drinking a full 8 oz. serving. For example, consuming 4 oz. of kefir only has ~6 grams of net carbs.

While I would suggest getting the majority of your carbohydrates from non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cactus, and spinach, you can enjoy treats that aren’t exactly seen as “keto” while staying in ketosis.

I wouldn’t make it a point to try to fit in treats every day, but if it makes you diet more enjoyable and allows you to stick to it, then who am I or anyone to stop you. 

 You do you. 

What Is Kefir

KEFIR AND KETO

So what exactly is kefir? It’s a cultured, fermented beverage similar to kombucha. Kefir is made similarly to sourdough bread, where a “starter” consisting of yeast and bacteria is used to ferment dairy milk, though other alternative milks may be used.

Kefir is almost like a yogurt drink, it’s not as runny as milk, but it’s not as thick as yogurt. Since kefir is fermented, individuals who may be lactose intolerant don’t seem to have the same reaction with kefir.

If you’ve never seen kefir, you’ll likely find it in the dairy section or lumped in with the yogurts. 

Health Benefits of Kefir

Kefir is rich in nutrients, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, and a good source of high-quality protein. However, most people choose to consume kefir for its probiotics.

Other great keto-friendly sources of probiotics include kimchi and sauerkraut.

Probiotics are live organisms consumed through fermented foods or supplements such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Additionally, probiotics are thought to help promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and linked to a variety of health benefits. 

Aside from being rich in nutrients, 5 health benefits of kefir include:

  • Antibacterial properties

How To Make Kefir More Keto Friendly

By making your kefir, you’ll have full control of making a lower carb version than the ones found on the store shelves.

First, decide which type of dairy or non-dairy base you would like to use. Popular non-dairy alternatives include:

Easy ways to make kefir more keto-friendly…

Use coconut milk or another dairy alternative

Make kefir with coconut milk, not to be confused with coconut water, or another non-dairy milk lower in carbohydrates. Using something other than cows milk is an easy way to slash carbs from your kefir. 

For example, this recipe from KetoDietApp uses coconut milk and has only ~4 grams of net carbs per 8 oz. serving. 

HomemadeCoconutMilkKefir1
Recipe and image from ketodietapp

Reduce the serving size

Reducing your kefir serving from 8 oz to 4 oz is a way to take in fewer carbohydrates, but still, get the health benefits of kefir and probiotics. 

Just because the nutrition label says 8 oz. or 1 cup equals a serving, doesn’t mean that you have to drink that much in one sitting. 

Ferment kefir longer than 24-hours

Ferment your kefir longer than 24 hours. Typically, kefir is fermented for 24 hours, but fermenting kefir for 48 to 72 hours will help further reduce the carb count.

Bear in mind, the longer you ferment your kefir, the sourer it becomes, but this is easily remedied by mixing in your favorite zero-calorie sweetener such as stevia or monk fruit. 

Or, if you enjoy the sourness, then leave it be. 

Drink water kefir

Yepp, that’s not a typo.

You can make kefir from water the same way you can from dairy and other milk. Water kefir is easy to make at home as all you need is water, sugar, and water kefir grains. 

The fermentation process is what reduces the sugar content, so using less sugar and increasing the fermentation are perfect ways to reap the benefits of kefir with even less sugar. 

Here’s a natural water kefir recipe from Kombucha Kamp.

Water Kefir Recipe and Tips from Kombucha Kamp

Image and recipe from Kombucha Kamp

The Takeaway… Is Kefir Keto?

Kefir can most certainly fit into a ketogenic diet as a single serving has ~10 grams of net carbs and a half serving only ~5 grams. However, you’ll get more bang for your buck by making your kefir with non-dairy milk or fermenting dairy for longer than 48 hours. 

Kefir is rich in probiotics that have been shown to have a multitude of health benefits, including digestion health and improved bone health, making it worth consideration as part of a healthy diet.

Since kefir is a fermented beverage, the sugar is significantly reduced during the fermentation process. Still, if you ferment it even further, you can reduce the overall net carbs even more. 

How Glucosamine Affects The Ketogenic Diet Or Does It?

I used to take glucosamine at one point in time. During my previous days as an endurance athlete, I would use glucosamine as a little insurance policy for my joints, especially my knees. However, I can't say without a doubt whether I found it useful or not.

Can I take glucosamine on keto? Glucosamine may be taken on a ketogenic diet without kicking you out of ketosis.

In the article I’ll go over whether glucosamine affects ketosis and weight gain, if it’s even worth using, and possibly a better alternative.

Can i take glucosamine on keto pinterest

Does Glucosamine Affect Ketosis?

Understandably, you're wondering whether or not glucosamine affects ketosis. After all, glucosamine is technically an amino sugar, hence the word ‘glucos' in the name, which is another word for sugar.

Early research even suggested that glucosamine could cause insulin resistance. Rest assured, follow up studies cleared glucosamine supplementation and any effect on blood glucose levels, glucose metabolism, or insulin sensitivity.9

As long as you're not consuming glucosamine in a form that contains additional added sugars, such as gummy form or in a ready to drink (RTD) mix, you should generally be ok. 

However, glucosamine does contain calories, and they do come from carbohydrates. On average, a serving of glucosamine sulfate from most brands lists each serving as having ten calories and 2g of carbs, which isn't enough to knock you out of ketosis. 

Glucosamine keto nutrition facts
 While there doesn't appear to be any adverse reaction between glucosamine and insulin, you should consult a medical doctor if you're pre-diabetic or diabetic before supplementing with glucosamine. 

 Also, since glucosamine is derived from shellfish, those with shellfish allergies should take caution if supplementing with glucosamine. 

Things That Knock You Out Of Ketosis

While a single serving of glucosamine isn't enough to knock you out of ketosis, the 2 grams of carbohydrates should be added to your daily carb total if you want to play it safe.

The determining factor whether or not you'll achieve or maintain a state of ketosis is the TOTAL amount of carbohydrates you consume over the day. Ketosis is a metabolic state established by eliminating or restricting carbohydrates under a certain amount.

i.e., If you can eat 50 grams of net carbs per day and maintain a level of ketosis, by which you've tested by measured ketone levels, even eating a small bowl of oatmeal wouldn't necessarily knock you out of ketosis.

How many carbohydrates you can consume in a given period without being knocked out of ketosis is individual, but 20 – 50 grams of net carbs seems to be safe for most people generally.2 

Factors that influence how many carbohydrates you can “get away with” include:

  • Overall body size
  • Muscle mass
  • Activity levels (the most prominent factor)

In essence, the more active you are, the more carbohydrates you can consume and maintain a state of ketosis. Athletes and highly active individuals may be able to get away with upwards of ~100 to 200 grams of carbohydrates and still achieve and maintain a state of ketosis. 

If you have more questions about what will or won't kick you out of ketosis, I've compiled some of the most common questions people have and wrote the truth about what really kicks you out of ketosis.

Athlete on keto taking glucosamine

Benefits of Glucosamine

Most people supplement with glucosamine for joint health. Studies show that supplementing glucosamine sulfate reduces the rate of collagen degradation and symptoms of osteoarthritis.34 

Studies on athletes suggest doses as high as 3,000mg of glucosamine sulfate may be able to slow joint degradation. If you're an athlete participating in high impact sports, glucosamine may be worth considering.5 

Also, glucosamine has even been used to treat conditions due to inflammation. One study found a 28 percent and 24 percent reduction in two markers of inflammation, CRP and PGE.6 

While these numbers aren't statistically significant, it does show there is potentially something happening, but further research must happen before any reliable conclusions.

Typical glucosamine dosage is about 1,500 mg per day, with studies going as high as 2,000 – 3,000mg per day. To supplement glucosamine, 300 – 500mg, three times per day with food seems best. 

Glucosamine sulfate salts followed by glucosamine sulfate are the best way to supplement glucosamine, as shown by the research.

Glucosamine side effects and weight gain

For the most part, glucosamine seems to be safe for most people. Aside from the shellfish allergy, some experience taking glucosamine, possible adverse reaction include7:

  • Heartburn
  • Headaches
  • Drowsiness
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea 

Also, a study in 2013 found glucosamine may increase the risk of glaucoma, a condition that damages your eye's optic nerve.8 Again though, there's nothing definitive about the adverse side effects.

Then, there's the issue of weight gain. Glucosamine will NOT cause you to gain weight. No supplement will inherently cause you to gain weight unless the supplement causes you to overeat. 

The only way to gain weight is by eating more calories than you burn. Likewise, the only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you burn.

Therefore, the only way glucosamine would be able to cause weight gain would be if it stimulated your appetite, causing you to overeat.

Best supplements for a keto diet

If you're looking for effective supplements to optimize your ketogenic diet or contemplating taking fat burners on keto, there are very few that are shown to be effective. For joint health, collagen may be a better option than glucosamine and chondroitin combined according to one study.9

Compared to the glucosamine and chondroitin group, collagen supplementation was found to reduce pain during exercise by 20 percent versus 6 percent.

Another study in persons with knee osteoarthritis either took 1,500mg of glucosamine sulfate or 10g of hydrolyzed collagen per day over 90 days.10 Those that took hydrolyzed collagen had significant improvement in pain scores and quality of life over the glucosamine group.

Glucosamine knee osteoarthritis keto

In a study of subjects with NO history of arthritis reported that supplementation helped improved knee range of motion almost 8 degrees. Subjects taking collagen also experienced a longer time for joint pain to occur during exercise and faster recovery.11 

Hydrolyzed collagen protein can be bought in supplement form or obtained in collagen-rich foods like bone broth. A dose of 10 grams per day for skin health and minor joint benefits seems to be the dose most studied.

The Takeaway

Glucosamine naturally occurs within your body, and supplementing with it shouldn't kick you out of ketosis. While it appears to be safe for most people, some individuals may experience an adverse reaction, especially those allergic to shellfish.

Another possible supplement that may be worth considering is hydrolyzed collagen protein, which has shown some benefits to joints, contains no carbohydrates, and is rich in glycine.12

How To Transition Off Keto [Best Way And Alternatives]

So you've reached your weight loss goal using a ketogenic diet, now what?

You're asking yourself how to transition off keto and not balloon back to your old weight right?

And you'd be right in doing so because it's not the fat loss that's hard…

It's keeping the weight off.

6 out of 7 overweight individuals can successfully shed weight during their lifetime.

However, around 90% of those individuals will fail and keeping the weight off over the long term. What's even worse is up to 2/3 of those individuals will gain back MORE weight than they lost.

How to transition off keto? The transition from keto, regardless of which diet you choose afterward, should be made alongside sustainable habits and lifestyle changes.

HOW TO TRANSITION OFF KETO PINTEREST COVER

How to properly come off a keto diet

There are many reasons why people choose to end their ketogenic diet.

  • You've reached your goal
  • You miss carbohydrates
  • You don't feel as good as people said you would
  • You just want to switch it up

Whichever the reason, I'll cover how you can transition to some other popular “diets” while not ballooning back to your old weight.

Transitioning from keto to paleo

Transitioning from keto to paleo may be one of the most effortless transitions.

If your diet was filled with whole and unprocessed foods, you're basically eating 90% “paleo friendly” foods.

If this is the case, the only difference now is adding in whole and unprocessed carbohydrates.

This includes any and all fruits along with starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potato, butternut squash, beets, etc.

It's not that you could not eat these foods before, but you would probably only be able to eat so little of them before going over your carb allotment for the day.

Transition from keto to a “normal diet.”

When someone says they want to transition from keto to a regular diet, you need to realize that “normal” means different things to different people.

Take my girlfriend; for example, she grew up eating home-cooked meals full of lean proteins and vegetables. On the other hand, I grew up eating Costco frozen snacks, spam, and fast food.

So when I say “normal,” I'll assume you want to be able to eat any and everything.
You basically don't want to have any food restriction. If that's the case, you'll have to be more mindful of your food choices.

Reason being, this can open up the flood gates to what landed you in the predicament of trying to lose weight in the first place.

You might find yourself justifying little things here and there until you're eventually back with your old eating habits.

Some simple tips for transitioning to a more “normal” diet include:

  • Focusing on protein and vegetables first
  • Not letting one bad meal de-rail you
  • Planning ahead, especially if eating out
  • Meal prepping
  • Exercise, if you're not already doing so.

Switching from keto to weight watchers

If you're looking at switching from keto to weight watchers, you will be introduced into a point system.

Based on your age, weight, height, gender, etc. weight watchers will determine your daily point allowance, similar to how many calories you can eat in a day.

Although, Instead of tracking calories, different foods are assigned a certain amount of points.

Much like a “normal” diet, there are no foods off limits. Every food has a certain amount of points attached to it that you can find on their website or app.

There is no particular way to transition to weight watchers except to follow their plan and make adjustments when necessary.

Switching from keto to vegetarian

Maybe you're doing a complete overhaul and switching from keto to a vegetarian diet.

You could potentially still remain on a keto diet, but you would need to be mindful of your food choices, especially when it comes to protein.

Only protein from animals contain all essential amino acids in the proper amounts needed to thrive, but you can combine things like nuts and seeds or include foods such as Greek yogurt (Fage, Two Good, and Oikos are great brands) and eggs and make do.

Aside from that, if you choose not to stay keto, then simply start incorporating plant-based carbs like potatoes, and even grains if you wish to include them.

Reintroducing carbs after ketosis

No matter which diet you choose to transition to after keto, it's likely to contain a lot more carbs than you've been used to.

Relatively speaking.

I'd recommend introducing carbohydrates slowly and gradually over a month.

Reason being, your body doesn't contain the same digestive enzymes in once had before you going keto.

BUT, that's nothing to worry about.

Once you start reintroducing carbohydrates, the body will up-regulate the enzymes required to digest carbohydrates, similar to the way your body increased enzymes needed to use fats and ketones when switching to a ketogenic diet.

What this looks like in practice:

  • Week 1: 75g of carbs per day
  • Week 2: 100g of carbs per day
  • Week 3: 125g of carbs per day
  • Week 4: 160g of carbs per day

Of course, this number will vary based on your overall intake and your specific needs.

Realize, that when you do reintroduce carbohydrates after keto, you WILL gain weight.

Again, not to worry, because most… if not all of that weight gain is increased glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and water weight.

Assuming you're not going off the rails with your diet.

For every gram of carbohydrate stored, you will store around 3 grams of water along with it. If your tank is empty and you start filling it up, you can expect to gain anywhere from one to five pounds in just water alone.

Taking a break from keto for vacation

Wanting to take a break from keto for an upcoming vacation?

It may be a good idea to start reintroducing a small number of carbs a week or two before your vacation. We're not talking about massive amounts of carbs, but 50-100 grams may be a good starting point.

For the same reason laid out above, your body simply doesn't have the digestive enzymes to handle a lot of carbohydrates if you've been on a ketogenic diet for some time now.

Introducing a small number of carbohydrates before the vacation should better equip you to handle a less rigid diet.

You may also want to give my other article can you have a cheat day on keto a read.

What happens if you go off keto on weekends or have a keto cheat day once a week

First, if you are going to incorporate days of higher carbohydrates, I would at least spend a minimum of 3 weeks on a strict ketogenic diet before doing so.

In theory, this should allow you to become fat-adapted and make for a smoother transition when you jump back onto a keto diet.

How to get back into ketosis quickly after cheating or vacation

If you're wondering how to get back into ketosis quickly after cheat or a vacation then simply just cut out your carbohydrates.

If you're looking for the absolute quickest way to get into ketosis, then you would simply fast.

I find that regardless of what you do, you'll generally be back into ketosis with 48-72 hours if you're limiting your carbohydrates after a cheat or vacation.

You can read more about my self-experiment and how long does it take to get into ketosis.

Coming out of ketosis without gaining weight

Sometimes the scale can play tricks on us. Just realize that the scale can't differentiate between muscle, water, fat, or food sitting in your gut.

If you're looking to switch from a ketogenic diet to a diet with more carbohydrates without gaining weight, then you have two ways to go about it.

You don't

Sorry, some weight is inevitable. Remember that for every gram of carbohydrate your body stores you will store an additional three grams of water.

You can expect on average one to five pounds of weight gain, but realize it's not fat and only water, glycogen, and even food in your gut (assuming you're not going crazy eating everything in sight).

Slowly reintroduce carbs

If you want to forego the shock of gaining five pounds overnight, then the best method is to reintroduce carbohydrates SLOWLY.

Again, scroll up for an example of what you can do in terms of reintroducing carbohydrates over 4 weeks.

How to transition off keto wrap up

For many, keto is a lifestyle, and for others, it's just a tool to achieve a certain weight or health outcome.

If you're looking to transition off keto, your best bet is to reintroduce carbohydrates over a month slowly.

I'd suggest adding in 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates to your daily intake per week.

Realize that some weight gain is inevitable, but it's likely just water weight.

Have you transitioned off keto or still need some pointers? Let me know down in the comments below.