The Biggest KETO Misunderstandings

First things first, let’s define ketosis. Being in ketosis simply means that your body is using ketone bodies for the primary fuel source instead of sugars.

Most people don’t even know what a ketone is, so let’s take a very quick look at this topic. We aren’t going to have an organic chemistry lesson in this article, but let’s just understand that when the glucose in the blood stream is used up (from all of the sugars/carbohydrates you just ate), the liver will then supply more glucose from a storage supply of glycogen. Glycogen is your energy storage, primarily in the liver but also a little bit in the muscles. So, when the glycogen in the liver is depleted, it will then create ketones from fatty acids…yes from stored fat.

Let’s keep it simple…sugars are gone…ketones are then produced and used as fuel. That’s it in a nutshell.

Myth 1: Keto diets must be high in fat.

Fact: Keto diets can be moderate fat, moderate protein and lower in net carbs.

If you look at all of the keto posts on the internet today you’ll see high fat diets touted as the only way to “do” keto or eat a ketogenic diet. I see the adverse impact of this consistently in my medical practice. I often see people eating very high fat and low carb diets and their total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels go through the roof! Most of these people aren’t losing weight either. Things turn around quickly when they reduce their fats, increase their proteins and increase their fibrous vegetable. Think greens here!

Myth 2: Certain foods “aren’t keto” and aren’t allowed on a keto diet.

Fact: A food is not defined as keto or not keto.

You’ll hear people saying that “this” food or “that” food “isn’t keto” or isn’t allowed on a ketogenic diet. Says who? Who are these keto police anyway?

Now, if someone wants to state that a particular food has a higher glycemic index (effect on insulin and blood sugar) than another, such as a banana vs. a piece of chicken, well, that would be true. But make no mistake, a person can eat just about any food they want to and remain in ketosis, if it is in a small enough quantity. I personally love bananas and know that I’m unlikely to eat 1/4 of a banana so I opt for berries instead since they have less sugar, but the point is, that just about every food out there can be eaten if you make sure you don’t exceed the number of carbohydrates your body can take in and stay in ketosis.

What does it mean to stay in ketosis?

I’m glad you asked. If you’re in ketosis, it means that the primary source of fuel that the body is using is ketones made from the fatty acids you’re storing, not glucose. Understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to a staying in ketosis.

For example, if you have a job where you are on your feet and moving consistently, you’re going to burn through carbohydrates from the diet quickly and keep the majority of your fuel as ketones. Just think of an airline employee who is loading bags all day on and off of an airplane and moving from place to place. Compare that type of activity to a more sedentary type of desk job, such as a person writing a blog about ketosis. The airline employee will likely be able to be in ketosis while taking in 50-70 grams of carbohydrates per day while a more sedentary person may only be able to stay in ketosis if their dietary carbohydrates are less than 40 grams per day.

Final thoughts…

Certain foods get a bad rap from keto police and it drives me crazy. If you have a ¼ onion or a tomato in an entire recipe that you are eating ¼ of…it will not matter that the onion or tomato has some natural sugars in it. You’re not eating much of the onion or tomato. In fact, you’re eating 1/16 of the onion or tomato, so don’t fret!
The carbohydrate count matters more than where it came from.

Namasté,
Dr. A