Author: Sevi Rutgrink - Keto Coaching

As keto entails consuming more fats it is vital to know which fats are healthy for you and which ones are not. The following rules are a good guideline for choosing the right oils and fats:

• For high heat cooking use oils and fats high in saturated fats: (pure pastured) lard, ghee, butter, (grass fed) beef tallow, coconut oil, cacao butter and sustainable red palm oil. With regard to coconut oil I recommend using the extra virgin variety. Pure MCT oil is also a good choice.
• For light cooking such as sauteing of vegetables it is best to use mono-unsaturated fats such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or macadamia nut oil, you can also use these cold.
• Oils and fats that are high in poly-unsaturated fats are only suitable for salads or other cold uses. These are mainly the nut- and seed oils: walnut, almond, hazelnut, linseed and pumpkin seed.
• Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly from animal sources, and avoid using too many oils high in omega-6 fatty acids, such as sesame oil or almond oil.
• Never use: margarine or oils made of sunflower, rapeseed/canola, soy, safflower, cottonseed, peanut and grapeseed. These fats and oils are processed and/or genetically modified or have a very unhealthy omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

Carbohydrates (5-10% of the daily energy requirement)

To achieve ketosis it is necessary to eat less than 50 grams of total carbohydrates or between 20-30 grams of net carbohydrates per day. This may not seem like much but I can assure you this allows for plenty of healthy green vegetables: in most cases you subtract present fiber from the total amount of carbohydrates. The number can be adjusted in cases of certain medical conditions that require a higher or lower amount of carbohydrates.

Protein (15-30% of the daily energy requirement)

The amount of protein in grams is determined by body composition (height, weight and body fat percentage) and your activity level. Physically active people need more protein than people who are sedentary. Both exercise and daily occupation play a role in determining the correct activity level.

Protein is important for both preservation and building of muscle mass but eating too much protein should be avoided. Large amounts of protein may or may not cause you to get kicked out of ketosis: the body will convert excessive protein into glycogen, but since this conversion is demand driven as opposed to supply driven it is not possible to tell  the individual threshold without testing. To simply avoid this grey area, especially for those starting out on keto, I will always emphasize a keto diet is NOT based on high protein, but moderate.

Fat (60-75% of the daily energy requirement)

Fat makes up the remainder of your daily energy requirement, it provides a steady energy source without the insulin peaks caused by carbohydrates. This is the reason you will not experience cravings, mood swings or energy dips while in ketosis.

Keep in mind that the fat macro is also a goal as it is already a deficit on your TDEE. Going even lower may result in damage to the metabolism, stalling, gaining, thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, loss of lean muscle mass and micronutrient deficiencies. If you have trouble reaching your fat macro do always make sure to keep it at a minimum of 65% of daily caloric intake but be aware this may still result in any of the issues mentioned above.

A word on keto flu

The restriction of carbohydrates may cause you to feel unwell in the first few days: headaches, feeling weak, tiredness, muscle cramps, dizziness etc. These symptoms are collectively known as ‘keto flu’. The restriction of carbohydrates makes it necessary to drink more water. This increase in water causes you to urinate more and flushes out the important electrolytes magnesium, sodium and potassium. This process is experienced as keto flu.

Increasing the intake of electrolytes makes sure these symptoms will swiftly disappear. The easiest way is by adding a teaspoon of LoSalt to your water a few times per day, using Himalaya or Celtic salt on food and by taking a good brand magnesium supplement. Other methods are drinking bone broth, pickle juice or a homemade electrolyte drink. Spinach, fatty fish, avocado and nuts (but in moderation) are also good sources.

Balancing electrolytes is usually an ongoing issue and you will have to experiment to see what is needed on a day to day basis. Because of the likelihood of keto flu at the start of a keto diet it is advised to ease up on strenuous exercise: your body needs the energy to focus on the shift in metabolism. You can restart your usual exercise regime once you are in proper ketosis and energy levels are back to normal.

Do you need help with your personal macros? Schedule a consultation here:

Macronutrient ratio for a standard diet

Present dietary guidelines tell us we need to adhere to a diet high in carbohydrates:

45-65% carbohydrates
10-35% protein
20-35% fats

Carbohydrates however have an enormous impact on insulin, the hormone responsible for fat storage in our bodies.

Because of this, carbohydrates are directly responsible not only for the rise of obesity but also of diabetes type 2, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, auto-immune diseases, high cholesterol numbers (instead of the old theory high cholesterol is caused by fats it has now become clear carbodydrates are the cause) and chronic inflammation in the body.

The fast rising number of diabetics type 2 especially makes it necessary to reconsider diet and the role of carbohydrates: in the Netherlands 1 out of 3 present adults will develop diabetes according to the Dutch Diabetes Fund and these numbers are drastically on the rise all over the world.

However, besides glucose, the largest energy source created by carbohydrates, the body is also capable of using ketones for energy. Ketones are the molecules produced by the liver when the body is in a state of ketosis. Ketosis shifts the body away from glucose and toward burning body fat, allowing weight loss AND achieving good health.

So what is the ratio for keto?

In a basic ketogenic lifestyle the macronutrients are divided as follows:

5-10% carbohydrates
15-30% protein
60-75% fat

Ketosis is achieved by eating between 20-30 grams of net carbs. The high fat macro has a satiating effect which means you will automatically feel the need to eat less. The moderate amount of protein is determined by body composition and activity level and ensures muscle mass preservation.

All combined this will result in a balanced and satiating diet less likely to stimulate the insulin hormone.

But doesn’t our brain need carbohydrates?

A common misconception is that the body, and specifically the brain, needs carbohydrates. However, apart from some basic metabolic functions that need glucose exclusively, our bodies are build to either use glucose OR ketones for energy. And glucose is the less efficient of the two.
As long as you eat sufficient protein the body can produce glucose for those few metabolic functions where it is needed through the process of gluconeogenesis: the transformation of non-carbohydrate sources (such as amino acids from protein and fatty acids from fat) into glucose.

Also keep in mind a basic ketogenic lifestyle is never completely lacking in carbohydrates: 20-30 grams of net carbs are always included, mainly through green vegetables which provides a nice variety on your plate. For people not eating nose-to-tail animal protein vegetables can also provide certain vitamins and minerals.