With people consuming more sodium than ever in a diet rich in processed food, you’re probably not used to hearing the call to eat more salt. One of the biggest health and nutrition ‘myths’ is that you should avoid salt. If you’re fit, healthy, and following a keto diet you’ll lose water and sodium in the first few weeks. Many people have a negative stigma when it comes to how much sodium you should be consuming daily. We have been taught that our sodium intake should be very low, but this is typically only the case on high carbohydrate, processed diets.
This is because higher-carb diets mean naturally higher levels of insulin. When insulin levels are high, your kidneys begin to retain sodium.
When you lose sodium on a keto diet, the salt depletion causes a parallel loss of potassium.
When you’re in ketosis, add an extra three to five grams (3,000 to 5,000 mg) of sodium in your diet.
The healthiest ways to get more salt in your diet and avoid an electrolyte imbalance include:
Adding Lite Iodised Salt which contains potassium, to your diet throughout the day
Eating low carb foods that naturally contain sodium like cucumbers & celery
Eating salted macadamia nuts
It’s important to incorporate vegetables every day as these contain fibre that prevents constipation and is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut, all while minding portions and properly counting carbs. Go for non-starchy options in a rainbow of colours for a variety of nutrients:
Kale
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Spinach
Cabbage
Brussel sprouts
Non-starchy vegetables are generally lowcalorie, too. So if you’re the type of person who likes to feel physically full after a meal, it’s important to include plenty of these vegetables in your diet so you’re not eating an entire bag of macadamia nuts in one sitting. While that would be delicious, it wouldn’t be helpful if you’re using a keto diet to lose weight.
For all the focus on what you’re eating, don’t forget about what you’re sipping. Dehydration is an increased possibility on keto. Eating carbs causes us to store more water in our bodies so the drastic decrease in carbohydrate intake on the keto diet can cause shifts in your fluid and electrolyte balance. Eating carbs causes us to store more water in our bodies, so as these stores are depleted, that water is lost along with them, so it’s even more crucial to drink enough. Aim to reach a goal of consuming half of your body weight in ounces of water daily.
Look for a variety of keto recipes that you’ll love. If you find 4 or 5 that you know you’ll like then you’re less likely to be standing around wondering what to eat and turn to carbs. Keto recipes are not 100% required to stick to a keto lifestyle, but they sure make it easier and more enjoyable! Once you have the basics down, introducing your old comfort food favourites in keto form, like keto bread or keto casseroles, can help you stick to it long term.
Here at New Image™, our focus is to provide you with plenty of easy keto recipes for beginners! Browse the full keto recipe index at newimageketo.com
Carbs are everywhere! Although it may seem like carbs are hiding around every corner when you first start your keto journey, from dressings to sauces to even stewed meats, there are hundreds of delicious options that have zero or almost zero net carbs as well. Hidden carbs are those that are underestimated in foods and can lurk in some less obvious places! Foods like bread, potatoes, and sugar-sweetened beverages are well-known high-carb foods, so their carb content is quite obvious. On the other hand, soy, dairy, seafood, alcoholic drinks, and some condiments are not talked about as carb-containing foods despite having some carbs in them. In other words, their carb content isn’t as obvious or clear as in the first group. If you eat a bunch of these foods without accounting for their hidden carb content, you will go over your carb content pretty quickly. The numbers can quickly add up if you’re not being careful, and your chances of succeeding on lowcarb diets can take a hit. Carbs may seem like they’re everywhere, but they can’t hide forever.
Now that you know what to focus on when it comes to the keto lifestyle, you are ready to use these keto success tips to your advantage!
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