The ketogenic diet has surged in popularity as an effective method for weight loss and potential health improvement. This diet is characterized by its very low carbohydrate content, high fat intake, and moderate protein consumption. While generally safe, some individuals experience initial side effects, often referred to as the "keto flu" or "carb flu." This article delves into the causes of keto cravings and offers solutions to ease the transition into ketosis.
Understanding the Keto Flu
The keto flu is a collection of symptoms that some people experience when they first start the keto diet. These symptoms, which can feel similar to the flu, are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very little carbohydrates. Reducing carb intake forces the body to burn ketones for energy instead of glucose. Ketones are byproducts of fat breakdown and become the primary fuel source when following a ketogenic diet. Usually, fat is reserved as a secondary fuel source to use when glucose is not available. This switch to burning fat for energy is called ketosis. It occurs during specific circumstances, including starvation and fasting. However, ketosis can also be reached by adopting a very low carb diet.
This drastic reduction can come as a shock to the body and may cause withdrawal-like symptoms similar to those experienced when weaning off an addictive substance like caffeine. Switching to a very low carb diet is a major change, and your body may need time to adapt to this new way of eating. For some people, this transition period can be especially difficult.
Signs of the keto flu may start popping up within the first few days of cutting back on carbs. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary from person to person. While some people may transition to a ketogenic diet without any side effects, others report symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Irritability
- Weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness
- Brain fog
- Stomach or intestinal pain
- Muscle soreness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Food cravings
These symptoms are commonly reported by those who have just begun the ketogenic diet and can be distressing. Symptoms typically last a few days or, rarely, up to several weeks. While these side effects may cause some dieters to give up, there are ways to reduce them. The keto flu can make you feel miserable. Luckily, there are ways to reduce its flu-like symptoms and help your body more easily navigate the transition period.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Causes of Keto Cravings
It’s not uncommon to experience food cravings when transitioning from a carbohydrate-heavy diet to a keto diet. Cravings can occur for several reasons, including nutrient deficiencies, stress, inadequate sleep, and changes in your blood sugar levels. However, the most common reason for experiencing cravings on a keto diet is that your body is still used to running on glucose. While you’re adapting to keto, you’re limiting glucose but not fully up and running with ketones. This leaves your body a bit confused as to where to get its fuel. The result? Carb cravings. Switching over to using ketones (fat) as fuel takes time (typically a week or two, maybe even longer). Once you’ve transitioned, you’re likely to find you no longer experience food cravings! Until you’re fully keto-adapted, however, you’re going to want some tips and tricks to deal with those pesky cravings.
- Carb Withdrawal: Carbs and sugar activate reward pathways in your brain, so eliminating them can cause carb cravings and other “withdrawal” symptoms (keto flu).
- Inadequate Macronutrient Intake: Insufficient intake of fat and protein, the cornerstones of the keto diet, can lead to cravings and a lack of satiety.
- Fluctuating Blood Sugar: Instability in blood sugar levels can trigger cravings, especially if you are not eating regularly.
- Sleep Deprivation: Lack of sleep can disrupt hunger hormones, leading to increased cravings for sweets.
- Nutrient Deficiencies: When your body is low in certain nutrients, it can result in cravings.
- Stress: Experiencing a high level of stress is directly associated with changes in eating behavior.
Strategies to Combat Keto Cravings
Although cravings can feel overwhelming, numerous strategies can help manage and reduce these urges, making the keto transition smoother.
1. Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is necessary for optimal health and can also help reduce symptoms. A keto diet can cause you to rapidly shed water stores, increasing the risk of dehydration. This is because glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates, binds to water in the body. When dietary carbohydrates are reduced, glycogen levels plummet, and water is excreted from the body. Staying hydrated can help with symptoms like fatigue and muscle cramping. Replacing fluids is especially important when you are experiencing keto-flu-associated diarrhea, which can cause additional fluid loss.
2. Replace Electrolytes
Replacing dietary electrolytes may help reduce keto-flu symptoms. When following a ketogenic diet, levels of insulin, an important hormone that helps the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream, decrease. When insulin levels decrease, the kidneys release excess sodium from the body. Furthermore, the keto diet restricts many foods that are high in potassium, including fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables. Getting adequate amounts of these important nutrients is an excellent way to power through the adaptation period of the diet. Salting food to taste and including potassium-rich, keto-friendly foods like green leafy vegetables and avocados is an excellent way to ensure a healthy balance of electrolytes. These foods are also high in magnesium, which may help reduce muscle cramps, sleep issues, and headaches.
3. Prioritize Fat and Protein
Fat and protein are your friends on keto. While fat is clearly a cornerstone of the keto diet, protein will help keep your blood sugar stable and induce a sense of satiety. If you’re experiencing cravings, it may be that you’re skimping on one of these two essential macronutrients. Make sure you are eating enough fat (and carbs). Transitioning to a very low carb diet can cause you to crave foods that are restricted on the ketogenic diet, such as cookies, bread, pasta, and bagels. However, eating enough fat, the primary fuel source on the ketogenic diet, will help reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied. In fact, research shows that low carb diets help reduce cravings for sweets and high carb foods.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
4. Eat Regularly and Avoid Extreme Hunger
The best way to manage issues with fluctuating blood sugar (a common trigger for cravings) is to make sure you’re eating regularly. If you let yourself get too hungry, your steady resolve to stick to a keto diet can rapidly devolve into an immediate need for food.
5. Get Adequate Sleep
Fatigue and irritability are common complaints of people who are adapting to a ketogenic diet. The number one non-food related cause of cravings is inadequate sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s hunger hormones get imbalanced, leading to cravings for sweets. Lack of sleep causes levels of the stress hormone cortisol to rise in the body, which can negatively impact mood and make keto-flu symptoms worse.
If you are having a difficult time falling or staying asleep, try one of the following tips:
- Reduce caffeine intake: Caffeine is a stimulant that may negatively impact sleep. If you drink caffeinated beverages, only do so in the morning so your sleep is not affected.
- Cut out ambient light: Shut off cell phones, computers, and televisions in the bedroom to create a dark environment and promote restful sleep.
- Take a bath: Adding Epsom salt or lavender essential oil to your bath is a relaxing way to wind down and get ready for sleep.
- Get up early: Waking at the same time every day and avoiding oversleeping may help normalize your sleep patterns and improve sleep quality over time.
6. Manage Stress
Experiencing a high level of stress is directly associated with changes in eating behavior. If you have a lot of stress in your life and you find that your go-to comfort is food, trying to manage your stress and get ahead of the urge to soothe with food is your best bet. Deal with stress in a non-nutritive way. When you’re feeling stressed from work or family life, you might turn to food for that dopamine rush. Instead, advises Taylor, find a non-nutritive way to deal with that stress. “There are so many ways you can still relieve stress and get that dopamine rush that doesn’t involve unhealthy foods.” Going for a walk, spending time in your garden or talking to a friend are just a few ways you can replace unhealthy food. Even watching television while having a hot cup of tea or listening to a podcast is a great way to unwind without relying on food.
“Find things that make your heart happy without going through your stomach first,” Taylor encourages. “A chocolate bar may temporarily relieve that stress but later on, you’ll come to regret it and be hard on yourself.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
7. Gradually Reduce Carbs
Those who are having trouble adapting to the ketogenic diet may have to eliminate carbohydrates gradually rather than all at once. Slowly cutting back on carbs while increasing fat and protein in your diet may help make the transition smoother and decrease keto-flu symptoms.
8. Choose Keto-Friendly Alternatives
If you really have a hankering for a specific food like brownies, cookies, cupcakes, or any other seemingly off-limit foods, you can try a keto-friendly alternative. With the popularity of the keto diet, you can find more keto-friendly recipes for sweet treats than ever. One of the smartest is switching out traditional pasta and rice for It’s Skinny noodles and It's Skinny Rice. It's Skinny can really help you enjoy all the pasta and rice dishes you love without feeling the guilt of derailing your keto diet. So if you're craving the look, feel, and taste of pasta, don't miss this healthy pasta swap.
Note: In some people, eating these treats can perpetuate cravings.
9. Mindful Eating
Sometimes you reach for carbs not out of hunger but boredom. Or it’s your habit to indulge in a bowl of ice cream after dinner. Mindful eating may help. Practice paying attention to why you’re eating, slow down to savor the taste of your food, and focus on the moment. This helps your brain get in sync with your stomach and get the signal that you're full. Studies show a strong link between mindful eating and lower body weight.
10. Stay Active
Exercise, especially the aerobic kind, works to keep your appetite in check. It's also a natural mood booster and can help you form a positive body image. All these good things can keep your hand out of the cookie jar.
Individual Adaptation and Medical Considerations
People adapt to ketogenic diets differently. While some may experience weeks of keto-flu symptoms, others may adjust to the new diet with no adverse side effects. The symptoms people experience are tied to how their bodies adjust to a new fuel source. Usually, carbs provide the body with energy in the form of glucose. When carbs are substantially reduced, the body burns ketones from fat instead of glucose. Those who typically consume lots of carbs, especially refined carbs like pasta, sugary cereal, and soda, may have a more difficult time when beginning the ketogenic diet. Thus, the transition to a high fat, very low carb diet may be a struggle for some, while others can switch between fuel sources easily with little to no keto-flu symptoms. The reason some people adapt to ketogenic diets easier than others is unknown, but genetics, electrolyte loss, dehydration, and carbohydrate withdrawal are believed to be the driving forces behind the keto flu.
The uncomfortable symptoms of the keto flu are usually temporary. For some people, symptoms resolve after only a few days. However, others may have a more difficult time adapting to this high fat, low carb diet. For these individuals, symptoms may last up to a month. Typically, these symptoms will gradually decrease as your body gets used to converting ketones into energy. While keto-flu symptoms are commonly reported by those shifting to a ketogenic diet, if you are feeling particularly unwell and experiencing symptoms like fever, prolonged diarrhea, or vomiting, it’s best to contact your doctor to rule out other causes.
Although the ketogenic diet may be helpful for many people, it’s not suitable for everyone. For example, the ketogenic diet may not be appropriate for pregnant or nursing people, children, and teens unless it’s being used therapeutically under medical supervision. Also, those with diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, or pancreatic conditions who are interested in following a ketogenic meal plan should consult their doctor to determine if this diet is safe and suitable for their specific needs. Lastly, this diet may not be appropriate for individuals who are hypersensitive to dietary cholesterol, who account for around one-quarter of the world’s population.