The ketogenic diet is typically a very effective diet that one can use to promote quick fat loss along with other benefits. It’s an incredibly popular weight loss approach, one of the most effective ones in this age and day. The main principle behind ketogenic diets is to consume reduced amounts of carbs while maximizing fat intake to stimulate your body into a state commonly known as ketosis. This state allows your body to use the stored body fat to produce energy that is required for the normal biochemical process of the body.
One of the major drawbacks of keto diets is that they might not provide your body with certain essential nutrients. This is because certain foods that are skipped when on a ketogenic diet tend to contain higher amounts of other essential food nutrients. For instance, certain carbohydrate foods also contain essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, vitamins, and flavonoids, all of which are vital for the healthy functioning of the body. Supplementing your keto diet maximizes your intake of these specific micro/macronutrients that may be limited in your controlled nutrition. This ensures that your body gets adequate amounts of these vital nutrients without disrupting the effects of ketosis.
This having been said, here are some pointers you’ll find helpful on maximizing your ketogenic diet using supplements.
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Take Spirulina
Spirulina is actually a type of blue-green algae rather than a green plant. It is consumed by a wide range of animals, including fish and humans. As a matter of fact, it became regarded as a superfood by NASA back in 1988. There are many reasons why spirulina makes a highly beneficial supplement for ketogenic diets.
Supplementing your diet using greens like spirulina is a perfect way to boost your vitamin and mineral intake when following a strict ketogenic diet. Additionally, spirulina is popularly regarded as a whole protein, meaning it provides your body with all the amino acids it requires to function correctly. It also contains adequate amounts of fiber, which helps your body in binding the carbohydrates to prevent them from getting stored as fat. Additionally, spirulina has been found to be incredibly rich in essential nutrients such as magnesium, iron, and potassium, which are crucial in certain critical processes of the body. Research also suggests that it is effective in reducing bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Omega 3
Omega 3 is a vital fatty acid that you can find from foods such as oily fish like sardines, salmon, and mackerel. Among many other benefits, it aids in promoting healthy fat loss and muscle development. Omega 3 cannot get synthesized in your body, so you should take it in through your diets. Most people find it hard to eat fish in large quantities to get high levels of omega 3, 6 and omega 9 as well. Therefore, supplementing your ketogenic diet with omega three supplements is an excellent way to increase your intake.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is one of the most commonly known supplements. It is also one of the most bioavailable proteins. It is a complete protein that is digested and absorbed faster in the body. Whey protein is equipped with all the 9 essential amino acids that your body needs for proper growth and function. These include leucine, valine, and isoleucine, which are the most important branched-chain amino acids. You can get high-quality whey protein from foods such as dairy butter, yogurt, and cheese. Optionally, you can use whey protein powder supplements that can be mixed with drinks, baked into pastries or sprinkled on cereal.
Vitamin D
Although available in certain diets and from the rays of the sun, people on keto diet can benefit highly from vitamin D supplement. This highly fat-soluble vitamin is known to promote bone health as well as the absorption of mineral nutrients in the body. It also boosts muscular energy, promotes muscle growth, aids in fat metabolism, and supports dozens of other physiological processes, making it a highly helpful supplement for people on a keto diet.
Coconut Oil
This type of oil is an ideal supplement that you can use for various health benefits. It is suitable for ketogenic diets since you can use it to boost your intake of fats. It’s also excellent for enhancing healthy fat intake. You can buy coconut oil in the form of capsules, which is easier to take when you want to increase your healthy fat intake, or in raw form, which you can use for oil pulling, cooking among others.
Electrolyte Supplements
When on a keto diet, you will obviously avoid a wide range of foods. Some of these foods provide your body with electrolyte nutrients such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These electrolytes play a wide variety of roles in important biochemical processes of the body, making them incredibly important. As a matter of fact, certain side effects of ketosis such as keto flu occur as a result of low amounts of electrolytes in the diet. Also, higher levels of electrolytes are lost along with water through the kidneys when on a keto or low-carb diet. Supplementation can help restore and maintain your body’s electrolyte balance. The most common electrolyte supplements include the following:
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Calcium
Sodium: This one is arguably the most important electrolyte. This is because despite being highly essential in nerve and muscle function, sodium is also responsible for maintaining a healthy balance of the other electrolytes in the body. This is achieved by its anti-diuretic properties that promote water retention in the body. You can supplement your keto diet with sodium from adding sea salt to your food, regularly drinking bone broth, and taking sodium-rich foods such as eggs and red meats in healthy quantities.
Magnesium: For people on a low-carb diet, magnesium deficiency is common. Among many other roles, magnesium is responsible for promoting immunity, normal heart rhythm, proper nerve function as well as muscle function. It actually supports hundreds of biological reactions in the body, making it an important supplement when on a keto diet. You can find magnesium from natural sources such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, avocados, and leafy greens. Magnesium-containing keto supplements are also available, which contain the essential element in just the right amounts needed by your body.
Potassium: This vital nutrient is responsible for supporting fluid balance, healthy heart rate, and normal blood pressure. It is also essential in the breakdown of or carbs to produce energy. The best natural sources of potassium include avocados, leafy greens, mushrooms, salmon, and nuts. Potassium-containing supplements are also available; even though potassium supplementation is not encouraged as too much of it can be toxic to your body.
Calcium: You’ve probably heard about how important calcium is in promoting bone health. Well, it plays dozens of other important roles in the body, including promoting muscle health and blood clotting. Supplementing your ketogenic diet with calcium will definitely boost your weight loss without worrying about muscle wasting. Some of the best calcium supplements come with vitamin D to promote its absorption in the body.
The above few pointers can be helpful for you to boost your body into ketosis without missing out on important nutrients. In case you’re looking for a good ketogenic diet supplement from the shelves, you may want to check out https://www.ketogenicsupplementreviews.com/ketofire for a healthy way to kick-start your ketosis and achieve weight loss.