What is the recommended daily carb intake for the keto diet? How do you calculate net carbs? Explore the details of the ketogenic diet and its impact on weight loss and diabetes management.

The Ketogenic Diet: Balancing Carbs for Metabolic Transformation

The ketogenic, or “keto,” diet is a popular dietary approach that focuses on limiting carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fats. This shift in macronutrient balance puts the body into a metabolic state known as ketosis, where it utilizes fats as the primary fuel source instead of carbohydrates.

Carb Allowance: The Keto Sweet Spot

According to a 2018 review, the typical keto diet recommends a daily carbohydrate intake of up to 50 grams. However, the specific carb allowance can vary depending on the type of keto diet being followed:

• Standard Keto Diet: 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbs
• Cyclical Keto Diet: 5 low-carb days, 2 high-carb days
• Targeted Keto Diet: Allowing more carbs around high-intensity workouts
• High-Protein Keto Diet: 60% fat, 35% protein, 5% carbs

Understanding Net Carbs: The Key to Keto Success

When following a keto diet, it’s crucial to focus on “net carbs” rather than total carbs. Net carbs represent the carbohydrates that the body can actually absorb and use for energy. To calculate net carbs, you need to subtract the fiber and half the sugar alcohol content from the total carb count.

Keto-Friendly Foods: Fueling the Metabolic Shift

The keto diet emphasizes certain food groups that are low in carbs and high in healthy fats. These include:

• Fresh meats and fish, which are carb-free
• Dairy products like cheese and Greek yogurt, which are low in carbs
• Leafy green vegetables, which are nutrient-dense and low in net carbs

Keto and Weight Loss: Harnessing the Power of Ketosis

The keto diet has been shown to support weight loss by reducing hunger, boosting metabolism, and promoting fat burning. This metabolic shift can also be beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes, as the diet can help lower glucose levels.

Incorporating Keto into a Diabetes Management Plan

For those with type 2 diabetes, the keto diet can be a useful tool in managing the condition. However, it’s important to work closely with a healthcare professional to ensure the diet is implemented safely and effectively.

Calculating Net Carbs: The Key to Keto Success

When following a keto diet, it’s essential to focus on net carbs rather than total carbs. Net carbs represent the carbohydrates that the body can actually absorb and use for energy. To calculate net carbs, you need to subtract the fiber and half the sugar alcohol content from the total carb count.

For example, if a food item contains 10 grams of total carbs, 5 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of sugar alcohol, the net carb count would be:

Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fiber – (1/2 x Sugar Alcohol)

Net Carbs = 10 grams – 5 grams – (1/2 x 2 grams) = 8 grams

By focusing on net carbs, you can ensure that you’re staying within the recommended daily carb intake for the keto diet, which is typically around 50 grams or less.

Keto-Friendly Food Choices: Fueling the Metabolic Shift

The keto diet emphasizes certain food groups that are low in carbs and high in healthy fats. These include:

• Fresh Meats and Fish: These protein-rich foods are carb-free and can be a staple in a keto diet.
• Dairy Products: Cheese and Greek yogurt are low in carbs and can be incorporated into a keto meal plan.
• Leafy Green Vegetables: These nutrient-dense, low-carb veggies are a great addition to a keto diet.

By focusing on these keto-friendly food choices, you can ensure that you’re meeting your macronutrient goals and staying in a state of ketosis.

The Keto Diet and Weight Loss: Harnessing the Power of Ketosis

One of the key benefits of the keto diet is its potential to support weight loss. By reducing carb intake and putting the body into a state of ketosis, the keto diet can help reduce hunger, boost metabolism, and promote fat burning.

Additionally, the keto diet has been shown to be beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes, as it can help lower glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.

Incorporating Keto into a Diabetes Management Plan

For those with type 2 diabetes, the keto diet can be a useful tool in managing the condition. However, it’s important to work closely with a healthcare professional to ensure the diet is implemented safely and effectively.

Some key considerations when incorporating the keto diet into a diabetes management plan include:

• Monitoring blood glucose levels closely
• Adjusting medication as needed to prevent hypoglycemia
• Ensuring adequate nutrient intake and hydration
• Regularly communicating with a healthcare team

By working collaboratively with a healthcare provider, individuals with type 2 diabetes can leverage the benefits of the keto diet while managing their condition safely and effectively.

How many carbs on keto? Explanation, tips, and more

The ketogenic, or keto, diet limits the intake of carbohydrates and replaces them with fats. This puts the body into a state of ketosis, in which it uses fats instead of carbs for fuel.

A person on a keto diet eats foods that contain high levels of fats and very low levels of carbohydrates. The diet excludes a wide range of foods, including some fruits and vegetables, as well as bread, beans, and legumes.

This article looks into the number of carbs that the keto diet allows per day and which foods can help a person stay on track.

According to a 2018 review of the different types of ketogenic diet, a person should consume up to 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day to stay in ketosis.

A female on a keto diet should consume 40–50 g of protein per day, while a male should consume 50–60 g of protein daily.

But different keto diets allow for different amounts of carbs, protein, and fat:

• Standard ketogenic diet: Overall, 70% of a person’s intake is fat, 20% is protein, and 10% is carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet: There is a cycle of 5 low carb days and 2 high carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet: A person can eat more carbs around high intensity workouts.
• High protein ketogenic diet: Overall, 60% of a person’s intake is fat, 35% is protein, and 5% is carbs.

The standard keto diet has been the subject of most research, and experts who recommend ketogenic diets tend to be more likely to recommend this type.

Learn about benefits of the keto diet here.

For anyone on the keto diet, it is important to consider the number of “net carbs” in foods.

A person can calculate the number of net carbs in a serving by subtracting the amount of fiber from the total number of carbs. If the food is processed, a person should also subtract half the sugar alcohol content. These quantities are included on food labels.

We look into these terms and the calculation in more depth below:

Total carbs

These are all the carbs in a serving of food, including the type that the body cannot completely digest and transfer into glucose for energy.

Net carbs

The body is able to absorb these, and they are also called digestible carbs.

To calculate the number of net carbs in a serving, subtract the fiber content from the number of total carbs. If the food is processed, also subtract half the sugar alcohol content.

Learn more about calculating net carb values here.

Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and so cannot transform into glucose to store and use for energy.

The amount of fiber is included in the number of total carbs, but not in the number of net carbs.

Sugar alcohol

To calculate the number of net carbohydrates in processed foods, a person also needs to subtract half the amount of sugar alcohol from the number of total carbs.

The body does not digest all sugar alcohols, so these have less of an effect on blood sugar levels than regular sugar does.

Some examples of sugar alcohols include:

• sorbitol
• xylitol
• mannitol
• isomalt
• maltitol
• lactitol
• hydrogenated starch hydrolysates

Find out more about sugar alcohols.

When a person consumes carbohydrates, the body turns those carbs into sugar, which cells use for energy.

Significantly limiting the intake of carbs causes the body to burn fat instead of carbs for energy. As a result, glucose levels drop.

This forces the body to produce ketones, acids that appear in the blood and urine when the body burns fat. When the body uses fat as energy and releases ketones, this is called ketosis.

During ketosis, the body also produces less insulin, and it stores less fat as a result.

Learn more about how ketosis works.

The keto diet may help support weight loss, if this is a goal, by reducing levels of hunger and boosting metabolism. It may also help manage type 2 diabetes because the diet can reduce glucose levels.

How can someone with type 2 diabetes follow the keto diet safely?

Below, we explore how many net carbs various foods contain. This measurement excludes fiber and half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total number of carbs in the serving.

Fresh meat and fish

These foods tend to make up a large part of a keto diet, as they contain no carbohydrates but can be good sources of some nutrients.

Some examples of fresh meat and fish included in the keto diet include:

• turkey
• pork
• chicken
• lamb
• beef
• veal
• venison
• shellfish
• tuna
• cod
• salmon
• sardines

Learn how to incorporate meat into a diet for people with diabetes.

Dairy

Cheese tends to be low in carbs but high in fat, making it a good choice for keto diets. For example, 100 g of cheddar cheese has 2.44 g of carbs and 34 g of fat.

Vegetables

Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, are low in carbs and rich in magnesium, protein, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Fruits

Fruits are a key part of any diet, as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

However, some fruits are high in carbs, so doing research, including checking labels, is key.

Nuts and seeds

Here, learn more about foods for a ketogenic diet.

Wheat-based products, such as rice, pasta, and cereals, are high in carbs. Therefore, a person on a keto diet should avoid them.

Below, we look at how many net carbs are in 100 g of various other foods.

Vegetables

Fruits

Food	Net carbs per 100 g
apple	11.41 g
pear	12.13 g
banana	20. 24 g
mango	13.38 g

Nuts, beans, and legumes

Keeping the keto diet sustainable can be challenging because it is very restrictive. A person may become bored by what they can eat.

Moreover, the diet can cause side effects.

Learn about possible side effects of the ketogenic diet here.

Gradual changes

It can help to ease into the diet gradually.

For instance, a person might stop eating one type of food at a time, such as bread or juice that is high in carbs and sugar.

Whole, unprocessed foods

Aim to consume carbs from whole, unprocessed foods to benefit from their vitamins and minerals.

Monitoring

For people on the keto diet, regular health monitoring is important, to check whether the diet is having any effects on the heart.

For people with diabetes, it is also important to monitor for hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.

Overall, it is important to check with a doctor before making any significant changes to the diet, such as by switching to a ketogenic diet.

A person on the keto diet should limit their carb intake to up to 50 g a day. A person generally replaces high carb foods with fatty foods, such as eggs, dairy products, and fresh meat and fish.

Wheat products and some fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes can be high in carbs, so checking food labels is key.

Before starting a keto diet, contact a doctor to make sure that the change will be safe.

How many carbs on keto? Explanation, tips, and more

The ketogenic, or keto, diet limits the intake of carbohydrates and replaces them with fats. This puts the body into a state of ketosis, in which it uses fats instead of carbs for fuel.

A person on a keto diet eats foods that contain high levels of fats and very low levels of carbohydrates. The diet excludes a wide range of foods, including some fruits and vegetables, as well as bread, beans, and legumes.

This article looks into the number of carbs that the keto diet allows per day and which foods can help a person stay on track.

According to a 2018 review of the different types of ketogenic diet, a person should consume up to 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day to stay in ketosis.

A female on a keto diet should consume 40–50 g of protein per day, while a male should consume 50–60 g of protein daily.

But different keto diets allow for different amounts of carbs, protein, and fat:

• Standard ketogenic diet: Overall, 70% of a person’s intake is fat, 20% is protein, and 10% is carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet: There is a cycle of 5 low carb days and 2 high carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet: A person can eat more carbs around high intensity workouts.
• High protein ketogenic diet: Overall, 60% of a person’s intake is fat, 35% is protein, and 5% is carbs.

The standard keto diet has been the subject of most research, and experts who recommend ketogenic diets tend to be more likely to recommend this type.

Learn about benefits of the keto diet here.

For anyone on the keto diet, it is important to consider the number of “net carbs” in foods.

A person can calculate the number of net carbs in a serving by subtracting the amount of fiber from the total number of carbs. If the food is processed, a person should also subtract half the sugar alcohol content. These quantities are included on food labels.

We look into these terms and the calculation in more depth below:

Total carbs

These are all the carbs in a serving of food, including the type that the body cannot completely digest and transfer into glucose for energy.

Net carbs

The body is able to absorb these, and they are also called digestible carbs.

To calculate the number of net carbs in a serving, subtract the fiber content from the number of total carbs. If the food is processed, also subtract half the sugar alcohol content.

Learn more about calculating net carb values here.

Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and so cannot transform into glucose to store and use for energy.

The amount of fiber is included in the number of total carbs, but not in the number of net carbs.

Sugar alcohol

To calculate the number of net carbohydrates in processed foods, a person also needs to subtract half the amount of sugar alcohol from the number of total carbs.

The body does not digest all sugar alcohols, so these have less of an effect on blood sugar levels than regular sugar does.

Some examples of sugar alcohols include:

• sorbitol
• xylitol
• mannitol
• isomalt
• maltitol
• lactitol
• hydrogenated starch hydrolysates

Find out more about sugar alcohols.

When a person consumes carbohydrates, the body turns those carbs into sugar, which cells use for energy.

Significantly limiting the intake of carbs causes the body to burn fat instead of carbs for energy. As a result, glucose levels drop.

This forces the body to produce ketones, acids that appear in the blood and urine when the body burns fat. When the body uses fat as energy and releases ketones, this is called ketosis.

During ketosis, the body also produces less insulin, and it stores less fat as a result.

Learn more about how ketosis works.

The keto diet may help support weight loss, if this is a goal, by reducing levels of hunger and boosting metabolism. It may also help manage type 2 diabetes because the diet can reduce glucose levels.

How can someone with type 2 diabetes follow the keto diet safely?

Below, we explore how many net carbs various foods contain. This measurement excludes fiber and half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total number of carbs in the serving.

Fresh meat and fish

These foods tend to make up a large part of a keto diet, as they contain no carbohydrates but can be good sources of some nutrients.

Some examples of fresh meat and fish included in the keto diet include:

• turkey
• pork
• chicken
• lamb
• beef
• veal
• venison
• shellfish
• tuna
• cod
• salmon
• sardines

Learn how to incorporate meat into a diet for people with diabetes.

Dairy

Cheese tends to be low in carbs but high in fat, making it a good choice for keto diets. For example, 100 g of cheddar cheese has 2.44 g of carbs and 34 g of fat.

Vegetables

Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, are low in carbs and rich in magnesium, protein, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Fruits

Fruits are a key part of any diet, as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

However, some fruits are high in carbs, so doing research, including checking labels, is key.

Nuts and seeds

Here, learn more about foods for a ketogenic diet.

Wheat-based products, such as rice, pasta, and cereals, are high in carbs. Therefore, a person on a keto diet should avoid them.

Below, we look at how many net carbs are in 100 g of various other foods.

Vegetables

Fruits

Nuts, beans, and legumes

Keeping the keto diet sustainable can be challenging because it is very restrictive. A person may become bored by what they can eat.

Moreover, the diet can cause side effects.

Learn about possible side effects of the ketogenic diet here.

Gradual changes

It can help to ease into the diet gradually.

For instance, a person might stop eating one type of food at a time, such as bread or juice that is high in carbs and sugar.

Whole, unprocessed foods

Aim to consume carbs from whole, unprocessed foods to benefit from their vitamins and minerals.

Monitoring

For people on the keto diet, regular health monitoring is important, to check whether the diet is having any effects on the heart.

For people with diabetes, it is also important to monitor for hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.

Overall, it is important to check with a doctor before making any significant changes to the diet, such as by switching to a ketogenic diet.

A person on the keto diet should limit their carb intake to up to 50 g a day. A person generally replaces high carb foods with fatty foods, such as eggs, dairy products, and fresh meat and fish.

Wheat products and some fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes can be high in carbs, so checking food labels is key.

Before starting a keto diet, contact a doctor to make sure that the change will be safe.

How much can you eat for 20 or 50 grams of carbohydrates?

By Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MDD, medical review by Dr. Bret Scher, MD

To induce a state of ketosis,
most need to consume no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates daily. But
what does it look like on a plate? In this article, we have collected for you a few
visual images.

What looks more appetizing and satisfying: a plate full of vegetables, or a lonely half of a bun for a sandwich?

This clearly shows that by eating 20 grams of carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, you will not only be full, but also get enough vitamins and minerals. And if you want something sweet, then no one forbids you to treat yourself to cherry tomatoes and sweet bell peppers. Check out our guide to keto vegetables.

What about that lonely half of the loaf? Add the other half, ketchup and other usual components of a sandwich, and now you have already thoroughly exceeded all possible norms of daily carbohydrate intake. For this reason, regular bread is never part of the keto diet. It is almost impossible to fit it into your diet and not exceed the norm of 20 grams. But don’t get upset. We have a recipe for incredibly delicious keto bread with much less carbs.

High carbohydrate foods

So what do they look like
20 grams of carbohydrates in the form of potatoes, pasta, rice or bread?

This is one potato, a small portion (about 1/2 cup) pasta, about 1/2 cup rice and half a roll. These foods will exceed your daily carb limit and kick you out of ketosis.

But then what is there? Try cauliflower. It can be used to make rice, mashed potatoes, gratin and many other dishes. This is a great alternative to rice or potatoes. For a bread replacement, check out these delicious bread and cracker recipes. Dreaming of a big bowl of pasta? We have selected keto pasta recipes for you. You can also make zucchini noodles that go great with a savory sauce.

Low carbohydrate foods

Compare that half a roll or a tiny serving of pasta with 20 grams of carbohydrates in the form of various vegetables, nuts and berries.

We bet you can’t eat enough spinach at once to exceed your 20 grams/day carb limit! Because in this picture in the lower right corner, not even 20 grams, but only 5! More simply did not fit in one plate. 100 grams of fresh spinach contains 1.4 grams of carbohydrates. To get 20 grams, you need to eat about 1.5 kilograms of spinach.

But be
Be careful, there are much more carbohydrates in a serving of berries and nuts. If you chew them
mindlessly, you can easily overdo it.

Keto Fruits and Berries Guide

Keto Nut Guide

Moderately low carbohydrate intake:
What does 50 grams look like?

If you want
get out of ketosis from time to time or treat yourself to carbohydrates,
50 grams will allow you to stay closer to the lower limit anyway.

That’s like 50 grams
carbs look like processed or high carb foods.
content: three slices of bread, three potatoes, a cup of rice or pasta.

50 grams in low
carbohydrate content

That’s like 50 grams
carbohydrates look like vegetables, nuts and berries. These are more than generous portions.

Very low foods
carbohydrates

Some
foods, such as full-fat milk, meat, fish, and cheese, carbohydrates are practically
missing. Dial 20 with them
grams of carbohydrates is almost impossible. No wonder why
You can overeat all these foods and continue to lose weight. Here’s how many
it will take to reach the daily limit:

Meat – an almost infinite amount (it can be considered
that there are no carbohydrates in meat)
Fish —
almost infinite
Olive oil –
infinite
Coconut oil –
infinite
Butter –
20 kg
Eggs –
30 eggs (one egg contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates)
Avocado –
7 avocados (one avocado averages 3 grams of carbs)
Cheese –
1.5 kg
Béarn sauce (French
egg-butter sauce) – 1 kg

Other Visual Keto Guides

To learn more about specific topics such as which fruits or nuts to eat on a ketogenic diet, check out our handy visual guides.

KetoBlog

Researched over 200 keto recipes since 2003.

What does 30 grams of carbohydrates look like: photo examples

Fruits

Blueberry

Strawberry

Banana

Kiwi

Apple

Grapefruit

Vegetables

Tomato

curly cabbage

Carrot

cucumbers

Red onion

Red pepper

zucchini

Cauliflower (or broccoli)

Sweet potato

Fatty foods

Avocado

Walnuts

pecan nuts

Cashew

Full fat yogurt

Junk food

Whole wheat bread

Starbucks coffee drink

Red Bull Energy Specialist

Coca Cola

organic chips

Small Snickers bar

M&M’s

gummy bears

Carbohydrate restriction is a critical factor in transitioning into a metabolic state of ketosis. Optimal results vary from person to person, which means that you can reach your best ketone levels by eating 20 grams of carbs per day, and someone will need all 40. However, the standard rule in the keto world is 30 grams of carbs per day.

But what does this number roughly look like? So, each photo in this post contains 30 grams of total carbs, and net carbs will be described below.

Let’s look at net carbohydrates. Carbohydrates themselves are not “bad” or “good”, they are simply molecules where the carbon is bonded to water. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that does not affect blood glucose levels. It is broken down by intestinal bacteria in the colon and is essential for normal and healthy bowel function. For whole foods with fiber, we can subtract this number from the total carbs.

Fruit

Blueberry

Serving: 180 g
Fiber: 5 g
Net Carbs: 25 g

Strawberries
Fiber: 5g
Net Carbs: 25g

Banana

Serving: 1 Medium Banana (155 g)
Fiber: 3 g
Net Carbs: 27 g lettuce: 8 g
Net Carbs: 22 g

Apple

Serving: 210 g
Fiber: 7 g
Net Carbs: 23 g

Grapefruit ration: 2 medium grapefruits (130 g)

Fiber: 4 g
Net Carbs: 26 g

Vegetables

Tomato

Serving: 800g
Fiber: 8g
Net Carbs: 22g

9008 1 Kale

Serving: 340 g
Fiber: 12 g
Net carbs: 18g

Carrots

Serving: 310g
Fiber: 8g
Net carbs: 22g

9008 1 Cucumbers

Serving: 850 g
Fiber: 4 g
Pure carbohydrates: 26 g

Red onion

Serving: 226 g
Fiber: 4 g
Net Carbs: 26 g

Red pepper

Serving: 935 g
Fiber: 11 g
Net Carbs: 19 g

Zucchini

Serving: 990 g
Fiber: 10 g
Net Carbs: 20 g

900 81 Cauliflower (or broccoli)

Serving: 580 g
Fiber : 14 g
Net Carbs: 16 g

Sweet Potato

Serving: 120 g
Fiber: 4 g
Net Carbs: 26 g

9016 9

Fatty foods

---

Avocado

Serving: 354g (2 large avocados)
Fiber: 24g
Net Carbs: 6g

Walnuts

226 g
Fiber: 16 g
Net Carbs: 14 g

Pecans

Serving: 212g
Fiber: 14g
Net Carbs: 16g

Note: This serving also has 1500 calories – don’t ignore them, especially if your goal is weight loss.