Low sodium keto. 8 Essential Keto Diet Mistakes Beginners Must Avoid for Success

14.06.202311.06.2023 by alexxlab

Why is salt crucial in the keto diet. How can low sodium levels impact your keto journey. What are the common mistakes beginners make on a low-carb diet. How to optimize your electrolyte balance for better keto results.

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The Importance of Salt in Ketogenic Diets

The ketogenic diet, known for its low-carb, high-fat approach, brings about significant metabolic changes in the body. One often overlooked aspect of this dietary shift is the increased need for sodium. As the body transitions from burning sugar to burning fat for fuel, it excretes more sodium than usual. This physiological change necessitates a higher salt intake to maintain proper electrolyte balance.

How much sodium do keto dieters need? Most ketogenic diet experts recommend consuming between 2,000 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day. This is notably higher than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 2,300 mg for standard diets. The increased sodium requirement stems from the body’s altered metabolism and the elimination of many high-sodium processed foods typically found in standard diets.

Why Sodium Matters on Keto

Helps maintain proper fluid balance
Supports nerve and muscle function
Aids in nutrient absorption
Prevents electrolyte imbalances

Common Keto Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Embarking on a ketogenic journey can be challenging, especially for beginners. Understanding and avoiding common pitfalls can significantly improve your chances of success. Here are some of the most frequent mistakes and how to steer clear of them:

1. Neglecting Sodium Intake

Is it possible to consume too little salt on keto? Absolutely. Many newcomers to the diet, accustomed to hearing about the dangers of excessive sodium, inadvertently under-consume this crucial electrolyte. This can lead to what’s commonly known as the “keto flu” – a collection of symptoms including fatigue, headaches, and irritability.

To avoid this, consciously increase your salt intake. Add sea salt or Himalayan pink salt to your meals, consume bone broth, or consider electrolyte supplements designed for low-carb dieters.

2. Overlooking Other Electrolytes

While sodium is crucial, it’s not the only electrolyte that requires attention on a ketogenic diet. Potassium and magnesium are equally important for maintaining proper bodily functions and preventing muscle cramps.

How can you ensure adequate electrolyte intake? Include potassium-rich foods like avocados, spinach, and salmon in your diet. For magnesium, consider foods like pumpkin seeds, almonds, and leafy greens, or opt for a high-quality magnesium supplement.

3. Consuming Hidden Carbs

Carbohydrates can lurk in unexpected places, potentially disrupting ketosis. Common culprits include certain vegetables, condiments, and processed “keto-friendly” products that may contain hidden sugars or starches.

To avoid this mistake, become a diligent label reader. Familiarize yourself with different names for sugars and be cautious with packaged foods marketed as low-carb. Stick primarily to whole, unprocessed foods to maintain better control over your carbohydrate intake.

Understanding the “Keto Flu” and How to Mitigate Its Effects

The “keto flu” is a collection of symptoms that many people experience when first transitioning to a ketogenic diet. These symptoms can include fatigue, headaches, irritability, difficulty focusing, nausea, and constipation. While not everyone experiences the keto flu, it’s common enough to warrant attention, especially for beginners.

What causes the keto flu? The primary culprits are electrolyte imbalances and dehydration resulting from the body’s adaptation to using fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. As insulin levels drop, the body excretes more water and electrolytes, leading to potential imbalances.

Strategies to Minimize Keto Flu Symptoms

Increase sodium intake to 2,000-4,000 mg per day
Stay well-hydrated with water and electrolyte-rich beverages
Supplement with magnesium and potassium if needed
Gradually reduce carbohydrate intake instead of cutting them out abruptly
Ensure adequate fat intake to support energy levels

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of keto flu symptoms, making your transition to a ketogenic diet smoother and more comfortable.

The Role of Sodium in Digestive Health on Keto

Can low sodium levels affect your digestive system on a ketogenic diet? Indeed, they can. Adequate sodium is crucial for proper digestion and can help prevent common gastrointestinal issues that some keto dieters experience, such as constipation or diarrhea.

Sodium plays a vital role in maintaining the proper function of muscles in the digestive tract. When sodium levels are insufficient, it can lead to digestive discomfort and irregular bowel movements. This is particularly relevant for those on a ketogenic diet, as the rapid loss of water and electrolytes can exacerbate these issues.

Tips for Maintaining Digestive Health on Keto

Ensure adequate fiber intake from low-carb vegetables
Stay well-hydrated and maintain proper electrolyte balance
Consider probiotic supplements or fermented foods
Include magnesium-rich foods or supplements in your diet
Don’t shy away from healthy fats, which can aid digestion

By focusing on these aspects, you can support your digestive health while adhering to a ketogenic diet, potentially avoiding common gastrointestinal discomforts associated with the transition to a low-carb lifestyle.

Balancing Macronutrients: A Key to Keto Success

One of the fundamental principles of a ketogenic diet is achieving the right balance of macronutrients – fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Many beginners struggle with this aspect, often consuming too much protein or not enough fat, which can hinder their progress and potentially kick them out of ketosis.

What is the ideal macronutrient ratio for a ketogenic diet? While individual needs may vary, a typical ketogenic diet consists of about 70-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. However, it’s essential to remember that these percentages can be adjusted based on individual goals and metabolic needs.

Common Macronutrient Mistakes on Keto

Overconsumption of protein, which can be converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis
Not eating enough fat, leading to persistent hunger and difficulty maintaining ketosis
Consuming too many carbohydrates, even from seemingly keto-friendly sources
Neglecting micronutrients from vegetables and other whole foods

To avoid these pitfalls, consider using a nutrient tracking app to monitor your macronutrient intake, at least initially. This can help you develop a better understanding of the nutritional composition of different foods and how they fit into your ketogenic lifestyle.

The Importance of Quality Fats in a Ketogenic Diet

On a ketogenic diet, fat becomes the primary source of energy. However, not all fats are created equal. Focusing on high-quality, nutrient-dense sources of fat is crucial for optimizing health and achieving the full benefits of a ketogenic lifestyle.

What are the best sources of fat for a ketogenic diet? Opt for a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats from whole food sources. Some excellent options include:

Avocados and avocado oil
Coconut oil and MCT oil
Olive oil and olives
Grass-fed butter and ghee
Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel
Nuts and seeds (in moderation due to carb content)
Pasture-raised eggs

By prioritizing these high-quality fat sources, you can ensure that your body receives essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins while supporting overall health and wellbeing on a ketogenic diet.

Hydration and Electrolyte Balance: The Unsung Heroes of Keto

Proper hydration and electrolyte balance are critical components of a successful ketogenic diet, yet they’re often overlooked by beginners. The transition to a low-carb, high-fat diet can significantly impact the body’s water and electrolyte levels, making conscious effort in this area essential.

Why does keto affect hydration so dramatically? When you reduce carbohydrate intake, your body depletes its glycogen stores, which are bound to water molecules. As these glycogen stores are used up, the body excretes excess water along with important electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Signs of Electrolyte Imbalance on Keto

Muscle cramps or spasms
Headaches
Fatigue or weakness
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Heart palpitations
Digestive issues

To maintain proper hydration and electrolyte balance, consider the following strategies:

Drink plenty of water throughout the day
Add a pinch of salt to your water or consume bone broth
Eat potassium-rich, low-carb foods like avocados and leafy greens
Consider a sugar-free electrolyte supplement designed for keto dieters
Don’t shy away from salting your food to taste

By prioritizing hydration and electrolyte balance, you can avoid many of the common side effects associated with the initial stages of a ketogenic diet and set yourself up for long-term success.

Monitoring Progress Beyond the Scale

While weight loss is often a primary goal for many people starting a ketogenic diet, focusing solely on the number on the scale can be misleading and demotivating. Body weight can fluctuate due to various factors, including water retention, muscle gain, and normal day-to-day variations.

How can you track your progress more effectively on a ketogenic diet? Consider incorporating the following methods:

Alternative Progress Tracking Methods

Body measurements: Use a tape measure to track changes in your waist, hips, arms, and thighs
Progress photos: Take regular photos in similar lighting and clothing to visually assess changes
Clothing fit: Notice how your clothes feel and fit differently over time
Energy levels: Pay attention to improvements in your overall energy and mood
Blood markers: Consider periodic blood tests to monitor cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels
Ketone levels: Use urine strips or a blood ketone meter to measure ketone production

By diversifying your progress tracking methods, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of how your body is responding to the ketogenic diet. This approach can help maintain motivation and provide valuable insights into your overall health and wellbeing beyond just weight loss.

Remember, everyone’s journey is unique, and progress isn’t always linear. Celebrate non-scale victories and focus on how you feel overall rather than fixating on a single metric.

Why Is Salt Needed in the Keto diet?

One of the trickier facets of the Ketogenic diet, especially for newbies, is the understanding of the value of increasing salt use. When our metabolism changes from being a sugar burner to a fat burner, it increases the amount of sodium that is contained in the metabolism and thus needs more salt in our diet. Because keto eliminates the most popular packaged products with a high sodium content, the amount of sodium ingested is therefore automatically reduced. As a result, sodium levels often drop, which can be easily avoided causing unpleasant side effects.

When all of this is new to you and you only start with a keto diet, this Guide to Getting Started on Keto is a great guide that can be quickly followed. Sodium is not the enemy in ketosis of nutrition. We have been taught for years that salt is the enemy, particularly as regards type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. While I am not a scientist, there is a lot of work in the opposite direction.

Thinking Of Being Ketogenic? You’re Going To Need Extra Salt

As you can see from the above research, low carbohydrate diets can produce low levels of sodium in the blood, even when sodium consumption is considered normal. Because of a resulting decrease in insulin levels, reducing carbohydrates to the amounts recommended by the ketogenic diet that contribute to exhaustion or lightheadedness due to the high sodium loss. You’ll need to incorporate extra sodium into your diet to counter this. Most ketogenic diet specialists suggest that followers should aim to eat two to four grams of sodium (2000-4000 mg) a day. Note that the minimum daily sodium concentration (RDA) for regular diets is 2300 mg.

It can be done by applying additional salt to the milk, either by manually salting it or by using products such as salted butter or bullion. Most keto-fans apply salt to their meals in the Himalayas. In addition, bacon-usually a staple of ketogenic breakfasts-contains high sodium levels. Consider applying two or three SaltStick Caps to the normal diet regimen in addition to, or as an alternative to, the above sodium outlets. Each capsule, along with other key electrolytes, delivers 215 mg of sodium that can help with your overall nutrition goals and keep you feeling great.

That Is The Position Of Sodium In The Body

Sodium is an important mineral required by our body to control water retention and water balance in and around cells. We may experience a host of complications such as restlessness, brain fog, fatigue , muscle cramps, tummy disorders and more without the proper amount of sodium. Sodium intake is even more important after a ketogenic diet, because the sodium levels are lower than usual. Sodium and potassium work together enough that as the sodium level decreases it impacts potassium directly, which will make you feel much worse. Three reasons why adding more salt to Keto is necessary

1. Low Levels Of Sodium Will Contribute To “Keto Flu. “

The “Keto Flu” is one of the less desirable effects of the ketogenic diet. This usually happens within the first three to five days following a keto diet. Symptoms are lethargic, run-down, irritable, unmotivated and so on. Our body has little access to the glucose it used historically for oil, and has not yet made the requisite biochemical improvements to use fat for fuel effectively. Keto flu may be caused most by dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. I recently wrote a basic electrolyte guide on keto, which simplifies and describes electrolytes. Happily, short-lived keto flu on reduced carb diets. Keeping your electrolytes hydrated and balancing is a simple process that can minimize both duration and extent.

2. Low Levels Of Sodium Can Lead To Tummy Problems

An electrolyte deficiency can trigger digestive problems, as your body requires sodium to work properly for the muscles in the digestive tract. Some suffer tummy conditions such as constipation and diarrhea when levels of sodium are off track. Try drinking more water, taking a magnesium supplement or bathing in an Epsom Salt bath if you feel this.

3. Low Levels Of Electrolytes Can Increase Muscle Cramp Risk

Especially at night, muscle cramps usually signify either moderate dehydration or low electrolyte levels, or both. It can be a very common problem when beginning a ketogenic diet, particularly in the early days. Quick remedies for this include consuming a sugar-free electrolyte drink such as Ultima Replenisher or Powerade Zero (if you adopt a lazier keto diet), drinking coffee, having the right vitamins to regulate electrolytes, and adding more salt to your diet on keto. How to get more daily sodium ? Sodium rises are an easy remedy. Only add more salt to your meats, drink bone broth or eat salted almonds. Don’t ignore the value of potassium-rich foods like leafy greens, as potassium levels are often reduced.

By balancing the electrolytes and staying hydrated, the vast majority of problems experienced when starting a Ketogenic diet can be easily alleviated. When your body moves from food to fat consuming glucose make sure you balance your diet with the electrolytes you need to perform your best and reach optimum weight loss.

Great Keto Diet Salt

1. Himalayan Pink Salt

Pink Himalayan salt (also called black salt) – to name a few, is filled with minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. For those on keto it is a favored alternative because it is more raw in shape and less refined. It is also known as Himalayan salt and is extracted near the regions of Himalayas in Pakistan.It goes through the mineral processing where no chemicals are added. This salt has the highest mineral nutrients (84) which is very much essential for the functioning of a normal body.

Benefits of Pink Salt: This salt contains all the essential minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium. Apart from valuable minerals it also balances the body pH level and helps in regulation of blood sugar level. Pink salt is the perfect salt for cooking food.

2. Sea Salt

Sea Salt – Ground salt comes from water evaporated by the sun. This is much saltier than standard table salt with bigger crystals, which often contains additional minerals. It is the simplest form of obtaining salt i.c.e from evaporating sea water which requires minimal processing. As processing is less hence it retains all the minerals such as potassium, calcium and iron.

Benefits of Sea Salt: It provides the body with most essential mineral potassium which helps in relaxing arteries, supplying trace materials, scrubbing body parts and balancing electrolytes.It is perfect for cooking non vegetarian dishes such as meat and fish

Other Type of Salts

1. Black Salt

Often misunderstood with rock salt. It is also known as Himalayan black salt which has a pungent smell due to its sulfur content. It is extracted from Himalayan salt beds or from lakes. Earlier this salt was consumed in an unprocessed way but nowadays it is processed by adding sodium chloride, sodium sulfate and sodium bisulfate.

Benefits of Black Salt: If the black salt is unrefined or unprocessed it helps relieve muscle cramps, improves acidity, helps reduce water retention; which is the actual cause of more body weight.

2. Rock Salt

It is a form of salt water which is extracted from lakes and sea water when they get evaporated leaving sodium chloride behind.It is also known as Sendha namak.It not only contains sodium chloride but also contains minerals such as zinc, iron, cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper. It is the most unrefined form of salt which is produced without adding any artificial nutrients or external chemicals. It replenishes essential electrolytes in the body which helps the body to function well. It also makes the blood alkaline.

Benefits of Rock Salt: It helps in proper digestion of food, boosts metabolism and immunity with its high mineral content, it reactivates insulin in the body,improves muscle cramps,treats sore throats, reduces swelling and promotes healthy hair, eyesight and skin.

Using rock salt instead of table salt leads to the deficiency of iodine which in turn affects the growth, development and metabolism of a body.Thus, one can use rock salt by mixing it with table salt but should not be taken alone on a regular basis.

3. Table Salt

It is extracted from underground salt deposits and is processed heavily by adding external chemicals such as bleaching agents which avoids clumping. This salt is not good for the body as all the minerals are washed away and it is rich in sodium content. Such salt causes dehydration, increases the chances of blood pressure and diabetes.

Disclaimer

While I feel comfortable giving Keto lifestyle tips, I am not eligible to provide medical advice. As always, seek advice from a doctor, when it comes to your health.

Top-3 Mineral Deficiencies On A Keto Diet (And How To Fix It) — Dr. Marc Bubbs

Ketogenic diets have exploded in popularity over the last few years and a common question I get asked after clients start a ketogenic diet is “why do I feel lousy?” Like them, you’re probably thinking going keto will provide an immediate mental and physical boost.

For some, it will. For others, you may experience adverse symptoms, known as the “keto flu”. When you start a very low-carb ketogenic diet, the reduction in starches and sugars in your diet will flush water and sodium out of your body in the first few weeks.

As your sodium levels fall, so too will potassium levels. This can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and wondering what you got yourself into. While this is only temporary, here are some suggestions for avoiding key mineral deficiencies when adopting a ketogenic dietary strategy.

Sodium

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.

For athletes, this problem can be compounded because you also lose sodium through your sweat, and as your sweat rate increases, your sodium and blood volume will decline. Not a good recipe for optimal energy and performance.

On the flip side, if you’re overweight, out of shape or in poor health then your body is likely already retaining sodium due to the excess bodyweight (and subsequent increase in hormones insulin and aldosterone, which make you retain more salt).

Symptoms of low sodium include fatigue, headaches, compromised ability to perform (especially outdoors in the heat) and in more serious cases you may pass out. Remember that most of the sodium in your body is found in your bloodstream, so if you become deficient, you don’t have many reserves to tap into.

In the first few weeks on a keto diet only about half of your weight loss is from body-fat, the other half is from water and sodium loss. Therefore, getting enough sodium is crucial.

Aim for an extra 1,000-2,000mg of sodium daily via:

Pink Himalayan or Celtic Sea salt (preferred over standard table salt)
Broth or bouillon (1-2 cups per day)
Shellfish (i. e. oysters, mussels, crab, etc.)

Athletes who struggle with salt loses, or heavy sweaters, should consider taking 250-750 mg of sodium before workouts to offset adverse effects of low sodium on performance. (Sweat testing can provide you with personalized amounts).

Potassium

When you lose sodium on a keto diet, the salt depletion causes a parallel loss of potassium. Common symptoms of a potassium deficiency – the medical term is hypokalemia – include weakness, muscular cramps, constipation, irritability or skin problems.

In athletes, low potassium can compromise lean muscle mass which will ultimately impact performance, and in more severe cases, you may experience heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats, respiratory distress (and even heart failure with serious deficiency).

Virtually all fruits and veggies contain significant amounts of potassium, but not all are keto friendly. In fact, most people don’t realize that animal protein is terrific source of dietary potassium, however the cooking process strips a great deal of it away (but the leftover juices from cooking can be used to keep your levels up).

Here is a list of my potassium-rich keto-friendly foods:

Spinach (2 cups) – 330mg
Chicken breast – 330mg
Salmon (3 oz) – 326mg
Beef (3 oz) – 315mg
Avocado (1/2 medium) – 320mg
Broccoli (1/2 cup) – 230mg
Asparagus (1/2 cup) – 202mg

Magnesium

Do you ever suffer from muscle cramps? Lack of magnesium may be the culprit. Magnesium is the body’s “calming” mineral; helping to keep your brain, heart and muscles relaxed.

Magnesium is also essential for protein synthesis, blood sugar control, energy metabolism and over 300 other biochemical reactions in the body. Intense exercise, lack of sleep, and stress can all deplete magnesium levels.

Animal protein is also a great source of magnesium – in particular shellfish like oysters and mussels – along with leafy greens.

Veggies get their deep green colour from chlorophyll, and the core of the chlorophyll molecule is magnesium, so make sure to always eat your leafy greens at mealtime. The darker the leafy green, the more magnesium.

Include the following regularly:

Spinach (1 cup cooked) – 157mg
Swiss Chard (1 cup cooked) – 154mg
Pumpkin Seeds (1/8 cup) – 90mg
Oysters (3 oz.) – 80mg
Yogurt (Plain) – 50mg
Avocado (1/2 medium)– 30mg

The Bottom Line: If you’re starting (or already following) a keto diet, it’s important to make sure you keep your electrolytes in balance, in particular sodium, potassium and magnesium.

If you follow this approach, you can significantly reduce – and even prevent – many of the adverse symptoms associated with starting up a ketogenic diet.

Remember, a keto diet is just one strategy, or tool, to achieving weight loss and better health. In some it will work well, in others it won’t.

Find the dietary strategy you can follow consistently and you’ll increase your odds of achieving your long-term weight loss goals.

Dr. Marc Bubbs ND, MSc, CISSN, CSCS

p.s. Still struggling to achieve all your goals on a keto diet?

The PEAK40 Nutrition Coaching program can you help you build the habits to not only achieve your goals, but maintain them in the long run.

>> Want to learn more about keto? Listen to Dr. Ryan Lowery PhD talk all things ketogenic diet in Episode #33 of the Performance Nutrition Podcast...

Electrolytes on a keto diet – what are they for

Electrolyte deficiency symptoms and what to do about it keto diets can be complete and capable provide the body with sufficient nutrients.
Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, vegetables and nuts are rich in essential nutrients that the body needs every day. In some cases, adding extra minerals—electrolytes on keto—may be helpful.
Keto electrolyte deficiency symptoms and what to do about it 032
Magnesium
900 21 Symptoms Symptoms Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle twitching
- Rapid heartbeat/increased feeling of palpitations
- Muscle cramps or twitches at night or after exercise
What to do What to do What to do
Salt food. If necessary, especially in the first week, consume 1 to 2 cups of broth daily.
Find out more
Eat an extra daily serving of avocados, leafy greens, or mushrooms.
Learn more
Add hemp, pumpkin or chia seeds, a serving of mackerel, almonds, leafy greens to your daily diet. Take magnesium supplements if needed.
Find out more
Keto flu
When you restrict carbohydrates, your body begins to process electrolytes in a different way. This is because when insulin levels are low, the kidneys excrete more sodium.
Since there must be a balance between sodium and other electrolytes in the body, loss of sodium can disrupt other electrolyte levels.
In some cases, this leads to symptoms that are often described as “keto flu”. These symptoms are usually temporary and disappear after the body adapts to a low-carbohydrate diet.
Fortunately, replenishing sodium, magnesium, and potassium can help prevent or significantly reduce keto flu symptoms and eliminate some of the side effects that may occur in the long term.
Do you need mineral supplements on keto?
The decision to take mineral supplements should be based on how you feel and whether you have any health problems. If you’re doing well on a keto diet, you may not need to add any mineral supplements to your diet or eat more electrolyte-rich foods (although you can try increasing your intake to see if you feel better!)
Be aware that if you do strength training or any other type of strenuous physical activity, it may be difficult for you to get enough electrolytes from food alone. In this case, you can take mineral supplements, focusing on the intensity of the loads.
Below, we’ll provide you with daily mineral intakes for people following a keto lifestyle, the best food sources of minerals, and advice on mineral supplementation for those who cannot meet their mineral needs through diet alone.
Sodium
According to many medical organizations, most people should reduce their sodium intake to prevent high blood pressure and other health problems. For example, the American Heart Association recommends less than 2.3 grams, and ideally no more than 1.5 grams, of sodium per day.
For people with hypertension who eat high carbohydrate diets, this advice may be helpful. However, studies have found that this measure has a small effect on lowering blood pressure, with no clear evidence of improvement in the overall health of the subjects.
Many studies also confirm that the optimal sodium intake is 3 to 6 g per day.
On a keto diet, sodium requirements may increase due to increased excretion of sodium by the kidneys. The concern is too little sodium, not too much.
Causes of possible sodium deficiency on keto
When carbohydrate intake drops sharply, blood insulin levels drop, causing salt to be excreted from the body in the urine.
If sodium is not replenished, you may begin to feel unwell.
Symptoms of sodium deficiency
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
Daily requirement: most people on a low-carbohydrate diet will feel better with 3 to 7 grams of sodium per day (which is 7 – 17 g of edible salt or about 1 – 3 teaspoons of salt).
However, if you suffer from hypertension, kidney disease, or chronic heart failure, you may need to be more careful with your sodium intake. Read our guide to salt to find out why the optimal amount of salt in the diet varies from person to person.
Please note that salt and sodium are not the same thing when you calculate your daily intake of this mineral. Salt contains only 40% sodium and the remaining 60% is chloride, another mineral. Thus, it is important to remember that eating one teaspoon of salt (6 g) provides only 2.4 g of pure sodium.
Add salt to your diet
Most people get at least 2 g of sodium from the foods they eat. You can also add 1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water and drink this drink throughout the day. You can also use broth, which contains about 1 g of sodium per 1 cup.
If you exercise, taking sodium before exercise can improve your fitness. Dr. Finney and Wolek, in their book The Art and Science of Low Carb Nutrition, recommend taking half a teaspoon of salt within half an hour before starting a workout.
Note: If you have high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease, be sure to check with your doctor before increasing your sodium intake.
Keto Potassium
When sodium is lost during ketosis, the kidneys try to reabsorb more sodium in an attempt to maintain biochemical balance by excreting more potassium in the urine.
Potassium deficiency symptoms
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle twitching
- Palpitations/palpitations increased
Daily requirement: 3,000 – 4,700 mg (3 – 4.7 g) potassium/day
Most foods contain low to moderate amounts of potassium, and there are several low-carb sources that can meet your daily requirement for this mineral.
Foods high in potassium
You can, of course, take potassium supplements to get enough potassium in your diet. You can try adding an extra avocado or other high-potassium foods that are allowed on the keto diet to your daily diet! These include:
1. Avocado: A small 200g avocado contains about 1000 mg of potassium
2. Swiss chard: in 175 g of manhold in prepared form (1 cup) contains about 950 mg of potassium
3. spinach: in 180 g of spinach in boiled form (1 cup) contains about 840 mg of potassium
4. mushrooms: in 150 g of mushrooms in 150 g of mushrooms cooked (1 cup) contains about 550 mg of potassium
5. Brussels sprouts: 160 g (1 cup) contains about 500 mg of potassium mg potassium
6. Salmon: 114 g contains about 430 – 500 mg of potassium
7. Meat: 114 g contains about 400 – 500 mg of potassium 114 g contains about 400 mg of potassium
8. Artichoke : A small artichoke weighing 121 g contains about 345 mg of potassium
9. Hemp seeds: 30 g contains about 335 mg of potassium
10. Almonds: 30 g contains about 200 mg