A lot of foods these days are labeled as “Keto” like it’s this super healthy thing. So is it, or not?

What Is the Keto Diet?

I suppose we should start this with what the Keto diet is.

“Keto” is short for Ketogenic. Ketogenic refers to the Ketosis process. Ketosis is what your body goes through when it has to use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

Normally, your body uses carbohydrates as its main energy source. When you reduce your carbohydrates to a very low amount, think 50g or less, your body will eventually run out of stored glucose (what carbs turn into in your body) and your body will start breaking down fat and turn it into ketones.

Ketones become your new fuel source.

Of course, it is a bit more complicated than that, but that is the super short version.

How Does a Keto Diet Work?

Since keto diets burn fat for fuel and not carbohydrates, you need more fats than carbs in your diet to keep you going through the day.

Typically, on a keto diet, around 70% of your total daily calories will come from fats and only 5–10% from carbohydrates.

Keep in mind that fat calories are also higher than carbs. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories, whereas 1 gram of carbohydrate is only 4 calories.

What Makes a Food Product Keto?

So knowing that a keto diet is basically a low-carb, high-fat diet and you have to get energy from fat instead of carbohydrates, now keto products should make a little more sense.

Generally, a product labeled keto will be higher in fat and lower in carbs, and it may or may not contain sufficient protein.

They also tend to have more artificial and zero-calorie sweeteners to help reduce the carbs.

Are Keto Products Healthy? What to Look for on Food Labels

This is where reading labels can help you out and where keto products can help you:

Reducing Calories or Cutting Sugar

If you are trying to reduce calories or cut sugar, a keto product might be a good choice, but keep an eye out to make sure that fats aren’t super high!

Managing Blood Sugar

A keto product can help you manage your blood sugar due to increased fiber and reduced sugar, keeping your energy levels more stable.

Finding Low-Carb Alternatives

Keto products are low to zero carb, so you can find bread and tortilla options you wouldn’t otherwise be able to fit on a low-carb diet.

Just watch out for sugar alcohols, which can cause bloating or excess gas if you have too many!

Final Thoughts: Does Keto Mean Healthy?

Just remember that something being labeled as “keto” doesn’t automatically mean “healthy.” It just means it’s best suited for that specific diet!

Calories still matter, and macros still matter.

So if it fits your diet, then go for it, but just because it’s keto, it won’t make you lose any more weight than usual unless you are fully adherent to the keto diet.

That’s a WHOLE other post for another day though!

I hope that clears it up for you all a bit!