Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, phosphate and magnesium. And, balancing your electrolytes and keto is vital.
If you know what to drink for electrolytes and which supplements to take, can help you avoid keto flu.
Electrolytes play a central role in the body’s fluid balance. As you start out on keto, your body’s way of balancing electrolytes changes slightly.
When we restrict carbohydrates, insulin starts to lower. This causes the kidneys to excrete sodium. Since there is a delicate balance between sodium and other electrolytes in the body, this loss in sodium disrupts other electrolytes as well.
A deficiency or imbalance in electrolytes can cause muscle cramping, fatigue, weakness, headaches and irregular heartbeat.
Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are easily lost through sweat, and if you are an athlete or fitness enthusiast, you’ll need to take extra precautions to replenish your electrolytes.
The most common electrolytes to take on keto are sodium, potassium and magnesium.
Sodium
Sodium (salt) is responsible for several metabolic actions in your body and is essential for life. Most diets and general eating guidelines have recommended limiting our salt intake. The opposite is true for a keto diet.
Here are a few ways to get enough salt or to replenish lost sodium in your diet:
- Drinking a little Pink Himalayan salt in the morning
- Eating salted nuts & pork rinds
- Adding a little extra salt to your food
- Exogenous Ketone Supplements
- Drinking bone broth
If you experience tiredness or headaches in your first week of starting the keto diet, drinking some chicken broth can be a helpful remedy.
Keep in mind that regular table salt isn’t ideal as it has been heavily refined. Instead, opt for Pink Himalayan salt.
Potassium
Potassium is also an essential mineral involved in many processes inside your body, including contractions in your muscles and heart. A lack of potassium can cause side effects such as brain fog, muscle cramps, and organ failure.
One of the best sources of potassium is avocados! Leafy green veg such as spinach is also high in potassium, so make sure to include at least a cup to two cups a day for adequate amounts of potassium.
When we think of supplementing potassium, most of us will think of eating a banana. However, eating a banana on keto, will kick you out of ketosis. A 100g of banana contains 358 mg of potassium, but do you know that a 100g of spinach contains 558 mg of potassium. So, why eat all the sugar for a banana?
Magnesium
Magnesium is another mineral essential for system regulation. It regulates over 300 processes in the body.
If you are low on magnesium, you may suffer from dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and studies that have even linked depression to low magnesium levels.
The general recommendation is to supplement with approximately 400-500 mg per day if you do keto.
Getting adequate amounts of magnesium through our diet is quite tricky and therefore supplementing with this mineral is the best way to improve the magnesium electrolyte on keto.
Keto Flu & Keto Flu Symptoms
Keto Flu and Keto Flu Symptoms occur due to an electrolyte imbalance. Most people experience some form of keto flu when they start on keto. Make sure to supplement with electrolytes to avoid keto flu.
