There is a central, very important theme in Keto…get the sugar out of the diet, and out of the blood stream. We want the first choice of the body to be fat for energy.
To do this, the blood sugar levels have to drop.
But, a lot of us have a sweet tooth.
Many of us are subject to sugar cravings to the point that it’s like a drug addiction. For those of us with certain genetics, and this includes me, it actually is exactly like a drug addiction.
Here’s the thing….It is not our fault. We humans like to beat ourselves up about everything. But this is literally out of our hands. If we have certain genetics, our bodies scream at us for a sugar fix.
To help us get through the day, many of us chase the sensation of “sweet” on our tongues. It gives our brain a feeling of well being…for a very short time. Then we feel bad, and the craving starts again. It sounds a lot like a heroin addict.
Keto does allow for certain sweeteners, but only the ones that don’t create a reaction in the pancreas, and a change in our blood chemistry.
Here are the sweeteners that are OK.
- Stevia – I recommend Liquid Stevia
- Pure Liquid Sucralose (liquid version only. powder is a problem)
- Erythritol (which you will find under the brand name Swerve)
- Xylitol
- Monk fruit
- Tagatose
- Allulose
These sweeteners won’t give you any problems, but they also don’t give you the drug like rush of sugar. You will have to get used to them. Everything on the Keto lifestyle gets better with time and repetition.
Your taste buds and your brain will adjust. After you have been off of sugar for a while, it won’t even taste good. These alternate sweeteners will start tasting “right” to your tongue.
And a quick recap from a previous article about which sweeteners to avoid.
Below are the sweeteners in the “Do Not Use” category.
This group is called the polyols. If it has the ”tol” on the end, don’t use it. When maltitol and other sugar alcohols get to large intestines, they get fermented by gut bacteria. This creates gas and bloating.
When you get these unabsorbed sugars in the intestines, they attract water. This can cause diarrhea and or loose stools. If you already have some gut problem, like irritable bowel syndrome, you will be extra sensitive to these sugar alcohols. Anyway, just the name “sugar alcohols” should tell you it’s not Keto Kosher.
Here are the Polyol no no’s, plus others that don’t work for Keto.
- Sorbitol
- Maltitol
- Splenda
- Maltodextrin (which is also used as a pesticide)
- Vegetable glycerin
- Honey
- Agave
- Molasses
Get your body in the habit of these healthy sweeteners, and you’ll forget all about that nasty old drug habit you had…..Sugar!
So Keep Up! You can do this.
Act, don’t react.
Have a beautiful, healthy day.
Livtar
If you would like to get more….more free recipes, tips, advice, inspiration, and support, come sign up for our free emails at https://rockthatketo.com
Previous: Slow Metabolism Next: