As the fame of the ketogenic diet steadily increases, so do the ways to make this diet work better. The keto diet makes the user to significantly decrease food options, while claiming to add more supplements to the healthy basket. We list the best supplements to take on a keto die to make it work even better for you.
1. Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplements, are time-proven enhancers of human health. Taking Omega-3 helps in reducing inflammation, stabilize the blood flow, and also in reducing risk of a variety of cardio-vascular diseases.
Omega-3-containing supplements can enhance the ketogenic diet’s efficacy. Those who follow a ketogenic diet who added showed significant decrease in triglycerides, insulin and inflammatory markers. To enrich your diet with of omega-3 fatty acids through keto-foods, consume more salmons, sardines and anchovies.
2. Magnesium
Magnesium is on of the essential mineral, known for enhancing energy levels and supporting the immune system. On a ketogenic diet, it is a challenge to sustain a proper dosage of magnesium, as many magnesium-rich pproducts are also high in carbohydrates. For that reason, a supplement at 200–400 mg of magnesium daily is a great addition to the keto diet. Getting rid of muscle cramps, regulating sleep and reducing irritability, that is what you can achieve when treating yourself with magnesium.
The following foods are low in carbs, while rich in magnesium:
- Spinach,
- Avocado,
- Swiss chard,
- Pumpkin seeds,
- Mackerel.
3. Mcts
Medium-chain triglycerides, commonly referred to as mcts, are a popular supplement among those who stick to a keto diet. Mcts are metabolized differently in the human organism than long-chain triglycerides, which are the common type of fat-contained food. Mcts are broken down by the liver and stream to the bloodstream, transformed into a fuel for muscles and the brain. Coconut oil is perhaps the richest natural source of mcts, with about 16% of its fatty acids being in the form of mcts. Supplements with mct oil can help your keto diet as it can quickly up your fat intake, which increases ketone levels and makes it easy to stay in ketosis. Mct oil in its various forms can be beneficially added to your regular shake and smoothy; it can also be consumed by a spoonful for a quick fat boost.
4. Vitamin d
Good levels of Vitamin D are paramount for everyone’s health, including those who follow keto diets. Vitamin D helps a lot of bodily functions, including facilitating the absorption of calcium, a mineral that is found to be be lacking on a ketogenic diet, especially with takers who are lactose intolerant. Proper calcium metabolism is essential for a number of processes inside the human organism, including all areas inside the brain, and also in glucose regulation essential for the metabolism inside the muscles. Vitamin D is also responsible for proper functioning of the immune system. Unfortunately, very few foods are proper sources of D-vitamin, and that is why the supplements that contain Vitamin D can be beneficial for the keto dieters.
5. Exogenous ketones
Exogenous ketones are classified as ketones influxing in your organism through any external source, while endogenous ketones, on the other hand, are ketones manufactured naturally by your body through a process known as ketogenesis.
Exogenous ketones in the form of supplements are widely used by individuals who follow a ketogenic diet. Why? The goal is to increase the blood-ketone level.
6. Digestive enzymes
The keto diet may consist of up to 80% fat, and those who want to stick to a diet which would be low in fat, and trained their organisms to lower fat levels, usually observe some adverse effects when switching to ketos. The adverse effects include symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and general irregularities in indigestion.
If you’re experiencing digestive issues, a digestive enzymes mix can help eliminating those unpleasant effects. Enzymes targeting digestion are specializing in breaking down fats and proteins, as a result normalizing the digestion flow.
7. Electrolyte supplements
Adding various minerals through a diet is highly important if you decided to follow a ketogenic diet. In the beginning, it can be challenging as the organism is adapting to the very low number of carbohydrates compared to the levels it got used to consume. Switching to a keto diet also results in increased water loss. What is the solution to stabilize these processes? We recommend adding sodium. By way of adding salt to the meals or consuming little quantities of broth prepared with bouillon cubes should cover most people’s regular sodium needs.
In addition, taking more potassium- and magnesium-contained foods can reduce losses of these important minerals. Try leafy greens, nuts, avocados and seeds, all of which are all keto diet-friendly rich in both magnesium and potassium. Electrolyte supplements containing sodium, potassium and magnesium are readily available at any grocery store as well.