Many people talk about Keto. What is the difference between Low Carb and Keto?
A ketogenic diet, or keto for short, is a diet that is so low in carbohydrates that ketones are produced in the liver. Ketones are actually a by-product of burning fat. If too many carbohydrates are consumed, the body has no need for ketones, so they aren’t produced. Ketones are a natural adaption that all humans are capable of, in order to keep healthy and maintain “brain fuel”. Ketones are actually used by the brain and some other tissues for energy. When a person’s liver makes enough ketones, we say they are in a state of “ketosis” and the more we learn, the more exciting ketosis is, because of the many associated metabolic and cellular health benefits, as well as feelings of euphoria reported by some, sustained energy and increased athletic performance. All this, just from cutting carbs!
A point to note: ketosis is completely different to ketoacidosis, which is a dangerous condition that can sometimes occur for diabetics on insulin.
There is very promising research showing that ketogenic diets can be effective with cancer, although the science is not mature enough for any bold statements. But, it’s coming. Same for Alzheimer’s.
How Low is “Low Carb” exactly?
Most people consume 250g to 350g of carbohydrates per day. In fact, the food pyramid and most nutritional guidelines recommend this amount, representing about 50% to 60% of all calories. Whole grains, pasta, rice, cereals, and bread, not to mention all the sweet treats and hidden sugars, have become part and parcel of modern living. All these carbs make up the 250g to 350g.
A Low Carb diet is generally one that is less than 130g of carbohydrates per day. A ketogenic diet is nothing more than a very low carb diet where carbohydrates are less than about 30g. So, “keto” is super-strict Low Carb. That’s it. Different people start producing ketones at different carb levels. For some, it might be 25g per day and for others, it might be 40g. But very few people produce ketones above 40g per day
Here is a general guide for the different levels of “Low Carb”
Consumption of Net Carbohydrate Per Day (g) |
Low Carb Category |
100g – 130g | Liberal |
50g – 99g | Moderate |
30g – 49g | Strict |
Less than 30g (Ketogenic) | Super Strict |
Most people will reap substantial health benefits at a moderate level. To put it in perspective, a single piece of bread contains about 25g of carbohydrate and a 150g bowl of rice contains about 42g, so even 75g per day is a drastic cut for most people.
Those who follow Low Carb learn how to read food labels carefully, how to cook, how to eat out, and how to make meals enjoyable without the carbs. There are hundreds of keto recipe books and even an Asian-style food blog, called Still Feeling Peckish, run by an amazing Singaporean who calls herself Nomnomprincess.
Hundreds of thousands of people (possibly a few million) are living this way because the health benefits are so dramatic. Low Carb is not really a diet but more of a lifestyle because people who succeed stick to it for the long haul.
View this video of a young Singaporean who used a strict Low Carb diet to effectively reverse early Type 2 Diabetes and deal with high blood pressure, liver problems and cholesterol problems. He also lost 14kg in 11 weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cy6e0EaxbA&t=11s
Here in Singapore, there is a new company called Spinach with a vision to help people succeed on Low Carb. They have just launched a new brand of healthy snacks called BenBanter and they’ve given Straits Market customers free boxes of their seed crackers. We will be including 2 boxes of seed crackers in every Straits Market order from now until the 23rdof August for you to try.
If you’d like to see other BenBanter products, you can order direct from benbanter.com. Straits Market customers can use a special coupon code, SM10, at the checkout to get for a 10% discount.
For more information on Low Carb, you can download the free Beginners Guide to Low Carb on the spinnach.com website.
Oh, by the way, people who are Low Carb eat more meat, chicken, and fish and pay attention to what the animals are fed, how they are raised and where they come from. The cleaner and more natural, the better. Our philosophy at Straits Market and our carefully selected produce complements a Low Carb lifestyle nicely.
Written collaboration between Spinach Pte Ltd and Straits Market Pte Ltd.