While the Keto diet is very popular right now for weight loss and aiding health problems, it isn’t the most balanced diet. You must omit many vitamin and mineral rich foods that your body needs! It is important to know the best Keto supplements to take to enhance your health when following a Ketogenic Diet. Learn the best supplements to enhance your Keto Diet, why you need them, and signs that you are deficient.
**This post contains affiliate links to items I love and am confident you will too. Please read full disclosurehere.**
Why you Need Keto Supplements and Vitamins
When following a Ketogenic Diet you are attempting to eliminate all foods high in carbohydrates including almost all:
- fruits
- vegetables
- legumes
These natural plant foods are rich in vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Sure, you CAN follow a Keto diet plan and get into Ketosis without supplements. However, your Ketogenic Diet will be much more balanced if you include some vitamins and supplements. Including some supplements will make being on Keto so much easier!
RELATED: What is the Keto Diet and Delicious Keto Dinner Recipes
When first beginning a Keto Diet almost all people experience what is known as the “Keto Flu.” It is a rough time of your body transitioning from using glucose (from carbohydrates) for fuel to using fat as fuel. When suffering from the Keto flu or “carb withdrawl” you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Irritability
- Difficulty focusing (“brain fog”)
- Lack of motivation
- Dizziness
- Sugar cravings
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps
According to the Diet Doctor. I also personally experienced all of these symptoms myself for 1 full week when beginning a Ketogenic Diet. Using the right Keto supplements during this period can lessen or eliminate symptoms (and trust me, you’ll want them gone!). Also having a master plan to beat the Keto flu with food and drinks is essential!
RELATED: My Keto Diet Results After 45 Days
The Best Keto Supplements and Vitamins and Why You Need Them
Each of the following vitamins and supplements for the Keto diet are either something that you are probably depleted in, as you are drastically altering your dietary intake while on Keto OR something that will enhance your diet by either:
- reducing Keto flu symptoms
- increasing energy for working out
- increasing healthy fat intake
1. Magnesium.
Magnesium is an electrolyte that is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body. It aids in assisting immune system strength, heart health, muscle and nerve function, and bone strength. When you first begin a Keto Diet much magnesium is lost. It can even be the cause of the Keto flu! (Along with the loss of other vital electrolytes like potassium and sodium.) A high quality magnesium supplement can work wonders for your Keto Diet.
Common Symptoms of low Magnesium are:
- muscle spasms
- low blood pressure
- fatigue
How to add Magnesium into your diet:
- high quality magnesium supplement.
- Consume low carb seeds and nuts like hemp and chia.
- Consume dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.
- Eat some fatty fish like mackerel.
2. Potassium
Potassium is another mineral (electrolyte) essential to your body’s function. It aids in muscle function, bone health, and nerve health. Much like magnesium, when beginning a Ketogenic diet you often become low in essential minerals including Potassium and incur Keto flu symptoms. Many high sources of potassium are eliminated on a Keto diet.
Common Symptoms of Low Potassium:
- cramping in muscles
- weakness
- tiredness
How to add Potassium into your Diet:
- Take a potassium supplementt. (Only if recommended by your healthcare provider.)
- Add in potassium rich foods such as avocado, swiss chard, spinach, and mushrooms.
3. Sodium
Sodium is yet another electrolyte that you will quickly become depleted in when beginning a Keto diet. While too much table salt is bad for you, sodium is actually essential to your body performing optimally. Sodium helps the body maintain a proper fluid balance as well as transmit nerve impulses. Lack of sodium is a large component to suffering from the Keto flu so be sure to add extra sodium back into your diet.
Symptoms of Low Sodium:
- nausea
- headaches
- weakness
How to add sodium into your diet:
- Taking an electrolyte supplement.
- Adding salt to lemon water.
- Sipping bullion or bone broth.
- Enjoying coconut water.
- Taking an electrolyte supplement.
**The supplement above is amazing for you Keto diet and combating the Keto flu. It contains all of the first 3 electrolytes on this list that you may become depleted in. Sodium, magnesium, AND potassium.**
4. MCT Oil
MCT Oil is a dietary supplement comprised of Medium Chain Triglyceride fats very similar to those found in coconut oil. It may aid mental clarity, weight loss, and increase energy. When exercising on a Ketogenic Diet, MTC oil is a great supplement for increased energy and endurance.
MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) are a very popular Keto supplement because they are broken down and utilized differently than long chain triglycerides. MCTs are broken down quickly in your body and can be readily used for fuel.
MCT Oil is one of the ingredients in the infamous Keto coffee you may have heard of. Additionally, coconut oil is another medium chain triglyceride that is perfect to saturate your Keto Diet plan with.
5. Exogenous Ketones
Exogenous Ketones are extremely helpful when you are following a LCHF (low carb high fat) diet. While exogenous ketones are touted as having the power to put your body into Ketosis even when not following a strict Keto diet, unfortunately, this is not actually the case. But they can definitely aid in diminishing Keto flu symptoms by flooding your body with additional ketones that may help you reach Ketosis more quickly.
Exogenous ketones means that these are ketones coming from an outside source. The ketones created by your body are referred to an endogenous ketones.
Exogenous ketones may help you reach full Ketosis quicker (which can take up to 6 weeks for your body to fully make the transition without added supplements).
Exogenous Ketones are also a phenomenal supplements for athletes that are following a Ketogenic Diet plan. Beginning a Ketogenic diet can make you feel lethargic as your body switched into full ketosis (and for some like myself, exhaustion may continue). Exogenous Ketones increase energy and endurance you need to complete exercises while in ketosis.
6. Greens
Because you omit almost all fruits and vegetables to remain in ketosis, it is pertinent that you supplement with low carbohydrate greens. It’s difficult for some to reach their daily fat intake required on a Keto diet AND still have room for vegetables.
Many people cut out almost all fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals while following a Ketogenic Diet plan. By adding a simple greens drink into your diet daily, you will be replacing the lost nutrients with a low carb alternative.
Greens contain powdered versions of many antioxidant rich nutrients often including spiritulina, cacao, chlorella, wheatgrass and more.
Perfect Keto created the first greens supplement designed specifically for those following a Ketogenic Diet. Perfect Keto Greens Superfood Blend are comprised of alfalfa leaf juice, wheatgrass, barley grass, oat grass, broccoli, cabbage, parsley, kale, spiritulina, chlorella, kelp, dulce, dandelion, and sea kelp. These greens are also loaded with antioxidants, berries, digestive enzymes, and MCTs.
Perfect Keto Greens only contain 1 gram of carbohydrates and is specially formulated to replace nutrients lost and others extremely needed when on a Keto Diet.
7. Protein Powder
Many of our favorite protein powders are saturated with sugar and are extremely high in carbohydrates. But some like Ora Organics So Lean and So Clean are perfect for your Keto Diet!
Adding in a low carb protein powder like So Lean and So Clean will enhance your Keto Diet much like greens will. But with an extra boost of protein! Protein powders are a fast and easy way to fuel your body for a workout, restore it after, or get in some easily digestible nutrition in quickly anytime!
This organic plant-based protein powder is loaded with vitamins, minerals, low carb fruits and vegetables, greens, AND digestive enzymes that you are probably lacking right now. So it is the perfect companion to your Ketogenic Diet! Supplementing your Keto Diet with a protein powder and even including Ketogenic Smoothies like
- Low Carb Chocolate Avocado Keto Smoothie (6 g carbs)
- Coconut Cream Ketogenic Smoothie (6.5 g carbs)
is a wonderful way to include essential vitamins, minerals, and greens into your diet while easily staying in Ketosis.
This protein powder, perfect for your Keto Diet, contains 2 full servings of greens, 21 g of protein, and only 4 grams of carbohydrates per 2 scoops. (The recipes above only call for 1 scoop of protein powder along with other high fat low carb nutrients and are super filling!)
So Lean and So Clean protein powders come in vanilla and chocolate and are gluten free, dairy free, non gmo, organic, soy free, and vegan. So Lean and So Clean is definitely the most clean, nutrient dense, low carb protein powder around.
8. Digestive Enzymes
Switching to a Keto Diet, rich in meats and cheeses, can cause many people digestive discomfort. Even adding so much fat into the diet of someone who typically follows a low fat diet can cause gastrointestinal distress. When beginning a LCHF diet plan nausea, bloating, gas, and general discomfort may be experienced .
Digestive discomfort can be minimized by adding digestive enzymes into your diet. (The greens and protein powder listed in #6 and #7 on this list already include some digestive enzymes!) A digestive enzyme blend including bromelain, amylase, lipase, and protease will help you break down meat, fats, and carbohydrates to best aid in digestive discomfort.
Most digestive enzyme blends also include prebiotics and probiotics which are essential to gut health and the ability to properly digest your food.
Wrapping Up
With these supplements on hand transitioning to and maintaining a Ketogenic Diet can become much easier. You can minimize Keto flu symptoms, reach Ketosis quicker, enhance your energy on a Keto Diet, and replace vitamins and minerals you may be lacking.
In addition, many of these supplements can enrich your diet with vital nutrients and vitamins that you may be lacking when following a strict Ketogenic Diet.
I’d love to know what your favorite supplements are for enhancing your Keto Diet. Let me know in the comments below!
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320251.php
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/supplements#magnesium
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/flu-side-effects
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/low_potassium/article_em.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711
KETO RESOURCES FROM VIGOR IT OUT:
- What is Keto and 8 Satisfying Keto Dinner Recipes
- Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake Fat Bombs
- Keto Snacks You NEED to Keep on Hand at all Times to Ensure Diet Success
- How to End Keto Flu With Simple Drinks, Recipes, and Diet Adjustments
- Low Carb Gluten Free Bread for the Keto Diet
Some of My Other Resources You Might Totally Love:
First off TOTALLY FREE:
Mom’s Printable Keto Shopping List
- I have available a printable Ingredient Replacement Guide
Because you don’t have to eliminate your family favorites to move in a healthier eating direction! You simply need to be aware of ingredients and with this substitution guide you can still have all of favorites! Just slightly altered to add in nutrients and eliminate empty calories and bad fats.
