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Keto Diet Carb Limit: How Many Carbs Can You Have on Keto?

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FACT CHECKED
  Published on June 8th, 2021
  Reading time: 3 minutes
  Last modified June 16th, 2023
Foods with carbs and ketone test strips

So, if you’ve done your research on the keto diet, you know that you need to cut carbs out, but exactly how many? Keto isn’t necessarily a 0 carb diet, so how many carbs is too many? Your personal carb limit on keto may be different from someone else, so let’s go over how to figure out exactly how many carbs you can have on keto.

Calculate Your Macros

First off, we recommend calculating your macros so that you have a starting point. Check out our free keto calculator here!

This keto calculator will give you the recommended amount of carbs you should eat every day based on your weight, height, body fat estimate, and how much you exercise. This will be your starting point.

Deviations and Varitations from the Calculations

You need to keep in mind that everyone’s metabolisms are is different. Two people of the same weight and height don’t necessarily need the same amount of carbs, even though this calculator will give you the same recommended amount. The best thing you can do is using this carb amount as a starting point and increase or decrease carbs as fit.

Testing Your Carb Limit on the Keto Diet

If you’d like to find the maximum number of carbs you can consume without getting kicked out of ketosis, increase your carbs by 5-10g from the starting point. Test your blood to see how your glucose and ketone levels fluctuate. Make sure that your ketone levels stay above 0.5mmol or else you’ve been kicked out of ketosis.

If you don’t know how to test your blood ketone or glucose levels, check out our article with step-by-step instructions here!

While most people consume 20-25g of carbs (or less) each day, there are some individuals who can consume up to 75-100g of carbohydrates while still maintaining a metabolic state of ketosis. This is due to individual metabolism and activity levels.

How Do You Know If You’ve Been Kicked Out of Ketosis?

The best way to find out your keto diet carb limit is to experiment. Start with the lowest amount of net carbs you are comfortable with and slowly add more until you reach your limit. Do not enter the maximum amount of net carbs you can every day, because this can also get you out of the state of ketosis.

Testing your blood with an at-home ketone meter is going to be the best way to determine your carb limit on the keto diet. If your ketone levels dip below 0.3-0.5mmol, you’ve been kicked out of ketosis. Try to aim for 0.5mmol or higher.

Just take your time and pay attention to all the signals your body is sending you. Even without testing blood ketone levels, most people can tell when they’ve been kicked out of ketosis. Common symptoms of this include fatigue, brain fog, and lethargy.

Do You Know Your Carb Limit on the Keto Diet?

Have you tested out your personal threshold? If so, what is the maximum number of carbs you can consume in a day? Comment below and share your thoughts with the community!

At ketogenic.com, we are committed to supporting, inspiring, and educating people on the benefits of living a ketogenic lifestyle. We do this by bringing together the top researchers, practitioners, and thought-leaders who provide resources, experience, and awareness associated around the Ketogenic diet. Utilizing the latest cutting-edge research along with practical experience, the team at ketogenic.com aims to foster awareness, understanding, and connectedness in helping others optimize their life on a ketogenic diet.

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