Salt Series: Low Carb and Ketogenic Diets
Those introducing a lower-carbohydrate diet or ketogenic diet to they routine are some of the most important for increasing their salt intake.
When carb intake is limited to 50 gram per day or less, ketones increase, there is a greater release of glucagon and lower levels of insulin, as well as a high level of salt excretion. In fact, in these instances, the salt excretion of the body is similar to that of a body in starvation mode. As you remove carbs from the body, you'll lose some water weight naturally and with it goes salt.
Why is this important? Increased levels of salt excretion can lead to greater risk of sodium deficiency, which you can learn more about in our Salt blog.
Many studies show the rapid elevation of salt excretion, particular in the first 2 weeks of a diet change due to reduced insulin levels. You may notice dizziness, fatigue. and carb cravings, which can be improved through increasing your salt intake.
So how much salt should you be getting in those first two vital weeks to make sure you aren't deficient and feel your best?
Increase your sedum intake by a least 1 gram per day for the first two weeks, or up to 2 grams per day for the first week to help offset the salt excretion that will naturally happen as you remove carbs and excess water weight from your body. This is on top of normal salt recommendations for daily intake, which you can find here.
Deidre founded Always Growing Nutrition in 2015 with an enthusiasm for health, fitness, and understanding how to optimize the human body. She approaches nutrition from the perspective that each body is unique and this is key to creating nutrition programs that are sustainable for each person to maintain long-term, but also programs that work.
Her passions lie in digestive and hormone health, and she loves working with clients who struggle with balancing these complex systems. She believes that everyone deserves personalized nutrition, to understand how their body works, and to have the support to get answers about their health. She has worked with hundreds of clients to create a body they love with food they love.
When she's not working with clients, you'll find her enjoying everything Colorado has to offer from hiking to camping to craft beers.