What Happens If You Don’t Eat Enough Fat On Keto?

You've finally embraced a keto diet and are happy about the prospects of running on fat only. But a few weeks in, you feel uneasy and are asking: what happens if you don't eat enough fat on keto?

You're going to suffer from hunger and low spirits, malnourishment, and an impaired regime if you don't eat enough fat on keto.

A keto diet essentially requires you to go big on fatty foods and proteins as opposed to the usual carbs you consume.

Read on to find out how not eating enough fat can ruin all the work you've put in to stay healthy the keto way, and how you can upturn a large calorie deficit.

What are the effects of a low-fat keto diet?

Let's unpack the dangers of an undercut keto diet one by one.

Hunger and low spirits

A keto diet throws your body into ketosis - a state where your glucose-starved body converts its fat reserves to the energy it needs for your daily activities. It's like burning fat on autopilot. 

Intuitively, you're going to need a lot of fat to sustain this process, otherwise, your body is forced to reduce its energy expenditure. Low energy utilization results in hunger and vigorlessness.

Malnourishment

Your nutrient load tanks when you're not eating sufficient, high-quality fats when you have reached ketosis. The whole point of running on a keto diet is to remain healthy as you try to stay in shape. 

Go for an all-round balanced keto diet with very low carbs like asparagus, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts as it improves your calorific intake while providing all the necessary vitamins and minerals that you need to get going.

Impaired keto diet outcomes (Keto flu, etc.)

The keto dieter's body needs a constant supply of fat, otherwise, it has nothing to burn. Regular fat metabolization is an important aspect of any keto diet, and you may experience undesirable effects like keto flu and weight regain if this process doesn't take place properly.

Keto flu, marked by symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, muscle cramps, troubled concentration, and dizziness, usually lasts one week but is enough to make you throw in the towel.

These symptoms may be a telltale sign that you're not eating enough fat. You're now running on ketones - the fat-derived fuel, instead of glucose - the starch-derived fuel. Weaning yourself off carbs slowly while steadily absorbing more fat can help you transition seamlessly and decrease keto flu symptoms.

How much fat on keto diet is enough?

While there is no general keto diet with a hardwired macronutrient ratio (fat, proteins, and carbohydrates), most ketogenic resources recommend 70 - 80% fat from your daily calorie intake. Carbs make up 5 - 10% while proteins constitute 10 - 20%.

Basically,

In practical terms, a 1500-calorie regimen looks like this:

Interesting ways to spruce up your keto diet with fats

Now that we know how many grams of fat per day on keto diet that's needed to make the most of your keto meal, let's look at how to add fat to keto diet by unraveling some exciting culinary ideas.

Make keto fat bombs

Crank up on healthy fats with sweet fat bombs. These no-bake, sugar-free treats are essentially made from readily available ingredients like nut butters, chocolate, coconut oil, cream, or avocado, with little to no sugar. Fat bombs are the perfect dessert that can be eaten at any time of the day.

Eat high-fat proteins

Pork, fish, sausage, chicken thighs, and legs are some of the high-fat proteins you can incorporate into your keto meal. 

Try your hands on full-fat Greek yogurt, salmon and tuna, grass-fed steak, and nutrient-rich eggs.

Use heavy cream

In the absence of sweet fat bombs, you can take whipping cream, cheese, and a dash of stevia and whip it up. Then, pour the mix onto some fresh berries you have set aside in a bowl.

Use avocado

We can't state the healthiness of avocado enough." Nature's keto," revered for its high-fiber and immune-boosting qualities can be eaten as-is or with a lick of olive oil and salt.

Try low-carb recipes

For those who have an obsessive affinity for carbs, you can still amp up the fat dosage while enjoying some starchy goodness. You can make a low-carb version of the butter chicken salad that's aromatic, warm, spicy, and downright satisfying. 

Add it to your Keto coffee

You can add healthy fats to your Keto Coffee by dropping some coconut oil, grass-fed butter or heavy cream. Fat-infused coffee gives you a double-whammy of healthy fats in one cup.

Save some meat grease

Lacing your veggies with leftover oil from duck, bacon, and other meats you've cooked adds an appetizing flavor to them while ensuring that you meet fat calorie intake for the day.

Toss in nuts and seeds

Hurl some Brazil nuts, chia seeds, and walnuts into your meal as these pack a healthy dose of, fats. Be careful though; some nuts are high in carbs and proteins.

Sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are high in fat, but low in carbs and proteins, making them suitable alternatives. You can snack on them whole, drizzle them on your salads, or mix them into shakes.

Flavor your meals with different fat types

No doubt, fats alter the flavor of a dish, giving an aura of variety to your meals. You can top green beans with butter for a satisfying taste. You may also saute them almond oil or drizzle flaxseed oil for a delicious sensation. Honorable oil mentions you can use include coconut oil, walnut oil, olive oil, and grape seed oil.

Final thoughts

Winning big on a keto diet requires dedication and strategy. Knowing the dangers of a fat-lazy keto diet and applying the creative recommendations we've listed is sure to set you on your way to successful keto dieting.

What fats do you include in your keto diet? Let me know in the comment section below.