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Make sure you get the low down with our guide to keto.
Are Exogenous Ketone Supplements Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Ketone Salts and Esters

Are Exogenous Ketone Supplements Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Ketone Salts and Esters

With the increasing popularity of the keto diet, supplement companies are flooding the shelves with keto supplements. The most convincing supplement of them all — from a marketing perspective — is exogenous ketones. These keto supplements promise that you can have your cake and eat it too, literally and metaphorically. How? By giving you the ability to experience the benefits of the keto diet without having to limit your carb intake. After looking at typical keto weight loss results and ...

Coconut Flour vs. Almond Flour — Everything You Need to Know

Coconut Flour vs. Almond Flour — Everything You Need to Know

With coconut flour and almond flour, you can make pancakes, cookies, bread, muffins, pizza, and even waffles that are both healthy and delicious. In fact, they are the feature flours for anyone following a ketogenic, paleo, low-carb, or gluten-free diet — allowing us to satisfy almost any craving without slipping back into our old eating habits. As with any food, however, there are some crucial caveats to be aware of before using these flours. After considering these concerns, we find ...

What is Xanthan Gum? Benefits, Risks, Uses, and Substitutions

What is Xanthan Gum? Benefits, Risks, Uses, and Substitutions

While following a low-carb or keto diet, you'll inevitably come across xanthan gum. Its thickening and stabilizing properties make it an excellent substitute for corn starch and gluten in low-carb flours, breads, soups, and sauces. However, before you start experimenting with this common keto staple, it is important to understand what xanthan gum is, common xanthan gum substitutes, its impact on our health, its uses, and how to replace it. This is why we created this comprehensive guide to ...

What is Guar Gum? Definition, Benefits, Risks, & Uses

What is Guar Gum? Definition, Benefits, Risks, & Uses

Guar gum is typically used as a natural food thickener and binding agent, similar to xanthan gum but with slightly different properties. Despite the stigma surrounding this common keto-friendly additive, guar gum is safe for most people and provides many health benefits when consumed in moderation. However, there are some caveats that are important to understand before you use it or replace it with a suitable substitute. To help clear up any guar gum confusion, we put together a ...

The Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Optimal Health and Weight Loss

The Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Optimal Health and Weight Loss

The Mediterranean diet is widely recognized as being one of the best diets for weight loss and overall health. When compared to a typical western diet filled with processed foods, this plant-based diet is a safe, effective, and reliable bet. However, conservative approaches typically yield moderate results. In contrast, radically unconventional diets have a greater potential to make significant changes — changes that may come with an increased health risk for some. The keto diet is the ...

Psyllium Husk: Benefits, Side, Effects, Substitutions & More

Psyllium Husk: Benefits, Side, Effects, Substitutions & More

Psyllium husk is a healthy source of soluble fiber with a wide range of uses. As a supplement, it is known for its potential to improve gut health and promote weight loss; In clinical settings, it is typically used to treat constipation; and in keto kitchens, its gluten-mimicking properties allow us to make low-carb baked goods with the right texture and flavor. In this guide, we will explore these uses and other topics concerning psyllium husk including: What is psyllium husk? The ...

The Types of Fat: A Comprehensive Look at Good vs. Bad Fats

The Types of Fat: A Comprehensive Look at Good vs. Bad Fats

Fat is one of the three macronutrients (“macros”). Not only is this macronutrient essential for life to exist, but consuming healthy fats in the right quantity is crucial for optimal health as well. On a keto or low-carb diet, it is particularly important to choose the right types of fats since it will be your primary energy source. To set you up for success, we put together a guide with everything you need to know about good and bad fats: What is fat? Saturated fat vs. unsaturated ...

What is Saturated Fat? The Truth about These “Bad” Fats

What is Saturated Fat? The Truth about These “Bad” Fats

Saturated fat has been known for decades as being a “bad” or “unhealthy” type of fat. However, the truth is saturated with complexity. For example, specific types of saturated fats and different foods rich in these fats can vary in how they affect our health. These fats can also impact each of us differently depending on our genetic vulnerabilities. For most people, however, this “bad” fat actually has a neutral or positive effect on health, particularly when consumed as a part of a carb ...

What is Unsaturated Fat? A Comprehensive Guide

What is Unsaturated Fat? A Comprehensive Guide

Unsaturated fats are a broad category of fatty acids we consume in our diets. Although they are commonly known as “healthy fats,” some unsaturated fats can actually worsen our health. In fact, unsaturated fatty acids represent each end of the health spectrum, from completely toxic trans fats to polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that help support optimal health and longevity. To better understand this complicated category of fats, let's take a look at unsaturated fatty acids from the ...

What is Polyunsaturated Fat? The Truth About This “Healthy” Fat

What is Polyunsaturated Fat? The Truth About This “Healthy” Fat

Most of our fat intake comes from three types of fatty acids: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated. Each one has unique properties that interact with our bodies in different ways. Polyunsaturated fats, in particular, sparked the first investigations into how certain fats may be essential for optimal health, growth, and development. This led to the discovery of omega-6s, omega-3s, and what we now know as "essential fatty acids" —  which are all polyunsaturated fats. Despite the ...