Adding Aspartame To Your Keto Diet: All You Need To Know
Over the past few years, an increasing number of people are turning to the keto diet to reach weight loss goals. More people are becoming health-conscious and trying different diets to help with this healthy lifestyle. While dieting is an excellent health decision, it can be challenging without proper knowledge and guidance.
We have all tried them. Those diets that promise great results but require us to stop eating just about everything. These types of diets are not ideal and will have us relapsing to our old poor eating habits in a week or maybe two.
The keto diet is an excellent way for us to diet without feeling like we are missing out. Aspartame keto is even better than regular keto as I have found out that adding a bit of Aspartame to my keto recipes helps to take my keto meals from 0 to 100 real quick.
- Artificial Sweetener offering great tasting food, without the unnecessary sugar.
- Number of items: 2
What Is A Keto Diet?
The word keto is the shortened form of ketogenic. A ketogenic diet is one that requires low consumption of carbohydrates and increased consumption of healthy fats. In other words, healthy fats are used to replace carbs as our body's main source of energy.
There are many health benefits of changing your diet to a ketogenic diet. I have proven that this type of diet helps to significantly cut the amount of sugar in the blood as well as insulin levels. However, my favorite thing about the keto diet is how much fat it allows me to burn as a result of ketosis.
What Is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic reaction where our bodies use the healthy fats we consume for energy instead of carbohydrates. Glucose is found in carbs and is what gives our cells the energy they need to carry out their various functions. By reducing the number of carbohydrates we consume, we limit the amount of glucose available for cells to use.
When glucose levels are reduced, the body is forced to rely on another source of energy. This is the best way to get your body to enter the state of ketosis and start burning fat for energy. Another great way to enter ketosis is by getting into the habit of intermittent fasting.
Stages of Ketosis
There are three stages of ketosis:
1. Getting Into Ketosis
We start keto diets to turn our bodies into a machine that burns fat. The first step is to start ketosis by getting our bodies to start making ketones. Ketones are made by the liver when our bodies convert both the fats we eat and those already stored in the body to energy.
The first thing you need to do is limit the number of carbs you consume to 50 grams or less each day. As your body will need an energy source, you also have to increase your fat intake. This will allow your body to begin ketosis.
2. Adapting To Keto
Starting ketosis is one thing, but we have to do more for fat burning to be in full effect. We have to get our bodies to adapt to this new state. It's not just about eating an increased number of fats and decreasing carbohydrate consumption; we have to teach our bodies to adapt to ketosis.
After doing the keto diet for about two weeks, you should start feeling the difference. By this time, you will realize that you have fewer cravings, glowing skin, and an improved mood. These are signs that your body is burning more fats.
However, to help your body further adapt to keto, you have to exercise. The good thing is that high-intensity exercise is not required as your body will respond better to mild exercises. Intense exercises will cause your body to start gluconeogenesis, where amino acids are changed into glucose that is then used for energy.
What I discovered works best with a keto diet is to induce ketosis on and off. This means that sometimes you should give your body a break from ketosis. This fluctuation will strengthen your metabolism and allow it to become more flexible.
3. Metabolic Flexability
The third stage of ketosis is when we have gained full control over our metabolism. At this stage, our bodies can efficiently utilize fat along with glucose for energy production. This does not mean that our keto diet has come to an end; we are just able to have a little more fun with it.
You will still need to continue your keto diet, but you don't have to be as strict as when you just started. However, your body will need to be in ketosis most of the time while you continue your keto diet, exercising, and using keto supplements to help keep you on the right track. Once you have reached this stage, consuming a little sugar is not a big deal as your body will effectively use these carbs.
Types Of Keto Diets
There are four main kinds of keto diets. The difference between each is what quantity of the various forms of nutrients we are allowed to consume.
The standard ketogenic diet (SKD)
This diet requires an exceptionally low intake of carbohydrates. It also requires eating lots of fats while moderately consuming proteins. You ought to consume a minimum of 70% fat and as little as 10% carbohydrates, and therefore the remaining 20% should be proteins.
The cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)
This type of keto diet allows you to consume more carbs than SKD. It involves periods where you'll increase your carbs intake. For five days, you'll continue your regular low-carb ketogenic diet; then, for two days, you'll be able to consume a large number of carbs.
The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD)
This diet also allows you to extend your carbs consumption. However, this increase is merely at specific periods. With the targeted ketogenic diet, you're allowed to boost your carbohydrate intake as you exercise.
The high protein ketogenic diet
This type of keto diet is analogous to SKD. However, the proportion of protein intake is more considerable.
The standard ketogenic diet is the most suitable option for you if you're not an athlete or a bodybuilder.
- The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners Your Essential Guide to Living the Keto Lifestyle
- Amy Ramos (Author)
What Is Aspartame?
Aspartame is a common unnatural sweetener. There's a high possibility that we've all consumed this sweetener at some point in our lives, maybe even within the last 24 hours. It's an ingredient in many of the items we consume daily.
Brands like Equal and NutraSweet are aspartame sweeteners. Aspartame is additionally commonly employed in foods with "diet" written on the label. It's the sweetener mostly employed in diet sodas.
When we consume Aspartame, methanol is produced. Aspartame contributed to most of the methanol that Americans consume. However, methanol is toxic when large amounts are consumed.
Approval Of Aspartame
The consumption of Aspartame has been approved by several agencies. Both health-related organizations and regulatory agencies have declared it safe to use. Aspartame has been approved by the following:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- American Dietetic Association
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- American Heart Association
- United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
The European Food Safety Authority declared in 2013 that Aspartame would remain on the market as there's no reason to get rid of it. This conclusion came after several tests were conducted. These tests concluded that safety isn't a problem as it relates to the consumption of Aspartame.
Products That Contain Aspartame
Did you recognize that the majority of products labeled as "sugar-free" use Aspartame to make them sweet? That's because artificial sweeteners usually replace sugar. Examples of products that contain Aspartame are:
- Yogurt
- Diet soda
- Reduced-calorie fruit juices
- Gum
- Sugarless candy
- Reduced-calorie dessert
How Much Aspartame Should I Consume?
Studies have shown that sugar isn't as sweet as Aspartame. In fact, the American Cancer Society has declared that Aspartame is sweeter by 200 times. So, you merely have to use a tiny amount.
Both the FDA and the EFSA have outlined recommendations for the daily intake of Aspartame. They both recommend 50 milligrams and 40 milligrams respectively, this is for each kilogram of your weight. One can of diet soda has approximately 185 milligrams so it's hard for you to exceed the daily recommended amount of Aspartame.
The Contents Of Aspartame
A single teaspoon of Aspartame (Granulated sweetener) has the following:
- Calories: 13
- Carbohydrates: 3.1g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Fat: 0g
Note: Carbohydrates are found in granulated aspartame based sweeteners that add filler to offer a consistency more similar to sugar. Pure forms of aspartame such as diet sodas will not include these carbohydrates.
Risk Factors Of Aspartame Consumption
While Aspartame is safe for consumption, I do know some cases where it should be avoided. If you're taking schizophrenia medication or you have phenylketonuria, you want to avoid Aspartame. This is often because Aspartame is very toxic for you if consumed.
There are two styles of amino acids found in Aspartame. Phenylalanine is one of such amino acids. When someone has phenylketonuria, their body is unable to properly breakdown phenylalanine.
Phenylketonuria is an uncommon hereditary condition. Since Aspartame contains phenylalanine, it's not wise for people with the disease to consume this artificial sweetener.
If you have got PKU, you must carefully read all labels so you'll avoid products that have Aspartame. No need to worry, all products that contain this sweetener indicate this on their labels.
Persons who are against the employment of Aspartame have claimed that it contributes to specific ailments like:
- Cancer
- Depression
- Dizziness
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lupus
- Weight gain
- Seizures
- ADHD
- Headaches
- Alzheimer's disease
These claims are yet to be confirmed. However, tests are being done so these claims can either be confirmed or invalidated.
Can Children Consume Aspartame?
The short answer to this question is yes. You can use Aspartame to add sweetness to your child/children's diet without worrying about that sugar rush that will have them bouncing off the walls. Also, with this sweetener, you won't have to worry about the dental issues associated with sugary foods.
Is Aspartame Safe For Women Who Are Breastfeeding Or Pregnant?
Once again, the answer is yes. I know pregnant, and breastfeeding women are typically concerned about what they put into their bodies. Studies show that there are no risks associated with the use of Aspartame by pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding.
What Is An Aspartame Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet aims to limit how much carbohydrates we consume, especially sugar. I know this sounds like we will be eating fresh, tasteless foods, but Aspartame is here to save our meals. Aspartame allows us to have that sugary sweetness without actual sugars.
An aspartame keto diet is an excellent idea because we won't feel like we are actually on a diet. Adding Aspartame to your keto recipes makes them taste a lot better. It's a great way to enjoy tasty meals without worrying about your sugar intake. Enter your text here...
Different Kinds of Sugar in the Spoons, such as coconut sugar, pure cane sugar, icing sugar, agave syrup, dark brown soft sugar, golden caster sugar, demerara cubes
Is Aspartame Good For Keto Dieters?
I say it's not just good, it's great. Aspartame does not affect your blood sugar levels when consumed. It also does not have any impact on your insulin levels. So, yes, it is keto-friendly.
This artificial sweetener is an excellent sugar substitute. Studies have shown that when Aspartame is used to replace sugar in your diet, it lowers your body mass. This is because, as stated before, Aspartame has no impact on your blood sugar levels, and it has a low-calorie count.
However, studies have also demonstrated that Aspartame has a negative impact on the bacteria in our guts. There is also a possibility that consuming Aspartame can cause us to develop insulin resistance.
It's safe to say that Aspartame is quite the controversial sweetener.
Nevertheless, using small amounts of Aspartame is fine for people on a keto diet. This sweetener does not affect ketosis. However, it might be best to try other natural sweeteners because of the potential side effects of Aspartame.
Things To Consider Before Using Aspartame
Aspartame is a good choice when compared to sugar because it has fewer calories and limits the amount of sugar we consume. However, there are some possible issues associated with its use.
Yes, Aspartame has been declared safe to consume by various agencies like the FDA. But, we still have to be aware of all the unwanted effects this artificial sweetener might have.
We start a keto diet mostly because we want to lose weight right? And a huge part of losing weight is cutting our appetite and decreasing cravings. However, Aspartame has been linked to an increased appetite.
I know you are asking, how does this happen? Let me explain.
When we eat regular sugar, the brain releases certain hormones and chemicals. These allow us to feel satisfied after we have consumed sugar. This is not the case when artificial sweeteners are consumed.
Aspartame is sweet, but it does not induce that feeling of satisfaction in our brains that sugar gives us. This is because it's low-calorie content does not activate our pathway for food rewards.
Aspartame and other similar sweeteners may result in increased cravings and a bigger appetite. This will cause us to binge eat, especially junk foods. This increased consumption of food will eventually cause us to gain weight.
So, using sweeteners like Aspartame may completely reverse our weight loss goals, and we do not want that. The aim is to lose weight, not gain. That would defeat the purpose of dieting.
However, you must keep in mind that these claims are not entirely conclusive. Research is still being done on the extent to which artificial sweeteners affect our bodies and our appetite. Once this research is completed and the findings are published, we will have a better understanding of how our appetites are affected by Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.
White sugar in a wooden spoon
Aspartame Sweetener Substitutes
There is no doubt that Aspartame is a good replacement for sugar when you are dieting. But there are better alternatives available.
There are natural sweeteners that have fewer calories than sugar. Just like Aspartame, these natural sweeteners have minimal effects on our blood sugar levels. The fact that these sweeteners were derived from natural sources, they are better to use than Aspartame.
Here are a few examples of natural sweeteners that are great replacements for Aspartame:
- THE #1 BEST SELLING ORGANIC STEVIA SWEETENER- Pyure offers the same versatility and ease of use as traditional sugar without the added calories or carbohydrates
- 2:1 SUGAR REPLACEMENT- Twice the sweetness of sugar, Pyure uses a higher percentage of organic stevia with less bulking ingredients making it approximately 2x sweeter than sugar
- Natural Mate All Purpose Granular Stevia is produced by a proprietary co-crystallization process, looks just like granular sugar, and offers an uniform & clean natural sweet taste without aftertaste. Bring your sweetener experience to the next level.
- Natural Mate All Purpose Granular Stevia is suitable for baking, cooking, and hot & cold drinks. 0 calories and 0 glycemic impact. Can be used almost anywhere sugar is used, perfect for drinks, cooking, baking and more.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Aspartame is a good sugar substitute. It does not affect our blood sugar levels, and it has fewer calories than sugar. It's an excellent way to add a little sweetness to our keto meals without having to worry about extra carbs.
However, I must say Aspartame is not the best substitute for sugar. It's best you find other natural sweeteners that also have fewer calories than sugar. There are several natural sweeteners like Xylitol, Erythritol, and Stevia that are good alternatives. The bottom line is, although Aspartame is a good way to limit your sugar intake while getting the sweetness you desire, it is not the best choice.
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