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Nutrition for a Ketogenic Diet
Low Carbohydrate Article

Ketosis can generate free radicals so experts strongly advise you take antioxidant supplements.

Free radicals are very detrimental to your body. They can cause blood vessel damage and promote cancer. Ketosis can cause accelerated cellular damage and vascular disease when the body does not have adequate levels of free radicals.

Acetoacetate (Say What?)
Ketosis causes elevated levels of what the "ketone body acetoacetate".

The ketone body acetoacetate generates dangerous free radicals, which causes damage in your blood vessel cells. Antioxidants, such as selenium, beta-carotene, green tea extract, grape seed extract, Vitamins C, E, and Alpha-Lipoic Acid, can keep this in check.

Vitamin D
Ketogenic diet can cause vitamin D deficiency. Experts strongly urge you to take 5000 IU vitamin D daily when practicing this diet. Vitamin D deficiency can result in decreased calcium concentrations and bone density. You can reverse this damage with vitamin D supplementation in daily doses of 5000 IU.

Vitamin B
Ketosis can deplete vitamin B (thiamine); take at least RDA doses of B group vitamins.
Vitamin B depletion caused by a ketogenic diet can lead to temporary disorder of nerve functions. Regular doses of B-group vitamins will usually correct this deficiency.

Nutrients To Ensure Optimal Ketogenic Dieting
One frequently lacks the following nutrients when on a Ketogenic diet:

Carnitin
A deficiency in carnitin can prevent the body from using ketone bodies for energy.

Chromium
To aid your body in getting the maximum benefit of a low-carb diet, ensure adequate insulin sensitivity. Chromium appears to be a part of the glucose tolerance factor and may improve insulin sensitivity.

Balance a Ketogenic Diet

1.  A ketogenic diet or a low carb diet will limit your intake of grains and fruits. This drastically narrows your choices for many vitamins and minerals.

2.  Although not so severely restricted as the ketogenic diet, any low-carb diet can lead to voluntarily reducing food intake because your appetite is curbed. While a decreased appetite is welcome from many dieters, it can lead to malnutrition if you are not careful and educated in regards to the nutrients your body needs.

3.  Low-carb reduced-calorie diets may cause insufficient intake of B-group vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. If you are on such a diet, it is a good idea to supplement it with these vitamins and minerals.

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