The keto diet has become popular all across the world for its ability to help everyday people to shed countless pounds from their bodies in no time at all by making some very simple but effective changes to their diets.
Keto is a very innovative diet that forces the body to enter a state of ketosis that is caused when the body runs low on carbohydrates.
This forces the body to instead burn fat as a source of energy, which can see many people shedding pounds in no time at all.
However, for as many benefits as keto diets offer, they can also present a number of unique challenges and drawbacks.
One of the most frequent challenges that those on the keto diet find themselves facing is increased bloating. Many complain of stomach cramps and gassiness while on a keto diet. But why exactly do you sometimes feel bloated while on a keto diet? Let’s take a look together to find out!
Why Do I Feel Bloated On Keto?
Fiber Intake
There are a number of reasons that you may be feeling bloated while on the keto diet. One of the most common reasons why people experience bloating while on a keto diet is low fiber.
Fiber is used to help food more efficiently move through the gastrointestinal tract, which helps to aid with digestion.
Because many keto diets cause individuals to cut down on their fiber intake, food will naturally not move through the gastrointestinal tract as efficiently and will do so more slowly.
This will cause the food to ferment in the tract, which in turn causes the body to produce gas. Naturally, this gas builds up in the stomach causing bloating that can often be incredibly painful! However, bloating on a keto diet can also be caused by an increased intake of fiber!
Taking in a high level of fiber in your diet can cause populations of fiber-digesting bacteria to increase in the gut, which in turn causes more gas to be released by said bacteria. This is why it is so important to regulate your fiber intake to suit your diet.
Keto Flu
You may also find that you are more susceptible to bloating during the early stages of your keto diet. The early days of the keto diet are known to be quite challenging, thanks to the fact that the body has to adjust to being in a state of ketosis.
The early stages of ketosis cause a number of symptoms, including headaches, nausea, soreness, dizziness, and bloating, just to name a few. This is often referred to as keto flu!
Keto flu tends to only last for around two weeks at most, so if you are currently in the early stages of your diet, it is likely that that is the cause for bloating!
Not Enough Water
It is vital while engaging in any diet, to keep the body hydrated. It can be very easy to neglect the importance of good hydration.
It is incredibly vital to stay hydrated while on a keto diet as, in a state of ketosis, your body will begin to burn off all of the glycogen that it has stored up.
This will cause your water weight to drop rapidly, but this means that your body is more quickly becoming dehydrated!
Dehydration occurs all across the body, which means it can in turn affect your gastrointestinal tract, decreasing its efficiency, which causes food to ferment. This causes gasses to build up in the stomach, making you feel bloated.
Too Many Sugar Alcohols
Keto diets generally require that most people cut out sugar in all forms, even in fruit! This is because even natural sugars found in fruit are high in carbs, which can pull the body out of a state of ketosis.
Because of this, sugar alcohols are the best option for many on a keto diet that finds themselves craving sweet flavors.
Sugar alcohols, unlike standard sugar that is found in fruit, are much lower in carbs, and they are often found in protein bars, to give them a slightly sweet flavor without filling them with carbs.
However, as beneficial as sugar alcohols can be for keto diets, they have also been linked to stomach inflammation, which in turn causes digestive issues.
Digestive issues naturally lead to increased production of gasses in the intestines, which causes uncomfortable bloating.
How Can You Decrease Bloating On A Keto Diet?
If you are finding yourself too frequently suffering from bloating while on a keto diet, then you may want to try taking a look through the common causes that we have listed and make adjustments to your diet accordingly.
For example, if you believe that sugar alcohols may be linked to your increased bloating, try to reduce your consumption of them, to see if it has a positive impact!
One of the best solutions to curbing any problem on a keto diet is to consume more water. If you find that you are often forgetting to drink water, then make an effort to consume more of it.
Consuming more water will help your body to stay hydrated, in turn keeping your body functioning optimally while in ketosis.
Conclusion
If you are finding yourself frequently feeling bloated while on a keto diet, then it could be due to a number of reasons, most of which relate back to the gastrointestinal tract.
When the gastrointestinal tract is not able to process food efficiently, gasses are released that cause you to become bloated! Luckily, curbing symptoms of keto bloating is simple, and requires very minor changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you don’t have to feel bloated while on a keto diet, it is generally a common symptom of the body adjusting to ketosis.
In order to fix keto bloat, one of the best things you can do is to drink more water. This will allow your body to work more efficiently.
If you are on a keto diet and you are finding yourself suffering from excess bloating, then you can rest assured that such symptoms will eventually pass with time!
