A Banana a day?

easto_79

Will it toss me out of Keto? I've been having really horrible leg cramps and someone suggested I add a small Banana a day to my diet, so I have been and of course it's 17 net carbs added to my day, but I've been trying to cut carbs else where how horrible is it to have a Banana a day and if it's horrible what else can I do with these leg cramps?

Thanks!!

rrsuthy

Try taking magnesium and potassium supplements. That's why the banana was probably suggested.

chirpinggalaxy

Chicken broth.

From what I understand, when you are eating extremely low carb, your body dumps sodium, potassium, and magnesium. (Someone more knowledgeable is more than welcome to correct me). You need to replace that. Eating high sodium foods and supplementing with potassium and magnesium helps. I also keep some sodium free "salt" nearby. It's pretty much straight potassium.

I have had some pretty massive leg cramps. If that happens, I drink a large cup of chicken broth or drink some water with salt added. I even add that fake salt stuff to both. The broth is tastier by far, but both are pretty quick to make the cramps lessen, if not quit. I usually try to keep my sodium levels high to prevent this from happening, but it doesn't always work out that way.

One of the favorite "recipes" brought to us by our wonderful Kiramaniac is chicken broth with 2T heavy cream added. It tastes a bit like a cream of chicken soup and it adds a nice fat and sodium boost.

Keto_T

All of the above are true. Also adding: try avocados for potassium. They are low carb, have healthy fat, and high fiber and are just plain yummy.

EddieHaskell97

It's potassium, or at least what you're describing was for me, and for everyone else I've seen with the same malady. A banana will most likely kick you out. Like everyone above me has said, various other foods will work. I went to Walgreen's and got a $4 bottle of potassium supplement, and the pains went away.

timwhoa

dont do the banana if you want to Keto diet, you will bump out of ketosis for sure, you would be better off to calorie count if fruit is something you desire, the other suggestions here for the cramps are the same as I would suggeset

easto_79

Thanks so much guys, those leg cramps are the worse then ever!!!. Ok no more banana I ate the last one of the bunch this morning anyways so that makes it easy. What do you guys eat before a heavy weight work out?

djthom2

I was getting the leg cramps really bad, so I started taking magnesium supplements and upping my sodium. Now they're much better. My go to snack before working out is nuts, they've a good blend of fat, carb and protein. Don't forget to have some protein after you lift, you'll recover better.

astartig

I don't think bananas have that much potassium anyway. better off supplementing with magnesium as mentioned and the fake salt.

Avansilee

When I started keto I had horrible leg cramps. I started taking supplements for potassium and magnesium as suggested here by multiple people and the cramps disappeared. A banana is a lot of carbs for a mild dose of both. Not that I think it's bad, just you'd be severely limiting yourself with what you can eat. Doesn't seem worth it!

allisonrinkel

Thanks for the advice in this thread!
I was having the WORST cramps and muscle spasms in my calves. I'll remember to pick up a potassium/magnesium supplement.
I haven;t been sleeping at night because my legs are going berzerk!