Metamucil and Ketosis

On the advice of my doctor, I’m adding intermittent fasting to my Keto protocol. I take Metamucil 3 times a day; will taking it in the morning before I break my fast kick me out of Ketosis?? I see that it DOES have carbs, but they are almost (if not completely) matched in fiber.

Replies

  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    How many carbs? I do want to be following doctor’s orders and if it puts you around 20 carbs, I’d suggest going on a Mediterranean diet.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    Three times a day, sugar-free Metamucil would be 12 carbs a day. How does 8 carbs a day sound to you? It doesn’t sound great to me.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,386 MFP Moderator
    OP, have you also considered eating more veggies instead of using metamucil? Things like cruciferous vegetables, spinach, chia seeds and low GI berries (raspberry, blackberries, strawberries) are a great way on Keto to get fiber. You can also cook with psyllium husk. But I would agree with @Lillymoo01 that you can go a little higher on carbs. I tend to aim for net 25-35g.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited December 2019
    Based on the attached link there are 5 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber in a 6 gram serving. That would make the net carbs 2 per serving. 3 servings per day is a total of 6 grams of carbs.
    https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/979752/2
  • s_rivera_92
    s_rivera_92 Posts: 92 Member
    Use psyllium husk instead of metamucil. It's the main ingredient in most laxatives and it works very quickly. Definitely read the label and work your way up to the suggested serving size (I believe it was a tablespoon or two per day?), otherwise you're gonna have a bad time. 1 cup of raspberries also has about 8 grams of fiber. A tablespoon of flax seeds has... 3, I believe? I know raspberries are okay on keto, I don't recall if a cup has too many carbs/sugars though.

    Although I agree with many of the comments above, Mediterranean diet > keto. I tried keto for about a month and lost 10lbs in that time, but I had my doubts about the long term health effects. It seemed to be like a guaranteed heart attack. (Just my opinion! Myself... I dont necessarily care for butter or meat. But I love my grains, fruits, and veggies.)

    I've always had results limiting my calories and getting 4-6 servings of grains/beans, 4-5 servings of veggies/fruits, 2 servings of dairy, 2 servings of proteins, and limiting alcohol and sweets. I think a balanced diet is almost always the better option for health while losing weight.

    Though, if keto works for you and you enjoy it, keep it up.

    As for IF, it works for me. (Although I was eating OMAD for quite some time.) Because I generally am not hungry in the mornings or afternoons. Just sip on water or black coffee or green tea in the morning until you're ready to eat. What works for me is 12pm until 8pm or 1pm until 6pm (I sleep around 12am).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,883 Member
    How many carbs? I do want to be following doctor’s orders and if it puts you around 20 carbs, I’d suggest going on a Mediterranean diet.
    Three times a day, sugar-free Metamucil would be 12 carbs a day. How does 8 carbs a day sound to you? It doesn’t sound great to me.

    I'm not clear on what you are suggesting - is it to ditch keto and go Mediterranean instead?
  • carolmoore611
    carolmoore611 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks to all for your input! Greatly appreciated
  • Mishilovescolours
    Mishilovescolours Posts: 32 Member
    I just have to cut carbs or eat Keto woe and I’m off to the loo 🚽 constantly. I hear of people suffering constapation, I’m the opposite.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,454 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    OP, have you also considered eating more veggies instead of using metamucil? Things like cruciferous vegetables, spinach, chia seeds and low GI berries (raspberry, blackberries, strawberries) are a great way on Keto to get fiber. You can also cook with psyllium husk. But I would agree with @Lillymoo01 that you can go a little higher on carbs. I tend to aim for net 25-35g.

    That's what I was thinking. Absent a very specific medical condition, the OP needs to be getting fiber from foods instead of a supplement.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    How many carbs? I do want to be following doctor’s orders and if it puts you around 20 carbs, I’d suggest going on a Mediterranean diet.
    Three times a day, sugar-free Metamucil would be 12 carbs a day. How does 8 carbs a day sound to you? It doesn’t sound great to me.

    I'm not clear on what you are suggesting - is it to ditch keto and go Mediterranean instead?

    Yes, I’m saying to ditch Keto. The way I experienced it, you need two weeks of low-carb (you need 15-20 daily carbs) diet and puts you into ketosis. Then you get 20-30 carbs, and then you get berries and nuts and various veggies and then you get to 35-40 carbs. I grew to 55-60 real carbs and I had small-to-trace levels of ketosis.

    Sugar-free Metamucil would hinder your plans with Keto.

    The way I experienced Keto, the cheese and meats, was balanced out by the fiber I was ingesting, 3 salads and veggies per day. I wasn’t constipated, I was pretty regular.

    The OP should get with a diet that isn’t so carb-sensitive.

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    How many carbs? I do want to be following doctor’s orders and if it puts you around 20 carbs, I’d suggest going on a Mediterranean diet.
    Three times a day, sugar-free Metamucil would be 12 carbs a day. How does 8 carbs a day sound to you? It doesn’t sound great to me.

    I'm not clear on what you are suggesting - is it to ditch keto and go Mediterranean instead?

    Yes, I’m saying to ditch Keto. The way I experienced it, you need two weeks of low-carb (you need 15-20 daily carbs) diet and puts you into ketosis. Then you get 20-30 carbs, and then you get berries and nuts and various veggies and then you get to 35-40 carbs. I grew to 55-60 real carbs and I had small-to-trace levels of ketosis.

    Sugar-free Metamucil would hinder your plans with Keto.

    The way I experienced Keto, the cheese and meats, was balanced out by the fiber I was ingesting, 3 salads and veggies per day. I wasn’t constipated, I was pretty regular.

    The OP should get with a diet that isn’t so carb-sensitive.

    The OP wasn't asking if they should keep a keto diet or not. Your recommendation is less than helpful in that regard. Especially since you have no idea, and they didn't say, why they are doing keto

    Also, such a small amount of net carbs would likely have little to no effect on ketosis.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    The OP wasn't asking if they should keep a keto diet or not. Your recommendation is less than helpful in that regard. Especially since you have no idea, and they didn't say, why they are doing keto

    Also, such a small amount of net carbs would likely have little to no effect on ketosis.

    Why are you up into my business? What is it about my semantics? You're just splitting hairs on word meanings.

    Nine out of ten doctors wouldn't recommend Keto, including mine (in your face, Dr. X!). 12-16 carbohydrates is a significant carb count.