• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Is LCHF the same as the keto diet ?

Charis1213

Charis1213

Well-Known Member
Messages
513
Location
Lincolnshire
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I went to the diet doctor website and it seems to talk about them both as if they are the same .

Can we eat strawberries or raspberries daily with cream for a dessert after the evening meal ?

Can we eat a bit of beetroot for lunch with a salad ?

Can we drink coffee with milk during the day or is it limited ?

Thank you if anyone can help .
 
No they are different.
Low carb starts at under about 100g carbs a day ( some say under 120g) whereas Keto is very low carb ( some say under 20g a day, others say under 50g a day.
To find out if certain foods are ok or not and also to find your personal level of carb tolerance, you need to test the effect foods / meals have on your blood sugars - we are all different despite all being diabetic.- if you have a meter, test your sugars immediately before eaing a food and again 2 hrs later - if the difference is more than about 2mmol then that food is not a good choice for tou. If not, invest in a meter and a couple of pots of strips ( total cost about £25) and start testing
Tee2 and codefree are the most cost effective tesing combos
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/
https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
 
Last edited:
Keto is generally more restrictive than LCHF. I describe my WOE as LCHF/keto. Carbs under 20g per day.

Keto you try to get your body into ketosis, switching your body to using your stored fat for energy. A great way to lose weight.
 
Kind of.

They both work on the same principle of lowering carbs and increasing fats. Keto takes it further and lower carb til you reach a state of ketosis where the body burns fat rather than glucose for energy. Low carb may dip into this but it’s not the aim.

Different advocates will suggest different regimes, especially in keto. Some are more purest and don’t allow certain foods and eat “clean”. Others are just concerned with carbs rather than where they specifically come from.
 
As others have said test. But
berries are ok for most in moderation
A dash of milk in coffee will do no real harm for most but many use cream as it’s lower carb
Beetroot may have an effect so test and tread cautiously and don’t go mad.
 
A keto way of eating is when people eat low enough carb intake that their body switches to using ketones as fuel rather than glucose.

The level at which this happens varies for different people, but it is usually somewhere under 50 g carbs a day, sometimes under 20g carbs a day. Very rarely someone (young, fit, well muscled) may get into ketosis at up to 100g carbs a day.

DietDoctor seems to take the view that a nice low carb intake is in the interests of most people. But I guess that if someone wanted, they could always introduce more carbs.

Low carb is just anything that falls below ‘moderate carbs’ and that number varies a lot depending which website and organisation you are looking at. It doesn’t necessarily mean ketosis. When I arrived on the forum, people used to refer to LC as being below 150g carbs a day. Then the number morphed down to 130g a day. Now @Boo1979 is saying it is below 100g. But I’m not sure that there is any general agreement.
 
Thanks guys, so if i start myfitnesspal again i could put 100 carbs a day , but what about fat and protein ?
I'm sorry if i sound dumb I just want to get it right and thinking keto is too low for me .
 
Eat fat and protein to satiety. There are no set rules for them so it is trial and error.
 
When I first started, I couldn't tolerate semi skimmed milk in tea, I can't stand full fat milk. I had to give up tea for a while. I can now tolerate tea. I always have been fine with double cream in coffee.

The only way you can figure out what you can and cannot ingest is to eat to your meter.

Once you have got your numbers down, and have sustained them for a while, you can try to up your carb intake and see how you get on.

It is not rocket science although it seems like it when you first start :)
 
My view: I think LCHF is a great introduction to low carb good fat eating. It can set the body up to burn fat and resolve metabolic ills and provides one with either a life time nutritional regime or an easy pathway to Keto, which can further tune weight loss or resolve / mitigate further conditions perhaps quicker than LCHF, or be used for sporting advantage.

Both regimes can be customised by the participant to their needs, so for example I do Keto with higher protein as I weight train, so am closer to a protocol that Dr Bernstein advocated for Type 1's who wished to do low carb.

The answer is yes to all of your questions, although perhaps half a beetroot on Keto. Once you get into your staples you may find the ratio of fats such as cream need to be downgraded if stalls are experienced, if weight loss is a main aim - once fat adapted on either regime your body will more readily burn residual fat in the body.
 
My numbers came down pretty quickly bg wise. I now run in the 4's mostly through the day. My evening meal may get me up to 6 but not often. On minimum carbs I can get away with less than a 1 point rise from food with an after meal walk.
The thing for me is even a 2 point rise will once it drops will have me wanting to sleep. If I can keep to as near to a flat line as I can I feel sharp as a razor. Both physically and mentally.
As a result the only carbs I eat are the background stuff. I don't eat any deliberately except a weekend treat of maybe 20g {weighed} of frazzles, my weakness, 12g of carbs and I feel a little guilty at that.
I have got to keto. Now passing the funky taste. Have to say I don't feel hungry any more and can easily go all day on water and coffee with 2 eggs and bacon for bekky.
I have managed to make the step to regarding carbs as something to avoid. I genuinely don't want them. It is tricky to go very low carb. Just see what some of the carb figures are when you shop. It's staggering where you find carbs.
 
bulkbiker said:
Any particular reason? From my reading around the forum I would suggest that most people following a ketogenic way of eating seem to get faster lowering of blood sugars..
Click to expand...
I don't fully understand it for a start . I have been eating bacon eggs mushroom and tomato for breakfast , for lunch I've been eating boiled egg some cheese tuna iceberg lettuce , for tea I've been making brussels sprouts , broccoli cabbage and either chicken in garlic and mushroom or minced beef with a small amount of onion, and i have been having around two strawberries and some raspberries with single cream , milk in coffee and tea , absolutely no sugar .
Does this sound okay ?
 
There are numerous calculators on the web to work out macros. I’ve seen 1-1.5g protein per kg body weight protein a fair bit. Fats to feel full and have energy.

Whatever you choose it’s adjustable. Test bloods and monitor weight and measurements and well-being feeling. If it’s not doing enough drop carbs and add fats till you’re full. Don’t forget protein as it protects from lean muscle loss but too much protein for some people hinders loss.

Joining few lowcarb / keto Facebook groups and lurking and reading will give you some idea of issues and solutions people try. Asking on here is a great resource in the low carb or keto sections.
 
Charis1213 said:
I don't fully understand it for a start . I have been eating bacon eggs mushroom and tomato for breakfast , for lunch I've been eating boiled egg some cheese tuna iceberg lettuce , for tea I've been making brussels sprouts , broccoli cabbage and either chicken in garlic and mushroom or minced beef with a small amount of onion, and i have been having around two strawberries and some raspberries with single cream , milk in coffee and tea , absolutely no sugar .
Does this sound okay ?
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me. Are you hungry? Do you have a lack of energy? If so add fats as I can’t see too many in your list. If not then that’s fine, no need to add them.

Drink more water than usual as carbs hold water and without them you “flush” more. Add a little salt for electrolytes
 
HSSS said:
Sounds good to me. Are you hungry? Do you have a lack of energy? If so add fats as I can’t see too many in your list. If not then that’s fine, no need to add them.

Drink more water than usual as carbs hold water and without them you “flush” more. Add a little salt for electrolytes
Click to expand...


I have so much energy its amazing lol, I don't get hungry much but when i do i usually eat some grated cheese and that fills me up . I am also walking about an hour a day and also do a fifteen minute workout which is enough for me as I am full time carer to my disabled mum , part of the hour walking is to and from my mums and then i walk after tea with my hubby .
Thanks that's made me feel happy knowing it sounds okay . I've been drinking water its my favourite drink and I use Himalayan salt on meals . I've bought some sardines today but got them in tomato sauce as the only tins were in vegetable oil and I don't think that is healthy .
 
Charis1213 said:
I don't fully understand it for a start . I have been eating bacon eggs mushroom and tomato for breakfast , for lunch I've been eating boiled egg some cheese tuna iceberg lettuce , for tea I've been making brussels sprouts , broccoli cabbage and either chicken in garlic and mushroom or minced beef with a small amount of onion, and i have been having around two strawberries and some raspberries with single cream , milk in coffee and tea , absolutely no sugar .
Does this sound okay ?
Click to expand...

Bit shy on fat if you ask me. Cook your eggs and mushrooms in proper salted butter that gets you fat and salt. Try adding kale too instead of lettuce (can be an acquired taste) . Loads of potassium in that.

Don't know about fruit. Don't bother with it myself.

My evening meal tonight was an 8oz ribeye and salad. Breakfast will be eggs and bacon. Couple of sausages (they will have carbs in maybe 15 for the pair but worth it for the fat) too as I'm at a holiday Inn atm. That will be it till 7 or 8pm.
 
Spl@ said:
Bit shy on fat if you ask me. Cook your eggs and mushrooms in proper salted butter that gets you fat and salt. Try adding kale too instead of lettuce (can be an acquired taste) . Loads of potassium in that.

Don't know about fruit. Don't bother with it myself.

My evening meal tonight was an 8oz ribeye and salad. Breakfast will be eggs and bacon. Couple of sausages (they will have carbs in maybe 15 for the pair but worth it for the fat) too as I'm at a holiday Inn atm. That will be it till 7 or 8pm.
Click to expand...

wow and i thought i was eating tons of fat , what sausages can I eat cos most have breadcrumbs don't they . I don't like kale tried it a few times, I have started having double cream and so far so good because usually it makes me feel ill , I do use salted butter and i cook the mushrooms in it .
 
Charis1213 said:
wow and i thought i was eating tons of fat , what sausages can I eat cos most have breadcrumbs don't they . I don't like kale tried it a few times, I have started having double cream and so far so good because usually it makes me feel ill , I do use salted butter and i cook the mushrooms in it .
Click to expand...
I spent ages checking carb content on sausages as was convinced they’d all be quite high but not all are. I’ve settled on Morrison’s Best pork & leek sausages - 1.4g carb per sausage
 
Charis1213 said:
I don't fully understand it for a start . I have been eating bacon eggs mushroom and tomato for breakfast , for lunch I've been eating boiled egg some cheese tuna iceberg lettuce , for tea I've been making brussels sprouts , broccoli cabbage and either chicken in garlic and mushroom or minced beef with a small amount of onion, and i have been having around two strawberries and some raspberries with single cream , milk in coffee and tea , absolutely no sugar .
Does this sound okay ?
Click to expand...
sounds pretty ketogenic to me.. if you don't feel so hungry you could maybe try skipping a meal which is known as "intermittent fasting" this also helps to allow the liver to get rid of some extra glucose and doesn't trigger an insulin release which can be very beneficial.
 
Spl@ said:
My numbers came down pretty quickly bg wise. I now run in the 4's mostly through the day. My evening meal may get me up to 6 but not often. On minimum carbs I can get away with less than a 1 point rise from food with an after meal walk.
The thing for me is even a 2 point rise will once it drops will have me wanting to sleep. If I can keep to as near to a flat line as I can I feel sharp as a razor. Both physically and mentally.
As a result the only carbs I eat are the background stuff. I don't eat any deliberately except a weekend treat of maybe 20g {weighed} of frazzles, my weakness, 12g of carbs and I feel a little guilty at that.
I have got to keto. Now passing the funky taste. Have to say I don't feel hungry any more and can easily go all day on water and coffee with 2 eggs and bacon for bekky.
I have managed to make the step to regarding carbs as something to avoid. I genuinely don't want them. It is tricky to go very low carb. Just see what some of the carb figures are when you shop. It's staggering where you find carbs.
Click to expand...
Agree, carbogenic environment everywhere, at Colchester train station yesterday I got a black coffee at the main café on platform 4, everything bar the coffee, tea and water was sweet and or high carb, probably the only place where I couldn't fashion something low carb (maybe I could have taken the bacon out of the white roll).
 
Back
Top