If you are on a keto diet, you need to ensure that your body gets the right amount of essential nutrients; calcium is one of the most important nutrients. So you need to incorporate calcium into your diet, which your body also needs in small quantities. Besides strengthening your bones, calcium also helps your blood clot, so you don’t bleed out from minor wounds, promotes muscle contraction, and has a role in helping your heart pump blood. So, are you getting enough calcium on the keto diet? Let’s find out.
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If you’re new to keto and want a bit more information, check out our keto beginners guide.
As a quick summary, if you need it, the keto (also known as the ketogenic diet) is a low-carb, high-fat diet.
The whole concept of the keto diet is that your body transitions from burning glucose, in simple terms, sugars or carbohydrates, to burning fat as its primary fuel source.
For a keto diet, people will restrict their macros to eating;
- 70% of their calories are from fat
- 25% from protein
- 5% from carbohydrates
Sticking to these macros for a period of time will put your body into a state of ketosis.
Ketosis is when your body has transitioned from burning carbohydrates as its primary fuel source to burning fat for fuel. It is at this point that you will start to see and feel the benefits of the keto diet.
There are a lot of new terms and abbreviations that you may come across, sometimes it can feel like a new language that you need to learn. In order to help you out and keep you on the right track, we have created a keto terms and keto abbreviations guide, bookmark these to make your keto journey easier.
Some people can be put off the keto diet because of the side effects, however, these are only short-lived and the health benefits of keto far outweigh the side effects.
One of the main benefits which attract people to the keto diet is that it can cause significant reductions in insulin levels (by up to 75%) and blood sugar levels, which can be attractive to those that struggle with diabetes, amongst other health complaints.
However, what we always need to consider when we change our eating habits, regardless of whether it’s the keto diet or any other diet, is whether we are still getting all of the vitamins and minerals we need in order for our bodies to function.
So, let’s get into it, are you getting enough calcium in the keto diet?
Calcium On Keto
Certain vitamins and minerals are required for important bodily functioning and overall health that may be lacking in keto diets, hence you must ensure your body gets proper vitamins and minerals while on a keto diet.
Continue reading to find out if you’re moving across in the right direction.
Are You Getting Enough Calcium On Keto?
Calcium is a mineral that your body requires in small proportions. It not only builds your bones, but it also aids in the pumping of blood by your heart.
Why Do We Need Calcium On Keto?
Many milk and dairy products are not suited for a keto diet because of their carbohydrate content. However, calcium is important for the development of solid bone structures.
It also helps with blood coagulation, muscle contraction, heart rhythm, and neuron activity modulation.
How Much Calcium Should I Be Getting On Keto Per Day?
On a Keto Diet, you must intake 1000 milligrams of calcium each day from your food. Even if you’re on a ketogenic diet, there are certain calcium-rich keto-friendly foods that will help you receive the calcium you need.
We will go through some of these calcium-rich keto foods below.
Symptoms Of Too Little Calcium On A Keto Diet
Keto calcium deficiency is not uncommon, regardless of whether you are eating a keto diet or not.
If left untreated, this can develop into Hypocalcemia, which can be fatal.
A few common symptoms of hypocalcemia:
- Extreme fatigue
- Nail and skin problems
- Osteopenia and osteoporosis
- Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- Rickets
- Depression
- Numbness and Tingling
- Muscle Cramps & Spasms
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Confusion and Memory Loss
Symptoms Of Too Much Calcium On A Keto Diet
Studies suggest that Hypercalcemia, or having too much calcium in your blood, can occur if your calcium intake is too high. Some people new to the keto diet can have issues with this if they do not know what keto foods to eat, so tend to end up eating a lot of cheese, which is high in calcium.
This is why it is essential to still have a balanced diet, even when eating keto.
There are a few more symptoms of too much calcium intake:
- Bone pain
- Insomnia
- Soft tissue calcification
- Constipation
- Increases urination
- Cramps
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Arrhythmias
- Anxiety
As you will probably notice, some of these symptoms are very vague and may not necessarily mean that you have too little calcium in your keto diet, but it is certainly something worth monitoring and speaking to your doctor about if you have concerns.
What Does It Mean If I Crave Calcium on Keto?
Due to being on a keto diet for a longer time, you might start craving certain food to satisfy the nutrient deficiency.
There is likely a possibility of craving calcium-rich foods. It is only appropriate that you take care of your diet plans and incorporate essential food components.
Does Calcium Cause Kidney Stones On A Keto Diet?
Whether the keto diet causes kidney stones is a common concern for people who are considering transitioning onto a keto diet. There is a lot of misinformation out there on the topic.
There is no evidence of a link between keto and kidney stones. However, there are few incidents reported for people transitioning onto a keto lifestyle and then getting kidney stones, it is not clear if the two are linked. How to Get Calcium on Keto
The fact that you lose calcium naturally when you sweat and excrete adds to the need to eat a calcium-rich diet.
When you’re in ketosis, you’ll take more toilet breaks than usual, which means you’ll lose more calcium through your urine.
There are several calcium-rich keto-friendly foods that can help you get the calcium you need on a ketogenic diet.
How Do You Get Calcium On Keto?
Keto Foods That Contain Calcium
We’ve done a round-up of the best keto foods high in calcium if you are looking at how to get calcium on keto.
- 1 cup of cooked Broccoli contains 62 mg of Calcium
- 100 g of Sesame Seeds contains 1000 mg of Calcium
- 1 oz Sunflower Seeds contains 20 mg of calcium
- A 3.5 Ounce Chia Seeds serving contains 631 mg
- 100 grams Kale serving contains 254 mg of Calcium
- 1 Ounce of Almonds contains 200 mg of Calcium
Check out this article for more on vitamins and supplements on the keto diet – learn which ones you need and which you do not.
Round-Up
While on a keto diet, the calcium-to-fat ratio is crucial, as it can lead to life-threatening diseases. Make the necessary alterations to your food preferences based on your calcium consumption to conquer the keto diet.
