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The 8% Newsletter

 

Big, Big, BIG announcement— It’s finally here!

I’m not freaking out, you’re freaking out. Feeling sweaty, a need for sport, a need to push your physical limits? Well, it’s here, the perfect partner for anything sports-related– OceanHydrate Sports! With an unmatched electrolyte profile (we mean it, there is NO electrolyte mix like it, let alone being 100% natural with 0 sugars and 0 calories) it is designed to rehydrate you before, during, and after workouts like never before.

     🥚 National Egg Day

     😋 Keto diet— the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

     ∞ Infini-Keto

Happy National Egg Day!

For some it’s you’re first-time hearing about it, but here at OmniBlue HQ, we love our quirky holidays. It’s the perfect day for you breakfast lovers, chefs or foodies to pay special attention to the nutrient dense wonder of eggs. This National Egg Day we are going in deep into the world of the keto diet.

To Keto or Not to Keto: That is the Question

Ahh, the famous keto diet. Once hailed as the miracle cure for our ailments. It peaked in popularity back in 2018 given our trusty sourced, Google Trends, has since faded from the limelight.

Although it may not be as trendy nowadays, we thought we’d shed some light on this diet and get you the good, the bad and the ugly on this weirdly popularized diet.

PS– beware of a time warp! Trust me when we say we spent a good hour or two searching random stuff on Google Trends, it’s all just so captivating. Pretty useless info but a good way to pass the time, a little too good if I’m honest.

What the heck is it?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know it’s all about ditching carbs. Why carbs? Because they’re the root of all evil, right? Just kidding (not), but it can seem that way sometimes. So, why cut carbs, which are in cookies, brownies, bread, pasta, pizza, happiness, etc.? They’re the common denominator in junk food, which makes sense. But there’s more to it. When you deprive your body of glucose (your body’s preferred source of energy) it forces you to look for alternative sources. Now what could that be? Hey, look over there! Would you look at that, an energy packed fat cell that has been sitting there for years, we can use that! The process of utilizing our fat storages for energy is called Ketosis, hence the uninspired Keto-Diet name.

Without boring you to death, here’s the (very) simplified journey from the fat cell to the glucose equivalent (ketones):

  1. Your body detects a lack of glucose, causing lower insulin levels.

  2. Triglycerides (a type of fat) head to the liver for oxidation.

  3. Ketone bodies are formed and released into the bloodstream.

  4. Your body uses these ketones instead of glucose!

 

The Good:

There are 3 main reasons why you may opt for a keto-diet over a traditional diet (apart from plastering it all over your social media):

 

Weight Loss: We’re all aiming to lose fat, not muscle, for beach season of course. And that’s exactly the selling point of the keto diet. By removing carbs, you force your body to consume the very thing we want dead and gone. Convincing, right?

 

Blood Sugar Control: In a country where 10% are diabetic and ⅓ are obese, controlling blood sugar is a critical discussion. So, the idea of reducing blood sugar to safer levels is most certainly appealing.

 

Satiety: Protein and fat are tougher to digest, keeping you fuller longer, though they’re often more calorie-dense than other carbs like fruits and veggies.

 

Keto diet seems like a great choice for those who struggle to lose a few. It’s quite literally tackling the big struggle with weight loss, and that’s huge!

 

Well heck, sign me up if that’s the scoop with the keto diet, am I right?

And I know, I know– there are many, many, many more alleged benefits that aren’t listed like less migraines, improvement in metabolic syndrome, etc. But many other benefits that are listed on google are just hopeful or insignificant.

Now let’s take a peek at why you may be barking up the wrong tree with this diet.

 

The Bad and the Ugly:

Let’s quickly back up so we’re all on the same page. The keto diet is heavy on meat, eggs, fish, nuts (yes, they have carbs), oils, and some low carb veggies. Not exactly a varied diet. So, let’s check out the risks:

 

(Not) Heart Healthy: It’s incredibly hard to keep your saturated fats and cholesterol in check and at non-exorbitant levels when most of your food is loaded with it. These nutrients are atherogenic (clog your blood vessels), upping the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and lots more unwanted situations.

 

Not exactly a cure for diabetes either: A quick google search will tell you that good blood sugar in ketosis is 70-90 mg/dL, just under the normal range of 90-130mg/dL. How is it so close to normal blood sugar levels if you don’t eat carbs/sugar? Something’s fishy right? Probably because it is (also a good rule of thumb). What happens when you have glucose and no insulin? Your body makes glucose from protein (aka your muscles), not ketones. Voila! –Ketonic Hyperglycemia. Best go to the doctor, and fast!


Micronutrient deficiency: Now THIS is a biggie. Fruits and veggies are top sources of vitamins and minerals. Although yes, animal-based products are also an absolute powerhouse. But get this, NlH says that with a low-carb diet, you are at risk of nutritional deficiencies. And yes, nutrient-dense foods are AMAZING, but they don’t fully meet your body’s needs alone. The same study says that a ketogenic diet is has multiple micronutrient shortfalls. These shortfalls include mineral deficiencies as well, including magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium which were less than recommended values.

The bottom line:

The keto diet is novel, interesting, and effective for short-term weight loss and curbing snacking. But in the long run, the benefits don’t outweigh the risks of chronic micronutrient depletion. Generally, up to three months can be safe without supplements. You read it right, it can be done safely with supplements!

 

What if I want to continue keto?

If you’re set on going full keto, here’s the secret sauce: You will need prioritize fish over saturated fat-rich meats. Second, supplementation is a must. Remember all of those mineral deficiencies we were talking about? We’ll you can throw that out of the picture with our minerals at play. Every single one of our products contains an unmatched 70+ naturally occurring minerals, effectively allowing you to Infina-Keto (without mineral deficiency).

Hope this cleared the air on the keto diet, we hope to get to all of the other diets and possibly make a ranking (with your help of course). Let us know what you think!