Table of Contents
For people interested in losing weight, the idea of making their very own homemade bars for the keto diet is an attractive one. But you should take a moment to consider exactly how healthy homemade bars for the keto diet are, and whether or not they’re worth the effort. The idea of baking them yourself is that you can control the nutrition and therefore the taste. However, this can be rather tricky when it comes to preparing and baking the bars yourself. There are many things you need to consider before you try to make your own.
Many protein bars contain sugar, which should be avoided as much as possible, especially while following the keto diet. This includes the powdered form, as well as “nutrient-enriched” versions that, essentially, have all sorts of other chemicals added to them. These bars are generally more health-friendly and generally better for your diet overall. When making homemade ketogenic protein bars, you need to use quality ingredients. Fortunately, there are many quality supplements that are available that you can use to boost your diet. Glutamine and BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) are very good when it comes to speeding up your metabolism and boosting your endurance and muscle mass.1 You should also look for high-quality proteins, such as eggs, chicken breast, tuna, and salmon.
There are a lot of ways to make homemade ketogenic protein bars. It really just comes down to finding the recipes that you like and giving them a try. Don’t be afraid to mix things up as well; you never know if you’re going to find a delicious recipe that you will love to share with family and friends! You never know, they just might start asking you where you got your great new recipe!
What Is the Ketogenic Diet?
A high protein, high carbohydrate diet that allows you to eat more calories than you burn each day. That’s the basic concept behind it, but there are a few variations to the diet that you may find interesting.
Ketosis is the condition wherein your body creates ketones in order to provide your brain with energy.2 Ketones are the byproduct of the liver breaking down glycerol or glucose that your body produces as a direct result of using up fatty acids or stored fat.3 Because ketones are high in sugar content, they cause a surge in your blood glucose levels and make you feel hungry. In response to this feeling, your brain goes into “starvation mode” resulting in a dramatic reduction of your appetite. This condition can be used to lose weight in a safe and effective manner. If used properly, the ketogenic diet can provide you with a long-term solution to your weight problem.
Ketones are produced when your brain no longer requires the use of glucose but instead prefers proteins as its source of energy.4 The keto diet is actually a high-fiber, high-protein diet, which in medicine is generally used to treat children with epilepsy. However, the diet forces your body to burn up fats instead of glucose. As a result, ketone production occurs at a high rate, resulting in a large amount of excess protein being produced and used by the human body. As ketones build up in your body, ketones are expelled through urine and also through an exhaled breath.5
The Aim of Following the Ketogenic Diet
The main purpose of the keto diet is to make you consume proteins and healthy fats only while restricting carbohydrates as much as possible. So, if carbohydrates are an important part of your diet – think again!
While you do get to enjoy some protein from meat, fish, and other animal sources, most people on ketogenic diets have much more protein from vegetables and legumes. Also, while you might enjoy tofu and other soy products, they are likely not as beneficial as natural meats and grains. By eliminating all carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, and sugars) from your diet you’ll also eliminate a huge amount of toxins and weight while improving your health overall.
The ketogenic diet works by making your body burn away fat instead of glucose (the source of energy for your body). As ketones leave your body, the metabolism will slow down and your muscles will get used to the high levels of ketones and they’ll begin to burn fat instead of glucose.6 That’s why the ketogenic diet can be extremely effective. Instead of relying on a steady diet of boring carbohydrates, you’re now relying on your body to produce its own supply of ketones to give you energy. Unlike other popular diets, ketogenic ones allow you to eat foods that oftentimes have far fewer carbohydrates than regular meals, which means that you can lose weight quickly and keep it off.
Advantages of the Ketogenic Diet
Many people have heard about the many advantages of the ketogenic diet. This dietary plan is based on ketones, or ketones produced in the liver when carbohydrate, protein, and fat are broken down. You may be asking what ketogenic diet benefits you can enjoy. There are definitely many and we will discuss them here.
The keto diet mainly utilizes your body fat as an energy source and therefore there are many advantages for weight loss. First, ketones help your body burn fat while helping you to lose weight because ketones are also known as an effective fat burner. On Keto, fat-burning hormones are dramatically reduced making the body a very efficient fat-burning machine.
The second main benefit of the keto diet is that ketones have been found to improve cardiovascular health. In addition to helping you burn fat, they also reduce cholesterol in the body. There is a definite reduction in LDL, which stands for “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides, which stand for “good” cholesterol. The ketones act as the perfect complement to a complete diet plan.
The third advantage of the ketogenic diet is that it is high in proteins, which provides energy for muscle development. When you take a higher level of protein, your body burns fat for energy more efficiently. It is important however to remember that too much protein can actually be detrimental to your health if taken in excess. There is a scientific reason why the ketogenic diet is so good at reducing fat while increasing lean muscle mass. It is because the ketones give the muscles an energy boost, allowing them to work much harder than they normally would.
You can eat as much protein and as much fat as you want, meaning you will experience the benefits of both ketosis and weight loss. Of course, if you are a diabetic or have some kind of heart or kidney condition, you should consult with your doctor before starting any type of diet. If you are not healthy enough to do this type of diet without drastic consequences, you may consider limiting the carbs that you do ingest to prevent a dangerous drop in blood sugar.
The fourth advantage of the keto diet is that it has been found to increase stamina. Many athletes use the keto diet as a way to increase their endurance levels, allowing them to train much more frequently and for a longer period of time.7 This can be useful for someone who is trying to lose a few pounds, but an athlete may use it to increase his or her ability to burn fat. Either way, this diet will help you reach your weight loss goals.
The Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet
One of the first disadvantages of the ketogenic diet is that you will have to give up most carb products. There are some exceptions like cottage cheese, egg whites, and some ingredients like hemp seeds and oil. As a result, ketogenic diets generally enable a person to lose about one-third of their body weight rather quickly but it has some long-term disadvantages as well.
Even with all the benefits that this diet brings, there are some short-term disadvantages as well. One is that weight loss may not occur as quickly as hoped. People who are very overweight may see only a small percentage of their goals achieved in a two-week period. Another short-term disadvantage is that ketosis may occur as a side effect of the ketogenic diet. This can cause high blood pressure and other health concerns.
Longer-term studies that compare the effects of the ketogenic diet with those of a low-carb diet or other low-calorie diets have not reported significant results. Most people lose around four pounds or less during the first two weeks on the ketogenic diet. Most of this is water weight but there may be some water retention as well. Some people do experience a mild increase in muscle size.
But long-term studies comparing the ketogenic diet with other approaches to weight loss have shown that it is generally more effective. It helps people to burn fat more efficiently and at a faster rate. It can also help people to maintain their current weight and some even achieve the loss of up to about one-third of their excess weight. It is not, however, recommended that people use the ketogenic diet for more than three to four weeks at a time. It is not designed for quick fixes and should not be used in place of other lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a regular exercise program, proper diet, and eating fewer calories.
Protein Bars For the Ketogenic Diet
There are several popular brands of protein bars for the ketogenic diet. These products provide protein and carbohydrates to the dieter in a healthy and convenient way. They often come in serving sizes that correspond with the diet. You can also buy individual flavors or get creative and make your own recipe. The point is that they are a convenient way to get the nutrients you need.
The basic goal of any protein supplement is to raise your metabolism and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function. When choosing protein bars for the keto diet, look for one with ingredients that are high in protein but low in fats. This means that protein is one of the essential building blocks of muscle. You should also avoid ones with sugar and hydrogenated oils. The fat will make you feel more satisfied, but it may increase your cholesterol level.
By following some simple guidelines, you can quickly lose weight and gain more muscle in just two weeks. That’s the beauty of the Ketogenic diet, it can help you jump-start your metabolism so that you can lose weight while building muscle.
Making Your Own Ketogenic Protein Bars
Making your own ketogenic protein bars can be one of the most satisfying things you can do on the keto diet. Not only are they delicious, but they are also easy to make. There are many different recipes out there that can help you make your own, and they are even more nutritious than the store-bought variety.
Making your own protein bars is simple and easy, allowing you to make them in your own kitchen. Regardless, of which type of protein bars that you choose you will be able to enjoy them. They are delicious and they taste just like the ones that you would get from a store. They will provide you with the protein that you need and they are much easier to make than you might think. Once you start consuming protein you will see that it doesn’t take long for it to make a major impact on your health and that it is one of the best things that you can do for your body.
How To Make Your Own Ketogenic Protein Bars
There are simple, healthy things that you can buy at the store that can be combined to make one of these healthy, delicious, homemade protein bars. They include sweeteners, such as Splenda, a stabilizer, such as stevia or cinnamon, a fat absorber, and most importantly, protein.
Most Keto protein bars recipes will use only coconut flour, which has excellent gluten-free properties. However, you can substitute coconut flour with rice flour, almond flour, or even wheat flour. For the chocolate part, It’s recommended to use cacao powder, or also dark chocolate for a darker, less fattening, bitter-sweet version.
After all that, all you need to do is mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl, along with your choice of protein, and then add the water. You just spoon the batter into your baking pan and pop it into the oven or into the freezer. Making protein bars is really easy and quick, and you’ll have several delicious low-carb protein bars in a matter of minutes!
Image Credits
Kemin Industries / June 4, 2019
Perfect Keto / February 22, 2021
Target / 2019
Keto Vale / February 14, 2021
1 “BCAA Benefits: A Review of Branched-Chain Amino Acids – Healthline.” 25 Nov. 2016, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bcaa Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
2 “Ketosis: Definition, Keto Diet, Symptoms, and Side Effects – WebMD.” 15 May. 2020, https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-1-diabetes-guide/what-is-ketosis Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
3 “What Are the Four Phases of Complete Glucose Breakdown?.” 25 Jul. 2018, https://sciencing.com/four-phases-complete-glucose-breakdown-6195610.html Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
4 “The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto – Healthline.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101 Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
5 “DKA (Ketoacidosis) & Ketones | ADA – American Diabetes Association.” https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/complications/dka-ketoacidosis-ketones Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
6 “How to Slow Down Your Metabolism to Maintain or Gain Weight.” https://spoonuniversity.com/how-to/how-to-slow-down-your-metabolism-to-maintain-or-gain-weight Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
7 “How to Increase Stamina – Healthline.” 31 Mar. 2021, https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/how-to-increase-stamina Accessed 5 Apr. 2021.
