What Is Keto Breath?
Keto breath is one of the worst side effects you may experience while on the keto diet.
This condition is often accompanied by a foul taste in the mouth, but there is no need to worry, as there are many home remedies that you can use to get rid of the pesky ‘keto breath’.
What are the symptoms of keto breath?
We can say that ‘keto breath’ may differ from person to person, but you should be aware that it is different from bad breath.
* You may suffer from bad breath based on a combination of different factors, such as:
- Poor dental health
- Dental problems such as gingivitis
- Pharmaceutical
- Eat some foods with strong odours (such as onions, garlic, coffee, etc.)
- Overgrowth of bad gut bacteria
- Smoking
As for keto breath, some describe it with either a metallic taste or a fruity smell, or it can sometimes be the same keto with a strong smell that resembles nail polish.
What Causes Keto Breath?
To understand the causes of keto breath, one must first understand how metabolism works on the keto diet.
* The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and medium-protein diet designed to help you achieve ketosis to burn body fat for energy and thus lose weight faster.
Note: Your body usually gets its energy from a variety of food sources you eat daily, including carbohydrates, fats and protein.
The body breaks down carbohydrates (glucose) to obtain the needed energy. But on the keto diet, the way the body obtains energy varies due to restriction of carbohydrate intake. In this case, your body is forced to use fat stores for energy instead of using carbohydrates. This process is called ketosis.
Fatty acids are also converted into ketones, which are natural chemicals that the body produces when burning fat for energy.
They include (acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone), which are harmless and excreted from the body through urination or exhalation.
Since acetone is a well-known ingredient that is used in some nail polishes, the smell of your breath is similar to nail polish, which is a sign that you are entering a ketosis state.
* Keep in mind that consuming too much protein can also cause keto breath. Because it can decompose into sulfur compounds and cause ammonia odour in the breath.
How long might keto breath?
Keto breath can be a little uncomfortable but don’t worry, it’s temporary as you may notice a change in your breath within days or a week of starting a low-carb diet like keto.
6 tips to get rid of keto breath
Some important tips for reducing bad breath as your body adjusts to the keto diet.
1. You must drink more water
Try to stay hydrated and drink more water throughout the day to increase urine, as this will help you flush ketones out of your body and thus improve breathing.
Plus, drinking enough water every day can help you lose weight faster on keto.
2. Try to increase your carbohydrate intake
* What??? You may ask yourself this question: eating more carbohydrates can get me out of ketosis?
* The answer:
Suppose that you only eat 15 grams of carbohydrates per day, we recommend that you visit your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day, no more, until you see whether bad breath improves because this amount remains the recommended amount on keto in general.
Also, you should monitor your ketone level daily because this is important to help you know if you are still in ketosis or not after increasing your carbohydrate intake.
3. Try to eat less protein
Protein is one of the main nutrients on the keto diet after fat, but eating large amounts of it can lead to an increase in bad breath.
Because when protein is broken down in the body, it produces ammonia that may be the cause of annoying keto breath.
So pay attention to this matter well and try to reduce protein in your ketogenic diet (eat it in moderation) and increase the consumption of healthy fats found in avocados, low-carb nuts, and olive oil because this will help you improve your breathing.
4. Practice good oral hygiene daily
Cleaning your teeth daily is one of the basic things that will help you get rid of pieces of food in the mouth and teeth because poor dental hygiene can lead to bad breath.
5. Eat gum to enjoy a refreshing breath or Mint sucks
Sucking on mint or gum is good at first as your body adapts to the keto diet, but just make sure you choose mint and sugar-free gum.
Sometimes you may find some types of gum and mint may contain a small amount of carbohydrates, and thus if you consume large amounts of gum and mint throughout the day, this may indirectly increase your carbohydrate intake and thus remove you from the state of ketosis.
6. Be patient is best
Sometimes, you may find it difficult to get rid of ‘keto breath’, but if you are a committed person and aim to achieve your goals through this diet, then you must be patient and allow your body to adapt to this new diet. And be assured that this unpleasant smell will get rid of it after a few days or weeks.
How to prevent keto breath
* Finally
There is no specific method that can help you prevent annoying keto bad breath. Simply because you can follow the advice above and these side effects will disappear quickly, usually within two weeks.
Although keto breath is a side effect of keto, just remember that it is a good sign that you are entering ketosis, so don’t let it get in the way of your progression on keto.
Always try to eat the recommended amount of carbohydrates on the keto diet. Stick to healthy fats, and keep your mouth clean regularly every day.