The liver breaks down fat during the metabolic state of ketosis to produce ketones. On a ketogenic diet, the body’s primary fuel source is ketones. The ketogenic diet is specially designed to help people with entering and maintaining nutritional ketosis. This does not, however, always mean that the diet is ketogenic. By checking the ketone level with ketosis measurement strips, one can be confident that he/she is following a ketogenic diet and not just a non-keto low-carb diet that doesn’t promote ketosis.
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How Does Ketogenic Diet Work?
It’s pretty difficult to maintain a high-fat ketogenic diet. If one eats too many blueberries a couple of times, the body will start burning fat. This is because restricting protein and carbohydrates, which are the body’s primary fuel source, causes ketosis, which burns stored fat in the body. The body generates ketones as a result of this process.
Ketones burn more efficiently than sugar, resulting in low inflammatory chemical production. During ketosis, the cells use fat and ketones as active energy sources. This helps in maintaining steady energy levels throughout the day. Ketones can reduce appetite. This is why a lot of people following a ketogenic diet are able to lose a lot of weight without feeling hungry or restricted. Most of the time, all that is necessary to enter ketosis and reap the health benefits is to limit the daily carb intake to 35 grams or less.
Measuring Ketones in Urine With Ketone Strips
The most affordable and accessible way to measure ketosis will always be urine ketosis measurement strips. This should be enough for the beginners’ stage when the dieter is still learning the ins and outs of a ketogenic diet.
In the end, keto sticks are simple to use. One simply needs to keep the sticks in the urine stream for a short period of time, and if they are in ketosis, there will be a change in the strip’s color within 10 to 15 seconds. The color of the stick is usually measured in red, while light pink suggests low ketone synthesis and dark purple indicates high ketone production.
Directions for Use
Strips are made from a special paper that reacts to ketones by changing color. It is important to perform this test simultaneously every day to set up a baseline. Ketone levels tend to be lower in the morning and higher at night. Morning and night measurement gives an overview of the ketosis range throughout the day. The best time to check the levels of ketones is at least 3 hours after the last meal or snack. Here are the step-by-step process-
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or thoroughly wash hands using soap.
- Take a fresh urine sample and put it in a dry, clean cup.
- Remove one test strip from the packaging
- Avoid touching the test sections of the strip.
- Dip the test sections of the strip in the urine.
- Wait for the results in the form of color indication.
Conclusion
The most significant advantage of using urine ketosis measurement strips is that they are quite inexpensive and often very easy to come by. The best way to get them is to order them online. The new followers of the ketogenic diet may notice a dark purple tint. If someone has been on keto for a long time, they will notice a considerably lighter tint.
