KetogenicLife: Are Keto 'Shakes' OK on Keto?

You may have noticed that the SlimFast corporation has come out with a ‘keto’ line of ‘shakes’ and bars. Atkins corporation has long had ‘shakes’ and bars which can be used on a ketogenic diet. But can you really have them on Keto?

The modern ketogenic lifestyle tends to advocate in favor of ‘real foods’ and warn against processed foods. Keto bars and ‘shakes’ are by nature processed foods. Certainly no ketonians should be consuming these foods as daily fare when real food is not available.

But what about when real keto food is not available. When I was staying in a homeless shelter for a while, which rarely served any food I could actually eat, I walked to a nearby pharmacy and bought Atkins brand drinks and bars. I had one or two a day when there was nothing I could eat.

I’ve done a similar thing when I’ve been sick. Many years ago when ill, I had my father bring me a supply of Atkins drinks. That way I didn’t have to go off keto, nor did I have to cook and wash dishes while ill.

Atkins products— and other specialty diet food for keto— costs a lot of money, though. Under normal circumstances and even in illness, I’d rather have some bulletproof coffee than a load of expensive Atkins drinks. It’s a good idea to keep some keto-friendly and easy to cook foods in your home to use in case of illness. I keep frozen hamburger patties and chicken thighs in my freezer. I take them out into the fridge on the morning of the day I plan to eat them, or the evening before.

I have also discovered that a serving of Progresso Chicken and Wild Rice soup is 13 grams of carbs, and only 12 grams of net carbs. Because soups tend to be too low in fats for keto, add some healthy fat in the form of butter, coconut oil, or olive oil. That will make the soup more filling and more ketogenic. Other flavors of Progresso soup are only a little worse in the carb grams department. I would buy a can or two regularly to keep on hand in the house in case you are too ill or too busy to create a meal that calls for a lot of cooking.

Note: I put quotes around the word ‘shakes’ because diet drinks are NOT milkshakes. Don’t call them that. It’s cruel to people who remember what real milkshakes tasted like.

from ketogenic-diet « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://bit.ly/2K53xM8