Are Fruity Pebbles Keto?

In April I set out to revolutionize the way I ate. I have never been a “diet” person. Instead, I strived for moderation in all things with mostly success, though results varied. I found without being intentional about how and what to eat, I would dive in if cookies were in front of me.  Generally moderation is not a bad approach, but in researching the ketogenic diet I discovered the solid science supporting it. And more importantly the health benefits people were seeing on the diet. People on the keto diet were talking about increased energy, weight loss, decreased food cravings, better sleep, improved cognitive abilities, even the reversal of Type II Diabetes -a long thought chronic and incurable disease.

So I did my research and then jumped in. I decided I would commit to 6 weeks to see how I would feel on the ketogenic diet. Done right, the transition into ketosis can be relatively comfortable. You just need to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Measuring your blood sugar and ketone levels helps with success. This is done through a simple quick finger prick for a drop of blood. I also added intermittent fasting,- a powerful tool to ramp up the benefits of the ketogenic diet. It takes between 2 and 6 weeks to become “keto adapted” which means your body has become accustomed to burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Some people find the transition into ketosis difficult with side effects, coined the “Keto Flu.” These side effects  (headache, body aches, irritability, fatigue, sugar cravings, nausea) can occur as your body is figuring out how to burn the stored fats for energy. To limit the side effects of the transition, stay hydrated and keep your mineral levels up though the addition of salts.

During the 10 months on the ketogenic diet, I had found my energy levels improved. My mental focus was better. My mood was generally more positive. My tennis game improved and I lost some weight. Then I decided to test if maintaining ketosis was really making the difference I had perceived. So I “took a break” from the diet for the Holidays. I jumped back into carb heaven, eating mashed potatoes and a slice of apple pie with my Thanksgiving meal. Then toast with my eggs and bacon. I ate breads and sweets here and there. At a particular low point (that I don’t entirely regret), I ate a box of Fruity Pebbles over a couple of days. Here’s how that happened…my wife makes a gingerbread house every year with the kids and she purchased a variety of candies to decorate with including a box of Fruity Pebbles. Turns out they didn’t use that many, and most of the box was going to be thrown out. I discovered my weak spot is Fruity Pebbles…and here’s the problem with not having a structure to how you eat. Because I was “off keto,” I had an excuse to have a bowl of Fruity Pebbles…and if I was having one bowl, why not have two?

What I noticed after I stopped keto:

1. Sugar didn’t taste as good as I thought (except for the Fruity Pebbles)
2. My body wants to be in ketosis. It felt and performed better.
3. I became hungry again. I didn’t realized how satiated I was on Keto.
4. My mood changed. I was less patient with my kids and more frustrated with my tennis game.
5. I was tired in the afternoon after eating a carb heavy lunch.
6. Intermittent fasting became difficult because I was hungry.

It’s ok to be human. I don’t regret my holidays off. It was a great opportunity to see the value of the ketogenic diet and to appreciate why I’ll be back on it Jan 2… for at least the next 11 months anyway.

Dr. Casey is a practicing chiropractor and family man. He enjoys playing tennis, travel with his wife and three children, photography, and is passionate about helping people to regain and improve their health through chiropractic care. He lectures regularly on topics including spinal health, the ketogenic diet, and others. He can be reached at caseychiro.net