The ketogenic (“keto”) diet has taken hold in a way not seen since the days of the Atkins diet – if ever. You can find keto products in virtually every health food store – and that means the keto diet and CBD oil have a few things in common. So, do they work together? Is hemp oil keto friendly? Will CBD help you lose weight? Let’s learn more about how CBD and the keto diet work together.
What Is the Keto Diet?
Invented nearly 100 years ago as a treatment for epilepsy, the keto diet has taken on new life over the past few years. The reason for the diet’s popularity is simple; many people have found that it helps them lose weight. The Keto diet is essentially a hack that forces the body to change its primary energy source. By strictly limiting consumption of carbohydrates and getting most of your calories from fat, you limit the body’s supply of glucose and force yourself to burn fat for energy instead. If you consume high-quality calories and don’t overeat, you’ll almost certainly lose weight and improve your body’s shape on the keto diet.
The keto diet works because it forces the body into a state of ketosis. If you eat too many carbohydrates, though, the diet will go sour. The body leaves ketosis, and then all of the fatty foods you’re eating cause you to gain weight rather than losing it. When you’re on the keto diet, you need to track your carbohydrate intake carefully and test your ketone levels constantly.
Is Hemp Oil Keto Friendly?
Being made almost entirely from fat, CBD oil is keto friendly. You can take it without worrying that it’ll pull your body out of ketosis. In fact, it may even provide some of the fuel that you need for maintaining the keto diet – we’ll discuss that more in a moment. There are, however, some forms of CBD that you may want to avoid.
- CBD gummies contain a significant amount of sugar, and sugar is a carbohydrate. A single CBD gummy contains around 3 grams of carbohydrates.
- Capsules containing CBD isolate may include starch-based fillers. When you take any powder-based medication or supplement, you can assume that it contains at least a little added starch.
Will Hemp Oil Help Me Lose Weight?
May Promote Fat Browning
CBD may have potential as a weight loss aid. In laboratory settings, for example, CBD has been shown to promote the conversion of white fat cells to brown fat cells. Fat browning is essentially a signal that your body uses to identify fat cells ready to burn as energy. Since the keto diet promotes fat burning, it’s possible that CBD oil can amplify the results you’re already getting from the diet.
May Reduce Food Cravings
The CB1 receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system influence your appetite. CBD is a CB1 receptor antagonist, which means that it binds to the CB1 receptors and disrupts the messages sent through those receptors. Many people report that using CBD oil makes them feel less hungry and less prone to overeating.
May Improve Mood When You’re Hungry
The endocannabinoid system also influences aspects of human behavior such as mood and response to stress and anxiety. Many people take CBD oil as a way to reduce anxiety, and they find that it seems to make them less prone to mood swings. If you spend most of your time on the keto diet feeling hungry and unhappy, it’s possible that CBD oil can help.
MCT Oil in CBD Provides the Perfect Keto Fuel
Like any essential oil, CBD oil requires a carrier oil to improve flavor and bioavailability while diluting the CBD to the correct strength. Most CBD oil producers use MCT oil from coconuts as a carrier. MCT oil is shelf stable for a long time, and it remains a liquid at room temperature. It’s also perfect for you because, on the keto diet, you’re probably using MCT oil as a supplement anyway. Replacing a significant portion of your calories with MCT oil makes it possible for you to consume more protein and carbohydrates without taking your body out of ketosis. Although the amount of fat in a single dropper of CBD oil is negligible, the fact that most CBD oil contains MCT oil can only help you while you’re on the keto diet.