If you’ve been following a strict keto diet and you’re not losing any weight (assuming that weight loss is one of your goals), the first thing you should do is check to see if you’re eating more carbs than you realize. You may be avoiding the obvious sources, like pasta and potatoes, but have you been diligently checking labels to make sure there aren’t any added sugars or syrups in seemingly innocuous things, like your ranch dressing?
Some of the biggest sources of hidden carbs are:
This list isn’t exhaustive, though. Sugar is hidden in lots of packaged foods and under a lot of different names. Even if you’ve been getting a specific type of packaged food regularly, it’s always a good idea to check the nutrition label every time you buy it. Manufacturers often change ingredients without warning, and even if a packaged food didn’t have any sugar when you started buying it, that can change at any time.
Also, keep in mind that legally a food manufacturer is allowed to list 0 net carbs if the food item has 0.5 grams of net carbs or fewer. That means that you could be taking in an extra half a gram of carbs here and there without even realizing it, and when it comes to condiments, dressings, and other items, this can add up quickly since you’re likely eating more than one serving at a time. Instead of relying only on the nutrition facts labels, check the ingredient list too.