When you’re following the keto diet, you’ll want to limit your carbs, eat a moderate amount of protein, and consume a high amount of healthy fats.
Unfortunately, snacking on the keto diet can be a challenge because the vast majority of snacks you’d grab at a gas station or from a vending machine are high in carbs.
Luckily, there is almost always a way to make things keto-friendly. When you’re on the keto diet, you need to avoid the classics like chips, cookies, crackers, candy, and more.
Here are five reasons why Ritz Original Crackers are off-limits when you’re following a keto diet.
Reason #1 – They are High in Carbs
Just four Ritz Crackers are what makes up a single serving size. But, avid snackers may find it hard to stop after just that small amount.
Four crackers alone contain nine carbohydrates and when you’re following the keto diet, you’ll want to stay between 20 and 50 grams of carbs a day.
If you have no self-control, Ritz Crackers are like the Pandora box that can be the downfall of your diet. That’s because they are a processed snack that’s engineered for over-consumption thanks to the food industry.
Instead of overindulging and feeling sick, you can create your own homemade crackers that are made of things like cheese, flaxseed, almond flour, and other ingredients that are better suited to fit your healthy lifestyle.
Ritz Crackers also contain no dietary fiber which is another thing that’s crucial on the keto diet.
Reason #2 – Processed, Grain-Based Snacks Are Off Limits
When you’re following a clean keto diet, you want to stay away from processed snacks because they are chocked full of ingredients that your body does not need.
Processed foods can contribute to obesity. Snacks like Ritz Crackers also contain artificial chemicals and who wants to eat chemicals?
The whole point of the keto diet is to consume cleaner, more natural foods.
There will be times when you find yourself hungry between meals. That’s when you’ll want to go for things like nuts, cheese, and beef jerky instead of processed snacks like Ritz Original Crackers which can be the downfall of your diet.
Reason #3 – Ritz Original Crackers Contain Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup
Ritz Original Crackers contain added sugar which is another thing that you’ll want to avoid when you’re on the keto diet.
That’s because sugar will throw you out of ketosis, make you feel sluggish and lousy, cause gastrointestinal distress, and may make you revert back to your previous eating habits that you’re trying to avoid.
Many people think just one of something won’t kick them out of ketosis, but just one can lead to more and more and before you know it, you’ll have to take a few days to get back into ketosis.
Ritz Crackers also contain high fructose corn syrup which is essentially another form of sugar. It can have devastating effects on your metabolism and when you’re following a keto diet, you want your body to efficiently burn fat for energy.
Reason #4 – Ritz Crackers Contain Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Partially hydrogenated oils are bad for your overall health because they contain trans fats which is the worst type of fat that you can consume, especially while on the keto diet.
When you’re following a keto lifestyle, you want to consume only healthy fats like olive oils, avocado, cheese, fish, eggs, and things like that. Those are natural foods that aren’t packed full of additives.
When you’re following the keto diet, you want to be mindful of the foods you’re eating because they can affect your cholesterol levels. Consuming partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats can cause your cholesterol to skyrocket.
Reason #5 – You’ll Want to Limit Certain Snack Foods
Overall, you’ll just want to limit certain snack foods when you’re following the keto diet. The keto diet is a time when you can truly get to know your body, what it takes to fuel it, and what foods have adverse effects on your health.
When you just start your keto journey, you’ll want to keep track of how many carbs you should be consuming. It’s often easier to come up with a meal plan to follow. If you stray from that meal plan with snacks, you run the risk of getting kicked out of ketosis.
This is especially true for those people who feel that they don’t have control over their eating habits just yet. It can be hard to start a new way of eating, and that’s why it’s better to air on the side of caution when it comes to snacking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the keto diet has helped many take back control of their health. It’s a way to limit processed snacks packed full of harmful ingredients, and get back to a cleaner way of eating.
Even though this means giving up some of the snacks you may love like Ritz Crackers, it also means you get to find new, creative, and healthier options to replace it.
You’ll find just how easy it is to replace these processed snacks with good clean ingredients. Making healthier choices every day is the ultimate goal of any diet or lifestyle change.