tips for ketogenic diet for epilepsy

Keto Parents’ Advice for Families New to the Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy

tips for ketogenic diet for epilepsyIs your family new to the ketogenic diet for the management of intractable epilepsy? If so, you may be looking for tips and suggestions to help you manage day-to-day. Oftentimes, the best advice comes from others who have been in your shoes. Using our social media accounts, we asked keto parents about what advice they would offer other families new to the ketogenic diet. Here is what they said*.

“Patience is key. So is persistence. It took 10 weeks of fine-tuning the diet ratio to completely stop our son’s seizures.”

“Simplicity! Don’t overwhelm yourself with a ton of recipes. Or recipes at all for that matter. Start with a few things while becoming familiar and expand as you feel comfortable. My son ate the same things nearly every day. Also, if you reach seizure freedom and it’s interrupted, don’t get discouraged!!! It’s the worst feeling ever but try to stay positive! My son started the diet at 3 and was on it for 2 years. He’s 15 now and seizure free.”

“Take your time, do your research, ask all the questions! This is a lifestyle not a quick fix. But it is totally worth every second 👌👌 My twins have been seizure free for over a year! Make it simple & as time goes on it gets easier! ♥♥♥”

“Don’t give up…work with dietitian and neurology to fine tune! I believe it works but one needs to be patient and work with your whole team!”

“It’s not as hard as you think”

“Take a deep breath, smile and buy a scale!!!!!”

“One step at a time.”

“Keep it simple, ask for help, be patient 💜💜”

“Go slow it’s a marathon not a sprint.”

“Never give up. Weigh and measure precisely.”

“Go to a place that has a keto clinic with a specially-trained dietitian and neurologist.”

For more tips on managing the ketogenic diet, check out these blog posts:
A Ketogenic Dietitian’s Tips for Families Getting Ready to Start the Ketogenic Diet
Time Management Tips for Keto Moms and Dads
Tips for Caregivers of Tube-fed Children & Adults on the Ketogenic Diet

-Mallory

*Results with the ketogenic diet for the management of epilepsy may vary. Talk to your healthcare professional.

The ketogenic diet for the management of intractable epilepsy should be used under medical supervision

To learn more about the medical ketogenic diet for the management of intractable epilepsy, visit www.ketogenicdietforepilepsy.com.

Sugar Alcohols: Are They Compatible with the Medical Ketogenic Diet?

If you are following or considering a medical ketogenic diet or modified Atkins diet (MAD) for the management of intractable epilepsy, you may have heard talk about sugar alcohols and whether they are compatible with the diet. In today’s blog post, ketogenic dietitian Stacey Bessone will tell us more about sugar alcohols and what role they play with the medical ketogenic diets.


Sugar alcohols are a specific type of carbohydrate called “polyols”. Sugar alcohols are naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables and often added to foods as a reduced-calorie alternative to sugar. Some common sugar alcohols you may see in food ingredient lists include:

  • Malitol
  • Sorbitol
  • Isomalt
  • Xylitol
  • Erythritol

It’s important to be aware that some sugar alcohols may cause some people to experience bloating, gas and diarrhea, even when consumed in small amounts.

Sugar Alcohols & Glycemic Index

Interestingly, most sugar alcohols are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine, so they do not raise blood sugar the same way as sucrose (table sugar). However, since they are partially absorbed, they may affect blood glucose levels to some degree.   This can be observed by looking at the glycemic indexes of sugar alcohols compared to sugar. Glycemic index is a measure of the increase in blood glucose when a food is digested and absorbed. It is based on a numeric scale from zero to 100, where the glycemic index of glucose (a type of sugar you get from foods and the form that your body uses for energy) is 100. The glycemic index of sucrose (table sugar) is around 65, whereas the glycemic indexes of the main sugar alcohols are between 0 and 45. Therefore, sugar alcohols may raise your blood glucose, although not as much as sugars like sucrose and glucose.

[i],[ii]

One specific type of sugar alcohol, Erythritol, is metabolized differently than other sugar alcohols. Erythritol is fully absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in the urine unchanged, so it does not affect blood glucose levels like other sugar alcohols. As you can see in the chart above, the glycemic index of erythritol is zero.

Calories in Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols provide fewer calories per gram compared to regular carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols are therefore often used as a reduced-calorie alternative to sugar.

Sugar Alcohols, Erythritol, and the Ketogenic Diet

So, are sugar alcohols allowed on the medical ketogenic diet and modified Atkins diet (MAD)?  Technically, most sugar alcohols should be counted as regular carbohydrates and kept to a minimum on the medical ketogenic and modified Atkins diets (MAD). Although they may affect blood glucose differently in different people, most sugar alcohols have the potential of raising blood sugar. The exception to this rule is erythritol, since it is metabolized differently and does not affect blood glucose.  I generally tell my medical ketogenic diet and modified Atkins diet (MAD) patients that when reading a food label for carbohydrate content, erythritol is the only sugar alcohol that can be deducted from total carbohydrate content. I also tell my patients that sugar alcohol can only be deducted from the total carbohydrate amount if erythritol is the only sugar alcohol used in a product. When other sugar alcohols are used in addition to erythritol, the sugar alcohol content cannot be deducted, so I tell my patients to read the food label’s ingredient list carefully.

Speak to Your Healthcare Provider

Each dietitian has his/her own protocols, so while I allow my medical keto patients to deduct erythritol but no other sugar alcohols from total carbohydrate content, your provider may have different recommendations. As always, it’s important to speak to your dietitian about which foods and ingredients are allowed for your unique diet.

– Stacey

For more information on the medical ketogenic diet for epilepsy, visit http://ketogenicdietforepilepsy.com/.

I was paid by Nutricia for my time to write this blog post, however, my opinions are my own.

The medical ketogenic diet for epilepsy should be used under medical supervision.

[i] Regnat K, Mach RL, and Mach-Aigner AR. Erythritol as sweetener—where from and where to? Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018; 102(2): 587–595.

[ii] Livesey G. Nutr Res Rev. Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers, with emphasis on low glycaemic properties.2003 Dec;16(2):163-91.

Keto-friendly Thanksgiving & Holiday Recipes

Important: Please note that this post was written prior to COVID-19. Please be sure to keep current safety recommendations (like social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand washing) in mind. For more information on how to protect your family from COVID-19, read this post.

Thanksgiving and holiday meals tend to be food-focused. This can be stressful when you or a loved one is on the medical ketogenic diet for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy. However, with KetoCal® and a little extra planning (okay, maybe a lot), you can put together a delicious and keto-friendly holiday feast. Reach out to your ketogenic dietitian far in advance for help putting together a meal that meets your calorie and ratio requirements. Here are some delicious and keto-friendly recipe ideas to get you started.

For Hanukkah recipe Ideas, see our previous post here.

Main Course:

Every family has their own traditions when it comes to main courses for holiday dinners.  Whether ham, beef, poultry or fish is served, be mindful of rubs or glazes that may contain carbohydrates.  You can use  butter or a high-fat sauce to even out the ketogenic ratio. For example, you could create a creamy gravy using heavy cream or Liquigen® (emulsified MCT oil), mixed with chicken or beef bouillon granules.

Most families serve turkey on Thanksgiving. If possible, opt for dark meat since it has a higher fat content.  If you’re up for something a little different, consider these turkey dishes that are already in a 3:1 ketogenic ratio:

Side Dishes:

For many, side dishes are the best part of the meal! Here are some tasty and keto-friendly options:

Chef Rachel’s Stuffing (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Green Bean Casserole (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Mashed Fauxtatoes (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Sweet Fauxtatoes (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Cauliflower & Cheese (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Dessert & Treats:

Who could forget the sweetest part? Whether you’re looking for a keto-friendly dessert for your holiday feast or holiday cookies to decorate, we’ve got you covered.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie (3:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Apple Crisp (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Basic Cookies (great for decorating with food coloring or “keto sprinkles” (granulated stevia with food coloring)) – (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Gingerbread Cookies (3:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Chocolate Chip Cookie (3:1 ratio)

Crème Brulee (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe, MAD recipe)

Chocolate Ice-cream (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe, MAD recipe)

Vanilla Ice-cream (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (3:1 recipe)

Vanilla Cake Pops (3:1 recipe)

Chocolate Cake Pops (3:1 recipe)

Strawberry Panna Cotta (3:1 recipe, 4:1 recipe, MAD recipe)

Chocolate Candy (2.87:1 recipe)

Chef Rachel’s Easy Chocolate Pudding (3:1 recipe)

For more tips on managing the holidays on the ketogenic diet, see our previous post here.

From all of us at KetoCal, we wish your family a very happy, healthy and tasty holiday season!

Mallory

KetoCal is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if KetoCal is right for you.

The medical ketogenic diet for epilepsy should be used under medical supervision.