One of the most important aspects of starting out on the keto diet is knowing whether or not you’re actually in a state of ketosis.
It can be very discouraging to put in a lot of effort and still not see any results, and it could be because hidden carbs are holding you back.
If you test regularly, you’ll be able to better determine what changes you need to make in order to effectively achieve ketosis, and get the results you want out of your keto diet.
One of the most convenient ways to measure ketosis is through urine testing strips.
What Are Ketone Test Strips?
To first understand what ketone test strips are, you’l need to have a general understanding of ketosis.
Ketosis is characterized as a state that the body achieves after following a low carb, high fat diet, and the body starts to use its own body fat for fuel, rather than glucose.
Your body will start to produce ketone bodies as a byproduct of burning fat for fuel, which function as tools that we can use to scientifically assess the level of our ketosis.
Ketone test strips are devices that work by measuring the acetone levels in your urine, in order to get an effective read on whether or not you are in ketosis.
Acetone is one of the primary ketone bodies that is generated from ketosis, and it can be measured through your breath, blood, or urine.
While ketone test strips aren’t the most accurate device, because they only measure acetone, which is just one of three primary ketone bodies that are excreted from the body during ketosis, they are easy to use, affordable, and efficient.
Compared to more complicated devices like blood meters and breath analyzers, ketone test strips are a lot more beginner friendly, and can be a great way to help visualize all of your hard work that you’ve put into your keto diet.
Like all ketone measurement devices, they do have some drawbacks, which I’ll get into later in this article.
First, let’s dive a little deeper into how these test strips actually work.
How do Ketone Test Strips Work?
Acetone reacts when it comes in contact with a specific type of chemical that the test strip is made out of, which causes it to change color depending on the concentration of acetone in the urine.
Because of this, test strips are often able to give a read on a more in-depth range of acetone levels in the urine, which can be useful when trying to figure out if you’re in ketosis, not in ketosis, or are close to coming out of ketosis.
The results are typically laid out in terms of “negative”, “moderate”, or “strong” levels of ketones in order to give you the best idea of where your body is with its ketosis.
For beginners, the one goal should simply be focused on getting the strips to not read “negative”, as the severity of your ketosis isn’t all that important, as long as you get into ketosis in the first place.
Of course if you’re planning on having some cheat meals or are worried you may be consuming some hidden carbs when eating out, it’s best to have strong levels of acetone in your results so that it’ll take more carbs to fully knock you out of ketosis.
Accuracy of Keto Test Strips
As I mentioned above, there are some general drawbacks that come with these test strips.
First and foremost is accuracy. Because urinalysis can only provide read outs on acetone, you’re missing out on other reads of ketone bodies that could give you a more comprehensive view of your state of ketosis.
Furthermore, alternatives like blood meters can give you read outs on your blood glucose levels, which can help you monitor blood sugar spikes to avoid those knocking you out of ketosis too.
Another way in which the test strips are less accurate is that they tend to lose their effectiveness as you do keto for longer.
Once the body has been in a steady state of ketosis for a long period of time, acetone will eventually become less concentrated in the urine, especially as electrolyte levels get more balanced. This will make it tougher to get the most accurate reads on your ketosis levels.
Obviously you won’t be testing all the time if you’re a seasoned keto pro, but it still is a drawback for when you’re looking for a read out in a pinch.
That’s why I personally recommend that once you are fully fat adapted (being in ketosis for about 6 to 10 weeks straight), that you should consider graduating to a blood meter or breath analyzer.
However that shouldn’t dissuade you from looking into test strips in the first place. There’s a lot of benefits too that make them worth it, especially for beginners.
I’ll lay out some of my most preferred keto test strip brands below, including all the benefits that makes them definitely worth it for those new to the keto diet.
Best Ketone Test Strips for 2019
What I like about Perfect Keto’s urine ketone-testing strips is that they’ve been developed by a real physician, and are simple and easy to use so that you can check quickly to see if you’re in ketosis.
A lot of cheaper generic brand strips simply aren’t that reliable, and could be giving you false information about the specifics of your blood ketone levels, which could lead you to think that you may be allowed to have more carbohydrates than you should actually eat.
These test strips can give you accurate readings of ketone levels in just seconds flat, and are lab grade – they’ve gone through a ton of research and testing to provide quality assurance.
Another huge benefit is that they are very affordable. A lot of strips come in each pack, and they come at a very cheap price too.
>> Click Here to Check The Price of Perfect Keto’s Ketone Testing Strips <<
SmackFat is a tried and true, keto focused brand that offers the best in urinalysis for ketone bodies.
The brand’s own creator is a proven success of the keto diet, who managed to lose 85 pounds in just four short months by rigorously keeping his ketone levels in check.
When I use SmackFat test strips, I feel like I’m using a state of the art product.
They provide their own video demos and guides so you’ll never be left with questions when trying to assess your ketone levels, and you can get results in just 40 seconds flat after taking the test.
The brand is also backed by Amazon.com, so you don’t have to worry if the product doesn’t work, you get a full money back guarantee.
>> Click Here to Check The Price of SmackFat Testing Strips <<
One Health Earth’s Keto Strips are deserving of this list for a few key reasons.
First and foremost, they’re simple to use, and provide extremely accurate readings (tested against ketone breath and blood meters for controls).
Additionally, they come at a very low cost, and contain 150 strips per pack! It’s practically a steal, without sacrificing quality.
One of the coolest things about this product is that it’s entirely produced within the USA. This means that it is sent through a more thorough quality check compared to products that are made outside of the US.
This way I know that the product I’m using is safe, and can keep the promises it claims on the label.
>> Click Here to Check The Price of One Earth Testing Strips <<
The JustFitter Keto Urine Strips come with a unique “200%” guarantee so that you know they take their product seriously
These urinalysis ketone testing strips are extremely effective, informative, and couldn’t be easier to use.
The test strips come along with a very detailed set of instructions on how to use these strips effectively in order to get the most accurate read-outs possible.
Other benefits of these test strips include a 2 year shelf life for an unopened box, so if you don’t get to them for a while they’ll still be as accurate as ever.
Additionally, with your first purchase, they throw in a 25 free extra strips! JustFitter’s customer care and service is what got them onto this list among all the other test strips out there.
>> Click Here to Check The Price of JustFitter Testing Strips <<
Last but not least are the Nurse Hatty Ketone Strips.
These were developed by a real nurse, so you know you’re getting a medical-grade and quality product. They also come with a proprietary set of unique ingredients that are used to help get more accurate readings, and minimize mess by being much longer than your average test strip.
Additionally with each purchase, you’ll get a comprehensive guide on ketosis, a diet detox plan, a reduced calorie plan, a bloating reduction diet plan, and a lot more that can help you make your way through your keto journey.
What’s even cooler, is as a small business, Nurse Hatty herself handles the customer relations, and is generous enough to field any questions you might have.
>> Click Here to Check The Price of Nurse Hatty Testing Strips <<
Tips for Using Ketone Test Strips
If you’re on a tight budget, you can actually make your test strips last as twice as long by cutting them lengthwise.
You can still use just half of a cut strip during measurement and still get accurate readings as long as the scissors you use are sterile, and you make sure not to touch the testing area with your fingers.
Staying hydrated is another way that you can help yourself to get the most out of these test strips. When you are dehydrated, the concentration of acetone in your urine will be inflated, giving numbers that are much higher than what they actually are, which can essentially give you a false positive result .
As long as you are sure to stay hydrated and keep your electrolytes balanced, your acetone levels will read accurately.
Lastly, one of the most important tips is to take proper care of your ketone testing strips. This means storing them properly with the lid tightly secured, and keeping them away from air, moisture, or high amounts of artificial or natural light.
This way you can get the full shelf life out of your unopened strips, which is about 1 to 2 full years depending on the brand.
Ketone Test Strips vs Blood Meters
While ketone test strips are great, you may get more out of a blood ketone meter if you’re interested in the following:
- You want to get the most accurate results possible
- You are all-in on keto, and have already fully changed your lifestyle over the last few months to become fat adapted
- You want to measure blood glucose levels too, so that you can change your foods to avoid spikes in blood sugar
- You’re fine with getting a finger prick every once in a while in order to measure your ketone levels
If you’re looking for the best and most accurate ketone blood meter on the market, I personally recommend the Base Labs Precision Blood Meter on Amazon.com
Ketone Test Strips vs Breath Analyzers
If you don’t want to get your finger pricked, and don’t want to deal with the extra effort of using a urine keto test strip, breath analyzers are probably the easiest and least intrusive ketone detecters available today.
Ketone Breath Analyzers are right for you if any of the following fits your preferences:
- You want more accuracy beyond keto test strips
- You’re looking to get the best bang for your buck when it comes to ketone measurement
- You see consistent keto reads as a long term investment, and are serious about this diet
- You prefer the convenience of being able to test whenever and wherever, even while on the go
If you’re looking for the most convenient and accurate type of ketone breath analyzer, I’ve had the most luck with KetoScan Mini Breath Ketone Meter from Amazon.com
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there’s a lot of reasons that make Keto Urine Test Strips one of the best options for beginners trying to track their entry into ketosis.
Tracking your ketone levels is one of the best ways to improve getting into ketosis faster, and can help you be more aware of what you’re eating that might be holding you back.
While they’re not as accurate as other alternatives, they are affordable, convenient, and definitely accurate enough to be a staple in your keto journey.