Our Method: How Ketora Calculates Your Keto Plan
Three steps, each one checkable: macros from your body, menus from your foods, and ketone readings to confirm it works.
1. Macros from your profile
We estimate resting energy with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, multiply it by an activity factor from your weekly hours of sport, then apply your goal: a 20% deficit for weight loss, maintenance, or a 10% surplus for muscle gain. Net carbs are set as a fixed ceiling, protein is anchored to body weight, and fat fills the rest. The full maths is open in our keto macro calculator.
2. Fat on the plate, not in the pan
Most trackers count every gram of oil or butter you put in the pan. In reality, some stays in the pan, on the tray or in the rendered fat you pour off. Ketora estimates the share that ends up on your plate by cooking method (by default 70% for pan-frying) and shows both numbers. You can change the retained share in your settings. These shares are estimates, not laboratory measurements — the cooking fat calculator explains the defaults.
3. Menus built from foods you choose
You pick your fats, proteins, vegetables and nuts. Your daily drinks (coffee with cream, for example) are subtracted from your macros first. The AI menu planner then builds meals using only your foods and balances each day to your targets; every recipe's macros are recalculated from our food database rather than trusted from the AI's text.
4. Ketone readings to confirm it works
Macros are a plan. Ketones are the check. Log blood ketones and glucose, and Ketora places each reading on the ketosis scale, calculates your glucose ketone index, and shows a weekly trend so you can adjust carbs based on data rather than guesses.
What Ketora does not do
Ketora is not a medical device and does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have diabetes, take medication, are pregnant, or have kidney, liver or pancreatic disease, speak to a clinician before starting a ketogenic diet. Read our medical disclaimer.
What it costs
Tracking, the food database, ketone logging and the progress report are free. Pro adds unlimited AI menus, meal swaps and coach messages — see pricing.