The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high fat, low to moderate protein diet. Ketogenic diet has become popular in the last few years because of its multiple benefits.
In a ketogenic diet, you need to focus on meat, high-fat dairy, healthy oils, green leafy vegetables, above-ground vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado, etc. And you need to entirely avoid grains, sugar, fruit, and starchy vegetables. You’ll be relying a lot more on home-cooked food than packaged or processed food.
A ketogenic diet typically limits carbs to 20 to 50 grams per day so Adapting to a ketogenic lifestyle can be quite challenging for an individual.
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- Berries:
In keto diet, you need to consume low sugar fruits.
Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are relatively low in sugar. Berries are loaded with nutrition they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Berries are best to add in your diet because of their low in sugar, low in carb, and high in fiber content.
Some studies show berries help to reduce inflammation, lowering cholesterol levels, and reducing heart disease.
Here are the carb counts for 3.5 ounces (100grams) of berries.
–Raspberries: 6 grams net carbs (12grams total carbs)
–Blueberries : 12 grams net carbs (14grams total carbs)
–Blackberries : 5 grams net carbs (12grams total carbs)
–Strawberries : 6 grams net carbs (8grams total carbs)
- Avocado :
Avocados are the best keto-friendly food because of their high fat, low protein, and low carb content. They are high in vitamins and minerals, including potassium.
Avocado is one of the best snack options for anyone following a low-carb diet. They contain a high amount of healthy mono-unsaturated fat, an impressive amount of potassium more than bananas and they can increase the number of fat-soluble antioxidants you can absorb from plant-based foods.
3.5 ounces (100grams) or about one half of medium avocado contains 9 grams of carbs in which 7 of these are fiber and only 2 grams of it is net carbs count.
- Meat and poultry :
Meat and poultry contain a great amount of high-quality protein and are loaded with essential nutrients that can’t be obtained from plant foods.
Meat and poultry contain vitamin B, and several minerals including potassium, selenium, and zinc they also contain a highly absorbable form of iron, creatine, taurine, and carnosine. They are also a great source of high-quality protein which helps to preserve muscle mass during a low carb diet.
A study found that consuming a diet high in fatty meat led to HDL cholesterol levels that are 8% higher than on a low fat, high carb diet.
Try to have grass feed meat and poultry because they contain a healthier ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats and contains more antioxidants than 100% grain feed animals.
- Seafood :
Seafood contains a great amount of high-quality protein and is loaded with essential nutrients that can’t be obtained from plant foods.
Fish and shellfish are the best choices to add to your keto diet. Fish contain a high amount of anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in high amounts in salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish.
While, shellfish are a great source of zinc, copper, and vitamin b12. The carb in shellfish varies some shellfish might contain more carbs than others.
Here are the carb counts for 3.5 ounces (100grams) of shellfish.
–Clams : 5 grams
–Octopus: 4 grams
–Oyster : 4 grams
–Squid :3 grams
-Mussels : 7 grams
-Shrimps : 0 grams
-Crabs– :0 grams
Many studies have found Frequent fish intake helps to improve mental health and decrease the risk of heart disease. Try to consume at least two servings of seafood weakly.
- Eggs :
Eggs are one of the healthiest food which is loaded with nutrients. Like meat and poultry eggs are another great source of protein.
Eggs are high in protein and low in carbs, eating eggs has been shown to promote the feeling of fullness and helps to maintain blood sugar levels.
Egg yolk consists of thirteen essential vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants.
One medium egg contains almost 162 mg of cholesterol in past experts recommended limiting the eggs for this reason. however, researchers have found that consuming them doesn’t raise blood cholesterol levels in most people and can reduce the risk of heart disease.
One large egg contains 6 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of carbs which makes it an ideal food for a ketogenic diet.
- Dairy (cheese, plain Greek yogurt, butter, and cream) :
You can eat dairy foods like cheese, plain Greek yogurt, butter, and cream. They contain high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals while they contain some carbs still they are best to add in a keto diet.
5 ounce (150 grams) of plain Greek yogurt contains 5 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein. And the same amount of cottage cheese contains 5 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein.
Both plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese help to lower appetite and promote the feeling of fullness.
Butter and cream are a good source of fat. Some studies suggest eating a moderate amount of high-fat dairy helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
You can also add full-fat cream and sour cream, butter, ghee, soft cheese like mascarpone and cream cheese and hard cheese like jack and cheddar in your diet.
Watermelons contain a surprisingly low amount of carbs per 100 grams it contains 7.15 grams of net carbs.
Watermelons are best to add in your diet because of their low in sugar and low in carbs content.
They are a great snack option for anyone following a low carb diet.
Always keep an eye on how much you consume, use a kitchen scale to measure food especially when you are craving sugar
- Coconut oil :
Coconut oil is very high in saturated fat but it has been found that coconut oil helps to lower cholesterol and promote the loss of belly fat because of MCTs ( medium-chain triglycerides) present in it.
MCTs are absorbed directly by the liver and converted into ketones, which can help decrease calorie consumption, increase energy level, and even improves brain function.
Coconut oil is one of the richest natural sources of MCTs. It is broken down quickly by your liver to fuel your brain and muscles. Taking MCT oil may help you to reduce fatigue or muscle soreness.
- Olive oil :
If you are looking for a healthy cooking oil then extra virgin olive oil is best for you. Olive oil is one of the healthiest oil for baking, cooking, and deep-frying at high temperatures.
Olive oil is very beneficial for our heart it’s high in oleic acid that has been found to decrease heart disease risk
Adding extra virgin olive oil in your diet helps to protect heart health by decreasing inflammation and improving artery function.
Olive oil is a good source of fat it does not contain carb. You can use olive oil for cooking or simply add it to your salad.
- Seeds and nuts :
Nuts and seeds are rich in fiber and minerals they are high fat and low carb foods. They are high in fiber which promotes the feeling of fullness.
Nuts and seeds are helpful to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancer, depression, and obesity.
Avoid nuts and seeds oils that contain high levels of inflammatory omega 6s because Excessive omega-6 in the diet are associated with inflammation and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and choose whole or freshly ground nuts and seeds instead.
Different types of Nuts and seeds vary in their carb content. You can eat nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
- Low carb vegetables :
cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage contain a high level of vitamins K and A as well as a special compound called sulforaphane which helps the body to detoxify and protect cells from oxidative stress.
Cruciferous vegetables are good to use in keto diet because of there low carb counts and amazing versatility.
And Veggies like garlic, onion, leeks, and other alliums are used in most cuisines for their aromatic flavors. They also contain allicin, a potent plant compound that protects the body from brain damage and disease.
These veggies tend to rather high in net carbs but used in small quantities they are great for enhancing the flavor and nutrition of keto cooking.
Dark Chocolate made up of cocoa which is rich in antioxidants and minerals. The antioxidants called flavonoids.
Flavonoids help in reducing the risk of cancer, heart problems, respiratory diseases, and Stroke. It also helps to boost your memory.
Always prefer to buy chocolate or any cocoa product which contains no sugar and the minimal amount of carbs per serving.
Always consume between 70% to 90% cocoa dark chocolate for leveraging its health benefits.
- Shirataki noodles :
Shirataki noodles are a great choice to add to your keto diet. These noodles are made from a viscous fiber called glucomannan and contain less than 1 gram of carbs with 5 calories per serving.
Despite their low-calorie content, the Viscous fiber forms a gel that slows down food’s movement through your digestive tract which promotes fullness and stable blood sugar levels.
Shirataki noodles can be a great substitute for regular noodles in all types of recipes.
In a ketogenic diet, you need to focus on foods like meat, high-fat dairy, healthy oils, green leafy vegetables, above-ground vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado, etc.
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