A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. The goal of the keto diet is to force the body to switch to a metabolic state known as ketosis.
This occurs when we change the carb composition of the diet, where the body will switch from using glucose as its main source of energy to ketone bodies.
Keto diets offer several health benefits when done correctly. These benefits include control of blood sugar, weight reduction and improved lipid levels.
There are no hard and fast rules about what keto diet foods to include and avoid.
Keto foods to eat
This is a fairly wide-ranging list of keto foods to eat and avoid to help you stay in ketosis. You can customize it based on your preferences and availability.
1. Meat and poultry
Meat is a great protein source, essential for muscle growth and repair. It’s also a good source of B vitamins, iron and other essential nutrients.
There are several types to choose such as red meat – beef, pork, lamb or white meat – chicken, turkey or duck. The key here is to choose lean cuts of meat with minimal saturated fat (like chicken breast).
Try to avoid processed meat products such as ham, sausage or bacon because they are unhealthy. Also, consider the selection of grass-fed meat, as they provide higher vitamin A, E and several other antioxidant amounts than grain-fed meat.
2. Fatty fish and shellfish
Shellfish are the most keto-friendly seafood. Shellfish are especially important for ones, who expect little to no carbs in their diet. All the shellfish including clams, octopus, oysters, squid & mussels contain very low amounts of carbs, which ensure the quality of your keto diet.
Besides, the fatty fish types, including salmon, tuna, trout & mackerel are rich in, vitamin B & omega 3 fats, which improve insulin sensitivity in obese ones.
3. Whole eggs (poached, fried or scrambled)
Eggs are a great source of protein and healthy fats. They have fewer carbs than other animal sources of protein, so they’re a great choice for anyone on a keto diet.
In addition, eggs are a very versatile food. It can be prepared in several ways easily and in a very short time.
Eggs provide high-quality protein and contain omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation in the body and promote heart health. They’re also an excellent source of choline which is important for brain development in infants as well as maintaining muscle function in adults.
4. Low-GI veggies
Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. When selecting veggies for a keto diet go for nutrient-dense low-carb veggies.
You can try asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, spinach, cucumber, cabbage tomato, onion and zucchini. Avoid root yam and root vegetables.
5. Full fat cheese (cheddar, mozzarella)
A must applicable item of your keto diet, which is both nutritious & delicious.
Conjugated linoleic acid in unprocessed cheese may help in the loss of excess fat & muscle mass, making the muscles stronger.
Also, some studies suggested that cheese may support to protest against heart diseases.
6. Healthy oil like olive oil or avocado oil
Olive oil is another great source of healthy monounsaturated fats that can help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your heart disease and stroke risk. Plus, it tastes amazing — try drizzling it on salads or veggies (especially roasted ones).
Avocado oil has been gaining popularity over the past few years as more people discover its incredible health benefits, including its ability to lower inflammation and improve heart health.
Avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, which help reduce blood pressure and keep your arteries clear.
It’s also high in potassium, which is great for preventing muscle cramps during exercise and helping with post-workout recovery.
7. Nuts & Seeds
Nuts are another great source of protein and healthy fats like omega-3s and monounsaturated fats (MUFAs).
Walnuts in particular have shown promise in helping lower cholesterol levels when eaten regularly over time
8. Avocado
An incredibly precious item of your keto diet. According to recent studies, avocados could burn 22% of bad LDL cholesterol while causing an 11% increase in good HDL cholesterol.
It supports increasing your beneficial triglyceride & cholesterol levels.
Healthy keto snacks for little hunger
It is essential to remind that, your keto diet would get meaningless if you get high-carb snacks during your teatime. Therefore, I supposed it’s better to mention some keto-approved snacks; the following are the most utilized, most tasty & nutritious ones.
- 90% dark chocolate
- Unsweetened coffee & tea, sugar-free beverages
- Plain greek yoghurt
- Cottage cheese
- Low-carb milkshakes including almond milk, cocoa powder
- Nut butter
- Strawberries & cream
- Celery with guacamole
- Salsa
Foods to avoid in a successful keto diet
Any of the dishes with high carb content must be limited to a ketogenic diet. Especially foods with high glycaemic index must be avoided.
- Grains and legumes (beans, lentils, peas). These are high-carbohydrate foods that can kick you out of ketosis.
- Low-fat or diet products. Many low-fat or diet products have added sugar, which is not compatible with a ketogenic diet.
- Fruits. Fruits contain too many carbs for the keto diet, but you can have some berries as long as they are not overripe and sweetened with sugar.
- Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn). Starchy root vegetables like potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes are high in carbs and should be avoided completely.
- Candy or sugary sweets. These include anything made with white or brown sugar, including cookies, cakes and ice cream cones. Sugar-free candy is fine on a ketogenic diet as long as it contains no artificial sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda) or other chemical substitutes for sugar
Consumption of the above-mentioned food items can affect your cholesterol & fat levels & also can throw you out of the ketosis procedure.
The Bottom Line
The keto diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat.
This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
This shift in fuel sources is what causes many of the benefits of the keto diet.
The success of the keto diet plan relays on the careful selection of foods. You may have got a good understanding of the keto diet foods good to eat and avoid.