Keto Food Guide: What To Eat And What To Avoid
Keto Food Guide: What to Eat and What to Avoid
Posted 2 years ago
When youre new to the Keto diet, the grocery store can feel like enemy territory, with hidden carbs everywhere just waiting to make their way into your cart and throw you out of ketosis.
If youve read our Ultimate Guide to the Keto Diet, then you already know the basics: limit carbs, get adequate protein, eat plenty of healthy fats, and avoid processed junk.
But what does that look like in practice?
Rest assured that after a few weeks, this will all seem like second nature. But in the meantime, weve put together this printable Keto food list to save you hours of staring at labels on your next shopping trip.
And remember — if you do come across an item in the grocery store that youre unsure of, weve got you covered. Just open the Carb Manager app on your mobile device, and use our barcode scanner to quickly determine the Keto grade for any food item.
May Enhance Weight Loss
Switching to a vegetarian diet can be an effective strategy if youre looking to lose weight.
In fact, one review of 12 studies noted that vegetarians, on average, experienced 4.5 more pounds of weight loss over 18 weeks than non-vegetarians .
Similarly, a six-month study in 74 people with type 2 diabetes demonstrated that vegetarian diets were nearly twice as effective at reducing body weight than low-calorie diets .
Plus, a study in nearly 61,000 adults showed that vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index than omnivores BMI being a measurement of body fat based on height and weight .
Complete Keto Diet Food List: What You Can And Cannot Eat If You’re On A Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein and very-low-carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy, but on a strict ketogenic diet, less than 5% of energy intake is from carbohydrates . The reduction of carbohydrates puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is when the body starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy, in the absence of circulating blood sugar from food. Once the body reaches ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until you start eating carbohydrates again.
Traditionally, the ketogenic diet was only used in clinical settings to reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. “Now there is a lot of interest in the diet’s effectiveness in helping with other neurological conditions, cancer, diabetes, PCOS , obesity, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease,” says Emily Stone, M.S., RD. People also eat keto to lose weight .
Even if you know that you need to eat a very-low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet, it can be confusing to know which foods to eat. Here’s our guide to foods you can eat, foods you should avoid and foods you can sometimes have when you’re following a ketogenic diet.
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Ketogenic Diet : A Beginner’s Guide
After years of being restricted to therapeutic nutrition in hospitals, the ketogenic diet is back as one of the hottest diet trends in America.
The diet originated back in the 1920s as a way to treat childhood epilepsy, and due to its striking success ratepeople eating a keto diet experience about 30% to 40% fewer seizuresit’s still used in that field today.
But what about its use for the general healthy population just looking to drop a notch on their belt or get more out of life? Let’s unpack this ultra-low-carb, high-fat diet bit by bit.
Cravings And Sugar Addiction
Most of the cravings that we get are caused by sugar. Sugar, at the end of the day, is an industry thats run on addiction. There have been numerous studies showing that sugar stimulates the reward centers of the brain.
When we constantly consume sugar, we release dopamine in our brain creating an addiction and an increased tolerance. Over time you will have to eat larger and larger amounts of sugar to continue the dopamine secretion. Once our body is dependent on a chemical reaction in the brain, we can find that were craving things even when were not hungry.
When trying to shift from a high carb diet to a ketogenic diet, cravings can definitely get strong. Its always best to try to clean house before you start so that you dont have food around you that can lead to cravings. We recommend that when switching to keto, you restrict using sweeteners completely for the first 30 days. It normally leads to breaking sugar addiction and ultimately not having cravings.
Besides sugar, sometimes our bodies crave food because of lack of nutrients. The craving usually goes away if you fulfill your nutrient intake in a different way. Below youll see a few ways to get rid of pesky cravings that hit.
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Keto Diet Foods: What To Eat And What To Avoid
Low in carbs and high in protein, these are the keto diet foods to fill your plate with
For some individuals, the ketogenic diet can be an effective way to lose weight or manage certain conditions but it’s important that it’s undertaken with the supervision of a medical professional. So what are some keto diet foods that you can eat, and which foods are off limits? Weve spoken to the experts to find out what you should and shouldnt be eating if you’re following a keto diet.
The keto diet works by swapping our bodys energy source from carbohydrates to ketones, which are produced when the body goes into an alternative metabolic state called ketosis. By removing carbohydrates, your body is forced to metabolize fat, which is what produces the ketones that it then uses to run itself. This can initially lead to uncomfortable symptoms, known as the keto flu, which can make it hard to stick to, but these symptoms generally pass with time as your body adjusts.
Keto Food List: What To Eat And What To Avoid
EMMIE SATRAZEMIS, RD, CSSD July 18, 2018
Because keto is a macro based diet, technically no foods are excluded – it just depends on how much you eat – specifically carbs! However, some options can certainly make or break your success on a ketogenic diet meal plan.
Even more so, getting the full benefits and achieving your health goals on keto goes beyond cutting carbs. Good nutrition and calorie control also matter. Thus, the best keto diet foods support your health and your ketogenic diet needs all at once.
So whether you are starting a ketogenic diet or just looking for trusted keto friendly food options to add to your shopping list, here is your complete guide to the best and worst foods to eat on a keto diet and how to portion them for optimum results.
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The Standard Keto Diet Is Notorious For What You Can’t Eat But What About The Foods You Can Eat Let’s Break It Down Into Basic Food Groups To Find The Keto Diet Foods You Can Count On
The hardest part about tackling a diet successfully? Figuring out what you can eatand then sticking to it. The premise of the low-carb, high-fat keto diet is to train your body to burn fat instead of carbs.
For most people, an elimination diet begs the question, What can I eat?
With keto, youll want to shoot for a daily nutrient intake thats roughly 70% fats, 25% protein and 5% carbohydrates. Yep, that means, no bread, no grainsnot even ketchup, but with any diet, its important to make sure youre getting enough iron to avoid becoming anemic.
But there are many keto diet foods that you can eat, so lets focus on the positive. Weve listed all the great food you can have on the keto diet. Dont miss these keto-friendly recipes you can make from scratch!
Is The Ketogenic Diet For You
This may sound like a cop out, but the best diet is the one you stick with. For Volek, whos been following an ultra-low-carb diet for two decades, it works.
If you cant stick to it, then it probably wont.
“This is the problem I have with all of these fad diets,” registered dietitian Andy Yurechko, M.S., R.D., of Augusta University Medical Center in Georgia, previously told Men’s Health. “A healthier type of diet is something you can do every day of your life.”
Since maintaining ketosis requires strict carb counting, this diet works best for people who are diligent. And, its probably not a good idea for athletes or avid gym-goers to do the keto diet long-term.
There is no conclusive research to support any athletic performance benefit , Harpst says. Research continues to show that training on a low carb diet impairs intensity and decreases endurance, recovery and cognitive function.
It can also impair muscle strength, she says, since carbohydrates are muscles preferred energy source during workouts, and because muscle synthesis requires both protein and carbohydrates.
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May Stabilize Blood Sugar
Several studies indicate that vegetarian diets may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
For instance, one review of six studies linked vegetarianism to improved blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes .
Vegetarian diets may also prevent diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels in the long term.
According to one study in 2,918 people, switching from a non-vegetarian to a vegetarian diet was associated with a 53% reduced risk of diabetes over an average of five years .
Keto Diet Foods To Avoid
Eating a low-carb diet can be simple, especially once you discover the pattern of foods you should avoid.
If losing weight is your goal, you should put these foods on your “do not eat” list. Plenty of keto foods are tasty and good for you, so avoiding these pitfalls should be no problem.
Obviously, you need to avoid high-carb foods. But what are high-carb foods? Can you eat any vegetables and fruit that you want?
Keep reading and learn which types of food have too many carbs to eat while following the keto diet!
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Why Follow A Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet is a high fat.
Low carb diet thats become increasingly popular for weight and fat loss.
As we explain extensively in our keto diet mastery, the principleof the keto diet is to:
Eat fat to burn fat.
By heavily restricting carbs your bodys primary fuel source your body begins to burn your fat stores for fuel instead, which produces ketones.
This state of elevated ketones in the bloodstream is called ketosis, hence ketogenic diet .
In addition to weight loss and energy, the keto diet has been shown to support skin health, cognitive function, memory, and hormonal balance .
Now, lets dive into the keto diet nutrient ratios and the keto food list.
Processed Keto Food Items List
Eating a 100% whole food diet takes some serious dedication and isn’t necessarily feasible or realistic for most people – at some point you are going to consume packaged or prepared foods.
There are a lot of high fat and high calorie foods marketed as keto approved, but not all of these options are good for your overall health. Many keto packaged foods can contain significantly more calories than their higher carb counterpart and very little nutritional value, which can put you at a disadvantage.
In other words, just because that ice cream is keto, doesn’t mean it’s going to help you lose weight. Especially if its twice the calories of traditional ice cream!
While you dont have to avoid these processed keto food altogether, they should not make up the bulk of your food intake. And you should always pay attention to the ingredients and nutrition they bring to the table.
Common processed keto food options include:
- Ultra processed packaged foods
- Processed cheese
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The 6 Most Vital Keto Hacks
- 1. Use a ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting at the same time.
- 2. Add apple cider vinegar and lemon to your water.
- 3. Supplement your diet with electrolytes and nutritional yeast.
- 4. If you get intensely hungry between meals, only add a small fatty snack, no protein.
- 5. Add more fat to your meals.
- 6. Add more greens to your diet.
Here are some tips to aid your adaptation to ketosis
The Ketogenic Diet Is Too Restrictive
The restrictions on the keto diet are to prevent the consumption of unhealthy food. Justas a doctor would advise a patient to quit smoking to prolong the patientâs life, Iadvise keto followers to restrict the intake of foods, which cause diabetes, organdamage, heart disease, fatigue, and many other unwanted physical conditions. And likethe patient who quits smoking, keto followers live happier, healthier lives.
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Top 10 Foods To Try On A Keto Diet
Interested in trying our FREE 7-day healthy diet plan? Click here and choose between our meat eaters, vegetarian or vegan meal plans.
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that studies show can help with weight loss. There is also evidence to suggest that it may benefit certain conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy and Alzheimers Disease.
Discover our full range of health benefit guides and read more about popular diets such as the 5:2 diet and Atkins diet. You can also check out some of our delicious ketogenic diet recipes, from keto breakfasts to keto dinners.
Keto Recipes For The Foods You Love
Do you like buttery, chocolatey brownies? How about pizza? You donât have to sacrifice thesetreats on the Healthy Ketosis diet, if you tweak the recipes.
With a little work, you can convert your favorites treats to a low carb keto version. Tryreplacing wheat flour with almond or coconut flour. Almond flour is great for everythingfrom pancakes to piecrusts. Replace sugar, honey or other sweeteners with xylitol, stevia ormonk fruit sweetener.
And my favorite, making mashed cauliflower to replace mashed potatoes!
We have plenty of recipes to help you substitute the foods you love with keto-friendlyversions.
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How To Portion Keto Foods For Success
Learning exactly how much protein, carbs, and fat you need on a ketogenic diet is the first step to building your perfect menu. Knowing your exact macro needs will not only help you achieve ketosis, but can also help you control your energy intake to support your fitness goals.
Use an online keto macro calculator to quickly estimate your nutrition needs. Once you know your macro goals, all you need to do is choose the best keto friendly foods to eat every day that fit these macros.
Once you understand exactly how much protein, fat, and carbs you should eat, the next step is learning what serving size of each food is appropriate for you. This can take a bit of practice, but tracking your daily food consumption is a great way to learn.
Tracking your daily food intake on keto is key to hitting your daily nutrition goals and getting the most out of your meals.
Keto Macros: Carbs Protein & Fat
When following a keto diet, the idea is to eat very few carbs, a moderate amount of protein, and just as much fat as you need to feel satisfied, rather than stuffed.
CarbohydratesLimit carbs to 20 or fewer grams of net carbs per day, or 5 to 10% of calories. Although its possible that you may not need to be this strict, eating fewer than 20 grams of net carbs every day virtually guarantees that youll be in nutritional ketosis. Learn more >
ProteinEat enough protein to meet your needs. Most people need at least 70 grams per day, or 20 to 35% of calories from protein. Learn more >
FatInclude enough fat to add flavor. Theres no reason to add lots of fat unless you need extra calories. Plus, many whole foods like eggs and meat contain plenty of fat. On a keto diet, about 60 to 75% of your calories come from fat. Learn more >
Related content
If you are wondering what kind of results you can expect from a keto diet, the answer depends on how strict you are, along with a number of other factors.
Evidence shows that keto diets help with weight loss, blood sugar control, and many other conditions.8 But outcomes from even the most well-run study are still an average of what each participant experienced.
That means that your experience with keto will be unique. Your weight loss and health improvements may be sudden and dramatic or they may be slow but steady.
What benefits might you experience by switching to a keto diet? Quite a few, possibly.
It works!
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This article was published on 19 March 2021.
Nicola Shubrook is a nutritional therapist and works with both private clients and the corporate sector. She is an accredited member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council . Find out more at urbanwellness.co.uk.
All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
