While there are plenty of fad diets that come and disappear within a very short time, the keto diet or ketogenic diet has been dominant for over 90 years. Its success is based on a solid understanding of nutrition and physiology science.
Ketogenic diet works for many people because it addresses underlying causes of weight gain. These include hormonal imbalances, food cravings, and binge eating among others.
Instead of relying on cutting portion sizes, counting calories, and resorting to extreme workouts, the keto diet takes a different approach to health improvement and weight loss. It works by changing the same fuel source that keeps your body energized. It switches your body into a state of ketosis when your body burns fat instead of sugar.
Steps of Ketogenic Diet
1. Reduce your carbs intake.
2. Consume healthier fats.
3. Without a lot of glucose in your system, your body is forced to burn fat and produce ketones.
4. An increase of ketone levels in your blood turns your body into a state of ketosis.
5. Ketosis is consistent until you achieve a healthy and stable weight.
What You Should Eat on the Ketogenic Diet
• High amounts of healthy fats (not more than 80% of your calories)
• Different types of non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, cucumber, asparagus, and zucchini
• Moderate amounts of foods rich in protein but low- or no-carb. These include pasture-raised poultry, grass-fed meat, raw dairy products, cage-free eggs, bone broth, wild-caught fish, and organ meat.
Foods to Avoid on Ketogenic Diet
You are not supposed to consume items that are high in sugar. These include processed foods and drinks, fruits, conventional dairy products, wheat-derived foods, desserts, and other high-carb foods (particularly those are rich in calories).
The Ketogenic Diet Food List
You are probably wondering about the types of high-fat low-carb foods you should consume if you are new to the ketogenic diet. Basically, it is important to remember that most of the calories in the keto diet come from natural fats with moderate amounts from foods rich in protein. The keto diet only limits foods that offer lots of carbs, including those are considered healthy like whole grains.
The major shifts in your daily dietary routine will depend on the food you shop, cooking procedure, and recipes that the keto diet requires to be followed instead of low-carb. The healthy fats are required to help your body enter into a state of ketosis while giving you enough energy in the absence of carbs. In addition, you will feel more energetic and healthier when preparing your own meals instead of buying keto snacks or recipes.
The Keto Diet Plan
The ratio of recommended nutrients in your diet depends on your particular goals and your current health status. Other factors that will determine your fat intake include gender, age, activity level, and body composition.
Let us look at some of the best keto foods you should consider:
Healthy Fats
These include monounsaturated fats, saturated fats, and certain kinds of polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Examples of healthy fats are olive oil, avocado oil, chicken fat, MCT oil, flaxseed oil, butter, and macadamia oil.
Proteins
Animal protein usually contains very little fat, if any. You can eat them in a moderate amount to control hunger. Best sources include grass-fed beef, poultry, cage-free eggs, fish (tuna, trout, mackerel, and salmon), and organ meat.
Non-Starchy Veggies
These include all leafy greens, such as beets, collards, dandelion, spinach, chard, kale, fennel, turnip, mustard, and romaine. Cruciferous veggies are also non-starchy. Examples include cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. A touch of fresh herbs can also go well with the ketogenic diet. You can add small amounts of veggies that are slightly higher in carbs like bell pepper, radishes, green beans, wax beans, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
Related
Fat-Based Fruit
The only recommended fat-based fruit that you can take in a keto diet is avocado.
Snacks
Snacking while on a keto diet is allowed although all snacks foods should be low in carb content. Examples include homemade or protein powder, turkey jerky, hard-boiled eggs, avocado slice, minced meat wrapped in lettuce, and raw or cooked veggies with homemade dressing.
Condiments
They include herbs, spices, unsweetened mustards, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce.
Drinks
Water, bone broth, and unsweetened tea or coffee are allowed in the ketogenic diet.
Foods you should Never Eat on Keto Diet
If you are on a keto diet, there are certain foods you should only take occasionally. These include full-fat dairy, medium-starch veggies, legumes, beans, nuts, fruits, and smoothies. However, you should totally avoid the following foods:
• Any type of sweetener including honey, agave, and cane sugar. Also avoid foods with ingredients like fructose, dextrose, glucose, and maltose
• Certain grains like corns, rice, and wheat products
• Nearly all processed foods
• Caloric or sweetened beverages including alcohol, soda, fruit juices, milk, and dairy replacements.
Edited by: Jessa (March 1, 2019)
