01 Aug The Ultimate Keto Diet Food List

If you think that keto is all about consuming as much fast food as you possibly can, then think again! If you are what you eat, then you need to eat healthy foods as much as possible. Even though the keto diet calls for you to get most of your calories from fat, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can eat any junk. Even though you’re supposed to restrict the number of carbohydrates you eat, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat vegetables either.

So how exactly can you follow this diet to ensure you achieve keto diet weight loss without any damage? Read on for more details about what to eat and what not to eat on the keto diet.

The Workings of Keto

The body needs to gain energy, and it mainly does this by burning glycogen stored in the body that come from carbohydrates. Keto is all about getting the body to depend on its fat stored for energy, helping to burn your fat away with a natural metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is what you’ll want to reach, and the list of foods you can eat starts from the carbohydrate group.

Carbohydrates

When you’re on a keto diet, how many carbs you eat is very important. You’ll want to cap the number of calories at 10% of your diet, or around 40 grams a day max. If you’re going to gorge on pasta and noodles all day, your body will be in glucose burning mode. However, eat too little carbs, and you’ll probably feel very lethargic.

So, what kind of foods are recommended? Ideally, you will want to go for fruits that are high in fiber and water-rich, mainly berries, but avoid sugar-loaded fruits. Vegetables will also need to be low in carbohydrates in order to get the digestive system moving whilst also gaining important nutrition.

Try to stay away from any starchy vegetables such as root vegetables (potatoes, parsnips, carrots, etc.). As a rule of thumb, if it grows underground, then it’s probably too rich in carbs!

Here are some great keto diet foods:

• Zucchini
• Brussel sprouts
• Aubergine/eggplant
• Tomatoes
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Kale
• Spinach
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Peppers

Protein

The amount of protein you’ll want to consume will be roughly 20% of what you get from calories. Even though this is clearly an essential component for putting on muscle, you won’t want to eat that much because you could end up destroying your goals.

If you’re not going to eat many carbohydrates and not enough protein, then your body will go for muscle tissues as a source of fuel – this will decrease the muscle mass plus the number of calories you burn when resting. On the contrary, if you overdose on protein, you can put unwanted stress on your organs, especially your kidneys.

We would recommend getting your protein from high-fat sources and going for a good quality protein as you can get, so no junk! Avoid over-processed sources whenever you can—these can often include a lot of unwanted sodium too. You can probably achieve keto diet results in terms of weight loss if you eat this stuff, but your body will not be in a healthy state. On a highly restrictive diet, you need to ensure that your immune system is strong—you can help yourself by using the best keto supplements and thinking smart about food choices.

Here is a list of good high protein foods you’ll want to consume:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Turkey
• Venison
• Shrimp
• Sardines
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Cottage cheese
• Ricotta
• Lamb
• Natural cheese
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt

Fat

You’ll want to pay close attention to the amount of fat you eat since it will comprise the bulk of your intake, around 80% of your calories. By consuming a lot of it, you’ll be feeling full and reducing cravings to snack on other foods.

It is critical that, just like with protein, you consume high-quality fats. We would highly recommend going for a higher ratio of unsaturated fat to saturated. Trans fats and hydrogenated fats such as what you’ll find in margarine are a big no-no.

Here are some good options:

• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Nuts
• Seeds (chia, sesame, pumpkin)
• Hemp hearts
• Coconuts
• Flaxseeds
• Nut butter

Keto Diet Foods – What You’ll Want to Avoid

To make things a little easier, it’s a good idea to stay away from the following foods when on this diet:

• Peas
• Lentils
• Beans
• Pasta
• Oatmeal
• Low-fat dairy
• Sugar
• Sodas and carbonated drinks
• Crackers
• Pretzels
• Potato chips
• Most sugary fruits
• Starchy vegetables
• Alcohol

Conclusion

Take this series of lists on board when going on keto as it could really help. Now that you’ve got the info, all you need are some keto diet recipes for beginners, and then you’re on your way to reaping the benefits!

Have you had any luck with diets? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section below.

Author’s Bio

Hailing from the hills of the west country, Labonte is a copywriter with more than just a passion for writing. His hobbies include everything from calligraphy to sauerkraut making. He likes to write about anything related to diet and well-being. Labonte also works for a youth charity in his spare time.