Keto or ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat
diet that can help you burn fat more effectively. It has many benefits for
weight loss, health and performance. Losing
excess body fat without hunger, and for reversing type 2 diabetes.
The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the
body to produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”.
This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood sugar
(glucose) is in short supply.
Ketones are produced if you eat very few carbs (that are quickly broken
down into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can
also be converted to blood sugar).
The liver produces ketones from fat. These ketones then serve as a fuel
source throughout the body, especially for the brain.
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and
it cannot run on fat directly. It can only run on glucose… or ketones.
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run
mostly on fat, burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat
burning can increase dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat
stores to burn them off.
This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are also
other less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of energy.
This may help keep you alert and focused.
When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called
ketosis. The fastest way to get there is by fasting–
not eating anything – but nobody can fast forever.
A keto diet, on the other hand, can be eaten indefinitely and also
results in ketosis. It has many of the benefits of fasting – including weight
loss – without having to fast.
The most important thing for reaching ketosis is
to avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll probably need to keep carb intake under
50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below 20 grams. The fewer carbs, the
more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis, losing weight or
reversing type 2 diabetes.
This means that on a keto diet you’ll basically need to avoid sugary
foods completely, as well as starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice and
potatoes. Also avoid processed foods, and instead follow our keto diet advice.
Furthermore, the food should primarily be high in fat, and only moderately
high in protein, as excess protein can be converted to blood sugar in the body.
Avoid low-fat diet products. A rough guideline is about 5% energy from
carbohydrates (the fewer carbs, the more effective), 15-25% from protein, and
around 75% from fat.
What You Can Eat on a Keto Diet
Water. This will be your staple, go-to source for hydration. You can drink
still or sparkling water
Broth. Loaded with vitamins and nutrients. More
importantly, it will kick-start your energy by replenishing your electrolytes
Meat
chicken, pork, steak, ground beef, lamb, bacon,
ham, turkey, sausage (in limited amounts and fattier cuts)
Most Fats and Oils
butter, coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, lard, avocado
oil, mayonnaise
Some Vegetables
cauliflower, cabbage, avocado, broccoli, zucchini,
peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, asparagus, cucumber, onion, mushroom, spinach,
lettuce, green beans, olives
High-Fat Dairy
skim milk, skim mozzarella, greek yogurt, low
cheese, heavy whipping cream, spreadables including cottage cheese, cream
cheese, sour cream, mascarpone, crème fraiche, mozzarella, brie, Colby Monterey
jack, aged cheddar, parmesan, feta and swiss
Nuts
Macadamia nuts, brazil nuts and peacan nuts can be
consumed with meals to supplement fat.
Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pine nuts
can be used in moderation to supplement for texture and flavour.
Pistachios and cashews should rarely be eaten or avoided,
as they are very high in carbohydrates. (2 hand full of cashews is almost a
full day’s allowance of carbs.
Seafood
Salmon, snapper, trout, tuna, cod, catfish,
halibut, clams, oysters, lobster, crab, scallops, mussels
Berries (Sparingly)
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
Artificial Sweeteners (Sparingly)
Stevia, sucralose
Alcohol (Sparingly)
Hard liquor, dry wine, champagne
Choose hard liquor. More beer and wine will be too
high carb to consume. Frequent consumption of alcohol will slow weight loss
down
Eggs
Unsweetened Coffee and Tea
Coffee. Improves
mental focus and has some added weight loss benefits.
Tea. Has
the same effects as coffee. Try to stick with black or green
Due to its major amounts of lactose
(a.k.a. sugar, a.k.a., carbs), milk is not keto-friendly (one cup of whole milk
has 11 grams of carbs). And that means all dairy milks—skim, one percent, two percent, are not keto-approved.
Coconut/Almond milk. You can use the unsweetened versions in the carton from the store
to replace your favorite dairy beverage
Spices
Cayenne pepper, chili Powder, cinnamon, cumin, basil, cilantro, parsley,
rosemary, thyme.
Both salt and pepper can be used for
seasoning without worrying about the nutritional information.
What You Can Not Eat on a Keto Diet
Fruit
Apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, watermelon,
peaches, melon, pineapple, cherries, pears, lemons, limes, grapefruits, plums,
mango, etc.
Grains and Starches
Wheat, rice, rye, oats, corn, quinoa, barley,
millet, bulgur, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains
Root Vegetables
Potatoes (both sweet and regular), carrots, yams, parsnips, yuca, beets, turnips
Grain Products
Cereal, bread, pasta, rice, corn, oatmeal,
crackers, pizza, popcorn, granola, bagels, muesli, flour
Legumes
Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans,
soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lentils
Sweeteners
Cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar,
Splenda, aspartame, saccharin, corn syrup
Sweets
Candy, chocolate, cakes, buns, pastries, tarts,
pies, ice cream, cookies, pudding, custard
Some Oils
Canola oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil,
sesame oil, sunflower oil
Alcohol
Beer, cider, sweet wines, sweetened alcoholic
drinks
Sweetened Drinks
Juice, smoothies, soda, sweetened tea and coffee
Low-Fat Dairy
skim milk, skim mozzarella, fat-free
yogurt, low cheese and cream cheese
Sweetened Sauces and Dips
ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, some salad dressings
and hot sauces
