The ketogenic diet has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. It's an effective way to lose weight and keep it off, while also providing numerous health benefits. But what exactly do you eat on a ketogenic diet? Here's a comprehensive guide to help you get started. The ketogenic diet is based on whole, nutrient-rich foods, such as non-starchy meat, fish, eggs and vegetables, along with natural fats such as butter or olive oil.
To stay in ketosis, you'll need to limit your carb intake to less than 20 grams of net carbs per day (total carbs minus fiber). This means avoiding starchy foods such as bread, tortillas, pasta, rice, couscous, potatoes, chips, chips, chips, bagels, crackers, legumes (most dried beans), cereals, porridge and muesli. Your keto-friendly refrigerator and pantry should be stocked with lots of meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, nuts, fats and oils, and some vegetables that grow above ground. Meat and poultry are great sources of protein on the ketogenic diet; fatty cuts of beef and pork are especially rich in minerals and B vitamins.
Protein can help you feel fuller during the day and fuel you during physical workouts or labor even if you're no longer filling up on carbs. Fresh berries can be a great addition to your keto diet. While there is little or no fruit in sight on this diet plan, berries are naturally more keto-friendly due to their carbohydrate and sugar composition. Blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are all high in fiber and can be sprinkled on naturally sweet desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth while still staying in ketosis.
If rapid weight loss while consuming nearly unlimited amounts of fat sounds too good to be true, think again. Keto diet devotees swear it clears the brain while reducing the number on the scale. Before embarking on the diet though, it's important to look at what types of foods you really enjoy eating; if you especially like foods rich in carbohydrates such as fruits it may not be the right diet for you. But there are plenty of ketogenic diet foods that will make you feel full and satisfied - maybe even like royalty! Practicing the ketogenic diet might seem like a day full of nuts, avocados and beef as well as some tasty veggies like broccoli, spinach and brussels sprouts. So if you're not sure what you can eat on Keto keep reading! Get about 15% of calories from high-fat protein sources such as those shown.
Some such as Greek yogurt eggs and cheese provide important vitamins to keep hair eyes and immune system strong. Experts also stated that after 12 months of dieting the weight loss advantage for ketogenic followers compared to other dieters may stabilize and completely disappear. Kirkpatrick director of the Wellness Center at Idaho State University told The New York Times that the ketogenic diet should be seen as a starter diet that should be used before switching to a more sustainable carbohydrate intake. One disadvantage of the ketogenic diet for weight loss is that it is difficult to maintain. While you may eat more satiating fats (such as peanut butter regular butter or avocado) you're also much more limited in what's allowed in your diet which can make everyday situations such as dining with family or hanging out with friends much more difficult. Because it's often hard for people to maintain it it's easy to rely on it as a short-term diet rather than a long-term lifestyle. The green light on bacon may be one of the reasons you are willing to follow the diet as it can make eating more tempting.
Just look at the sodium content as it can build up quickly.
Breakfast Ideas
- Scrambled eggs in butter on a bed of lettuce topped with avocado
- Bulletproof coffee (made with butter and coconut oil) hard-boiled eggs
- Shake made with almond milk vegetables almond butter and protein powder
- Fried eggs with bacon and a side of vegetables
Snack Ideas
- Celery sticks dipped in almond butter
Dinner Ideas
- Grilled shrimp topped with lemon butter sauce with asparagus
- Grilled trout with butter sautéed bok choy
