Keto Diet: Appropriate And Inappropriate Foods - Part 1

The ketogenic diet is gaining in popularity. It is associated with the consumption of foods with higher fat content. Carbohydrate intake is limited. The purpose of this diet is to enter and stay in a metabolic state called ketosis, in which you burn fat, not carbohydrates (sugars) for energy.

By limiting blood sugar, our body creates ketone bodies from our own body fat as well as from fatty foods. Scientists have found that ketones are the answers to fat loss, suppress appetite, increase mental efficiency and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

Are you interested?

Now see which foods are the best choice during the diet and which are good to avoid.

Let's start with one clarification - the most important thing is to eat up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, which are described as Net - what does this mean? These are the amounts of pure carbohydrates that remain after removing the total amount of fiber. Because fiber is indigestible, it is not actually absorbed by the body, so it has nothing to do with the pure amount of carbohydrates. The basis of the whole diet largely depends on the amount of carbohydrates.

The best Keto foods

• Healthy keto fats include saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and some types of polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3s. It is best to include all types in your daily routine, with an emphasis on saturated fats at the expense of polyunsaturated.
• Coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, macadamia and avocado oil - 0 net carbohydrates per tablespoon.
• Butter and ghee - 0 net carbohydrates.
• Lard, chicken and duck fat - 0 carbohydrates.

• Animal proteins (meat and fish) have very few carbohydrates. You can consume them in moderation, necessary to control hunger. In general, choose fatter meat instead of drier. For example, chicken legs contain much more fat than fillets.
• Grazed animals - the best choice you can make. Eat lamb, goat, beef, venison and other game meat. Meat from free-range animals is preferable because it is saturated with better quality omega-3 fats.
• By-products, such as liver.
• Poultry - including turkey, chicken, quail, pheasant, geese, ducks.
• Free-range eggs - they contain 1 gram of carbohydrates per egg.
• Fish - trout, tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines and others - are rich in useful fats and do not contain, of course, any carbohydrates.

• All green leafy vegetables such as arugula, beet leaves, fennel, kale, spinach, chicory, lettuce, iceberg, etc. - the net carbohydrates they contain are from 0.5 to 5 grams per cup (depending on the vegetables).
• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts - from 3 to 6 grams of pure carbohydrates per 1 cup.
• Celery, cucumbers, zucchini, green onions and leeks - 2-4 grams of carbohydrates per 1 cup.
• Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, milk and coconut kefir - 1-2 grams of net carbohydrates per 1/2 cup.
• Herbs and spices - rather 0 carbohydrates per 1-2 tbsp.
• Vegetables that are slightly higher in carbohydrates (but still relatively low) include asparagus, mushrooms, bamboo, peas, peppers, water chestnuts, radishes, jikama, green beans, tomatoes - 3-7 grams of carbohydrates per 1 tea cup.

• Fatty fruits - avocado (3.7 grams of net carbohydrates per half fruit).

• bone broth - homemade (maybe protein powder) - 0 grams of carbohydrates and in fact, will saturate you until the next meal
• pastrami - clearly sounds unusual, but a few slices between meals work wonders
• hard-boiled eggs - 1 gram of carbohydrates
• vegetables with homemade dressing
• 1/2 avocado with salmon sticks - 3-4 grams of pure carbohydrates
• minced meat wrapped in lettuce

• herbs and spices of your choice - 0 grams of carbohydrates
• hot sauce (unsweetened) - 0 grams of carbohydrates
• natural apple cider vinegar - 0-1 grams of carbohydrates
• unsweetened mustard - 0-1 grams of carbohydrates
• poppy seeds - 0 grams of carbohydrates

• water
• unsweetened coffee and tea
• bone broth

 You can read more about the ketone diet HERE.