Published: Mar 2nd 2020

While on the keto diet, most of your diet will consist of foods high in fats coupled with a measured intake of proteins and low carbohydrate intake. Some of the food categories allowed in this diet include:

Foods You Can Eat

1. Proteins

Poultry: Free-range Cornish hen, quail, goose, pheasant, chicken, duck, and turkey.

Fish and Seafood: Cod, tuna, scrod, anchovies, mackerel, flounder, catfish, trout, mahi-mahi, halibut, sole, sardines, salmon, halibut, snapper, and calamari. Always opt for wild-caught fish to avoid toxins present in commercially reared fish.

Grass-fed Meat: These include beef, venison, goat, and lamb. Meat from wild animals are also acceptable; however, avoid sausages and meats that come with sugary sauces and those covered in breadcrumbs. Choose the chunks of meat with more fat since they contain less protein and more fat.

Pork: Boston butt, pork chops, ham pork, and loin. When choosing ham, be on the lookout for added sugar.

Bacon and Sausages: Preferably, you should buy these at specialty health food stores. If this is not possible, always read the labels to avoid those which contain fillers such as soy or sugars.

Canned Tuna and Salmon: Canned tuna and salmon are okay to consume while you are on the keto diet. However, avoid seafood rich in fillers, breaded seafood, and fried seafood.

Vegetable Protein Powders: Protein supplements such as whey protein, hemp protein, pea, and rice are acceptable.

Whole Eggs: This includes chicken eggs, and quail eggs which you can prepare through any mean desired; fried, soft or hard-boiled, deviled, scrambled, or omelet style.

Shellfish: Oyster, mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab (not imitation crab that contains additives), clams, scallops, and squid.

2. Fats and Oils

Because these are your main sources of energy while you are on this diet, go for the types of fats and oils you enjoy. These may include:

• * Omega 3 fatty acids from fish such as tuna, shellfish, and salmon
• * Fish supplements or krill * Monounsaturated fats such as egg yolks, avocado, and butter
• * Vegetable oils such as olive oil, coconut oil
• * Non-hydrogenated beef tallow, ghee, and lard.
• * Duck and chicken fat

In order to make it easier to stick to this diet, be aware of which types of fat your body can tolerate. Many people seem to have zero or very low tolerance of vegetable oils and mayo. This may be a good thing because most of these oils are rich in omega 6 fatty acids - the kind that is bad for your body’s cholesterol levels.

In this case, work with the listed monounsaturated fats to reduce the inflammatory effect brought about by polyunsaturated fats. Nevertheless, work to balance both fats because you cannot survive on monounsaturated fats alone (You need a lot of fats and oils). Even then, avoid hydrogenated fats such as margarine to reduce the amount of trans-fats you eat.

3. Fresh Vegetables

For these foods, opt for organic ones or better yet, grow your own to avoid all pesticide toxins. Avoid starchy vegetables (corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, and winter squash) that are high in carbs. Instead, opt for moderate intake of sweet vegetables (squashes, peppers, tomatoes, and carrots). Vegetables that make it to the list are:

•  Celery
•  Collard Greens
•  Onions (high in sugar; moderate intake)
•  Alfalfa Sprouts
•  Beet Greens
•  Broccoli
•  Spinach
•  Dandelion Greens
•  Bamboo Shoots
•  Cabbage
•  Brussels sprouts
•  Garlic
•  Mushrooms
•  Shallots
•  Kale
•  Bok Choy
•  Sauerkraut
•  Chives
•  Celery Root
•  Swiss chard
•  Cauliflower
•  Snow Peas
•  Bean Sprouts
•  Olives
•  Cucumbers
•  Salad greens and lettuces: Romaine, Arugula, Fennel, Bok Choy, Boston lettuce, Endive, Mache, Escarole, Sorrel, Radicchio, Chicory Water Chestnuts
•  Turnips
•  Scallions
•  Dill Pickles
•  Leeks
•  Radishes
•  Chard
•  Asparagus

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4. Dairy Products

•  Mascarpone cheese
•  Unsweetened whole milk yogurt (limit intake of this type of yogurt because it is a little high in carbs)
•  All soft and hard cheeses
•  Cream cheese
•  Full fat sour cream (do not forget to check for additives)
•  Full fat cottage cheese
•  Heavy whipping cream In any case, always go for raw milk products and if you do not have easy access to them, go for the organic ones.

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5. Beverages

•  Bulletproof coffee
•  Decaf Tea
•  Flavored seltzer water
•  Decaf coffee
•  Water
•  Herbal tea
•  Lemon and lime juice (limit intake)
•  Clear broth or bouillon

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6. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts: almonds, macadamias, pecans, and walnuts are the nuts with the lowest level of carbs meaning you can consume them in small amounts. Other nuts such as chestnuts, pistachios, and cashews contain a higher amount of carbs; thus, you should carefully monitor their intake. Nuts are best soaked for some time before roasted.

Nut flours: these are necessary because while you are on this diet, it does not mean baking no longer fits into your life. Nut flours such as almond flour will suffice.

7. Sweeteners

Some options include:

•  Erythritol
•  Splendor-liquid
•  Inulin and Chicory root
•  Lo Han Guo
•  Liquid Stevia
•  Xylitol
•  Swerve

8. Spices

Here are spices allowed on the keto diet:

•  Sea salt
•  Peppermint
•  Ginger
•  Basil
•  Chili pepper
•  Cloves
•  Thyme
•  Cilantro or coriander seeds
•  Rosemary
•  Black pepper
•  Cumin seeds
•  Oregano
•  Turmeric
•  Cayenne pepper
•  Cinnamon
•  Mustard seeds
•  Parsley
•  Dill
•  Sage

As you can see from the above very detailed list, keto diet is NOT a highly-restrictive dieting lifestyle, it also offers you a variety of foods to choose from; thus, you should not feel overwhelmed. 

 

Foods You Should Avoid

There are foods you should avoid to achieve optimal ketosis as your body makes the switch from using glucose to synthesizing fats for ketones. In the next section, we shall outline the foods you should avoid:

Achieving Optimal Ketosis: Foods to Avoid If you stick to the food listed in the previous section, you do not have to worry about not achieving optimal ketosis. On the same note, as you increase intake of those foods, you should also be on the lookout for the following foods that may hinder ketosis:

Avoid all grains

wholemeal included (rye, wheat, oats, barley, corn, millet, rice sorghum and buckwheat). Also, avoid all products made from grains; these include foods such as crackers, pasta, pizza, and cookies.

Avoid refined fats and oils

like sunflower, canola, grape seed, corn oil, soybean, and Trans-fats such as margarine.

Avoid milk

(only full-fat raw milk is acceptable). For coffee, replace milk with reasonable amounts of cream.

Avoid tropical fruits

such as bananas, pineapples, mango papaya, etc., and some high carb fruit.

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• Avoid fruit juice.
• Avoid factory-farmed pork and fish.
• artificial sweeteners
• Avoid all artificial sweeteners containing Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharine, etc.
• alcoholic sweet drinks
• Avoid alcoholic sweet drinks such as beer, and sweet wine
• Avoid Soy products

CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR CUSTOM KETO DIET​