Out of all the diet plans that exist, surely you have heard about the keto diet. It is undoubtedly one of the famous diet plans and it is very effective. The keto diet is all about keeping a check of high-carb foods. Certain foods are considered the “best keto diet food” that makes the whole reducing your weight process faster and more efficient. This article is designed specifically to help educate you about the best keto diet foods. Keep reading!
What Is The Keto Diet?
First, to begin talking about the best keto diet foods, it is of immense importance to properly understand the keto diet. A ketogenic diet primarily includes 65% fats, 30% proteins, and 5% carbs on average. That is the reason it is said to consist of high-fats, average-proteins, and minimum-carbohydrates. The idea revolves around the fact maximum fat will be burned to speed up the weight loss process.
One may question, out of all the diet plans, why you should choose a ketogenic diet? This is because the keto diet is great for weight loss; it can also help in improving heart health and can reduce the chance of seizure. It can also help with your acne too.
With its numerous benefits, let us dive straight into discovering the best keto diet foods.
What Foods To Eat On The Keto Diet?
For a better understanding of the best keto diet foods, we have divided them into categories under food groups.
Dairy Products
As the keto diet focuses on a high intake of fat, most dairy products are enriched with increased fat levels.
1. Cheese
Other diet plans might not give you an edge of eating cheese, but a ketogenic diet includes eating cheese because it has high fats and low carbs. The CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a fatty acid in cheese that actually aids in weight loss and has other proven health benefits.
Some types of cheeses that come under the best keto diet foods are Blue cheese, Cottage cheese, Goat cheese, Cream cheese, and Cheddar cheese.
2. Butter
Yet another dairy product, butter, is ideal for the keto diet. It contains a tad bit of carbs and almost 80% fats. Moreover, with the progress research studies are making, it is actually proven butter has low to no effects with causing heart disease.
3. Cream
Cream is regarded as a perfect food to consume during the ketogenic diet because it includes ultra-low traces of carbs and is high in fat.
4. Greek Yogurt
You might seem surprised, but you can enjoy Greek yogurt as it is keto-friendly. One thing you need to be aware of is store-bought Greek yogurts often contain high levels of sweeteners that can misbalance the low-carb, high-fat proportion rate of the keto diet. Consider consuming only those yogurts that have minimum to low sugar levels. Plain Greek yogurt can help in reducing hunger and increasing satiety.
While consuming dairy products during a ketogenic diet, it should be taken into consideration your intake does not exceed the requirements because it does contain carbs, after all.
Protein
According to scientific research, proteins are beneficial macros to consume during the keto diet to fulfill the protein intake requirements. They are fulfilling, which reduces the urge of unhealthy cravings.
1. Seafood
Although certain seafood contains carbs, overall seafood is keto-friendly; this is because it contains low to no carbs that fit perfectly with the keto diet. Seafood is highly enriched with B vitamins, potassium, and selenium, just like fish, which have high levels of omega-3 fats and B-12. One hundred grams of Atlantic salmon contains up to 13 grams of fats, 20 grams of proteins, and no carbs.
Some seafood that is the best keto diet foods are Salmon, Mahi-Mahi, Bay Scallops, Flounder, which are other seafood that can be utilized during a ketogenic diet.
2. Meat
Meat is considered ideal and is a staple food to consume when on a keto diet. This is primarily because it contains high levels of B-12 and other minerals, but does not have carbs. Furthermore, meat in any form is enriched with high-quality proteins that are great when you are on a low-carb ketogenic diet. The meat of grass-fed animals is considered the healthiest option. For the keto diet, fattier cuts of meat are preferable, like chicken thighs or rib-eye steaks. One thing to keep in mind is to avoid processed meats as they can contain carbs.
3. Eggs
Eggs are a healthy option to consume on the ketogenic diet. This is because they contain less than 1 gram of carbs, but come with high protein. This helps in reducing the intake of calories for the rest of the day. Apart from the best keto diet foods, eggs have numerous benefits. A balanced intake of eggs will not affect cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
4. Nuts and seeds
Carvings are hard to control throughout the day during the diet. Instead of eating something unhealthy and high in carbs that go against the keto diet, nuts and seeds are a good option to fulfill your carvings. It is because they have minimum carbs and have healthy fats. Nuts and seeds are healthier options to shift to due to their enrichment of proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Some of the best nuts that fit the keto lifestyle are walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, pistachios, pecans, almonds, and Brazil nuts.
Similarly, the seeds that are considered the best keto foods are chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, sunflowers seeds, and sesame seeds, among many others.
Low-Carb Vegetables And Fruits
Since the keto diet is all about high fat, moderate protein, and the lowest possible carbohydrates, not all vegetables can be consumed, since some of them are high in carbs.
Lettuce, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, and spinach are some keto-friendly vegetables. All of them have low carbs and are rich in nutrients. These vegetables can be used to create the best keto diet food meals like soups, sandwiches, or salads.
Some fruits also fit well with the ketogenic diet. They are berries, watermelon, avocado, peaches, and tomatoes. In addition to being low in carbs, these fruits have high levels of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Oils
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another keto-friendly food. Coconut oil can be used to season salads or for sautéing vegetables. One tablespoon of coconut oil every day, and you will see a difference for yourself. It is why coconut is the best keto diet food because of its pure fats and no carbs at all. Furthermore, it has saturated fat, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that boost the fat burning process.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is yet another oil that is perfect for the ketosis process, during which the body relies on fat due to a lack of carbohydrates to create energy. This enables the fat-burning process. Olive oil has a high concentration of fat that goes with the keto diet. Along with that, it has countless other benefits too. It is one of the most significant antioxidants and is enriched with a lot of vitamins as well.
The keto diet does not get boring at all due to the variety and range of food options you can consume. The best keto food is mentioned above; they can be transformed into scrumptious meals to keep yourself motivated to stick to the keto diet until your desired result is reached.
Best Keto Diet Foods For Vegetarians
You might not be aware of it, but, being vegetarian and the following keto is possible. This, however, only includes high – fats and no carbs. For protein, it eliminates meat and flesh but relies on other substitutes for protein intake. Since animal products are a no-no in a vegetarian diet, protein can be found from tofu or tempeh as they have high levels of protein and fat but are low in carbs. The rest of the food intake is the same as non-starchy vegetables, proteins through nuts and seeds, and healthy fat through coconut and olive oil.
Best Keto Diet Food For Diabetics
According to some studies, keto has proven to be beneficial for diabetes management. Ketosis can sometimes reverse type 2 diabetes as it helps in decreasing blood sugar, improves insulation, and reduces inflammation. If you are diabetic, then the foods you can consume during the ketogenic diet are seafood, poultry, no starchy vegetables, and healthy fat.
Foods To Be Avoided On The Keto Diet
We have talked about the best keto diet foods, but certain foods should be avoided to let the ketosis process work. Here are some of them.
1. Processed Foods
One of the foods that should be avoided during keto are ones that are processed. Processed foods are man-made food products usually containing high sugar—processed foods such as certain types of cheese, bread, and tinned or canned foods. Meat products and cakes are also preferable to avoid. These foods have high sodium levels, which are a risk to those with high blood pressure issues and heart disease. Moreover, they include high levels of carbs too. All the foods listed above, from meat to cake, are in one way or another bad for human health and especially not recommended while on the keto diet.
2. High Carb Foods
The keto diet is mainly based on low-carb food. There are certain foods we consume in our everyday life that contain high carbohydrates. First is fruits and vegetables. Even though fruits and vegetables are incredibly nutritious, they also tend to have loads of carbs. It can be challenging to maintain your health while on a keto diet because of the reduction of nutrients. High-carb fruits and vegetables include oranges, potatoes, apples, and many more. Certain dairy products are also not suggested even though they are rich in protein, because they also have high carbs. Food such as pasta can be very harmful while on a keto diet. It is recommended not to use any dairy products that have high levels of carbs, as we are trying to eradicate as many carbs as possible from our food consumption. Lastly is sugar. It is straight carbohydrates and is what we are trying to avoid while on the keto diet.
Other Keto Foods
Other foods such as peas and grains should be avoided if you want to be on a keto diet. These foods can be replaced with ones that have low carbs. For example, peas can be replaced by broccoli.
Keto Diet Beverages
There are restrictions when it comes to drinks for those people who are on a keto diet, just like there are restrictions on certain types of foods.
Drinks That Should Be Avoided On Keto Diet
For example, most alcoholic drinks, beer, and cocktails are to be avoided as they have high amounts of carbohydrates, which will negatively impact the keto diet. Wine coolers, for example, are sweetened with sugar, and that must be avoided on the keto diet.
Drinks That Can Be Consumed While Keto Dieting
There are alternative drinks you can drink while maintaining your keto diet. Water can obviously be drunk in whatever amount one wants. There are keto smoothies specifically made for those on the keto diet. They have less sugar and carbohydrates. Coffee and tea are also allowed. Diet sodas can be alternative to regular sodas.
How To Make The Keto Diet Work Faster?
It takes around about 2 to 4 days or up to a week to enter ketosis. It depends on certain factors such as age, physical activity, metabolism, and the type of food you consume.
If you really want to speed up the process, make sure you stay physically active.
Conclusion
Best keto diet foods are not something that we do not use in our daily lives. What activates the ketosis process is the right amount and the right types of food. Protein intake should be increased significantly. Similarly, the consumption of carbohydrates should be minimum to none.
Keto diet is not only for the sole purpose of reducing weight, but to improve your lifestyle in general by opting for healthier food options.
How helpful did you find the article about Best Keto Diet Foods? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Rosalyn
Very informative! Answered a number of the questions I had in mind.
admin
We are glad we could answer some of your questions regarding the Keto Diet.