The food choices made during following a ketogenic diet or a low-carb diet can be the main factor to decide the success of the diet. Just counting the macros of food you eat isn’t enough, you need to make the most of the food you eat. The fuel which you give to your body in this time is very essential for the overall regulation of vital hormones and nutritional needs.
Below are some of the foods that can give you wide overview about the choices that you can make while adopting this diet. These foods highly support the requirements of the keto diet and can keep you fully satiated and well nourished for the day and can take you closer to your dream physique!
1.) HEALTHY FATS.
While this diet mainly consists of fats (75%). It is very important that we choose the right type of fat. A fat source rich with Omega-3 Fatty acids is an excellent source of healthy cholesterol which increases HDL essential for hormone regulation and production in body.
While a fat source rich in Omega-6 Fatty acids will increase your LDL levels which can lead to increased inflammation in body and can cause fat deposition and may lead to serious consequences. Below are the various healthy fat sources:-
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Clarified butter (Ghee)
- Grass fed butter
- Avocado
- Avocado oil
- Tallow
- Nuts
- Nut butters
Fats/ Oils to avoid:-
- Rice bran oil
- Palmolein oil
- Refined seed oils
- Flax seed oil
2.) PROTEINS.
Protein is a very essential macro nutrient as it retains muscle loss during the diet and helps you feel satiated for a long time. While, choosing animal based protein can be a great choice as the plant based proteins are not compatible with the keto diet as they contain large amounts of starchy carbohydrates.
Below are many of these animal as well as dairy based protein sources which are compatible for both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian individuals.
- Chicken meat (dark meat prefered)
- Red meat
- Turkey meat
- Eggs
- Pork
- Fishes
- Seafoods
- Curd
- Yogurt
- Whole milk
- Various types of cheese
Just keep in mind that when you choose a dairy based protein source. You choose the one with a high fat content as they are low in sugar and tastier!
3.) CARBOHYDRATES.
In this diet, while we are strictly depriving ourselves with carbohydrates. They are still required by our body to produce energy at different levels. We should opt for bulky, watery and fibrous carbohydrates sources which are low in calories and net carbs. Starchy carbohydrates should be avoided due to high net carbs and sugary carbs (unless liberal keto) must be avoided too.
Below are some carbohydrates sources that you can eat while being in a keto diet.
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Leafy greens
4.) FOODS TO AVOID.
While following this diet, we might have to completely cut-off some of our favourite snacks or foods as they can really be an obstacle in our fat loss journey. These foods are high in sugar, trans-fats and calories which should be strictly avoided.
Below are some of these foods to avoid for complete benefit of the diet.
- Starchy carbohydrates
- Saturated fats
- Sugary drinks
- Cookies and biscuits
- Processed foods (even keto friendly ones)
- Watery fruits (unless liberal keto)
- Deep fried foods
- Breads
- Grains
- Cereals
- Pulses
Pro tip 1:- Always start your day by drinking lemonade with salt and without sugar to regulate sodium and chloride balance in the body and increase HCl production.
Pro tip 2:- After every 10-15 days, include a “Refeed day” where you can get a high carbohydrate food to restore some glycogen level. See it as a cheat meal.
So, the above was some of the foods that you can eat while adopting the keto diet. As this diet can be very tough to be consistent on during starting days, bug the body will get habitual and start adapting to it. If you think many more food options can be added then feel free to comment. In the next one, I’ll be writing about the limitations and potential risks while following this diet.
MBH/AB