The majority of obesity cases are caused by unhealthy eating habits. According to current estimates, obesity affects around one billion people worldwide. This includes 39 million children, 340 million adolescents, and 650 million adults.
Around 167 million people will be obese or overweight by 2025, which will put their health in danger, according to the World Health Organization.
People are concerned about the figures and are changing their diets to lose weight. Some diets, like Paleo and Ketogenic, say that exercise will help people lose weight. Science supports some of these claims.
Among several studies[2] conducted on the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet, one study included 89 obese people who were put on the diet for a year. For the first half of the year, they followed a keto diet, and for the second half of the year, they followed a Mediterranean diet that included reintroducing calories. After a year, the individuals lost 10% of their body weight on average, testifying to the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet.
The article looks at different keto food lists to see which ones are the most effective for overall health and weight loss.
What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a diet that minimizes carbohydrate intake and instead encourages the consumption of fats. This encourages the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
Consequently, your liver has to find an alternative energy source, which it does by breaking down fat. The liver breaks down fat when the body is deprived of carbohydrates and this results in the production of ketones. When blood glucose and glycogen levels are low, the body has to find another source of energy and the liver provides this by breaking down fat.
Your body searches for an alternative energy source when you don't have enough glucose and the next best option is fat. The mitochondria in your liver turn dietary fats and stored fats into ketones, which can be used as fuel instead of glucose. Ketones are water-soluble and can enter the bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier, which supplies the brain with energy.
A ketogenic diet is a diet that helps you lose weight by forcing your body to burn stored fat.
Macronutrient Breakdown on the Ketogenic Diet
Eating fat is essential to the ketogenic diet because it enables your body to burn fat. Consuming too many carbs will cause your body to use glucose as its primary fuel source, rather than fat. Therefore, don't believe the myth that fat makes you fat!
But just how much fat should you eat? The ketogenic diet involves eating approximately:
- 70-75% of daily calories from fat
- 20-25% of daily calories from protein
- 5-10% of daily calories from carbohydrates.
Keto dieters should limit their carbohydrate intake to 25-50 grams per day and replace lost calories with fat and protein.
Foods You Can Eat On The Ketogenic Diet
The first thing we need to do is understand what a ketogenic diet is. A ketogenic diet is one that contains foods with a low carbohydrate content, high fat, and moderate protein. This type of diet forces the body to switch its energy source from sugars to fats.
Foods that help the body burn fat and stay in ketosis
Avocados
Avocados are a good source of healthy fats. They are rich in monounsaturated fats, folate, magnesium, and potassium. They also offer the body a better absorption of beta carotene and an increased supply of lutein and omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy, beneficial fats and nutrients can help you feel fuller between meals.
Foods with a low glycemic index, such as avocado, boost blood sugar levels slower than foods with a moderate or high GI index.
Avocados are a good source of dietary fiber and can help increase good cholesterol while lowering triglyceride levels.
Berries
Typically, fruits are too high in carbs to be eaten on a ketogenic diet, but berries are a great exception to this rule.
Berries, especially strawberries and raspberries, are a good source of fiber and are low in carbohydrates. Although blackberries and blueberries have fewer carbs than other fruits, they may not be suitable for stringent keto diets.
The antioxidants in these little fruits may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which can lead to illness.
Cheese
Cheese contains no carbohydrates and is abundant in saturated fat, making it an excellent choice for people following a ketogenic diet.
Cheese is high in saturated fat, so eating too much of it can increase your risk of heart disease. Try to limit yourself to one ounce of cheese per day.
The drink contains high levels of calcium, protein, and probiotics, making it a good choice for gut health.
Conjugated linoleic acid, which is found in cheese, has been linked to weight loss and improved body composition.
Eating cheese may help you keep your muscle mass as you age, and may also help reduce the amount of stamina you lose.
Some of the keto cheese you may eat on keto are:
- Camembert
- Blue cheese
- Cheddar
- Chevre
- Colby jack
- Brie
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Colby jack
- Feta
- Romano
- Mozzarella
- Goat cheese
Fresh Meat And Poultry
Poultry and fresh meat are zero carbs and are high in minerals and B vitamins. They also supply high-quality protein that might help you maintain muscle mass (12) on a very low-carb diet.
There are two types of meat that are staples in almost all keto recipes.
It is better to choose grass-fed beef instead of grain-fed meat because it contains more CLA and omega-3 fats.
Plain Greek Yogurt And Plain Yogurt
Both plain and Greek yogurt are high in protein and calcium, which have been shown to reduce hunger and promote feelings of fullness.
A high-fat content in yogurt may help you to feel fuller for a longer period of time. The ketogenic diet permits the use of other high-fat dairy products, such as heavy cream, for the same reason. This diet helps you lose weight by lessening carb cravings that can often lead to overeating and unhealthy snacking habits.
Plant-Based, Unsweetened Milk
There are several types of plant-based milk that are keto-friendly, such as soy milk, coconut milk, and almond milk.
Unsweetened plant-based milk is best for those on the keto diet since it contains fewer calories. Sweetened variants have too much sugar to be considered keto-friendly.
One should avoid oat milk for instance, because it is high in carbs and quite bland.
Seafood And Fatty Fish
There are many benefits to eating fish. Fish are high in protein and low in carbs and contain many essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, vitamin D, selenium, and potassium. Omega-3 fats found in sardines, salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, and other fatty fish have been shown to reduce blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
You should aim to eat at least two 3-ounce portions of fatty fish per week to get the most benefit from this group of keto foods. Fatty fish has been shown to be associated with a lower probability of chronic illness and enhanced psychological health.
Low-Carb Vegetables
Vegetables like leafy greens that are low in carbohydrates and calories are also high in nutrients like vitamin C and minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc. They also include antioxidants, which help protect cells from free radical damage.
The best vegetables to eat on a ketogenic diet are those with less than 8 grams of net carbs per cup. Net carbs are total carbs without fiber. Examples of veggies that fit this criteria are broccoli, white mushrooms, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, bell peppers, spinach, and cucumbers.
Seeds And Nuts
Both seeds and nuts are low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Studies have shown that consuming nuts on a regular basis may help to lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, depression, cancer, and other chronic disorders.
Keto foods that are high in fiber can help you to feel full and reduce the number of calories you eat.
The net carb content in nuts and seeds varies greatly, with almonds having the lowest net carbs.
The other kinds of nuts that are keto-friendly are:
- Pecans[27]: 109 grams contains 15 g carbs.
- Chia seeds: 100 grans contain 42 g carbs.
- Sesame seeds: 100 grams contain 23 g carbs.
- Macadamia nuts[28]: 100 grams contain 14 g carbs.
- Walnuts: 100 grams contain 14 g carbs.
- Hemp seeds: 3 tablespoons contain 1 g carbs.
- Pumpkin seeds: 100 grams contain 54 g carbs.
- Flaxseeds: 100 grams contain 29 g carbs.
Other Keto Foods To Eat Or Add On Food As A Topping
fatty meats, full-fat cheeses, butter, avocado, eggs, and low-carb vegetables. You are allowed to eat fatty meats, full-fat cheeses, butter, avocado, eggs, and low-carb vegetables on the keto diet.
- Unsweetened coffee.
- Eggs: 100 grams of boiled eggs contains 1.1g of carbs.
- Cocoa powder and dark chocolate include flavanols, which may minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease [31] by maintaining your arteries healthy and lowering blood pressure.
- Shirataki noodles are composed of glucomannan[32], a viscous fiber. This fiber produces a gel, which slows the passage of food through the digestive system tract. This may lead to weight loss and better diabetic control by reducing hunger and blood sugar surges.
List Of Foods You Can’t Eat On The Keto Diet
There are certain foods you should avoid while on a ketogenic diet, as they can raise your carb intake too high.
Sugary Foods
On the list of sugary foods, we have sodas, juices, dried fruits, sweetened yogurt, and more that we shall briefly highlight in this section:
Sugary Sodas and Juices
Sodas and some juices are sugary liquids that contain a lot of calories that do not provide any nutritional value. These drinks can hinder weight loss.
For example, one beverage can quickly push you over the threshold based on your daily carb intake.
Research on the long-term health implications of sugary drinks is inconclusive, but one serving probably won't cause any harm. However, drinking sugary beverages can take you out of ketosis.
You can stay hydrated and lower your carb intake by drinking sparkling water or distilled water flavored with lemons, cucumbers, or fresh orange juice.
Dried Fruits
A fruit's entire composition is sugar once all the water diluting it is gone through the drying process. Although various types of dried fruits like dates and raisins offer multiple health benefits, they are not ideal to eat on a keto diet.
One date that has about 7 grams of carbohydrates contains around 5 grams of carbs. A pitted Medjool date has a carb content of 18 total grams minus 2 grams of fiber. However, if you want some equally tasty treats for your sweet tooth, consider strawberries or raspberries if you’re on a weight loss journey on a keto diet.
Sweetened and Low-Fat Dairy
One large egg contains just 0.4 grams of carbs.[36] Sweetened dairy products like sugary yogurt and milk can ruin keto diets. Each cup of whole milk contains 11 grams of carbohydrates. One large egg only has 0.4 grams of carbs.
Although you shouldn't have too many glasses of unsweetened almond milk, it is a better keto-friendly alternative to whole milk. It only has 3 grams of carbs per glass.
The keto diet generally recommends avoiding low-fat dairy products because they usually have higher sugar content.
Choose dairy products that are high in fat for a ketogenic diet.
Sugary Condiments
You should not consume sugary condiments like honey and maple syrup when on keto because they are essentially made up of sugar, carbs, and calories, which would compromise your ketogenic diet.
For instance, honey contains 17 grams of carbs per tablespoon, while maple syrup contains 20 grams of carbs per tablespoon.
Adding things like antioxidants and other micronutrients to your diet can help you stay healthy, but they can also increase your blood sugar levels and cause you to lose ketosis.
Condiments Such As Ketchup, Barbeque Sauce, And Others
Sugar-laden seasonings such as barbecue sauce, ketchup, and sweet chili sauce do not have many nutritional or health benefits.
The amount of carbohydrates in each 9-gram packet of these condiments can vary from 3 to 4 grams, depending on the specific type. For example, a 35-gram serving of sweet chili sauce contains 15 grams of carbohydrates.
There are some options that are not as high in carbs, but they can be tempting to eat a lot of. If you eat more than a small amount, it could ruin your keto diet foods.
You can avoid increased carb intake by using hot vinegar-based condiments like Tabasco. This will add more spice to your meal without adding carbs.
You can also use fat-rich mayonnaise and whole-grain dijon, but make sure to check the label for the carb count.
Starchy Vegetables And Potatoes
White and sweet potatoes are high in potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber, but they are also high in carbohydrates, so they should be avoided on the keto diet.
You should avoid corn and peas because they are starchy vegetables. However, you may be able to include small quantities of carrots and beets if they fit into your daily carb allotment.
If you want to include starchy vegetables in your keto diet, grate them gently into a salad or bowl instead of having them as the main course.
Other Non-Keto Friendly Foods
Here are other foods you should avoid when on a keto diet:
- Legumes like kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
- Processed meats with unhealthy fats.
- Grains like quinoa, millet, rice, wheat, and oats.
- Milk and white chocolate.
- Alcohol.
- Sweets.
- Most fruits.
- Bread, cereal, pasta, popcorn, and other starchy foods.
Conclusion
To lose weight quickly, you may be willing to do anything, including going on the keto diet. Now that you know what to eat and avoid while on the diet, you can stick to it more easily.
To promote ketosis, include foods that cause the body to transition to fat-burning mode spontaneously. Also, avoid meals that could jeopardize your diet.
It's important to be cautious when following any diet, including the ketogenic diet. Before starting any diet, it's a good idea to speak with a dietitian or medical practitioner to make sure the diet is right for you and to create a healthy meal plan. This is especially important with the ketogenic diet, as it can cause nutritional deficiencies and other problems such as the keto flu.
If you’re going to do it, do it correctly.
