Have you ever wondered what fits into a ketogenic diet and what doesn't?
It's very important to be clear about what foods to eat before starting the diet and how to incorporate more fats into your meals. Here are some guidelines.
Proteins
The ketogenic diet is not high in protein (it focuses on fat), so all proteins should be consumed in moderation: Grass-fed beef
Fish, especially fatty fish, such as salmon
Dark meat chicken
Occasionally: Bacon
Low-fat proteins, such as skinless chicken breast and shrimp. These are great to include in your keto diet, but add a sauce on top for a little extra fat instead of eating them plain.
Never: Sausages with added sugar (read the label!)
Meat marinated in sugary sauces
Chicken or fish nuggets
Oil and grease
Free: Avocado oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Butter
Heavy cream
Occasionally limit your consumption of these oils (avoid packaged foods), where they are often found:
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Corn oil
Never: Margarine
Artificial trans fats
What fruit can I eat on keto?
Fruit in general is high in carbohydrates. You'll be happy to know that certain types of fruit are allowed on the keto diet when consumed in moderation. Fruits you can eat include avocados, blackberries, raspberries, and lemons. The trick is to aim for a low net carb count, which you can calculate by subtracting fiber from your total carbs.
Fruits and vegetables
Free: Avocado
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and arugula
Celery
Asparagus
Occasionally, (These are great options, but you'll need to count the carbs): Leeks
Spaghetti squash
Eggplant
Never: Potatoes
Corn
Raisins
Nuts and seeds
Free: Nuts
Almonds
Flax and chia seeds
Occasionally: Sugar-free nut butters (almond or peanut butter)
Cashews
Pistachios
Never: Mixes of nuts with dried fruits
Sweetened nut or seed butters
Chocolate covered nuts
Milk products
Free: Cheddar cheese
Blue cheese
Feta cheese
Occasionally: Full-fat cottage cheese
Fat-free natural Greek yogurt
Full-fat ricotta cheese
Never: Milk
Fat-free sweetened yogurt
Frozen
Sweeteners
Free: None. Always be moderate with sweeteners.
Occasionally: Stevia
Erythritol
Xylitol
Never: Agave
Maple syrup
White and brown sugars
Condiments and Sauces
Free: Guacamole
Lemon Butter Sauce
Mayonnaise (make sure it has no added sugar)
Occasionally: Raw garlic
Tomato sauce (look for ones without added sugar)
Balsamic vinegar
Never: Barbecue sauce
Ketchup
Honey mustard
Drinks
Free: Water
Almond milk
Bone broth
Plain tea
Occasionally: Black coffee (be careful with caffeine consumption)
Sugar-free carbonated water (limit it only if the bubbles make you bloated)
Diet soda
Calorie-free drinks
Never: soda
Fruit juice
Lemonade
Herbs and spices
Free: All herbs and spices fit into the ketogenic diet, but if you use large quantities, we recommend counting carbs.
Salt (salty foods to taste)
Pepper
Thyme, oregano, paprika and cayenne
These are good options from time to time, but they do contain some carbohydrates: Ground ginger
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Never: No herbs or spices are prohibited; they are generally allowed to be used in small amounts to add flavor to foods.
Supplements
It is recommended to take: Fiber
Multivitamin
MCT oil
Exogenous ketones
