What to Eat on A Ketogenic Diet?

It is crucial to eat essential food items when you are following the Keto Diet.

This diet allows a persona to have only 20 to 50 grams of carbs each day.

It is indeed, a challenge. However, many nutritious food items are easy to fit into such kind of eating process.

The following are the 16 healthy foods that are recommended to eat on a keto diet routine.

Disclaimer: This article is just a personal assistance with efforts on my part, to help you in this regard, so please consult your doctor before proceeding with anything. Thank you

1. Sea Food

Fish and shellfish are considered as a Keto-friendly food item.

We must know many other fishes and Salmon have an extensive amount of vitamins B, potassium, and selenium. Besides, these all fishes are carb-free. However, there are different types of carbs in another kind of shellfish, but they all are considered as an essential food item.

Shrimp has explicitly no carbs in it. We can include these shellfish as our essential food for our keto diet.

Some popular types of shellfish have the following amount of carb counts for 100-grams serving:

• Clams: 5 grams
• Octopus: 4 grams
• Squid: 3 grams
• Mussels: 7 grams
• Oysters: 4 grams

There are many fishes which have omega-3 fats like Salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish are also included in this.

All these mentioned fishes have lower insulin levels, which is great for the keto diet.

They also increase insulin sensitivity, especially for those people who are overweight and obese.

 If your intake of fish is frequent, then it will decrease the risk of any disease and, importantly, improved mental health.

It is highly essential to consume at least and only two servings of seafood weekly.

Note:  Take account of these carbs when you are trying to shed weight and to maintain it.

2. Low-Carb Vegetables

We all know that Non-starchy vegetables have fewer calories, and they are low in carbs. However, all non-starchy vegetables are high in lots of nutrients, which includes a tremendous amount of vitamin C and minerals.

There are many vegetables and other plants which have a lot of fiber.

Your body does not digest and absorb these vegetables. The critical point is to look at the digestible carb count to make sure which vegetable suits your body.

Many of the vegetables comprise of few net carbs.

To fulfill your carb limit in one meal, then it is suggested to consume one serving of “starchy” vegetables.

You can have potatoes, yams, frozen green beans / asparagus, and beets.

For non-starchy vegetables, the digestible carb count has a range from less than 1 gram. This one gram is primarily for 1 cup of raw spinach.  For 8 grams it is for one leveled cup of cooked Brussels sprouts.

There are many antioxidants in the vegetables which help in protecting against free radicals. Because of these unstable molecules, your cell can damage.

 Cruciferous vegetables, which include kale, broccoli, and cauliflower, have a strong link to decreasing cancer and low risk of heart disease.

Frozen green beans / asparagus are also great for the keto diet.

If you will include low carb vegetable sin your meal, then there is no need to take high-carb food. By the amalgamation of zucchini and spaghetti squash, you can make “Zoodles.” Besides, you can use cauliflower to mimic rice or even mashed potatoes.

Note: The formula for carb count is total carbs minus fiber.

3. Cheese

It is crucial to include nutritious eating while on a keto diet.

The Cheese is explicitly both healthy and incredibly delicious.

Luckily, almost all of them are low-carbs and, unfortunately, high in fat. However, the story begins here as it makes Cheese a great fit only for a ketogenic diet.

Nutritious eating allows you to have an intake of high fat to lose weight.

Cheese is considered high eating in saturated fat, but studies have claimed that it is a food item that helps in increasing the risk of heart disease. However, there have been researches that include the protection against an eating disorder by consuming Cheese.

As a nutritious eating item, Cheese has conjugated linoleic acid.

It is a kind of fat which has a relation with fat loss and with improves body composition. 

If you eat Cheese regularly, it may help to reduce the loss of your muscle mass. In fact, you will your muscle getting more muscular strength.

After an intense study of a 12-week study, it has been confirmed that when an older adult consumes 7 ounces of ricotta cheese each day, it will help in strengthening the muscle mass.

Note: If you take one ounce, which is 28 grams of cheddar cheese, it will only consider as one gram of carbs and seven grams of protein.

4. Avocados

Avocados are considered a healthy food item. For the calculation part, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of Avocado contains nine grams of carbs. You can also take one-half of a medium avocado.

The net carb count of these fibers is only two grams.

 Avocados also help in improving the cholesterol level of the body.

Research claims that people who consume avocados they usually experienced a decrement of bad LDL Cholesterol.

5. Meat and Poultry

Meat and poultry are stapled food items when on a ketogenic diet.

Fresh meat and poultry especially contain no carbs in it. However, they are rich in vitamins-B and minerals like potassium, selenium, and zinc.

It is also an excellent source for high-quality protein, and it is great for a low-carb diet.

Older women who consume a diet of high in fatty meat leads to fewer cholesterol levels that were once high.

6. Eggs

Eggs are the healthiest and the most useful food item on the planet. If you will take one egg, then it means you have taken one gram of carbs and 6 grams of protein.

It is an ideal situation if you make eggs in your ketogenic lifestyle.

Eggs are also known as a trigger hormone, which helps you in feeling fulness, and they keep your blood sugar levels balanced.

It will lower your calories drastically. Do not leave egg yolk, but it is recommended to eat a full egg.

7. Coconut Oil

If you want to see the unique properties of the low carb food item, then start having coconut oil.it is a well-suited food item for a ketogenic diet.

MCTs have a direct link with the liver, and it converts into ketones, then it can be used as a source of energy.

You can use coconut oil to increase your ketone levels.

To promote a sustained level of ketosis, take coconut oil’s mix of MCTs with lauric acid.

Men who take two tablespoons of coconut oil daily might loose1 an inch.

8. Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese

If you want a high protein food in your meal, then start having cottage cheese and plain Greek yogurt. They are healthy food items that are a must in the keto diet.

They have carbs in it, but they have the right amount of carbs that you need in your ketogenic lifestyle.

If you will take 5 ounces of plain Greek yogurt in your meal, then it means you have the intake of 5 grams of carbs along with 11 grams of protein.

Both these food items may help in decreasing your appetite, and it promotes feelings of fullness in your stomach.

9. Olive Oil

If you need an impressive benefit, especially for your heart, then have Olive oil.

It is high in oleic acid, which has a monounsaturated fat that decreases heart disease risk. Also, extra-virgin olive oil is high in phenols.

Both these compounds also help in protecting your heart health by decreasing inflammation.

Olive oil has no carbs, which is why it is ideal for dressings and healthy mayonnaise.

10. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are incredibly healthy food items.

Yes, you cannot take too many nuts, but it does reduce the risk of heart disease, a particular type of cancer, deals with depression.

Both Nuts and seeds are high in fiber, and it will give you the feeling of fullness and helps in absorbing fewer calories.

The carb count (net) of seeds and nuts as low, but it does vary among the different types of seeds and nuts.

The following are carb counts for different types of nuts and seeds.

• Almonds – Three grams net carbs
• Brazil nuts – One-gram net carbs
• Cashews – Eight grams net carbs
• Two grams net carbs – Macadamia nuts
• Pecans – One-gram net carbs
• Pistachios – Five grams net carbs
• Walnuts – Two grams net carbs
• Chia seeds – One-gram net carbs
• Flaxseeds – Zero grams net carbs
• Pumpkin seeds – 4 grams net carbs
• Sesame seeds – 3 grams net carbs

11. Berries

If you eat a lot of berries while you on a diet, then you are on the right track.

Fruits are known as a high carbs food item, and to include them on a ketogenic diet will be helpful. However, berries are an exception fruit item as they are low in carb and they have high fiber in it.

Especially, raspberries and blackberries have a lot of fiber in it, and they are easily digestible carbs.

Yes, they are tiny fruits but loaded with many antioxidants in it that help in reducing inflammation.

 The following are the carb counts of some famous berries that help a lot in reducing weight.

• Blackberries – Five grams net carbs
• Blueberries – Twelve grams net carbs
• Raspberries – Six grams net carbs
• Strawberries – Six grams net carbs

12. Butter and Cream

Butter and cream both are good fats and to include on a ketogenic diet is an essential step to do.

Both have a certain amount of carbs in a single serving.

Many years back, both these food items were considered as a cause to increase the threat of heart disease.

The sole reason is their high saturated fat content. However, new studies have clarified our prejudice against butter and cream that, for most people, saturated fat has no with heart disease.

In fact, research shows that the moderate consumption of dairy products which have high-fat dairy may reduce the threat of heart attack.

Just like many other fatty dairy products, both these food items have rich qualities in conjugated linoleic acid.

13. Shirataki Noodles

Shirataki noodles consider as a beautiful addition in your ketogenic diet.

These noodles have less than one gram of carbs. They have only five calories in a single serving bowl because of the presence of water.

Shirataki noodles sprouts are made from a sticky fiber named as “Glucomannan.”

The sticky fiber helps in absorbing more than 50 times its weight, specifically in water.

The sticky fibers help in slowing down the food’s movement, which travels through your digestive tract because it forms a gel.

You will see the suppression of your hunger and helps in losing weight.

Shirataki noodles sprouts have a variety of shapes and work as a substituted for regular noodles.

14. Olives

What a life if you have to eat olives every day keeps you healthy.

Olives and olive oil are the same in terms of providing health benefits.

Oleuropein is the primary antioxidant that has been found in olives. It has an anti-inflammatory property, and it helps in protecting your cells from destruction.

Many studies assure that if you consume olives, it may help in preventing bone loss, and it also decreases your blood pressure.

The size of an olive matters a lot because it defines the carb.

One-ounce olives mean two grams of total carbs. Therefore, the net carb count of one gram means 7–10 olives, depending on their size.

15. Unsweetened Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea are known as healthy and carb-free drinks. Both have caffeine in it which helps in increasing the metabolism.

It helps in reducing the risk of diabetes and fresh up your mood instantly.

It is perfectly acceptable to add heavy cream in your coffee or tea. However, the alarming situation comes when you start drinking light coffee and tea lattes.

You can enjoy the perks of having unsweetened coffee and tea by adding it to your ketogenic diet.

16. Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder

The delicious source of antioxidants in dark chocolate and cocoa. 

People who consume cocoa must know that cocoa is known as “superfruit.”

It has antioxidants, which are also found in blueberries and acai berries.

Dark chocolate has many flavonols, which also helps in reducing the risk of heart disease. It also lowers the blood pressure and keeps your arteries healthy and fair.

The surprising fact of dark chocolate and cocoa powder is that they both are an essential part of the ketogenic diet. However, the crucial element is to choose the right amount of cocoa in dark chocolate.

It is crucial that your dark chocolate has a minimum of 70% cocoa solids and preferably more.

One ounce of unsweetened chocolate with 100% cocoa has three grams of net carbs count.