FOODS TO EAT ON A KETO DIET
When it comes to deciding what to eat on the keto diet, the rules are pretty simple. Eat mostly healthy fats (about 75% of your daily calories should come from fats), moderate protein intake (about 20%) and minimal carbs (no more than 5%). Choose lower carb foods such as grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, eggs, leafy vegetables, and high-quality fats. Some of these foods include:
- Fats: Avocado oil, cacao butter, coconut butter, cod liver oil, grass-fed butter, grass-fed ghee, MCT oil, bacon fat, egg yolk, lard, marrow and tallow, sunflower lecithin, coconut oil.
- Protein: Dark meats, sugar-free jerky, eggs, fish, gelatin, organ meats, pork, shellfish, chicken, turkey, wild-caught fish, and whey protein concentrate.
- Vegetables: Asparagus, avocado, butter greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, chard, collards, cucumbers, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, radish, spinach, summer squash, zucchini.
- Dairy: Grass-fed butter, grass-fed ghee, cheese (depending on the type).
- Beverages: Water, water with lemon, coffee, variety of different teas, carbonated water, non-dairy milk, bone broth, certain kombucha, coconut water, certain smoothies.
FOODS TO AVOID ON THE KETO DIET
Avoiding certain foods might be tricky when first starting the ketogenic diet, but not impossible. Make sure you pay attention to the number of carbs you’re eating as you could easily throw off your progress and get kicked out of a ketogenic state. Some foods you should avoid on keto include:
- Grains: Wheat, barley, oats, rice, quinoa, sorghum. All of it. You do not want grains.
- Beans: Kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, black-eyed peas.
- Fruits: Believe it or not, fruit is on the list. This includes high-carb fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, papaya, mangoes, and grapes.
- Starchy vegetables: Corn, carrots, parsnips, peas, and yams.
- Sugars: Maple syrup, cane sugar, agave, and honey.
- Beverages: Soda, juices, sports drinks, high-sugar coffee drinks, beer, and other high-sugar alcoholic drinks.
Now that you know the dos and don’ts of what to eat on the ketogenic diet, what does a keto meal plan look like?
A SAMPLE KETO MEAL PLAN
If you’re looking for an example of a keto meal plan, you’re in luck. Try this sample keto meal plan for 5 days listed below:
Monday
- Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, kale.
- Lunch: Bell peppers stuffed with ground beef and extra virgin olive oil.
- Dinner: Salmon with asparagus and broccoli.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Egg and goat cheese omelet.
- Lunch: Kale salad with chicken and avocado oil dressing.
- Dinner: Meatballs made with ground beef and cheese.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Eggs and avocado.
- Lunch: Ground turkey meatballs with feta cheese and broccoli.
- Dinner: Pork chops with blue cheese and a small side salad.
Thursday
- Breakfast: Veggie omelet.
- Lunch: Shrimp salad with extra virgin olive oil.
- Dinner: Salmon with broccoli and kale.
Friday
- Breakfast: A ketogenic milkshake (unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop of whey protein concentrate, 1 tablespoon of MCT oil).
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and goat cheese.
- Dinner: Bun-less burger with bacon, egg, and avocado.
SNACK OPTIONS
We covered the meal plan, but what about things to munch on? After all, that’s where most people struggle to lose weight.
Snack on these healthy food items to decrease your waistline and improve your health markers:
- Chomps meat sticks
- A hard-boiled egg or two
- A piece of cheese
- A piece of meat
- A handful of nuts
- Greek yogurt
- Berries and whipped cream
- Cooked bacon bites
- Salami bites
- Coconut chips
- Parmesan crisps
- Pork rinds
- Dark chocolate (85% or more)
Needless to say, you can still have quite a variety of foods in your keto diet without ever feeling bored or deprived.
