At first glance, being on a keto diet seems easy enough; you’re cutting your carbs and replacing them with more fat. But the keto diet is more complicated than that and making sure you are eating the right food and getting proper nutrition can be a lot harder than you think. With the keto diet, you’re typically cutting your carbs to being only 5% of your overall food intake in a day. That can be a lot harder than you think. Besides that, you want to make sure the fats you are choosing to fuel yourself with are the right ones. Here is a list of all the foods to eat on a keto diet.
What to Eat On A Keto Diet – Foods to Eat On A Keto Diet
Fish and Seafood
Fish is not only a great source of protein, but it is also rich in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium. Most fish are carb-free and fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, albacore tuna, plus others all boast a high level of omega-3 fats.
Low-Carb Veggies
Believe it or not, some vegetables can carry a lot of carbs. You want to make sure to stick to veggies that are nonstarchy and are low in calories. Finding veggies that are high in vitamin C and minerals will help you during the keto diet. Try out vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, and spinach.
Cheese – Foods to Eat On A Keto
Cheese should be one of your go-to items on a keto diet, mainly because it contains zero carbohydrates. Cheese is rich in protein and calcium, and it gives you 30% of your daily value for saturated fat with just 1 ounce.
Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
Yogurt and cottage cheese are high in protein and have a lot of calcium. Both offer a low amount of carbs with a high protein playoff, plus studies show that both calcium and protein can reduce appetite and promote fullness. High-fat yogurts and cottage cheese will help you feel full longer, helping your body in the keto diet.
Meat and Poultry
Lean meat is a staple for the keto diet. Fresh meat and poultry will contain no carbs and are rich in B vitamins and minerals like potassium, selenium, and zinc. Make sure to limit the number of processed meats you eat, like bacon and sausage, because they can be bad for your heart.
Eggs – Foods to Eat On A Keto
Eggs offer a great source of B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and protein. Eggs can help lower your blood sugar and contain antioxidants that help with your eye health.
What Not To Eat on the Keto Diet – Foods to Eat On A Keto Diet
With the good always comes the bad. On the keto diet, there is an extensive list of foods you cannot consume.
Starchy Vegetables and High-Sugar Fruits
Fruits like banana, raisins, dates, mangos, and pears are all high in carbs and could spike your blood sugar. Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beets are also high in carbs and should be limited on a keto diet.
Juices
Fruit juices are filled with sugar and fast-digesting carbohydrates. It is best to stick to water when on the keto diet.
Chips and Crackers – Foods to Eat On A Keto
Snacks like chips, cracks, and other process grains are high in carbs and low in fiber.
Gluten-Free Baked Goods
Gluten-free might sound good and healthy, but that doesn’t mean it is carb-free. Many gluten-free snacks have a high amount of carbs in it than a traditional baked good.
Sweetened Yogurts – Foods to Eat On A Keto
When reaching for yogurt, make sure it is plain yogurt that doesn’t have any added sugar to it. Greek yogurt is always your best choice since it is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates.
Honey or Syrups
Although honey, syrup, and other forms of liquid sugar might seem okay, they are restricted on a keto diet. Usually, these items are low in nutrients and not made for a keto-based diet.
Grains – Foods to Eat On A Keto
Probably one of the hardest foods to avoid is grains. Items like cereal, crackers, rice, pasta, bread, and beer are all high in carbohydrates. Pasta that is whole-wheat and new bean-based pasta still are too high for a keto diet. Consider a healthier option by spiralizing veggies or using shirataki noodles.
A keto diet might be hard to get into at first, but as long as your find amazing recipes to cook with and surround yourself with the right food, you can be successful on a keto diet.
