If you are confused about Keto Foods, then don’t worry.
We have a list of foods you can add to your diet.
The ketogenic diet is an increasingly popular diet that owes largely to its potential benefits for both weight loss and sugar control.
Moreover, evidence suggests that this low-carb, high-fat diet can also help treat health issues.
These include certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions.
Still, higher-quality research can help determine the long-term safety and effectiveness of this diet.
Keto diet limits carbs to 20 to 50 grams per day.
While some people on the keto diet count their total carb intake, others count net carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber.
This is because fiber is indigestible, so your body is not able to break it down and absorb it.
While you may find this diet challenge, it allows for many nutritious foods.
Keep on reading to learn more about keto foods.
1# Sea Food
Fish and shellfish are keto-friendly. You can use salmon and other fish.
These are not only carb-free but also rich in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium.
However, the carb count in shellfish varies in by type.
While shrimp and most crabs do not contain carbs, oysters and octopuses do.
Moreover, you can still eat these foods on a keto diet but it is important to carefully track these carbs within your range.
Additionally, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
These are associated with lower insulin levels and increased insulin sensitivity in people with overweight and obesity.
Frequent fish intake is linked to improved brain health and a decrease in the risk of disease.
According to the American Heart Association, eating 1 to 2 seafood meals per day is enough for your overall health.
2# Meat and Poultry
Both meat and poultry are staple foods on a keto diet.
Fresh meat and poultry contain no carbs and are rich in B vitamins and other important minerals.
Moreover, they are also a rich source of high-quality protein and can help preserve muscle mass during a very low-carb diet.
According to a study, a diet high in fatty meals leads to 8% higher levels of HDL, good cholesterol than a low fat, high carb diet.
It may be best to choose a grass-fed meal, if possible.
It is because it has more omega 3 acids and conjugated linoleic acid, CLA than meat that comes from grain-fed animals.
3# Eggs
Eggs are extremely healthy proteins sources.
As each egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and about 6 grams of protein, eggs are ideal while on keto.
Moreover, studies indicate that eggs help to trigger hormones that increase the feelings of fullness.
It is important to eat while eggs rather than eating egg white, as most of the nutrients in eggs are found in the yolk.
Furthermore, this includes the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect eye health.
Though egg yolks are high in cholesterol, they do not appear to increase your risk of heart disease.
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4# Cheese
There are hundreds of types of cheese, and most of them are very low in carbs, and high in fat, thus making them a great fit for a keto diet.
1 ounce of 28 grams of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and a good amount of calcium.
Moreover, cheese is high in saturated fat, however, it has not been shown to increase your risk of heart disease.
In fact, some studies indicate that it can help protect against this condition.
Furthermore, cheese also contains CLA, which helps in fat loss and improvements in body consumption, according to studies.
Additionally, eating cheese regularly can help reduce the loss of muscle mass and the strength that occurs with aging.
According to a 12-week study in older adults, eating 7 ounces or 210 grams of ricotta per day can help experience less loss of mass and muscle strength than those who don’t consume this amount.
The Keto cheese list includes blue cheese, brie, camembert, cheddar, chevre, Colby jack, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, and goat cheese.
Other types of keto cheese are:
- halloumi
- havarti
- limburger
- manchego
- mascarpone
- mozzarella
- muenster
- parmesan
- pepper jack
- provolone
- romano
- string cheese
- Swiss cheese
5# Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
Both plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are healthy, high protein fats.
While they contain some carbs, you can also eat them in moderation while on keto.
Both yogurt and cottage cheese can help to decrease appetite and promote the feeling of fullness, according to studies.
Either one makes a tasty snack on its own.
However, you can combine them with chopped nuts, cinnamon, or other spices to make a quick keto treat.
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6# Cream and half-and-half
The cream comprises the fatty portion of fresh milk, that separates out during milk processing.
While half-and-half is made of 50% cream and 50% whole milk.
Both of these dairy products are low in carbs and high in fat, thus making them ideal for keto.
For many years, butter and cream were believed to cause heart disease.
This is due to the high saturated fat content.
However, different large studies indicate that such fat is not linked to heart disease for most people.
In fact, some studies indicate that moderate intake of high-fat dairy can help to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Like other fatty dairy products, butter and cream are rich in CLA which helps promote fat loss
Furthermore, they are popular choices for adding to coffee or using as keto alternatives to small amounts of milk in cooking.
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7# Unsweetened plant-based milk
A number of varieties of plant-based milk are keto-friendly, including soy, almond, and coconut milk.
However, make sure to choose unsweetened versions as sweetened options have too much sugar to consider them appropriate.
Additionally, you should avoid oral milk as even unsweetened ones contain high carbs to be keto-friendly.
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8# Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are extremely low in carbs, thus making them excellent for keto.
They are also rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Moreover, dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard green contain vitamin K and iron.
These add bulk to your meals without increasing the carb count drastically.
Furthermore, herbs like oregano and rosemary add ample flavor with almost no carbs.
The following are some keto-friendly leafy green:
Salad Greens: lettuce, baby spinach, arugula, escarole, and frisee.
Cooking Greens: bok choy, collard green, mustard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and cabbage
Herbs: thyme, sage, mint, oregano, dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, and lemongrass.
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9# Peppers and Summer Squash
A number of varieties of peppers exist, and all of them are good for keto foods.
While technically, they are fruits, you can treat them like vegetables in cooking.
Moreover, small hot peppers add spice to recipes and jalapenos are ideal for making keto-friendly appetizers.
You can use larger, mild peppers like bell peppers and poblanos in a variety of dishes or stuff them to make flavorful low-carb main dishes.
Peppers are also rich in vitamin C.
For instance, one bell pepper provides 107% of the Daily Value for vitamin C.
On the other hand, summer squashes like yellow squash and zucchini are extremely versatile and low in carbs.
In fact, zucchini is very popular as keto food.
Using a spiralizer, you can make zucchini noodles, which are an excellent substitute for pasta or noodles.
Moreover, you can grate zucchini to make rice alternative or add it to baking gods without affecting the flavor.
10# High fat and Non-starch veggies
Avocadoes and olives, though fruits are unique among vegetables, as high in fats.
Moreover, they also contain fiber and are low in net carbs.
Oleuropein, the main antioxidant in olives has anti-inflammatory properties and can help protect your cells from damage.
According to a study, people who eat one avocado per day experienced improvements in heart health risk factors.
These include lower levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol.
On the other hand, different nonstarchy vegetables are low in calories and carbs, yet full of nutrients and antioxidants.
Moreover, low-carb veggies make great substitutes for high-carb foods.
For example, you can easily turn cauliflower into cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower.
The Keto vegetable list includes asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, green beans, eggplant, and tomatoes.
Furthermore, spaghetti squash, jicama, radishes, turnips, Brussels sprouts, celery, and okra are good keto foods.
However, avoid potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, winter squashes like acorn squash, butternut squash, corn, and beets.
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11# Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are keto foods, both of which are healthy, high in fat, and low in carbs.
Moreover, frequent intake of them helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, depression, and other chronic diseases.
Furthermore, nuts and seeds are high in fiber which helps to feel full and naturally lower your calorie intake.
Though most nuts and seeds are low in net carbs, the amount varies widely by type.
The lowest in carbs, however, the best on keto are:
- almonds
- macadamia nuts
- pecans
- walnuts
- chia seeds
- flaxseeds
12# Berries
Most fruits are too high in carbs to consume on a keto diet, however, berries are an exception.
Berries, particularly raspberries and strawberries are low in carbs and high in fiber.
Moreover, berries and blueberries are low in carbs than other fruits, and they may not fit into strict keto diets.
It is important to note that these tiny fruits contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and help protect against diseases.
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13# Shirataki Noodles
These are a great addition to a keto diet.
They contain less than 1 gram of net carbs and only 15 calories per serving as they are mostly water.
These noodles are made from a viscous fiber: glucomannan which offers a number of potential health benefits.
Moreover, viscous fiber forms a gel that slows down the movement of food through your digestive tract.
This in turn can help decrease hunger and blood sugar spikes that can aid in weight loss and diabetes management.
Furthermore, shirataki noodles cone in a number of shapes.
These include rice, fettuccine, and linguine.
You can swap them for regular noodles in almost all recipes.
14# Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder
Both dark chocolate and cocoa are delicious sources of antioxidants.
Dark chocolate contains flavanols that can help to reduce your risk of heart disease.
It does so by lowering blood pressure and keeping your arteries healthy.
Surprisingly, you can eat dark chocolate as keto food.
However, it is important to choose dark chocolate that contains a minimum of 70% of cocoa solids, preferably more, and eat it in moderation.
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15# Olive Oil
Olive oil contains impressive benefits for your heart.
It is high in oleic acid, a monosaturated fat that helps to decrease heart disease risk factors, according to studies.
Additionally, extra virgin olive oil is high in polyphenol antioxidants.
It is a plant compound that further protects your heart health by decreasing inflammation and improving artery function.
As a pure fat source, olive oil contains no carbs and is an ideal base for salad dressings and healthy mayonnaise.
As olive oil is not as stable at high temperatures as saturated fats, it is best to use it for low heat cooking or add it to dishes after cooking them.
Some other excellent plant-based oils for keto foods are coconut oil and avocado oil.
16# Butter and Ghee
Both butter and ghee are good fats to include in a keto diet.
Butter only contains trace amounts of carbs, while ghee is totally carb-free.
Ghee is clarified butter that you can make by heating butter and removing the milk solids that rise on the top.
Moreover, it has a concentrated buttery taste and is commonly used in Indian cooking.
Like other types of full-fat dairy, butter and ghee do not appear to be as harmful as previously thought.
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17# Unsweetened Coffee and Tea
Both coffee and tea are healthy, carb-free drinks.
These two contain caffeine, which helps increase your metabolism and can also help to improve your physical performance, alertness, and mood.
Moreover, coffee and tea drinkers show a significant reduction in the risk of diabetes.
In fact, those with the highest coffee intake have the lowest risk according to studies.
Adding heavy cream to coffee or tea is fine.
However, you will need to avoid “light” coffee and tea lattes while on keto.
This is because they contain nonfat milk and high-carb flavorings.
18# Unsweetened Sparkling Water
If you are looking for a keto-friendly alternative to soda, then you can use unsweetened sparkling water which is a great keto food.
These beverages are refreshingly fizzy and may contain flavor.
However, they are often free of sugar or sweeteners.
For this reason, they have no calories or carbs.
Make sure, however, that some varieties are flavored naturally with small amounts of fruit juice and these may contain carbs.
Make sure to check the label, as extra carbs can add up quickly.
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Final Thoughts
A Keto diet can help you to lose weight, maintain blood sugar levels, and achieve other health goals. However, it’s low-carb, the high-fat approach may seem overly restrictive, especially at first.
Nevertheless, this eating pattern accommodates a wide variety of nutritious, tasty, and versatile foods that let you stay within your daily carb range.
Moreover, to reap all the health benefits of a keto diet, it is best to eat a wide variety of the above foods.