What Keto Foods can I eat?
People are always questioning, what are you eating on Keto, I could not do it as its so limiting
So here is a list that I have put collected based on my research and I am sure I have missed a few things as well
Red meat, poultry, pork, and seafood are all great for a ketogenic diet.
| Red meat, poultry, pork, and seafood are all great for a ketogenic diet | |
| Alligator | Kangaroo |
| Bacon | Kielbasa |
| Bear | Lamb Chops |
| Beef | Lamb rack |
| Beef Jerky (watch the sugar counts on these) | Lobster |
| Bison | Mussel |
| Bison Jerky | New York Steak |
| Bison Ribeye | Ostrich |
| Bison Sirloin | Oyster |
| Bison Steaks | Pheasant |
| Boar | Pork |
| Chicken Breast | Pork Chops |
| Chicken Leg | Poultry |
| Chicken Thigh | Quail |
| Chicken Wings | Rabbit |
| Chuck Steak | Rattlesnake |
| Clams | Reindeer |
| Crab | Salmon |
| Duck | Sausage |
| Eggs (chicken, duck, goose) | Scallop |
| Elk | Shrimp |
| Emu | Spam |
| Goat | Steak |
| Goose | Trout |
| Ground Beef | Turkey |
| Ground lamb | Turtle |
| Ham | Veal |
| Hot dogs | Venison Steaks |
Use caution:
Breaded Meats or Breadcrumbs and batter often have flour and other carb-loaded ingredients.
Cured Meats have sugars and honey are the main ingredients used to cure meat… watch the carb as they add up quickly.
Glazes are packed with sugar and a lot of traditional sauces use cornstarch or flour as thickening agents. So lots carbs!
Processed meats have starchy fillers added to stretch the product. If it’s not all meat, there are maybe hidden carbs.
Vegetables
Vegetables are great on a ketogenic diet, but they can be a little tricky sometimes. As a rule of thumb, if it’s green and leafy its good. If it’s starchy, it’s best to avoid it when you’re first starting out.
Keto is a low carb diet, but it’s not necessarily a NO carb diet. While vegetables do have carbohydrates, a lot of that can be chalked up to fiber. Fiber is discounted when you calculate your “net” carbs, so you have more wiggle room to add in vegetables. They are a great source of vitamins and nutrients, so be sure to eat your veggies!
The veggies listed below are just a taste of low carb veggies.
| Alfalfa Sprout | Green Beans |
| Asparagus | Iceberg Lettuce |
| Artichoke | Jalapeno Pepper |
| Arugula | Jicama |
| Avocado | Kohlrabi |
| Banana Pepper | Mung Bean |
| Beet Greens | Mushroom |
| Bok Choy | Mustard Greens |
| Broccoli | Nori |
| Broccoli Rabe | Okra |
| Brussels Sprout | Radish |
| Butterhead Lettuce | Red Tomatoes |
| Cabbage | Romaine |
| Cauliflower | Rubarb |
| Celery | Rutabaga |
| Chard | Spaghetti Squash |
| Chayote | Spinach |
| Chicory Greens | Summer Squash |
| Collard Greens | Tomatillo |
| Cucumber | Turnip |
| Eggplant | Water Spinach |
| Endive | Yellow Tomatoes |
| Escarole | Zucchini |
Dairy
Dairy can be enjoyed on the keto diet! Butter, cheese, full fat yogurts and heavy cream When eating dairy, you will generally want to choose ingredients that have a lower amount of lactose. Lactose is a sugar that will spike your blood sugar. You will want to stay away from milk as its full of sugar! And of course, if you have lactose intolerance you should avoid dairy altogether.
Thoroughly inspect the ingredients list on the label. These products often have tons of added sugar or other starchy fillers to make them more palatable.
| Blue Cheese | Heavy Whipping Cream |
| Brie | Mozzarella Cheese |
| Butter | Parmesan Cheese |
| Cheddar Cheese | Provolone Cheese |
| Colby Jack Cheese | Ricotta |
| Cottage Cheese | Sour Cream |
| Cream Cheese | Swiss Cheese |
| Feta Cheese | Unsweetened Greek Yogurt |
| Goat Cheese | Unsweetened Plain Yogurt |
| Gouda |
A few people find that dairy stops their weight loss. So be very careful when you are first starting out to see if you have a problem with dairy.
Fats & Oils
Fats will become the source energy! This is a big change in the way we think. We have been brought up to eat low fat foods so it’s something most of us have a problem overcoming and fail because we don’t get enough fats.
Your macro goals on the keto diet will focus on eating minimal amounts of carbs, satisfactory amounts of protein (enough to maintain your lean mass), and the remaining of your nutritional requirements will be met with fat. This includes fat from your body and fat from your plate. If your goal is fat loss, the fat from your fat That’s the basis for carb manager or fitness pal and a few other apps!
| Animal Fats | Mayonnaise |
| Avocado Oil | Olive Oil |
| Butter | Palm Oil |
| Cocoa Butter | Peanut Oil |
| Coconut Oil | Pumpkin Seed Oil |
| Flaxseed Oil | Red Palm Oil |
| Ghee (clarified butter) | Sesame Oil |
| Hemp Oil | Tallow |
| Lard | Tea Seed Oil |
| Macadamia Oil | Walnut Oil |
Avoid vegetable oils, margarine, and trans fatty acids as they can be destructive to your health.
Beverages
You should try to stay with water and bone broths as much as you can.
While coffee, diet soda and alcohol are all low in carbs, caffeine and alcohol are known to make you dehydrated. If you choose to use these, it may be more challenging to stay hydrated or add electrolytes to your daily routine.
When you do choose to drink alcohol, beware that the keto diet significantly lowers your alcohol tolerance level so it takes a lot less to get tipsy. I find alcohol stalls my weight loss.
| Broth | Hard Alcohol |
| Club Soda | Herbal Tea |
| Coffee | Seltzer Water |
| Cream | Unsweetened Almond Milk |
| Diet Soda | Unsweetened Tea |
| Dry Wines | Water |
Fruits
Yes, you can have fruit on the keto diet. Fruit is unsurprisingly sweet and that means it has carbohydrates. If you eat fruit measure your intake
Just like vegetables, starchy fruits should be avoided.
Limited amounts of:
| Blackberries | Gooseberries |
| Blueberries | Loganberries |
| Boysenberries | Cantaloupe |
| Cherries | Honeydew Melon |
| Cranberries | Raspberries |
| Currants | Strawberries |
Stay away from FRUIT JUICE!
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are low in carbohydrates and can be a great addition to a keto. Be careful with your intake, as the carb count rapidly add up. You need to measure and track if you want to be effective with this life style.
I would recommend sticking to real foods and wait to venture into baked goods. Get yourself into ketosis and make sure your are well on your way to a keto life style.
| Almonds | Peanut Butter |
| Almond Butter | Pecans |
| Almond Flour | Pine Nuts |
| Almond Meal | Pistachios |
| Brazil Nuts | Pumpkin Seeds |
| Cashews | Sesame Seeds |
| Cashew Butter | Soy Nuts |
| Coconut | Soy Nut Butter |
| Coconut Flour | Sunflower Seeds |
| Hazelnuts | Sunflower Seed Butter |
| Hemp Hearts | Sunflower Seed Flour |
| Macadamias | Tahini |
| Macadamia Butter | Walnuts |
| Peanuts |
Last thoughts
Try to stay with real foods and keep away from the keto snacks and sweets. Learn to read the labels stay away from foods that have lot of ingredients on the labels.
Learn to cook off the list above and stay away from processed foods. Nature intended your bodies to eat wholesome foods and not chemically process foods.
Make sure you get a tracker that is easy to use and helps you understand the foods you are eating. Most people will use a track and stay under 20 carbs (Total or net).
