Healthy fats on keto are vital to staying full, reducing inflammation and providing essential nutrition. Use healthy fats sparingly in moderation in order to avoid weight gain.
Try cooking with ghee, a butter-based condiment which contains high levels of butyrate – an short-chain fatty acid which improves gut health – or eating salmon or tuna for their heart-protective omega-3 fats.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an excellent fat source on a ketogenic diet. With no net carbs and high concentration of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), this nutrient-rich source quickly converts to energy for energy production, fuelling brain functions while simultaneously relieving inflammation. Plus it’s abundant with Vitamin E for even further antioxidant benefits!
Coconut oil contains saturated fats that may raise concerns for heart disease risk; however, recent research indicates that saturated fats may not be as harmful as previously believed – in fact a Cochrane review found that coconut oil and other saturated fats could even lower cholesterol levels among people with Type 2 diabetes!
Coconut oil’s low carb count makes it easy to incorporate into any keto diet plan, while its MCTs can quickly be digested by your body – keeping blood sugar and insulin levels under control and helping you remain in ketosis.
Coconut oil contains MCTs that are broken down to produce ketones, helping you burn more calories and shed pounds faster. They may also increase energy and mental clarity while possibly protecting against Alzheimer’s disease – in one small study participants who regularly consumed coconut oil experienced significantly less anxiety and depression than those who hadn’t.
Coconut oil was also shown to alleviate symptoms of primary nocturnal enuresis, or frequent night urination, through massaging the genitalia with coconut oil before bedtime. A comprehensive study on this matter was published by PLoS One journal in 2022.
Butter
Butter is a healthy high-fat food that is Keto-friendly, packed full of essential vitamins and minerals that will support gut health. Containing zero carbs, it is ideal for use in various meals as a source of butyrate – an short-chain fatty acid known to promote digestive wellbeing – along with fat-soluble vitamins like protein, zinc potassium sodium. Butter makes an excellent option for helping new dieters meet their daily macros!
As many are fearful of fat consumption for fear it will clog their arteries, the Keto diet utilizes healthy fats as fuel and these fats play a critical role in supporting good brain function, protecting heart health and reducing inflammation. Therefore, understanding which types of fats are good or bad is vital to making informed choices when selecting food to consume.
One of the best choices for a keto diet is grass-fed butter, which offers numerous health advantages over margarine. Margarine is made from animal milk fat but processed with harmful additives and contains trans fats; while grass-fed butter boasts higher nutrient profiles with more essential omega-3 fatty acids that promote heart health.
Salted and unsalted butter are both appropriate choices for a keto diet, the only difference being their sodium content; unsalted varieties tend to have less sodium, making it the better option for those watching their sodium consumption. Butter also contains beneficial lauric acid which has been linked with better heart health; plus vitamin K2, known as activator X which boosts your body’s ability to absorb nutrients more efficiently.
Fatty fish
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan designed to help you both lose weight and improve your health. Its primary aim is to shift metabolism away from burning glucose for energy to using fat for fuel instead. This process, known as ketosis, reduces inflammation while creating an environment conducive to maintaining a balanced gut microbiome.
Salmon is one of the best keto-friendly seafoods around. Packed full of B-complex vitamins and selenium, yet with low amounts of carbohydrates. Plus, salmon provides omega-3 fatty acids which have been known to promote cardiovascular health while simultaneously lowering blood pressure levels.
Do your best to include at least two servings of oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna into your weekly diet, particularly oily varieties like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout sardines and albacore tuna that contain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA that may help to reduce inflammation in the body – ideal for people suffering from autoimmune conditions like psoriasis Crohn’s disease MS and MS.
Other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include chia and flax seeds, walnuts, avocados and more plant-based sources of omega-3s like whole grains or grass-fed meat and dairy products. Aiming for an equal ratio between omega-3s and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet is ideal.
Other than fish, other sources of healthy fats on keto include free-range eggs, fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products like butter and ghee. If possible, opt for organic beef and lamb instead of processed versions which tend to contain trans fats that reduce fiber intake; don’t overlook organ meats such as liver and kidney which contain B-complex vitamins as well as protein!
Flax seeds
While fish, butter and olive oil are excellent choices for keto dieters, adding flax seeds as another source of healthy fats is also recommended. Packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and packed with anti-cancer agents known as lignans – which contain antioxidant properties which may protect against certain forms of cancer as well as reduce inflammation – flax seeds provide additional soluble fiber while contributing to iron and calcium intake.
As with other nuts and seeds, flax seeds boast an abundance of healthy fats while being low in net carbs – two tablespoons contain less than one gram of net carbohydrates, making them an excellent addition to a ketogenic diet.
Flax seeds are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which have numerous health benefits for heart health. Their high lignan content also helps lower cholesterol and inflammation levels within the body, and has even been shown to decrease risk of fibroid growths in uterus.
Flax seeds provide another benefit in that they’re an excellent source of soluble fiber that aids digestion and can make you feel fuller for longer, helping prevent unnecessary snacking or overeating. This is key in terms of maintaining a healthy weight during keto.
Olive oil
Olive oil is a delicious source of natural fats that provide immense nutrition benefits to those on keto. Its composition contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which have proven beneficial to heart health, as well as antioxidants known to fight free radicals and reduce inflammation – all qualities which make olive oil an ideal addition to a keto diet. Olive oil also forms part of the Mediterranean Diet which has been linked with reduced risk for heart disease and stroke.
Nuts are another excellent source of healthy fats on the keto diet, offering 19 g of healthy fat per quarter cup and providing protein and fiber too – perfect as snacks or meal additions! However, it’s important to avoid trans fats. Hydrogenation engineering makes vegetable oils more stable on shelves for longer shelf lives, increasing profits for food manufacturers. You can identify trans fats by looking in the ingredients list; look out for hydrogenated oils or shortening as signs.
Coconut oil is another natural, healthy fat ideal for the keto diet. Packed with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easily absorbed and converted to energy by your body, coconut oil also supports immune system health while providing antimicrobial benefits. You can incorporate it into meals either by mixing it in with ingredients or as cooking oil.
The keto diet offers many advantages, including weight loss, improved health and increased metabolism. To stay on the right path with this lifestyle change and achieve success with ketosis, it’s essential that your carb intake be monitored carefully using a food tracking app, to avoid overeating on fats and proteins that could prevent you from staying in ketosis and remaining ketogenic.