Healthy keto food includes non-starchy veggies, proteins, natural fats and plenty of flavorful herbs and spices. Enjoying dairy like butter or ghee is great, while it’s best to avoid low-fat yogurt which often has added sugars.
Eggs and other animal proteins and fats make an excellent keto diet staple, along with fruits like berries and lemons as nutritious sweet treats; melons should be avoided due to their high water content.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are one of the best keto snacks because they contain both fats and proteins while being low in carbohydrates. Perfect for adding into salads, smoothies, desserts or just enjoying on their own, nuts and seeds also provide essential healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Selecting appropriate nuts and seeds on a keto diet is key to enjoying them properly. Aim for ones low in net carbs – those carbohydrates absorbed by your body as energy sources – for maximum enjoyment on keto. You can easily identify keto-friendly nuts and seeds by checking their nutrition label’s carb counts.
Macadamia nuts have less than 13 net carbs per ounce, making them a fantastic keto snack option. In addition to heart-healthy fats, they may help to lower cholesterol levels (11, 12). Pistachios offer another keto-friendly choice with similar carb counts while being high sources of fiber and omega-3s – both are key components to overall wellness (13).
Sunflower seeds are another delicious and nutritious choice, packed with antioxidants and dietary fiber, not to mention being an excellent source of vitamins E and niacin.
The keto diet can be tailored to accommodate vegetarian diets, and selecting appropriate veggies is key for its success. When searching for non-starchy vegetables that are high in nutrients while low in carbs, cauliflower “rice” or zucchini noodles could make an effective replacement to traditional starchy foods that you enjoy eating.
Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is an invaluable food choice on a ketogenic diet because of its combination of high-fat, low-carbohydrate nutrition and versatility. Serving as an indispensable breakfast bowl addition or smoothie base, yogurt can also make an easy lunchtime or dinner addition! When selecting Keto diet-compatible yogurt products for consumption, choose those with less than 5 net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) per serving with moderate protein amounts; avoid those containing added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup that increase your carbohydrate consumption; choose full fat varieties which have more milk fat while being lower on carbohydrates compared to low fat options; full fat varieties also tend to provide better overall nutritional benefits when selecting Keto diet products than its low fat counterparts!
Calcium and phosphorus found in dairy-based yogurt are essential to bone health. Furthermore, B vitamins like riboflavin help your body metabolize food for energy production. If lactose-intolerant, read labels carefully as certain yogurts may contain higher quantities of lactose that could result in gas and bloating symptoms.
When selecting toppings for your Greek yogurt, choose items low in carbohydrates. Fruit should be limited because it can increase blood sugar. Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes contain large quantities of carbohydrates and should be avoided on a ketogenic diet.
Make use of Greek yogurt as the basis for delicious dips or as an alternative to mayonnaise in salad dressings for an easy alternative that won’t break the bank! Use it instead as a creamy sauce on chicken or tuna salad! Plus, its healthy fats help reduce inflammation and promote heart health while potassium counteracts salt’s sodium-retaining effects, helping regulate your blood pressure (79).
Bone Broth
Bone broth contains only a few grams of carbohydrates, making it ideal for people following the keto diet. Furthermore, bone broth provides essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium that are necessary for body functioning properly. Drinking one or more cups can ease transition to low carbohydrate diets while helping alleviate some symptoms associated with keto flu such as fatigue, nausea, constipation or headache.
Bone broth’s glycine can stimulate bile, helping your body break down fats more effectively. This can be especially helpful for anyone just beginning the keto diet or who has not eaten as much red meat; in fact, it may help alleviate side effects associated with keto flu such as constipation and bloating. Luckily, homemade bone broth is relatively straightforward to prepare while there are also several high-quality store-bought options without added sugars that you can purchase as alternatives.
Bluebird Provisions bone broth contains up to 12 g per serving in terms of protein and electrolytes; when selecting a brand, look for those which include more knuckles, feet and oxtail for optimal nutritional content.
Bone broth has been proven to increase muscle mass while simultaneously decreasing body fat when taken alongside resistance training. This may be attributed to gelatin’s ability to promote feelings of satiety and curb hunger; or perhaps collagen increases amino acid absorption for improved workout performance. Plus, one cup only has few calories; meaning you can enjoy all day without exceeding your carb limit!
Wine
Wine stands out as an alcoholic beverage that naturally offers low carbs, making it a better way to aid weight loss than sodas and beer. Plus, its antioxidants have been linked with improved heart health among other potential benefits.
When purchasing keto wines, opt for those containing no more than 10 grams of total sugar per bottle. Dry red and white wines generally tend to have lower carb counts due to fermentation processes that convert much of their sugar content into alcohol; you can locate its carb content online by searching its technical information or fact sheet; select one with less than 3 grams per serving to ensure you don’t exceed your keto diet limit through hidden sources of sweetness.
Organic wines that are free from sulfites and additives and produced in small or family-owned vineyards tend to be the highest-rated wines. Drinking wine alongside meals may help mitigate its effect on blood sugar while helping balance out your carbohydrate consumption.
If wine is not your thing, distilled spirits like vodka or gin may be better options. Clear spirits have zero carbs and can be used as an ingredient in mixed drinks or to add flavor to low-carb dishes such as vodka sauce with zucchini noodles or in salad dressings. There’s even non-alcoholic wine you can buy without breaking your keto diet – although this won’t have the same impact in terms of keeping carbs at bay; therefore it is important to enjoy such beverages in moderation.
Spirits
There are various spirits without many carbohydrates, such as gin, vodka, whisky and tequila; however, they still contain lots of calories so moderation is key; to minimize any additional sugar intake it is best to opt for water or non-caloric mixers such as soda water, lime, lemon juice or hard seltzer as this will provide better options than spirits alone.
As far as keto-friendly beverages go, beer usually contains too much carbs for optimal Keto dieting. But low-carb options do exist if you enjoy drinking beer regularly in small quantities. If this describes you, look for those beverages as your beverage of choice!
As for other alcoholic beverages, those on a keto diet can opt for dark spirits without added sugars such as whiskey, rum, gin and brandy. You could also opt for low-carb liqueurs like Kahlua which contains significantly fewer carbohydrates than most alcoholic drinks.
Although chocolate is usually not permitted on a healthy eating plan, some brands of dark chocolate may be suitable for your keto diet. Look for chocolate with higher cocoa content to reduce sugar in your treat. Asparagus is another delicious keto-friendly food packed with glutathione – an antioxidant known for preventing cancer and other illnesses according to scientific studies. Enjoy it raw or cooked; either way it provides excellent dietary fiber content! Produced from cucumber spears soaked in boiling water for just a few minutes, you can easily make this meal at home and add extra flavor by adding butter to its stems for even more texture and taste. Find cucumber spears at markets and supermarkets or create your own by boiling spears in water until tender before draining and serving!