Some of my friends and even my husband have expressed their concerns about the Ketogenic Diet so I'm going to dispel some of those rumors AND share what to eat and what to avoid.
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| You'll see quite a few pics from my garden as I blog. Today, we are planting more seeds. Tomorrow, we're harvesting veggies from those seeds we planted 6-12 weeks ago |
First, eating keto does not mean living on/surviving on Meat and Butter. While some people might eat that way, that is their personal choice and not strictly keto.
Second, this is not a starvation diet. Eating Keto is about making positive changes for your body to help it run more efficiently. Food is fuel for your body so if you feed it junk, it will run crappy.
Third, there is NO reason to buy expensive pills, potions or magic cures. You do not need to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars on keto supplements. KETO IS FREE!!!
Lastly, Keto is not the Atkins diet nor is it a "fad" diet. While it may be similar, the Ketogenic Diet was developed back in the 1920 and has been used successfully for epileptic and diabetic patients.
If eating healthy, nutritious foods is something you're interested in, Keto is a great option. If weight loss is your goal and you want to do it the HEALTHY way and not starve yourself, the Ketogenic diet is a great option.
Now, let's get to the FOOD. You'll find that I refer back to several keto website. I am not an expert or doctor and do not claim to be. I stick to advice from experts and share the info here.
From Keto Diet Blog: What to Eat and Avoid
EAT FREELY:
Grass-fed and wild animal sources
- grass-fed meat (beef, lamb, goat, venison), wild-caught fish & seafood (avoid farmed fish), pastured pork and poultry, pastured eggs, gelatin, ghee, butter - these are high in healthy omega 3 fatty acids (avoid sausages and meat covered in breadcrumbs, hot dogs, meat that comes with sugary or starchy sauces)
- offal, grass-fed (liver, heart, kidneys and other organ meats)
- saturated (lard, tallow, chicken fat, duck fat, goose fat, clarified butter / ghee, butter, coconut oil)
- monounsaturated (avocado, macadamia and olive oil)
- polyunsaturated omega 3s, especially from animal sources (fatty fish and seafood)
- You can find a complete guide to fats & oils in my post here. (which to use for cold use, which for high-heat cooking and which to avoid)
- leafy greens (Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, lettuce, chard, chives, endive, radicchio, etc.)
- some cruciferous vegetables like kale (dark leaf), kohlrabi, radishes
- celery stalk, asparagus, cucumber, summer squash (zucchini, spaghetti squash), bamboo shoots
- avocado
EAT OCCASIONALLY
Vegetables, Mushrooms and Fruits
- some cruciferous vegetables (white and green cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, fennel, turnips, rutabaga / swede)
- nightshades (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers)
- some root vegetables (parsley root), spring onion, leek, onion, garlic, mushrooms, winter squash (pumpkin)
- sea vegetables (nori, kombu), okra, bean sprouts, sugar snap peas, wax beans, globe or French artichokes, water chestnuts
- berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, mulberries, etc.)
- coconut, rhubarb, olives
- beef, poultry, eggs and ghee (avoid farmed pork, it's too high in omega 6s!)
- dairy products (plain full-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, cream, sour cream, cheese) - avoid products labeled "low-fat", most of them are packed with sugar and starch and have little sating effect
- bacon - beware of preservatives and added starches (nitrates are acceptable if you eat enough antioxidants)
- macadamia nuts (very low in carbs, high in omega 3s)
- pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds
- brazil nuts (beware of very high level of selenium - don't eat too many of them!)
- if eaten, only non GMO and fermented soy products (Natto, Tempeh, soy sauce or paleo-friendly coconut aminos)
- Edamame (green soy beans), black soybeans - unprocessed
Some Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts and Seeds with Average Carbohydrates - depends on your daily carb limit
- root vegetables (celery root, carrot, beetroot, parsnip and sweet potato)
- watermelon, Cantaloupe / Galia / Honeydew melons
- pistachio and cashew nuts, chestnuts
- Only very small amounts, better avoided completely: apricot, dragon fruit (Pitaya), peach, nectarine, apple, grapefruit, kiwifruit, kiwi berries, orange, plums, cherries, pears, figs (fresh)
- dry red wine, dry white wine, spirits (unsweetened) - avoid for weight loss, only for weight maintenance
THIS is also important. Foods to AVOID
AVOID Completely: Food rich in carbohydrates, factory-farmed meat and processed foods
1) All grains, even whole meal (wheat, rye, oats, corn, barley, millet, bulgur, sorghum, rice, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains), quinoa and white potatoes. this includes all products made from grains (pasta, bread, pizza, cookies, crackers, etc.) sugar and sweets (table sugar, HFCS, agave syrup, ice creams, cakes, sweet puddings and sugary soft-drinks)
2) Factory-farmed pork and fish are high ininflammatory omega 6 fatty acids and farmed fish may contain PCBs, avoid fish high in mercury.
3) Processed foods containing carrageenan (e.g. almond milk products), MSG (e.g. in some whey protein products), sulphites (e.g. in dried fruits, gelatin), BPAs (they don't have to be labeled!), wheat gluten
5) Refined fats / oils (e.g. sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, canola, soybean, grapeseed, corn oil), trans fats such as margarine.
7) Milk (only small amounts of raw, full-fat milk is allowed). Milk is not recommended for several reasons. Firstly, from all the dairy products, milk is difficult to digest, as it lacks the "good" bacteria (eliminated through pasteurization) and may even contain hormones. Secondly, it is quite high in carbs (4-5 grams of carbs per 100 ml). For coffee and tea, replace milk with cream in reasonable amounts. You may have a small amount of raw milk but be aware of the extra carbs.
9) Tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, banana, papaya, etc.) and some high-carb fruit (tangerine, grapes, etc.) Also avoid fruit juices (yes, even 100% fresh juices!) - better to drink smoothies if any, but either way very limited. Juices are just like sugary water, but smoothies have fiber, which is at least more sating. This also includes dried fruit (dates, raisins, etc.) if eaten in large quantities.
10) Mainly for health reasons, avoid soy products apart from a few non-GMO fermented products which are known for their health benefits. Also avoid wheat gluten which may be used in low-carb foods. When you give up bread, you shouldn't eat any part of it. Beware of BPA-lined cans. If possible, use naturally BPA-free packaging like glass jars or make my own ingredients such as ghee, ketchup, coconut milk or mayonnaise. BPA has been linked to many negative health effects such as impaired thyroid function and cancer. Other additives to avoid: carrageenan (e.g. almond milk products), MSG (e.g. in some whey protein products) and sulfites (e.g. in dried fruits, gelatin)
I have had to clarify to quite a few people that think keto is unhealthy because of how their friends eat. We are all adults and with that comes personal decisions. There are organic junk food option (like organic oreo-like cookies) but that doesn't mean I avoid organic. In fact, I eat mostly organic and homegrown.
I personally CHOOSE to eat healthier keto options and avoid processed, packaged items. This is after all MY KETO JOURNEY and I'm excited to share the healthy options when eating Keto. Thanks for reading and keeping an open mind.
DISCLAIMER:
I am not a doctor or healthcare provider and I am not offering medical advice. If you have health-related concerns, please seek medical attention.
