What to eat and what not to eat, is the question of the hour :-P. Whenever I tell people about the Ketogenic diet, they always, always focus on what they cannot eat and then lose faith. I have been on Keto long enough to tell you that there is NOTHING you will miss when you are on Keto (except binge eating :-P). There is a Keto version of almost every recipe you can think of. If a food addict like me can stick to Keto, I know you can too!
Although on paper keto is a very simple diet restricting carb intake, it can get very confusing when you start the diet. Calculating net carbs for each and every meal of the day can be tedious and overwhelming so knowing what you can and cannot eat can make a lot of difference. Here is a quick guide of what you can and cannot eat on Keto.
Also find Tips to start Keto Here.
What you can eat liberally on Keto:
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Keto is all about limiting the net carb intake. Below items contain very few net carbs so you can consume ample amount of these without much hesitation. Incorporate as much of these as possible in your meal to feel satisfied:
1. Ghee/Butter
2. All Oils
3. Cheeses
4. Full fat cream
5. Salad vegetables like Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato
6. Cooked vegetables : Mushrooms, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Gourds, Okra, Capsicum, Brinjal/Eggplant
7. Seeds like Flax, Sunflower, Chia, pumpkin, Macadamia nuts
8. Gelatin
9. 0 calorie sweeteners like Erythritol, Stevia, monk fruit
10. Eggs and Meat
What you can eat miserly on Keto:
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Even though below items are Keto friendly, you need to be careful with these. Have limited quantity of these because they have bit more net carb content and the net carbs add up pretty quickly.
1. Nuts like Almonds, peanuts, pistachios
2. Curd or Green yogurt
3. Garlic
4. Vegetables like Onion, carrots
5. Low carb fruits like Strawberry, Kiwi, Blueberry 6. Cocoa
7. Spices
What to avoid eating on Keto: =======================
Below items should be avoided on Keto as they have very high net carb content. These can kick you out of Keto and make you crave for more. Bid goodbye to these and opt for wholesome replacements like mentioned above.
1. Sugars: Obvious one, not even a little bit
2. Grains and Lentils: Too many carbs in these and they have high insulin index.
3. Starch: No starches allowed including Potato, sago, you get the gist
4. Fruits & fruit juices: Fruits have more sugar than fiber, a strict no no
5. Milk: Has a lot of carbs, opt for Almond or coconut milk instead
6. Many Sugar substitutes like Jaggery, Honey, Xylitol, Maltitol, Aspartame
