“How do I lose weight?”
This is the most common question of almost all weight-conscious people. Studies suggest that, on average, one individual in a group of five people wants to shed the extra pounds and be fit. And they can go to any lengths — be it doing the tough workouts or taking pills to reduce the body fats, to look and feel healthy and in shape.
Nowadays, we also see bloggers and influencers share their transformation journey to motivate people. On the one hand, there are people who follow every new diet regimen religiously; on the other, some people disapprove of them for being too high-maintenance and impractical.
As the world is progressing, and so are the diet plans. One such plan is a ketogenic diet which has become a new trend among fitness enthusiasts. Let’s delve a little more into this.
What is Ketogenic Diet?
Ketogenic Diet is a low-carb diet, rich in fats and proteins. It reduces your carbohydrate consumption and replaces it with fat. When your body does not get carbs, it goes into a metabolic state which is known as ketosis.
Ketosis helps energizes your brain and supports your body to burn fat for energy. The ketogenic diet reduces blood sugar levels and increases ketones in the body. Also, it changes the metabolism of the body away from carbs. Keto reduces your carb consumption by 20 to 50 grams daily. What it requires to keep the energy going is protein consumption because protein changes into glucose upon its higher intake.
The food you can consume on a ketogenic diet
A Keto diet limits your food choices as you are mostly depending on fat and protein. Here, we have a list of food items that you can consume when you are following a ketogenic diet plan.
In Protein
You can consume low-fat proteins such as
- Beef
- Turkey
- Steak
- Sausage
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, or tuna
In Fats
- Creams
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Cheese. Unprocessed cheese such as cheddar, blue, mozzarella, the cream is suggested
In Oils
You can only consume healthy oils such as
- Extra virgin oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
In Low carb Vegetables
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Olives
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Green beans
In Nuts and Seeds
- Flaxseed
- Almonds
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- At times you may also consume cashews and pistachios
In Condiments
- Salt
- Pepper
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Cayenne
- Balsamic vinegar
- Paprika
- At times you may also consume garlic powder and onion powder
In Beverages
- Water
- Plain tea
- Almond milk
- Bone broth
Keto Snacks
- 90% dark chocolate
- Strawberries
- Fat bombs
- Cheese
- Olives
- Fatty meat
- Keto-friendly snack bars
- Greek yogurt
- Celery
- Plain cottage cheese
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Nuts or seeds (handful only)
- Salsa
- Guacamole
Foods you can’t consume on Ketogenic Diet
- Soda
- Cake
- Ice cream fruit juice
- Cand
- Peas
- Kidney beans
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Low-fat mayonnaise
- Barbecue sauce
- Honey mustard
- Wheat-based foods
- Pasta
- Rice
- All fruits except strawberries
- Ketchup
- Teriyaki sauce
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Smoothies
- Sweeteners
- Desserts
- Sugar-free candies
- Cereal
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Salad dressings
- Alcohol and mixed drinks
Bottom Line
You may easily find new diet plans but you should not try them unless you are sure that they suit your body. The keto diet is effective; however, you must consult your dietician or nutritionist before following it. You may also take weight loss medicines such as Orlistat, Orlis, and Slimtab only upon your doctor’s prescription.