The ketogenic diet or keto diet is one of the oldest types of diets out there, it has been followed for over 2 centuries for many reasons not only for losing weight. it is one of the many types of diets that run on the concept of ketosis like the Atkins diet, the main idea behind ketosis is stopping the utilization of carbohydrates as the main energy source for burning and utilizing stored fats instead to produce ketone bodies for fuel
That means that the keto diet is highly dependent on fats and proteins content in meals and very low on carbs so with time your body turns into a fat-burning machine where you are not dependent on carbs anymore but learn to utilize the extra fat stored in your body to turn to ketones for your brain to use as the main source of energy.
› Foods to eat and avoid ‹
A) Types of food you should avoid:
- Sweetened carbonated drinks like fruit juice and sodas
- Chips and crackers and cereals
- Cakes, ice cream, candy, milk chocolate
- Rice, pasta, wheat, bread, biscuits
- Starchy food like potatoes, chickpeas, beans, lentils
- unhealthy fats that are highly processed and saturated
- beer, wine, liquor, alcohol
- High carb fruits and vegetables like bananas, carrots, turnips, and dates
B) Types of food you should eat:
- Beef, chicken, salmon, shrimp
- Full-fat dairy products milk, yogurt, cheese, butter
- Nuts and seeds walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds
- Eggs
- Low carb veggies: kale, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers
- High fat low carbs fruits: avocados, berries, watermelon
- Consume plenty of water about 2 to 3 liters everyday and green tea to avoid constipation and dehydration
- Soy-based foods are great choices for vegetarians to get the protein content they need and olive oil and nuts oils
1. Meat and poultry
100 grams of steak contain 271 calories, 19 gm fats, 0 gm carbs, 25 gm protein
meat cuts that are high in fat like ribeye, brisket, and chicken thighs are great sources of protein that is rich in all the essential amino acids you need in the keto diet it supplies you with tons of heme iron as well to help you avoid anemia and build muscles it is also high on zinc, selenium, and vitamins B12 and B6 that our bodies need. although they are great for keto it is best to not overeat meats as they can be harmful with their high content of saturated fats and cholesterol that could lead to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
beef can be grilled, made into burgers, tacos, chilies, meatloaves, meat pies, delicious indulgent stews that are perfect for winter.