As Ketogenic diet has suddenly become very popular, you must be thinking about what to eat on a Keto diet. From Keto diet for beginners to some of the most effective fat bomb recipes, we’ll try to cover as much as we can. How about preparing a Keto grocery list? We’ll try that as well.
What is Ketogenic diet?
Before answering what a Ketogenic diet means, let’s try to understand the process ‘Ketosis’ from which Keto diet has been derived.
What is Ketosis
Ketosis is a very normal metabolic process, which occurs when our body is not able to draw energy from glucose, which comes from carbohydrate we eat. Essentially, when the regular source of energy i.e. glucose is not available, your body relies on the stored fat for energy. The process to burn fat into energy is called ketosis.
What is a Keto diet?
This brings us back to our original question, ‘What is a Keto diet? Any diet that can trigger Ketosis process in our body, is called a Ketogenic diet. This type of diet is essentially a low-carb and fat-rich diet, which forces your body to start burning fat. As fat is melted, you start losing weight. It is only because of its almost miraculous weight-loss property that Keto diet has hit the market in a big way and has become a kind of sensation.
Ketogenic diet popular among celebrities
If fact, many celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, LeBron James and Magan fox have reportedly added fire to their already hot bodies by using Keto diet. Though I must say that they rely heavily on their personal trainers and customized diet plans, Keto diets have recently become their favourite fat loss strategy. Read the full report.
Is Keto diet unhealthy?
Though Keto diet works wonders for those who follow it strictly keeping a perfect balance between their nutritional needs general lifestyle, may health experts believe that you can develop certain nutritional deficiencies if you do not follow the diet properly? Here is what Jillian Michaels says about Keto diet.
Ketogenic food list
The basic idea behind any Ketogenic food or diet plan is to maintain carbohydrate consumption to the lowest possible limits. Usually, not more than 50mg of carbohydrate every day is allowed as part of any Keto diet plan. So, Ketogenic food list includes food items that are low on carb and high or moderate on fat.
An ideal Keto food list should contain
Dairy products with full fat content. Do not go for low-fat versions of any dairy product.
Nuts– Though you need not go nuts by gorging on nuts, moderate quantities of nuts such as almond and macadamias are highly recommended.
Fat from natural sources: Fat gained from meat and nuts is what you should rely on if a Keto diet is on your mind.
Leafy vegetables – They seem to be most powerful food items for all ailments including heart issues. Consume as much leafy vegetables as you can if you are on a Keto diet.
Protein from grass-fed meat, if possible. However, make sure that you do not eat too much protein as that can be counter-productive and harmful in many cases.
Water – Say no to sugary drinks. Just drink water in place of soft drinks. Lemon or lime water also have the same effect.
Top 7 Keto Breakfast ideas for everyone
Boiled eggs
One of the most popular and recommended protein-rich diets, eggs can be eaten in any form. Boiled, scrambled or fried. An instant Keto breakfast in 5 minutes. However, boiling can take slightly longer.
Steak and eggs
Keep yourself full of energy till lunch time by eating steaks and eggs. The leftovers from last night can be used as incredible keto breakfast if you are a meat lover.
Avocado
Be creative with avocado by stuffing salmon in your avocado. You will get healthy fat from salmon and avocado to keep yourself fuelled up for hours.
Broccoli muffins
Broccoli is considered full of nutrition and can be cooked in different ways to suit individual tastes and preferences. Try making broccoli muffins as a quick Keto breakfast.
Keto yogurt
Keto friendly smooth and creamy yogurt is available on the market. Add it on your list of next grocery shopping.
Sweet potato
Try sweet potato in different forms such as using it on your toast with egg. This will be an excellent Keto breakfast if you do not want to compromise on the taste.
All types of berries
Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and various other types of berries are all Keto friendly. A one cup serving of these berries will give you approximately 14g of carbs, which is well within the prescribed limits.
Keto food list- grocery list
- Almond, soyabean, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds
- Coconut flour
- Cheese, ghee, Greek yogurt
- Fish and dark meat
- Eggs
- Avocado, coconut and berries
- Mayo, cocoa powder and nutritional yeast
- Monk fruit
The Keto food list goes on. We’ll try to add more items or descriptions.
Keto diet for beginners
There are various types of Keto diets for beginners. It depends on your body type, health conditions and of course, your goal. Usually burning fat is the primary goal of switching to ketogenic diet. Start with Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD). It usually contains more than 70% fat, 20-25% protein and the rest 5% carb.
There is another version, Cyclical Ketogenic Diet(CKD). While on this diet, you will follow a routine of high carb days and low carb days on a weekly rotational basis. Usually 5 Ketogenic days followed by 2 high carb days are recommended under KCD programme.
Is Keto diet safe?
Ketogenic diet is by and large safe for healthy people. However, there can be some side-effects before your body adapts to the new diet. Keto flu is the most common side-effect of Keto diet, but it is usually over within a week or so.
Another Keto diet side-effect is a slight imbalance in your body’s water and mineral content. This can be offset by consuming more water or adding salt to your food. If the imbalance start causing real problem, then seek expert medical advice or consult your dietitian under whom you are trying to lose weight.
Is Keto diet safe for diabetics?
In fact, Keto diet is good for those with sugar level issues or full-fledged diabetes. Ketogenic diet boosts insulin sensitivity and promotes weight loss, which is beneficial for many health conditions. There are many other health benefits of Keto diet. We’ll cover them in our upcoming posts or add them later.
Fat bombs
Fat bombs, as the name suggests, are full of fat and low on carb. They are tailor-made for those on Ketogenic diet. They work wonders for weight loss, if you follow your dietitian’s advice religiously. In fact, you can start noticing a remarkable difference in your weight within a few weeks of starting a Keto diet. Read more about fat bombs.
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