The Best Foods to Eat and Avoid on the Keto Diet

A ketogenic diet helps you get into a state of nutritional ketosis, which is good for weight loss, reducing blood sugar levels and improving certain health conditions. This is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that limits carbohydrates to less than 20 grams per day. It’s important to understand the foods you can eat and those you must avoid to be successful on this diet.

The list of food you must eliminate from your diet is lengthy and includes bread, rice, pasta, corn, potatoes, beans, sweets, fruit juice and most beer. Many bottled condiments and processed snack bars also contain sugar, including Ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce and some salad dressings.

While you’re in a state of nutritional ketosis, it’s essential to have plenty of protein on hand, which can help keep your hunger and blood sugar under control. This is why the keto diet recommends consuming lean meat, chicken and fish more frequently. It also recommends incorporating low-carb, dairy-free yogurt and cottage cheese into your meals.

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fiber and protein while being low in carbohydrate. You can include walnuts, macadamia nuts and pecans, as well as sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseeds in your diet. You should also add healthy oils like olive, canola and coconut to your meals. All of these oils are a source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as well as omega-3 fatty acids.