Not quite sure what do eat on a low carb ketogenic diet?

Here is a quick and easy reference for you to use. Also see my 10 Easy Steps To Start A Ketogenic Low Carb Journey

You want to stick to 5% carbohydrate allowance used on keto. The general rule is 70% Fats, 20% protein and 5% carbs. You can eat from the following food groups:

• • Fats & Oils – Try to get your fat from natural sources like meat and nuts. Supplement with saturated and monounsaturated fats like coconut oil, butter, and olive oil.
    • Fatty Fish
    • Animal Fat (non-hydrogenated)
    • Lard
    • Tallow
    • Avocados
    • Egg Yolks
    • Macadamia/Brazil Nuts
    • Butter/Ghee
    • Coconut Butter
    • Cocoa Butter
    • Olive Oil
    • Coconut Oil
    • Avocado Oil
    • Macadamia Oil
    • MCT Oil

 

• • Protein – Try to stick with organic, pasture-raised and grass-fed meat where possible. Most meats don’t have added sugar in them, so they can be consumed in moderate quantity. Remember that too much protein on a ketogenic diet is not a good thing.
    • Fish – Preferably eating anything that is caught wild like catfish, cod, flounder, halibut, mackerel, mahi-mahi, salmon, snapper, trout, and tuna. Fattier fish is better.
    • Shellfish – Clams, oysters, lobster, crab, scallops, mussels, and squid.
    • Whole Eggs – Try to get them free-range from the local market if possible. You can prepare them in many different ways like fried, deviled, boiled, poached, and scrambled.
    • Beef – Ground beef, steak, roasts, and stew meat. Stick with fattier cuts where possible.
    • Pork – Ground pork, pork loin, pork chops, tenderloin, and ham. Watch out for added sugars and try to stick with fattier cuts.
    • Poultry – Chicken, duck, quail, pheasant and other wild game.
    • Offal/Organ – Heart, liver, kidney, and tongue. Offal is one of the best sources of vitamins/nutrients.
    • Other Meat – Veal, Goat, Lamb, Turkey and other wild game. Stick with fattier cuts where possible.
    • Bacon and Sausage – Check labels for anything cured in sugar, or if it contains extra fillers. Don’t be overly concerned with nitrates.
    • Nut Butter – Go for natural, unsweetened nuts and try to stick with fattier versions like almond butter and macadamia nut butter. Legumes (peanuts) are high in omega 6’s so be careful about over-consumption.

 

• • Vegetables & Fruits – Fresh or frozen doesn’t matter. Stick with above ground vegetables, leaning toward leafy/green items. Most fruit have too many carbs. You will want to watch your portions on veggies to make sure you don’t eat too many carbs.
    • Cauliflower
    • Cabbage
    • Avocado
    • Broccoli
    • Zucchini
    • Spinach
    • Asparagus
    • Kale
    • Green beans
    • Bell Peppers
    • Brussels sprouts
    • Limit Berries – This includes strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
    • Completely AVOID starchy vegetables and large fruits like potatoes and bananas

 

• • Dairy – Most dairy is fine, but make sure to buy full-fat dairy items. Harder cheeses typically have fewer carbs. Milk is higher in carbs so I would stay away from it.
    • Greek yogurt
    • Heavy whipping cream
    • Mayonnaise
    • Spreadables including cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, mascarpone, creme fraiche, etc.
    • Soft Cheese including mozzarella, brie, blue, colby, monterey jack, etc.
    • Hard Cheese including aged cheddar, parmesan, feta, swiss, etc.

 

• • Nuts & Seeds – In moderation, nuts and seeds can be very satisfying. Try to use fattier nuts like macadamias and almonds.
    • Fatty, low carbohydrate nuts – Macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, and pecans can be consumed with meals to supplement fat
    • Fatty, moderate carbohydrate nuts – Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, and pine nuts can be used in moderation to supplement for texture or flavor
    • Higher carbohydrate nuts – Pistachios and cashews should rarely be eaten or avoided as they’re very high in carbohydrates (2 handfuls of cashews is almost a full day’s allowance of carbs)

 

• Beverages – Stay simple and stick to mostly water. You can flavor it if needed with stevia-based flavorings or lemon/lime juice.

• Water – This will be your staple, go-to source for hydration. You can drink still or sparkling water.
• Broth – Loaded with vitamins and nutrients. More importantly, it will kickstart your energy by replenishing your electrolytes
• Coffee – Improves mental focus and has some added weight loss benefits
• Tea – Has the same effects as coffee, but many don’t enjoy tea. Try to stick with black or green
• Coconut/Almond milk – You can use the unsweetened versions in the carton from the store to replace your favorite dairy beverage
• Diet soda – Try to really reduce or completely stop drinking this. It can lead to sugar cravings and sometimes insulin spikes in the long run. I limit myself to no more than 1 every other day or so and you really want to cut them out completely the first few weeks of starting your diet.
• Flavoring – The small packets that are flavored with sucralose or stevia are fine. You can alternatively add a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange to your water bottle
• Alcohol – Choose hard liquor. More beer and wine will be too high carb to consume. Frequent consumption of alcohol will slow weight loss down

 

I hope this was helpful. Please share and leave me comments, I’d love to hear from you.