A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. The diet works by burning fat as the primary source of energy, and in the process, it makes you lose weight. The Keto diet focuses on reducing carb consumption as opposed to other diets that stress reducing calories.
While a keto diet can help one get desired results, it comes with a lot of food restrictions that can be challenging to navigate. That’s why you need a detailed list of food that you should avoid at all costs.
After consulting with a few dieticians, we have compiled a list of food items that you cannot eat on keto. Keep reading for more.
On a ketogenic diet, you should avoid high-carb foods like grains, sugars, and some fruits. Consuming these foods can kick you out of ketosis and hinder your weight loss progress.
While on keto, you’re prohibited from having refined carbs, processed food, and any sugary drinks. A dietician will ask you to limit your carb consumption to almost 20 to 50 grams a day. I know this sounds a little too much, but that’s how this diet works to help increase your metabolism and burn fat faster.
Below is an extensive list of food items you should bid farewell to while following ketosis:
You need to limit your consumption of high-carb foods like:
Grains: Rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.
Starchy Vegetables: Potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, cassava, artichoke, etc.
Legumes: Beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc. (don’t avoid entirely but limit the consumption)
Refined Carbs: Bread, pasta, pastries, tortilla, sandwich, etc.
Due to the high-carb content of these food items, they are not keto-friendly. Having these foods can increase blood sugar levels and prevent the body from entering ketosis. Most of these food items contain over 15 grams of carbs in a single serving, and eating them more than once a day can hamper your diet routine.
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All processed or packaged foods are red flags during a keto diet. These are not only high in carbs but also contain lots of unhealthy fats, sodium, sugar, preservatives, etc., which not only restricts you from losing weight but is also harmful to your overall health.
Processed foods to avoid during a keto diet are:
Apart from these, you must avoid processed food like packaged sausages, salami, and similar items that contain increased sodium. Increased sodium intake causes water retention; hence, it’s best to avoid sodium intake from processed foods.
Freshly squeezed fruit juice contains a lot of natural sugar and lacks dietary fiber. Packaged fruit juice has lots of added sugar, so both varieties are a big no in the keto diet.
Other sugary drinks like flavored soda, soft drinks, mocktails, and any other packaged drinks contain high amounts of carbs and sugar. For instance, a can of coke contains 39 grams of sugar, and 8 ounces of a fresh lime mojito contains 26 grams of sugar which is way too much to have on a keto diet.
Besides these, a ketogenic diet prevents the consumption of honey or other sweet syrups like maple. Apart from sugar, these also have carbs, which can cause a blood sugar spike and derail you from your diet.
Avoid consuming alcohol like beer, sparkling wine, dessert wine, mixed drinks, and cocktails. Alcohol is made from grains and fruits (especially grapes) containing carbs and sugar. And by now, you already know why you should not have food/drinks with high sugar and carb content.
You should avoid the following food items that contain trans & hydrogenated fats:
These contain unhealthy fats that contribute towards gaining weight and not vice versa. Better alternatives to processed oils would be olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc.
The Keto diet does not allow you to have:
These condiments are hidden sources of sugar, carbs, sodium, and unhealthy fats. These substances are again a red flag when one is following a keto diet.
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Even though there is a long list of items that you can’t have while on keto, you don’t have to starve yourself. There are low-carb veggies, fruits, and lean meat, which are completely safe to eat during the diet.
Here is a list of foods to add to a ketogenic diet:
Leafy Greens
You can eat spinach, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, arugula, bok choy, cabbage, etc. You can also have herbs including, basil, thyme, rosemary, lemongrass, cilantro, mint, sage, parsley, etc.
Besides the leafy greens, you can include other low-carb, non-starchy vegetables like - jalapeno, bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, asparagus, tomato (in moderation), broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, turnips, radishes, okra, celery, eggplant, etc.
The leafy greens contain very few carbs and provide the body with essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals while keeping your diet intact.
Low-Sugar Fruits
Berries, avocado, coconut, olives, etc., contain very less natural sugar, making them suitable for keto.
Healthy fats to include in a ketogenic diet are:
Cheese is very low in carbs but contains high amounts of healthy fats and protein, making it a good addition to a ketogenic diet. However, you should have it in moderation and not go overboard with it.
The following protein sources are safe to have during keto:
So there you have it, a long list of foods that are all keto-friendly. These are tasty, low-carb, contain good fat, and provide you with the necessary nutrients your body needs.
Important Note: The food list may vary from person to person. What an individual can eat depends on their preference, nutritional needs, and ultimate goal.
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Ready to discover keto meals that suit your tastes? Take our Keto Quiz now, answer a few quick questions, and get personalized meal suggestions to enhance your keto diet experience!
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Avocado, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, and star fruits are keto-friendly fruits.
No, you can’t have white rice on keto. Rice is a high-carb grain, so it’s not allowed while following keto.
Even though bananas have so many health benefits, you can’t have them on keto. One banana contains 24 grams of carbs, and if you have one banana, you can’t have any other carb sources for the whole day.
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A keto diet keeps you away from eating a variety of foods. Therefore, individuals who want to follow keto must have strong self-control over food temptations. Educate yourself about the ingredients and nutritional content of different food items to make the right eating choices.
A certified dietician can guide you better and will even prepare a diet chart for you keeping your unique dietary needs in mind. They may even advise you on a more suitable diet plan, be it the Paleo or the Mediterranean one. Follow it religiously, and you’re sure to meet your fitness goals!
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