Ketogenic diet : 7 suitable foods and diet plan

In recent years we see that more and more people are looking for information about the keto diet.

The Ketogenic diet or Ketosis is a natural process of our body and more specifically a process of metabolism. Ketosis is said to occur when we have not eaten for a very long time or when our food is too low in carbohydrates.

In both cases, our body, thinking it is running out of energy, transfers fat to the liver and the liver in turn converts it into ketones. Then our body to find the required energy levels burns the ketones instead of carbohydrates.

Many scientific studies abroad have agreed on the conclusion that a diet high in fat but low in carbohydrates may be more effective in weight loss than a diet low in fat.

The most classic keto diet program is this :

80% fat
15% protein
5% carbohydrates
That is, someone who consumes 2,000 calories a day will eat just 25 grams of carbohydrates.

The concept of the ketone diet is that when one burns the calories that are from the carbohydrates, then the body will start burning the fat for energy, in this way we say that the body enters a state called ketosis.

These foods are high in fibre but low in carbohydrates.

If you have decided to cut back on carbohydrates because you are on a ketogenic diet, consider this: eating fibre-rich carbohydrates can be very beneficial for your body.

“Fibre is a carbohydrate that people can’t digest,” celebrity health writer Naomi Whittel tells us, . “However, carbohydrates are still very important for our health and can improve our digestion by balancing blood sugar, thereby supporting our metabolism to function properly.

Originally the ketogenic diet – which is extremely low in carbohydrates, low in protein and very high in fat – was developed in America for children with epilepsy who were not responding to medication.

Plus many people now adopt this diet to lose weight. In these cases, the nutrient profile could contain more protein and less fat than in the traditional ketogenic diet.

Keep in mind that followers of the ketogenic diet may experience an increase in LDL cholesterol, because eating too much fat can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries and this has the consequence of increasing the risk of heart disease . Also, many high fibre foods, such as beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, are also high in carbohydrates, so they are limited in the ketogenic diet.

What to eat on a Ketogenic Diet

To start a keto diet , you need to plan certain things in advance. This means having a viable ketogenic diet plan ready and waiting. What you eat depends on how quickly you want to get into ketogenic (ketosis). The more restrictive you are on your carbohydrates (less than 25 g of net carbs per day) , the faster you will enter ketosis.

You should limit carbohydrates mainly from vegetables, nuts and dairy products. Do not eat processed carbohydrates such as wheat (bread, pasta, cereals), starch (potatoes, beans, pulses) or fruit. The minor exceptions to this are avocados and berries which can be eaten in moderation.

What not to eat

• Cereals – wheat, corn, rice, cereals, grains, etc.
• Sugar – honey, maple syrup, etc.
• Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
• Plant roots, potatoes, etc.

What to Eat

• Meat – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
• Leafy green vegetables – spinach, cabbage, kale, etc.
• Vegetables that are above ground such as broccoli and cauliflower.
• High fat dairy products – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter etc.
• Nuts and seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
• Avocados and berries, raspberries, blackberries and other low glycemic impact berries
• Sweeteners – stevia and other low-carbohydrate sweeteners
• Other fats – coconut oil, saturated fat, etc.

Ketogenic Diet 7-day plan

Day 1

Breakfast : Scrambled eggs in butter with lettuce and avocado salad

Snack : Sunflower seeds

Lunch : Spinach salad with grilled salmon

Snack : Celery and pepper strips dipped in guacamole

Dinner : Pork steak with cauliflower puree and coleslaw

Day 2

Breakfast : Keto coffee (made with butter and coconut oil), boiled eggs

Snack : 20 almonds

Lunch : Tuna salad stuffed in tomato

Snack : Roast beef roll and sliced cheese

Dinner : Meatballs with pumpkin noodles, with cream sauce

Day 3

Breakfast : Cheese and vegetable omelette with sauce

Snack : Plain, whole Greek yoghurt with banana

Lunch : Sashimi in a packet with vegetable soup

Snack : Smoothie with almond milk, greens, almond butter and protein powder

Dinner : Grilled chicken with asparagus and sauteed mushrooms

Day 4

Breakfast Smoothie : Almond milk, greens, almond butter and protein powder

Snack : Two boiled eggs

Lunch : Chicken breasts fried with almond flour and a salad with greens, cucumbers and goat cheese

Snack : Sliced cheese and sliced peppers

Dinner : Grilled shrimp with lemon butter sauce with a side of asparagus

Day 5

Breakfast : Fried eggs with bacon and greens

Snack : A handful of walnuts with a quarter cup of berries

Lunch : Burger on a “bun” with lettuce, avocado and a side salad

Snack : Celery sticks dipped in almond butter

Dinner : Baked soy cheese with cauliflower rice, broccoli and peppers

Day 6

Breakfast : boiled eggs in a cup with avocado

Snack : cabbage salad

Lunch : avocado with smoked salmon

Snack : 2-3 slices (turkey or pork)

Dinner : Grilled beef steak with peppers and sautéed broccoli

Day 7

Breakfast eggs : scrambled eggs with vegetables, with sauce

Snack : Dried seaweed strips and cheese

Lunch : Sardine salad with mayonnaise on half an avocado

Snack : turkey (look for no added sugars)

Dinner : Grilled trout with butter, and cabbage

7 foods suitable for a ketogenic diet

Lupinus: Lupinus is a plant of the legume family belonging to the genus Lupinus. It is a herbaceous, annual, multi-stemmed plant with small egg-shaped leaves, yellow or white flowers and a taproot. Its height ranges from 30 to 120 cm. It grows in meadows, on hillsides in sandy and acidic soils.

It is called ‘poor man’s meat’ because the older people ate it because of the high protein content of the fruit, which is up to 44%.

Ground Psyllium: The bark of psyllium is a type of vegetable fibre commonly used as a mild laxative. Psyllium has no net carbohydrates and with 7 grams of fibre per two tablespoon serving, ground psyllium is an easy way to increase fibre intake in the keto diet. Just be sure to consume it with plenty of water or juice to avoid dehydration. Add a tablespoon to your drink and you’re good to go.

Brussels sprouts: If you want to increase your fibre intake in a keto diet plan, opt for non-starchy vegetables like Brussels sprouts. Cooked Brussels sprouts contain just 5.5 grams of carbohydrates, including 2 grams of fibre, per half cup. Add bacon and mozzarella or parmesan cheese to your sprouts for a keto-friendly side dish.

Artichokes: Artichokes are a great choice for any healthy eating plan and are a great source of potassium, vitamin C, folate and magnesium. In addition, one large artichoke contains up to 10 grams of fibre, including inulin a special prebiotic fibre that feeds beneficial bacteria in the body.

Wild blueberries: You can consume a variety of fruits when starting a keto diet, as long as you choose carefully and keep portions small. We recommend blueberries, which can be added to salads and smoothies or eaten as a snack with nuts. Berries are one of the fruits with the highest fibre content, but are relatively low in carbohydrates for a small serving. For the ultimate high-fibre smoothie for keto, mix coconut milk, avocado, chia seeds and half a cup of blueberries.

Garlic: Along with onions, leeks and chives, garlic is a little treasure trove of fibre that can add flavour to any keto meal. Garlic butter (garlic cloves, butter, salt and pepper) is a quick way to add flavour to your steaks and chicken fillets keto.

Raw cocoa powder: Chocolate can be part of the keto diet, but choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa or more. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the lower the carbohydrates. Or better yet, go for raw cocoa powder. “Cocoa powder can be used in smoothies and cake desserts to add more flavour to your diet.

Different types of ketogenic diet

There are different versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

• Typical ketogenic diet: This is a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein and high fat diet. It usually contains 70% fat, 20% protein and only 10% carbohydrate (9Trusted Source).
• Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: This diet includes periods of refeeding with higher carbohydrates, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high carbohydrate days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet: This diet allows you to add carbohydrates around workouts.
• High protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a typical ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrate.

However, only the standard and ketogenic high-protein diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and are mainly used by bodybuilders or athletes.

The information in this article relates mainly to the standard ketogenic diet, although many of the same principles apply to the other versions.

Benefits of a ketogenic diet

There are many benefits that come from a ketogenic diet and nutrition : from weight loss and increased energy levels to therapeutic medical applications. Anyone can safely benefit from eating a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Below, you will find a short list of benefits you can receive from a ketogenic diet.

Weight loss

The ketogenic diet essentially uses your body fat as an energy source – so there are obvious weight loss benefits. In ketosis, your insulin levels (the fat storage hormone) drop a lot, which turns your body into a fat-burning machine.

Scientifically, the ketogenic diet has shown better results compared to low-fat and high-carbohydrate diets; even in the long term.

Many people incorporate MCT oil into their diet (it increases ketone production and fat loss) by drinking keto coffee in the morning.

Blood sugar control

The Keto diet naturally lowers blood sugar levels because of the type of foods you eat. Studies even show that the keto diet is a more effective way of managing and preventing diabetes compared to low-calorie diets.

If you are prediabetic or have type 2 diabetes, you should seriously consider following a ketogenic diet. We have many readers who have had success with controlling their blood sugar by doing the keto diet.

Other health benefits of the keto diet

The ketogenic diet actually began as a tool to treat neurological diseases such as epilepsy.

Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions:

• Heart disease. Heart disease.The ketogenic diet can help improve risk factors such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Cancer. Diet is currently being investigated as an additional treatment for cancer because it may help slow tumor growth.
• Alzheimer’s disease. The keto diet may help reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and slow its progression.
• Epilepsy. Research has shown that the ketogenic diet can cause a significant reduction in seizures in epileptic children.
• Parkinson’s disease. Although more research is needed, one study found that the diet helped improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. The ketogenic diet may help reduce insulin levels, which may play a key role in polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Brain injuries. Some research suggests that the diet could improve the effects of traumatic brain injuries.

The ketogenic diet may offer many health benefits, especially in cases of metabolic, neurological or insulin-related diseases.