4 Healthy, Keto-Friendly Foods
Keto diet, short for the ketogenic diet, comprises low-carb, high-fat foods to yield health benefits, primarily weight loss. Apart from weight loss, this diet is known for its benefits for people with diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. When on this diet, your body falls into ketosis—the metabolic state wherein fat is burned for energy instead of carbohydrates, allowing for faster weight loss.
While there are several foods you may have to give up on when you start this diet, here are a few beneficial foods to eat on a keto diet:
1. Low-carb vegetables
Vegetables with low starch content, like cauliflowers and broccoli, are known to be rich in nutrients, making them ideal additions to a keto diet. At the same time, you must stay away from high-fiber vegetables, as the body does not absorb fiber readily when on this diet. The quantity of net carbs is the carbohydrate count in your diet minus the fiber count. A cup of raw spinach has 1g carbohydrates, while a cup of Brussels sprouts has 7g carbohydrates.
2. Avocados
Avocados are delicious fruits and are among the top choices for a keto diet. They’re full of healthy monounsaturated fats and are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Besides, they are extremely low in carbs, making them one of the most popular foods to eat when on a keto diet. Typically, one whole avocado only has two grams of carbs, making it the go-to food for anyone willing to pursue this diet seriously. So, although they are high-calorie fruits, they’re well within the rules of a keto diet.
3. Berries
Berries like raspberries and strawberries are extremely beneficial additions to a keto diet plan. A quarter of a cup of raspberries has only 1.5 grams of net carbs. Although this is pretty much the entire quota of carbs you can have on this diet, the daily vitamins C and K requirements are fulfilled with a portion of raspberries. Similarly, strawberries have about 2 grams of carbs in a quarter-cup portion. You can consume them raw or include them in a smoothie. You can also opt for berry yogurt to provide your body with all the necessary nutrients without cheating the diet restrictions.
4. Coconut oil
Coconut oil contains Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), which serve as an active source of energy. This is because MCTs are converted into ketones in the liver. Coconut oil is especially helpful for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders to increase the level of ketones. This oil has also been known to help with weight loss in people who are obese. Plus, the consumption of coconut oil has been observed to be a major factor in the reduction of the waistline, without any other dietary changes.