Best Keto Foods (In a Nutshell)

Whether you are just starting out on a keto diet or are looking for a way to explain it to someone else, you will need to know which are the best keto foods.

This article will provide you with a simple summary of which foods you are going to need to have on hand.

Additionally, if you know why you need to eat certain foods, you are more likely to make sure you get them in your diet.

You may also find it interesting to know that if you eat foods when you are hungry, you are more likely to develop a taste for them.

In a nutshell you want to eat mostly fat, adequate protein and very little carbs. No more than 20 gram of net carbs. Not sure what net carbs are, then go here for our ketogenic diet foods checklist and to see how to calculate net carbs.

Let's start with why and what fats you should be eating...

Fats

The biggest mind set change towards a ketogenic diet is that fat is NOT the enemy.

When it comes to fat, there are some good fats and there are some not so good fats, but we need much more of the good fats than what we were told before.

You were probably told that all fat is bad. That is simply not true. Your body needs a certain amount of fats in order to function properly. You have to have it for insulation, like natural shock absorbers. You need it to burn for energy. You need it for proper brain function.

You actually need fat to burn fat.

With adequate fat, your brain is able to make new connections leading to improved memory and a clearer mind.

They have anti-inflammatory properties. 

You can get good fats from butter, olives and olive oil, coconut oil and coconut butter. Red meat, chicken fish and nuts are all good fats to add to your diet.

The best thing about eating butter and other fats is that your food is just so much tastier. Eating right doesn’t have to be something that you dread.

Another of the advantages of plenty of fat on a keto diet is that it keeps you feeling full so that you aren’t snacking all day.

Protein

Protein is important. It is the primary building block of the body. Your hair, nails, muscles, and tissues are all made up of protein. Your body also needs protein to build your blood cells.

Making sure your protein intake is optimal, but not too much for your body's needs, will help build muscles in all the right places.

You will be happy to know that you can still have bacon and sausage. Bacon and eggs are your best friends on a keto diet. Eat your eggs boiled, baked, make omelets or frittatas.

Check out: Our detailed shopping list.

Beware of

There are some things that are going to make it impossible for your body to reach a state of ketosis or to stay in ketosis. Your body has to switch from burning carbs for energy to burning stored fat for energy.

To do this your body needs lots of fats, adequate protein, but very little carbs.

So:

Make a decision to completely stay away from processed sugars and processed carbs.

Most sources and products that you buy in bottles and boxes have added sugars and hidden carbs. Become an expert at checking labels and where possible get rid of them all. If you don't, you will want to use them sparingly.

Medicine and diet sodas are the other two things that you have to watch. They are both loaded with sugar and or artificial sweeteners.

These will throw your body out of ketosis, which means you may have to start the process all over.

Another downside of artificial sweeteners like those in diet sweeteners are that you are going to suffer from cravings and they make you hungry. Make a concerted effort to just drop them from your diet.

What next?

Eating right is not easy at first. It takes dedication and requires making some long term changes.

However, as you balance your eating and thereby your hormones, you will find that it becomes easier.

The key is to educate yourself and experiment with some of these delicious recipes from our home page.

You can also find lots of recipe ideas on our website, so please scroll around.