This month I am taking a closer look at the ketogenic diet and investigating its merits and drawbacks. This eating plan is not for everyone, but for some, it can be an effective way of getting in better shape and improved health. Next week's blog will look into some of the studied health benefits of a ketogenic diet. Remember, when nutritional therapists talk about a 'diet,' they are not referring to a short-term weight-loss fad, but rather to long-term eating and nutrition habits.
The importance of a balanced diet is well documented, but it is important to clarify what this really means. The purpose of following a diet plan is that it allows you to identify the right types and quantities of food to eat for you personally. It provides a roadmap that takes some of the guesswork out of your everyday meal planning. A ketogenic diet is no exception in that you need to make conscious adjustments to what types of food you eat and also to portion size.
Organic animal products
Grass-fed beef (organs are preferable to other parts)
Pasture-fed poultry or pork
Bacon (free of preservatives and starches)
Eggs
Prawns
Cheese or cream cheese - choose full fat options.
Chicken and duck fat
Butter and lard
Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, macadamia nuts, and avocado
Polyunsaturated omega 3-rich foods such as seafood and fatty fish
Non-starchy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and bok choy
Chives and garlic
Cruciferous vegetables such as dark leafy kale and radishes
Celery, cucumber, asparagus, zucchini, and bamboo shoots
Fruits
Avocado
Beverages and condiments
Water
Black coffee (you may add a small amount of unsweetened creamer)
Herbal tea
Pickles and fermented foods such as kimchi
Spices and herbs, lime or lemon juice
Whey protein (make sure it contains no additives, soy lecithin, or artificial sweeteners)
Egg white and grass-fed gelatin
You may also eat the following on occasion:
Fruits
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, white and green cabbage, turnips, and Brussels sprouts
Root vegetables such as spring onion, pumpkin, mushrooms, leek, onion, parsley root, and winter squash
Eggplant
Peppers and tomatoes
Sea vegetables such as kombu and nori
Beans such as wax beans and bean sprouts
Water chestnuts, artichokes, and snap peas
Berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries
Olives and coconut
Organic full-fat dairy
Dairy products such as cottage cheese, plain full-fat yogurt, cream, cheese, and cream cheese (make sure they are not labeled “low-fat,” those varieties include starch and sugar)
Nuts, seeds and oils
Macadamia nuts
Other nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans
Seeds such as flaxseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds
Coconut oil
Fermented soy products
Unprocessed black soybeans
Green soybeans
Gluten-free soy sauce, Natto, and Tempeh
Condiments
Thickeners like arrowroot powder
Cocoa, extra dark chocolate, and cocoa powder
Limit the following vegetables or base the serving size on your daily carb limit because they contain carbohydrates.
Root vegetables such as carrots, celery root, and sweet potato
Watermelon and cantaloupe
Pistachio and chestnuts
Alcohol
Dry sparkling white wine, unsweetened spirits (for more on drinking alcohol with a keto diet, please see this article)
Foods to always avoid while on the ketogenic diet
Grains such as oats, corn, rice, wheat, and barley
White potatoes
Products made from grains or flour such as pasta, crackers, cookies, and bread
Sweets and sugar, artificial sweeteners
Factory-farmed pork and fish, because they contain high doses of omega 6 fatty acids that may cause inflammation
Processed foods
Refined oils such as canola and soybean oil
Trans fats like margarine
Milk (except full-fat milk)
Sweetened beverages
Fruits like banana, pineapple, mango, grapes
Alcoholic beverages like beer and sweet wine
If you decide to follow a keto diet, print this list out, or copy it to your phone so that you can refer to it any time you are shopping or planning a meal. Most foods on a keto diet are commonly found in your local supermarket and come with enough variations that you should never feel limited.
Before embarking on any diet or nutrition programme, please speak to your G.P. or qualified nutritional therapist to ascertain whether it is advisable for you and your health requirements.