Eat freely when hungry - Stop when full

When following the ketogenic diet there is no need to count calories or weigh the food. It is only necessary to remember: eat 70% calories from fat, 20 grams of carbs (vegetables that contain carbs) and moderate protein (how much is moderate protein? Look at the size of your palm - without the fingers. That is the size of the protein you can have.)

If you prefer, you can download the list  of allowed foods in the ketogenic diet from this link as a PDF.

Navigate through the list of allowed foods

Meats

When following the ketogenic diet you need to eat protein in moderates amounts - According to https://www.perfectketo.com:

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats

Some people can get away with eating more protein, but others might need to keep it at 15% or less to prevent gluconeogenesis and stay in ketosis. In terms of grams, this will usually fall around 0.7 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight (or 1.5 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of lean bodyweight).

  • Beef (including hamburger and steak)
  • Lamb, veal or other meats
  • Processed meats (sausage, pepperoni, hot dogs) check the label
  • Poultry - Chicken, turkey, duck
  • Pork, ham (must be unglazed - check the label for carbohydrate), bacon

Eggs

Eggs are a complete food with only 1 gram of carbohydrates. Check the site of Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MD - Diet Doctor for great information about a low carbohydrate living, articles and recipes.

You can eat as many eggs as you want per day. No limit.

Fish

Always chose the kind of fatty fish. Eating fish is a great way to enrich your diet with the healthy Omega-3 oils.

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats

You can check one of my recipes with salmon here.

  • Tuna
  • Salmon
  • Catfish
  • Bass
  • Trout
  • Shrimp
  • scallops
  • Crab
  • Sardines
  • Lobster

Salad Greens

The amount recommended for vegetables varies among different doctors. Some suggest 2 cups a day and some 8 cups. I am doing 8 cups a day. I know how important are the minerals and vitamins and if I only eat once a day - I want to make sure that my body has what it needs.

  • Arugula
  • Bok Choi
  • Cabbage (all varieties)
  • Chard
  • Chives
  • Endive
  • Greens (all varieties, including beet, collards, mustard and turnip)
  • Kale
  • Lettuce (all varieties)
  • Parsley
  • Radicchio
  • Radishes
  • Scallions (spring onion)
  • Watercress

Fibrous Vegetables

Eat from this section up to 2 cups a day

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Bamboo shoots
  • Bean sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Celeriac (celery root)
  • Chayote
  • Cucumber
  • Edamame beans
  • Eggplant (aubergine)
  • Green beans
  • Jicama
  • Mushrooms
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Pumpkin
  • Snow peas
  • Sprouts (bean and alfalfa)
  • SUgar snap peas
  • Summer squash
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnip
  • Zucchini (courgette)

Fatty vegetables

These can be used to enrich a meal when there is not enough fat around on the plate or even as snacks.

  • Black or Green Olives - up to 6 a day
  • Avocado - 1/2 fruit a day

Dairy

I am lactose intolerant and so this section is not for me, but I included it here for you if you can have dairy.

Cheese - up to 4 ounces a day

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats
  • Swiss and Cheddar, Brie, Mozzarella, Gruyere, Cream cheese, goat cheese
  • Cream - up to 4 tbsp. a days
  • Includes heavy or sour cream
  • No half and half
  • No condensed or evaporated milk

Berries

Berries are the only fruits allowed in the ketogenic diet. Eat up to 4 tbsp. a day (1/4 cup) and try to eat them only twice a week, no more.

  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Huckleberries
  • Salmon berries
  • Gooseberries

Pickles

Avoid pickled food with added sugar. I use pickles sometimes as snacks - they are salty and yummi.

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats
  • Recipes with dill or garlick usually have no added sugar
  • Pickled eggs

Condiments

I like to use condiments in my foods. It adds flavor and does not make the food boring.

  • Lemon/Lime Juice: up to 4 tbsp. a day
  • Yellow mustard: up to 2 tbsp. a day
  • Soy sauces: up to 4 tbsp. a day ( I don't like to use soy products at all because they are GMO)
  • Salt and vinegar - No restrictions
  • Ketchup/BBQ sauce - only low carb versions

Snacks

I try not to snack, but you know, there are some days when you have to...

  • Deviled eggs
  • Slices of pepperoni
  • Ham slices
  • Beef slices
  • Turkey or chicken roll / slices
  • Other meat roll-ups
  • Pork rinds/skins

Fats and Oils

It is very important to eat 70% of your daily calories from fat. When you serve yourself food look at the plate and see if you have fat in the plate. If not - drizzle a little of olive oil, add a slice of avocado or an egg.

  • All fats and oils, butter, are allowed.
  • Coconut oil, butter, or lard is recommended for cooking as these are most stable at high temperatures.
  • Reusing oil is not recommended - high temperatures damage fat molecules - particularly ones with high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
  • Olive oil is recommended for cold dressings.
  • ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats
  • Avoid margarine or any food containing hydrogenated oils also known as trans-fats - they are clearly proven to be a major cause of heart disease.
  • For salad dressings, the ideal dressing is a homemade oil-and-vinegar dressing, with lemon juice and spices as needed.
  • Blue-cheese, ranch, Caesar, and Italian are also acceptable if the label says 1 to 2 grams of carbohydrate per serving or less.

Forbidden Foods

Here is the list of foods that are not allowed in the ketogenic diet.

The image is credited to: https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/2asr8d/the_50_names_of_sugar/?ref=share&ref_source=link

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats
  • White sugar
  • Beans and legumes (pinto, lima, black beans, peas, etc.)
  • Sugar of any kind and color
  • Rice of any type and color
  • Honey
  • Root vegetables - particularly carrots, parsnips, corn, potatoes, fries, potato chips Maple syrup
  • Crackers
  • Molasses
  • Corn syrup!!!
  • Beer (contains barley malt)
  • Milk (contains lactose)
  • Flavored yogurts (usually have a lot of sugar)
  • Fruit juice
  • Dried Fruit
  • Processed fruit
  • Grains (even "whole" grains)
  • Cereals - Morning cereals, "healthy" cereals of any kind
  • Flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Breads of any type and kind
  • Pastas
  • Muffins
  • Bagels of any type and kind

Quantities

The main idea of the ketogenic diet is to eat when you are hungry and stop when you begin to feel full - it is not a "three meals a day" diet. There is no need to eat breakfast.

  • Simply eat when you are hungry; try not to eat more than what will satisfy you
  • Learn to listen to your body. A low- carbohydrate diet has a natural appetite-reduction effect to ease you into the consumption of smaller and smaller quantities comfortably
  • Do not eat everything on your plate just because it's there
  • On the other hand, you should never go hungry or skip meals on purpose!
  • You do not need to count calories
  • If you are hungry in the morning you should start your day with a nutritious low-carbohydrate meal


If you fail to plan You plan to fail

One thing is sure - The ketogenic diet is simple. There is no need to buy specific foods, to go overboard in getting food supplies and what is even better, since ketosis lowers your appetite, the diet is even affordable because you eat less.

At first it can be a little overwhelming since we were taught to eat low-fat foods, eat three meals a day and even do not skip breakfast. Following the ketogenic diet is simple, but it takes a little planning.

 

ketogenic-diet,meat, vegetables,eggs, fish, salads greens, dairy, berries, pickles, fats