Following a low-carbohydrate diet such as the Atkins or South Beach diet can cause some food to be off-limits on your diet to make way for the more important food groups. This can include certain food groups such as dairy products. However, good nutrition and low-calorie control factor much in the same way that low carbohydrate diets do. Therefore, the right low-carb diet food choices support your diet and your overall ketone diet need all in one package. Here is the food to eat on the keto diet.
Low carb food options
So whether you’re starting a low carb, ketogenic diet, or simply looking for trusted keto diet food choices to include in your daily shopping list, here’s your full guide to the good and bad foods to eat on a low carb diet and when to avoid them. Fact: there are many “low carb” food groups to choose from. Fact: most people would rather have some variety in their daily food intake. Fact: many people find some variety in their diet food selections that makes them feel less guilty about food choices they make and can also help lower your risk of weight gain. Fact: even if you’re not hungry, sometimes it’s better to take a few moments and think before making a food choice–and when you do make a choice, make sure it’s the right choice for you.
Most experts recommend that you get close to 20 grams of carbs each day. However, there are several different types of carbohydrates that may reduce your ketosis symptoms and increase your insulin sensitivity. Carbohydrates that come in the form of bread, pasta, rice, cereals, and potatoes have a low glycemic index, which means they release energy slowly and may reduce the risk of insulin resistance. When you bake, boil, and broil your foods, you release lots of fiber, which may reduce insulin sensitivity, but be careful not to overdo it as either excess sugar or fiber can raise your blood sugar.
Your body breaks down carbohydrates into several metabolic products, one of which is glucose. The problem with glucose is that it’s sensitive to insulin and has a very short half-life in the bloodstream. If you eat too much glucose, the pancreas has to work double-time to process and remove it from the bloodstream quickly so the insulin doesn’t kick in and cause your blood sugar to rise too quickly. Carbohydrates that release energy slowly are better for you than those that are immediately absorbed into the blood stream. This is why low carbohydrate diets are often recommended for people who need to watch their blood sugar because the immediate dietary input of carbohydrates is not good for the long term.
Calculate the allowed amount of carb intake
A good rule of thumb for calculating what foods to eat on the keto diet is to take in the following amount of net carbs per day. That is, if you have a snack between meals, take in one gram of net carbs. For example, at dinner, you would take in two grams of net carbs. Again, don’t confuse net carb counting with carbohydrate counting. Even though you take in fewer carbs at each meal, there are still carbohydrates from being absorbed into your system that you are not consuming.
Consult a nutritionist
If you have any questions about what foods to eat on the ketogenic diet, you might want to consult a nutritionist to be sure you maintain good nutrition. They can offer you some good advice on what types of food are good for your particular goal. You might also want to read some books by Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a famous author, and doctor. He is a leading authority on low-carb lifestyles and has written some wonderful books on the subject. In fact, most of his books have been best sellers and he knows more about this subject than anyone.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the ketogenic diet is that you need to cut out all carbohydrates. The simple truth is that you just need to increase your daily fiber intake. Fiber has a great effect on your metabolism. It helps your body break down food and absorb the sugars and other ingredients more quickly. Increasing your fiber intake also leads to greater weight loss because it can reduce your appetite.