The Easy Guide to a High-Fat Keto Diet

What is the Keto Diet?

The Keto Diet has gained a lot of attention in recent times within the Health and wellness community, as well as places like Hollywood. This is because of the increased awareness of how phenomenal it is, not only for weight loss, but science is showing, the benefits Keto has on overall health and well-being. 

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia, that summarizes perfectly what the Keto or Ketogenic Diet is…

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain-function. However, if there is little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source.” Wikipedia

In addition to treating medical issues such as epilepsy, it has also had success in treating many other conditions such as:

-    Metabolic Syndrome

-    Glycogen Storage Disease

-    Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

-    Diabetes 

-    Cancer

-    Autism

-    Parkinson’s Disease 

-    Obesity

-    Traumatic Brain Injury

-    Multiple Sclerosis

-    Alzheimer’s Disease 

It is said that the body best functions on fat as fuel as opposed to glucose. Fat is like a premium high octane fuel, whereas glucose is like a cheap fuel which can lead to faster wear and tear on your engine. When bearing this in mind, it is easy to understand how the Keto Diet could help in all aspects of health. 

It is widely reported about how the Keto Diet is great for boosting mental performance and clarity. 

Ketones are a great source of fuel, not only for the body for also for the brain. When you lower your carb intake, you can avoid the big spikes in blood sugar levels. You won't be subjected to the constant highs and lows, that one is subjected to when they are using glycogen as a fuel source. This can improve focus and concentration. 

What Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?

If you are a carb lover, this is probably not the diet for you. If you enjoy lots of bread, pizza, pasta and drinking beer, you are probably going to struggle with sticking to the Keto Diet long-term. 

Ideally, you want to keep your carbs down to around 20-30grams per day. Depending on how fast you want to get into a ketogenic state or ketosis, you may even want to restrict it to a further 15g or less per day. It is very individual and there is no one size fits all. There are some gadgets on the market that you can use, which analysis your urine sample, which will tell you if you are in the state of ketosis or not. But generally speaking, you need to keep carbs to approximately 20-30 grams, give or take.

To put this into perspective, just one slice of whole wheat bread is around 12 grams of Carbs, so if you had 2 slices, you would be over your daily allowance, not to mention adding the carbs from the other foods that you are likely to consume, throughout your day, that may be considered low carb. 

In order to be able to achieve a state of ketosis, refined carbohydrates such as rice, wheat (bread, pasta, pizza, cereals), potatoes, beans, legumes, and most fruit are generally not on the ok to eat list. Some fruits are ok such as Avocado (due to its low carb, high-fat content) and berries in moderation. If you do consume any of these foods, you will need to be extra vigilant for the remainder of the day, to ensure you restrict your total carbs to within the specific guidelines that will apply to you. 

Some people believe that Keto is just like an Aitkens or Paleo diet, however, I know some vegetarians and even vegans, that are on a Keto Diet, so it’s not the same thing. 

Essentially, it is just about reducing or eliminating carbohydrate-rich foods out of the diet or more specifically ensuring you are not consuming any more than 20-30 grams of carbohydrates per day. 

Foods/Drinks that you can have, include:

• Vegetables (Cruciferous Vegetables such as Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Brussel Sprouts), Spinach, Zucchini. You need to be aware there are some vegetables are higher in carbs. These include onion, parsnip, garlic, mushrooms, tomato, eggplant, peppers, mushrooms, and squash. 
• Nuts and Seeds such as almonds, cashew, walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds, macadamias. 
• Beef, Chicken, Seafood, Shellfish
• Avocados and Berries in Moderation
• Butter, Ghee, Lard, Tallow, Milk, Cheese
• Bone Broth, Fish Stock
• Eggs
• Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Macadamia Oil, MCT Oil, Grapeseed oil 
• Spices & Herbs (Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Cinnamon, Cumin, Paprika, Mustard Seeds, Oregano, Cilantro, Cilantro Seeds, Basil, Parsley, Mint, Rosemary, Thyme
• Water, Tea, Herbal Tea, Coffee, Milk, Kombucha, Kefir, Coconut Water, Vegetable Juice, vodka
• Stevia

Foods/Drinks that you can not have 

You should have a good idea of what you can, and what you can’t eat on a Keto Diet. 

But here is a list of foods that really should be either completely avoided or at the very least limited. If you do eat or drink one of these foods on the list, you will probably not be able to have another one during the same 24-hour period, if you want to remain in a Ketogenic state. 

• Fruits such as bananas, apples, citrus (lemons, oranges), pineapple, watermelon, grapefruit, grapes, cherries, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, 
• Grains such as wheat (bread, pasta, pizza, cereals), corn, soy, rice, rye, buckwheat, oats, muesli, quinoa
• Sugary foods such as candy, milk chocolate, ice cream, cookies, donuts, processed foods, chips, cakes, pastries
• Starches such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams
• Low-fat foods which tend to contain added sugar. 
• Soda, Fruit Juices, Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cordial 
• Condiments. Sauces and spreads are generally really high in sugar and should be avoided. 

Conclusion

The keto diet is probably a challenge for many people, however the benefits of achieving ketosis, is well worth the effort. 

Remember you can still enjoy the foods on the can not have list, but moderation is key. 

Why not give it a try!