The ketogenic food plan is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high fat style of eating. When you're able to deplete your body’s carbohydrate stores, and replace it with healthy fat, it helps to put your body into a state of ketosis
Basic principle: Become a fat burner instead of a sugar burner.
The average person is a sugar burner! What does that mean?
For most people following a western diet, the body gets most of its energy by burning sugars, which are usually derived from carbohydrates. The "keto" in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce small fuel molecules called "ketones".
This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
When you lower your intake of carbs, the body begins to look for an alternative energy source and you will burn fat rather than sugar.
When you lower your intake of carbs, the body begins to look for an alternative energy source and you will burn fat rather than sugar.
This is the end goal of the keto diet. You don't enter ketosis by starving your body. You enter ketosis by starving your body of carbohydrates. (7)
Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet
Mental focus
With a ketogenic diet, the brain utilizes ketone bodies instead of glucose as its primary fuel source. This switch results in increased mental alertness, sharper focus, and improved cognitive capabilities. (4)
Blood sugar management
Studies have shown that a low-carbohydrate diet can help support insulin metabolism in the body. This is because the absence of carbohydrates from the diet helps your body maintain healthy blood glucose levels by breaking down fats and proteins.
Weight loss
A reduced calorie ketogenic diet encourages the utilization of body fat as fuel, and clinical studies support its use for weight management. Additionally, a ketogenic diet may help to suppress appetite and reduce cravings for sugar and processed foods. (5)
Increased energy
Carbohydrates only go so far to sustain energy throughout the day. In ketosis, your body uses fat as fuel instead of glucose to provide the brain with a consistent supply of the ketone bodies necessary to sustain physical performance and energy throughout the day.
Cardiovascular and metabolic health
The ketogenic diet can improve risk factors like body fat, HDL cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar. (1,2)
When you're following a ketogenic lifestyle, most of your calories will come from oils and fats, nuts, seeds, and protein. It is important that you include all your recommended servings of non-starchy vegetables and low carbohydrate fruit, as these are important sources of fiber, phytonutrients, and essential vitamins and minerals needed to maintain optimal health.
Getting Started
The most important practice for reaching ketosis is to keep carbohydrate intake under 50 grams of carbs, and ideally below 20 grams per day. Your doctor may have a specific number of grams for you. The information in the following sections will help you to plan your meals and snacks so that you can keep carbohydrates low while eating enough protein and healthy fat.
Food to
Vegetables
3-6 cups daily minimum. Focus on leafy greens for the bulk of your vegetable intake.
Preferred pasture- raised meats, eggs, and wild fish. Or, if you don't eat meat, focus on organic legumes and raw nuts & seeds (see note on quantities). Proteins may be boiled, broiled, baked, grilled, barbecued, or sautéed.
Protein
Avocados, avocado oil, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconut (in multiple forms), raw nuts & seeds, olives, etc. Healthy fats are crucial for keeping your blood sugar balanced and supplying your body with the fuel it needs to create hormones. Fats are also essential for your brain. Your brain is made of all fat- so we need to feed it.
Healthy Fats
Unhealthy Fats
You build hormones from fat, so if you want healthy hormones, it is best to completely avoid these fats. Sources include canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed, soybean oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, hydrogenated oils, margarine, butter spread, anything fried, etc.
High-Sugar, Carbohydrates, and Artificial Foods
Soda, fruit juice, smoothies, ice cream, candies, etc.
Grains or starches and wheat-based products like rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
Most fruits except for limited amounts of berries.
Root vegetables and tubers like potatoes, carrots, etc.
“Low-fat” or “diet” products.
Sugary alcoholic drinks (sweet wines and cocktails); always check sugar content.
Sugar-free diet foods that are often high in sugar alcohol or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose (such as Diet Coke, Splenda, Sweet ‘n Low).
Fast food (pizza, burgers, pasta, etc.)
Milk substitutes: Milk substitutes such as soy or almond milk tend to have hidden carbs. Flavored milk substitutes are especially suspect because they often contain more sugar. Be sure to choose unsweetened.
Yogurt: Specifically avoid low-fat, fruit-flavored varieties. Try plain, full-fat or whole milk Greek yogurt instead.
Condiments/Ketchup and tomato sauce: Hidden sugars and carbs are typically found in tomato products and sauces.
Salad dressing: Check the label on your salad dressing, because most have sugar and refined oils. Opt for olive oil and vinegar instead.
Smart Keto
Keto... pitfalls
Lots of green leafy vegetables
All carbohydrates are not created equal. Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, swiss chard, bok choy, broccoli, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kim chi all have an extraordinary amount of insoluble fiber.
Avoiding vegetables
Vegetables are critical to your health, even if you're on the keto diet. They also contain micronutrients and fiber, so you don't want to miss out on them.
Choose healthy unsaturated fats
Healthy fats are the ones that should make the up the most of your fat intake. So, top up on your nuts, avocado, and fatty fish intake. Your body will thank you for it.
Wrong fats
One of the common keto diet mistakes that people make is eating too much saturated and trans fats. Yes, the keto diet is a high-fat diet, but there is still a difference between the types of fats that you should eat.
Break old habits
Form new healthy habits that directly impact longevity and vitality.
Trading one bad habit for another
Getting rid of processed carbohydrates is a great first step, but substituting it ONLY for bacon, fudge, butter and burgers is not.
Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated also means that your organs are going to be working the way they should. Your body will be working like a well-oiled machine.
Being Dehydrated
When you aren't staying hydrated, your body is going to store as much fat as possible.
Eat protein
Your body only needs so much protein, anything more than that and it starts to get converted into fat. We are trying to eliminate fat so anything that adds fat to your body is a negative.
Eating too much protein
However, having too much protein is going to have negative effects on your body during a keto diet.
Portions & Food Choices
Products
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Jicama
Kimchi
Kohlrabi
Rutabaga
Sauerkraut
Sprouts
Tomatoes
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
2–3 cups, raw leafy greens
All others: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
All others: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
Recommendations
Choose local and organic as much as possible.
Vegetables should be the centerpiece of your diet!
5
1-2
0
25
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Bean sprouts
Bitter melon
Bottle gourd
Leeks
Mushrooms
Leafy greens (arugula, beet, collard, dandelion, endive, escarole, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, radicchio, watercress)
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cactus (nopales)
Cauliflower
Celery
Celery root
Chayote
Cucumber
Eggplant
Hearts of palm
Green or string beans
Cabbage (bok choy, green, nappa, red, savoy)
Jerusalem artichoke
Lettuce (Boston bibb, butter, frisee, green leaf, red leaf, romaine)
Okra
Onions (green, brown, red, scallions, shallot, spring, white, yellow)
Peppers (bell, jalapeño, poblano, sweet)
Radishes (daikon, cherry belle, white icicle, watermelon)
Sea plants (arame, dulse, kombu, kelp, nori)
Sugar snap peas, snow peas
Summer squash (crookneck, delicata, yellow, spaghetti, zucchini, patty pan)
Products
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
3-4 oz meat/fish = deck of cards or palm of hand
1 oz = 1 slice meat
1 oz = 1 slice meat
Recommendations
Preferred Organic, 100% Grass Fed, pastured meat.
Preferred wild, organic. Avoid farmed fish.
0
14-28
1-9
150-300
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Bacon: 2 slices. Nitrate/nitrite fee
Seitan
Tofu: Non GMO or organic, 4 oz
Egg whites: 1 cup
Elk: 3 oz.
Wild Fish
Skipjack: 4 oz.
Yellowtail: 4 oz.
Lamb, leg, chop, or lean roast: 3 oz.
Liver: 3 oz.
Tempeh: 4 oz
Grass fed beef - All cuts: 3 oz.
Buffalo: 3 oz.
Wild Salmon: Canned: 3 oz., Fresh: 3 oz., Smoked: 3 oz.
Herring: 3 oz.
Wild Sardines (in water or oil): 3 oz.
Pork, tenderloin: 3 oz.
Sausage: varies
Pasture raised chicken, white or dark meat: 3 oz
Cornish hen: 4 oz.
Eggs, whole: 2
Trout: 4 oz.
Mackerel: 2 oz.
Wild Tuna: Canned, chunk light or solid light (in water or oil): 4 oz.
Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, mussels, oysters, scallops): 4–5 oz.
Turkey, white or dark meat: 3 oz.
Venison: 3 oz.
Products
1 tablespoon oil = 3 dice
2 teaspoons = ping pong ball
1 oz nuts = small handful
2 teaspoons = ping pong ball
1 oz nuts = small handful
Recommendations
Refer to the list of unhealthy fats to be aware of which should be avoided.
Oils & Fats
0
0
5
45
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
Nuts & Seeds
3
1
5
45
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Avocado: 2 Tbsp.
Avocado oil: 1 tsp.
Butter: 1 tsp.
Medium-chain triglyceride oil: 1 tsp.
Medium-chain triglyceride powder: ½ Tbsp.
Olive oil, extra virgin: 1 tsp.
Hazelnuts: 5
Hemp seeds: 2 tsp.
Macadamia: 3
Pecans: 4 halves
Coconut milk - Light, canned: 3 Tbsp. - Regular, canned: 1.5 Tbsp.
Coconut oil: 1 tsp.
Coconut spread: 1.5 tsp.
Olives: 8–10 medium
Sesame oil: 1 tsp.
Sour cream: 2 Tbsp.
Pine nuts: 1 Tbsp.
Pistachios: 12
Cream: 1 tsp.
Flaxseed oil: 1 tsp.
Ghee/clarified butter: 1 tsp.
Grapeseed oil: 1 tsp.
High-oleic safflower oil: 1 tsp.
High-oleic sunflower oil: 1 tsp.
Mayonnaise, unsweetened (made with avocado, grapeseed, or olive oil): 1 Tbsp.
Almonds: 6
Almond butter: 1½ tsp.
Brazil: 2
Cashews: 6
Pumpkin seeds: 1 Tbsp.
Sesame seeds: 1 Tbsp.
Flaxseed, ground: 1½ Tbsp.
Coconut, unsweetened, shredded: 1½ Tbsp.
Cashew butter: 1½ tsp.
Chia seeds: 1 Tbsp.
Soy nuts, roasted: 2 Tbsp.
Sunflower seeds: 1 Tbsp.
Tahini: 1½ tsp.
Walnuts: 4 halves
Sweetener Portions:
Unlimited servings/day
Recommendations
Avoid all beverages with added sugar and any “diet” or “sugar free” beverages.
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
Recommend limiting to 1–2 servings per day to reduce cravings for sweet-tasting food.
Condiments
Sparkling water (free from sodium and artificial flavors)
Coffee/espresso (organic)
Noncaffeinated herbal teas (mint, chamomile, hibiscus, etc.)
Mineral water (still or carbonated)
Water (ideally filtered)
Green tea, rooibos tea (unsweetened)
Beverages
Luo han guo (monkfruit extract)
Stevia
Allowable Sweeteners
in limited quantities
in limited quantities
Cacao (powder/nibs)
Carob
Blackstrap molasses
Horseradish
Hot sauce
Salsa, unsweetened
Soy sauce/tamari
Bone broth
Lemon
Lime
Spices, all, fresh or dried (ex. chili powder, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, curry, garlic powder, ginger powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, turmeric, etc.)
Flavored extracts (ex. almond, vanilla)
Garlic
Ginger
Herbs, all, fresh or dried (ex. dill, basil, chives, cilantro, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, etc.)
Liquid amino acid
Mustard
Salsa, unsweetened
Vinegars, unsweetened, organic apple cider, balsamic, red wine, white wine
Miso
Foods to Enjoy Occasionally:
Due to a slightly higher carb content, these foods should be consumed in limited quantities. Remember, total carb allotment for the day is less than 50 grams or otherwise instructed by your doctor.
Products
Beans (black-eyed, black, cannellini, edamame, garbanzo, kidney, lima, mung, navy, pinto): ½ cup cooked
Lentils ½ cup, cooked
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
15
7
0-3
100
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Legumes
Beans, vegetarian refried: ½ cup
Peas (pigeon, split): ½ cup, cooked
Hummus: 4 Tbsp.
Bean soups, homemade: ¾ cup
Products
Blackberries: ¾ cup
Raspberries: 1 cup
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
15
0
0
60
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Berries
Cranberries, unsweetened: ½ cup
Strawberries: 1¼ cup
Loganberries: ¾ cup
Blueberries: ¾ cup
Boysenberries: ¾ cup
Products
Feta: 2 oz.
Yogurt, plain, full-fat/whole milk, Greek: ½ cup. Note: Full-fat dairy products recommended
One Portion Size and Nutrients:
12
8
5-8
100-150
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Dairy
Goat: 2 oz.
Mozzarella: 2 oz. or ½ cup shredded
Milk: 1 cup
Cheese
Ricotta: 1/3 cup
Cream cheese: 1 Tbsp.
Cottage: ¾ cup
Kefir, plain: 1 cup
Meal Planning.
A Balanced Meal
A Balanced Meal
up to 2+
+4-5
4-6
+0-0.5
Vegetables, servings (non-starchy)
Fat, servings (oils/nuts/seeds)
Protein, oz.
Carbs/Starch, servings
(fruit, grains, beans)
(fruit, grains, beans)
Example Meal:
4 oz Wild Salmon + 1 cup broccoli and asparagus cooked in 1 tbsp. coconut oil
6
26
29
340
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Example Meal:
4oz chicken + ½ avocado + 1 cup vegetables cooked in 1 tbsp. coconut oil
7
24
35
400
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Example Meal:
2 eggs cooked in 1 tbsp grass-fed butter with 1 cup spinach
2
14
32
350
carbs, g
proteins, g
fats, g
calories
Create your personalized meal pattern
Work with your Health Coach to design a meal pattern that works for you. It could be 3 small meals/day with 1-2 snacks, or perhaps you do better with 4-5 mini meals over the course of your day.
References:
1. Yancy Jr WS, et al. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004;140(10):769-77
2. Volek J.S., et al. Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners. Metabolism. 2016 Mar;65(3):100-10.
3. Hudgins LC. Effect of high-carbohydrate feeding on triglyceride and saturated fatty acid synthesis. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 2000 Dec;225(3):178-83.
4. Available at: http://blog.prymd.com/the-ketogenic-diet-and-mental-performance Accessed September 13, 2017.
5. Volek, JS., and Stephen D. Phinney. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. Beyond Obesity LLC., 2011
8. Krebs NF, et al. Efficacy and safety of a high protein, low carbohydrate diet for weight loss in severely obese adolescents. J Pediatr. 2010 Aug;157(2):252-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.02.010. Epub 2010 Mar
9. Volek et al. Body composition and hormonal responses to a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Metabolism 2002;51(7):864-70.
10. Adam-Perrot A, et al. Low-carbohydrate diets: nutritional and physiological aspects. Obes Rev. 2006;7(1)49.58.
11. Volek, JS., and Stephen D. Phinney. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. Beyond Obesity LLC., 2011.
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