Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. Today we will discuss on ketogenic diet weight loss mission. Probably most of you always have started a diet plan for weight loss and tried to search out what is best to have during your weight loss mission. This is one of the easiest but hardest question to answer. If you are looking for foods that could really help you to hit your weight loss target, then you are at the right place. Below you will find foods or low card diet that are essential and helpful for you during your weight loss challenge.
What is ketogenic diet ?
The ketogenic diet is high fat,protein, and low carbohydrate diet that is primarily to treat difficult epilepsy in children The diet force the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally the carbohydrates contained foods are converted into glucose which in turn is transformed around the body and is important in flueing 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. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures.Almost half of children, and young people, with epilepsy who have tried some form of this diet saw the number of seizures drop by at least half, and the effect persists even after discontinuing the diet. [Source]
Studies on Ketogenic Diet
Studies have found out that this very low carb diet, high fat diet is effective for weight loss, diabetes. [1,2,3]
There’s also evidence that it may be very helpful in certain cancers.
A ketogenic diet typically limits carbs consumption upto 20–50 grams per day. While this may seem challenging, many nutritious foods can easily fit into this way of eating.
13 Foods for Ketogenic Diet Weight Loss
Seafood ketogenic diet weight loss
Fish and shellfish are high keto foods. Fishes like Salmon and other are rich in Vitamin B, selenium and potassium.[1]
However, the carbs in different types of shellfish vary. For instance, while shrimp and most crabs contain no carbs, other types of shellfish do [Source].
Below are the Carbs count for 3.5-ounce (100-gram) servings of some popular types of shellfish :
- Clams: 5 grams [2]
- Mussels: 7 grams [3]
- Octopus: 4 grams [4]
- Oysters: 4 grams [5]
- Squid: 3 grams [6]
Salmon, sardines, mackerel and other fatty fish are having high omega-3 fatty fat, which have been found to lower and control insulin levels and increases insulin sensitivity in overweight an obese people.
You should aim to consume at-least 2 meals of seafood weekly.
Low-carbs vegetables ketogenic diet weight loss
Low starch vegetables are less in carb content, but high in many nutrients, including vitamin C and several minerals.
Vegetables and other plants contain fiber, which your body doesn’t digest and absorb like other carbs.
Most vegetables contain very few net carbs. However, consuming one serving of “starchy” vegetables like potatoes, yams or beets could put you over your entire carb limit for the day.
The net carb count for low starch vegetables ranges from less than 1 gram for 1 cup of raw spinach to 8 grams for 1 cup of cooked Brussels sprouts .[Source]
Vegetables also contain antioxidants that help protect against free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage (16, 17).
What’s more, cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli and cauliflower have been linked to decreased cancer and heart disease risk (18, 19).
Low-carbs vegetables could make great substitutes for higher-carbs foods.
Cheese ketogenic diet weight loss
Cheese is both nutritious and delicious. There are many types of cheese available nowadays. Most of them are less in carbs content which makes it a good source of food during a ketogenic diet.
One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of carbs, 7 grams of protein and 20 percent of the RDI for calcium.[Source]
Cheese is high in saturated fat, but it hasn’t been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.Even saturated fat are not only responsible for risk to heart attack.Read our post on how saturated fats could be good for your health. In fact, some studies suggest that cheese may help protect against heart disease (21, 22).
Cheese also contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a fat that has been linked to fat loss and improvements in body composition (23).
In addition, eating cheese regularly may help reduce the loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging.
A 12-week study in older adults found that those who consumed 7 ounces (210 grams) of ricotta cheese per day experienced increases in muscle mass and muscle strength over the course of the study.[Source]
Avocados ketogenic diet weight loss
Avocados are incredibly healthy, it can be used as a fruit which equally delicious too.
3.5 ounces (100 grams) or about one-half of a medium avocado, contain 9 grams of carbs.
Avocado’s are rich in several vitamins and minerals, which includes potassium, an important mineral many people may not get enough of. Higher potassium intake might help you make the transition to a ketogenic diet easier. [Source]
In addition, avocados may help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
In a study, when people consumed a diet high in avocados, they experienced a 22 percent decrease in bad ‘LDL’ cholesterol and an 11 percent in good ‘HDL’ cholesterol.[Source]
Meat and poultry ketogenic diet weight loss
Fresh meat and poultry products contains no carbs and are rich in Vitamin B and several minerals which includes potassium and zinc.[Source]
These are rich in protein source which have been shown to help preserve muscle mass during a very low carbs diet.[Source]
One study in older women found that consuming a diet high in fatty meat led to HDL cholesterol levels that were 8 percent higher than on a low-fat, high-carb diet (21).
It’s best to choose grass-fed meat, if possible. That’s because animals that eat grass produce meat with higher amounts of omega-3 fats, conjugated linoleic acid and antioxidants than meat from grain-fed animals (32).
Eggs ketogenic diet weight loss
Eggs are one of the healthiest and most versatile foods on the planet.
One large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and fewer than 6 grams of protein, making eggs an ideal food for a ketogenic lifestyle (33).
In addition, eggs have been shown to trigger hormones that increase feelings of fullness and keep blood sugar levels stable, leading to lower calorie intakes for up to 24 hours (34, 35).
It’s important to eat the entire egg, as most of an egg’s nutrients are found in the yolk. This includes the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect eye health (36).
Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, consuming them doesn’t raise blood cholesterol levels in most people. In fact, eggs appear to modify the shape of LDL in a way that reduces the risk of heart disease (37).
Coconut oils ketogenic diet weight loss
Coconut oil has unique properties that make it well suited for a ketogenic diet.
To begin with, it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike long-chain fats, MCTs are taken up directly by the liver and converted into ketones or used as a rapid source of energy.
In fact, coconut oil has been used to increase ketone levels in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders of the brain and nervous system (38).
The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, a slightly longer-chain fat. It has been suggested that coconut oil’s mix of MCTs and lauric acid may promote a sustained level of ketosis (39, 40).
What’s more, coconut oil may help obese adults lose weight and belly fat. In one study, men who ate 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil per day lost 1 inch (2.5 cm), on average, from their waistlines without making any other dietary changes (41, 42).
For more information about how to add coconut oil to your diet, read this article.
Greek Yogurt and cottage cheese ketogenic diet weight loss
Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are healthy, high-protein foods.
While they contain some carbs, they can still be included in a ketogenic lifestyle.
5 ounces (150 grams) of plain Greek yogurt provides 5 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein. That amount of cottage cheese provides 5 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein (43, 44).
Both yogurt and cottage cheese have been shown to help decrease appetite and promote feelings of fullness (45, 46).
Either one makes a tasty snack on its own.
However, both can also be combined with chopped nuts, cinnamon and optional sugar-free sweetener for a quick and easy keto treat.
olive oil ketogenic diet weight loss
It’s high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has been found to decrease heart disease risk factors in many studies (47, 48).
In addition, extra-virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants known as phenols. These compounds further protect heart health by decreasing inflammation and improving artery function (49, 50).
As a pure fat source, olive oil contains no carbs. It’s an ideal base for salad dressings and healthy mayonnaise.
Because it isn’t as stable as saturated fats at high temperatures, it’s best to use olive oil for low-heat cooking or add it to foods after they have been cooked.
Nuts and seeds ketogenic diet weight loss
Nuts and seeds are healthy, high-fat and low-carb foods.
Frequent nut consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, depression and other chronic diseases (51, 52).
Furthermore, nuts and seeds are high in fiber, which can help you feel full and absorb fewer calories overall (53).
Although all nuts and seeds are low in net carbs, the amount varies quite a bit among the different types.
Here are the carb counts for 1 ounce (28 grams) of some popular nuts and seeds (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64):
- Almonds: 3 grams net carbs (6 grams total carbs)
- Brazil nuts: 1 gram net carbs (3 grams total carbs)
- Cashews: 8 grams net carbs (9 grams total carbs)
- Macadamia nuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Pecans: 1 gram net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Pistachios: 5 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)
- Walnuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Chia seeds: 1 gram net carbs (12 grams total carbs)
- Flaxseeds: 0 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)
- Pumpkin seeds: 4 grams net carbs (5 grams total carbs)
- Sesame seeds: 3 grams net carbs (7 grams total carbs)
Berries ketogenic diet weight loss
Most fruits are too high in carbs to include on a ketogenic diet, but berries are an exception.
Berries are low in carbs and high in fiber.
In fact, raspberries and blackberries contain as much fibre as digestible carbs.
These tiny fruits are loaded with antioxidants that have been credited with reducing inflammation and protecting against disease (65, 66, 67).
Here are the carb counts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of some berries (68, 69, 70, 71):
- Blackberries: 5 grams net carbs (10 grams total carbs)
- Blueberries: 12 grams net carbs (14 grams total carbs)
- Raspberries: 6 grams net carbs (12 grams total carbs)
- Strawberries: 6 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)
Butter and cream ketogenic diet weight loss
Butter and cream are good fats to include on a ketogenic diet. Each contains only trace amounts of carbs per serving.
Butter and cream were believed to cause or contribute to heart disease due to their high saturated fat contents. However, several large studies have shown that, for most people, saturated fat isn’t linked to heart disease.
In fact, some studies suggest that a moderate consumption of high-fat dairy may possibly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke .[Source]
Like other fatty dairy products, butter and cream are rich in conjugated linoleic acid, the fatty acid that may promote fat loss .
Dark chocolate and Cocoa powder ketogenic diet weight loss
In fact, cocoa has been called a “super fruit,” because it provides at least as much antioxidant activity as any other fruit, including blueberries and acai berries (88).
Dark chocolate contains flavanols, which may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and keeping arteries healthy .[Source]
Somewhat surprisingly, chocolate can be part of a ketogenic diet. But it’s important to choose dark chocolate that contains a minimum of 70 percent cocoa solids, preferably more.
One ounce (28 grams) of unsweetened chocolate (100 percent cocoa) has 3 grams of net carbs. The same amount of 70–85 percent dark chocolate contains up to 10 grams of net carbs (92, 93).
Conclusion
A ketogenic diet can be used to achieve weight loss, blood sugar control and other health-related goals.
Fortunately, it can include a wide variety of nutritious, foods that allow you to remain within your daily carbs range.
To reap all the health benefits of a ketogenic diet, consume these 16 foods on a regular basis.
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