What is Keto and Low Carb Diet Low Carb Diet

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Low Carb Diet Basics:

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As the name suggests, this is a diet that limits the amount of carbohydrates we eat.

There is also a restriction on the type of carbohydrates.

 

Carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient found in many foods and beverages.

They can be simple and complex.

It could also be:

 

• Refined like sugar.

 

• Simple naturals (lactose in milk and fructose in fruit).

 

• Refined compounds (white flour).

 

• And complex natural ones (whole grain, beans, etc.).

 

 

Common sources of carbohydrates are:

Fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, cereals, rice, potatoes, legumes.

 

Our body usually uses carbohydrates as its main source of fuel.

 

Complex carbohydrates (starches) are broken down into simple sugars during digestion.

 

They are then absorbed into the bloodstream, where they are known as blood sugar (glucose).

 

The rationale behind this diet is that reducing carbohydrates lowers insulin levels.

 

This fact forces the body to burn stored fat for energy and this ultimately leads to weight loss.

 

A low-carb diet limits or excludes most grains, legumes, fruits, breads, sugar, pasta, starchy vegetables, and some nuts.

 

Usual daily intake, in this diet, is 20 - 60 grams of carbohydrates.

These amounts provide 80 - 240 calories.

 

The result, in addition to weight loss, is other health benefits.

 

A low-carb diet can help prevent or improve serious health conditions, such as:

 

The metabolic syndrome

 

Diabetes

 

High blood pressure

 

Cardiovascular diseases

 

It may even improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values and triglyceride levels.

 

This is due not only to the reduction of carbohydrates but also to the quality of the food.

 

Protein (fish, poultry, meat) and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, etc.) are generally better choices.

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Further reducing carbohydrates to less than 20 grams per day can lead to a process called ketosis.

 

Ketosis occurs when we don't have enough sugar (glucose) for energy, so the body breaks down stored fat, causing ketones to build up in the body.

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Ketogenic diet basic instructions and information:

 

The typical macros ratio of the ketogenic diet is as follows:

 

5% of calories come from carbohydrates

25% of calories come from protein

70% of calories come from fat

 

 

This particular series of macronutrients is intended to promote ketosis and force the body to burn fat for energy instead of glucose.

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Of course, unlimited quantities of the permitted foods should not be consumed.

Overeating needs attention and this is one of the main reasons some people don't lose fat.. even when they are on keto or low carb.

 

We don't always need ribs and bacon in the main meal, we don't need to fill the plate and we don't need to eat if we're not hungry!

 

We listen to our body.

 

This diet is a process, it is a long term lifestyle that works with consistency, time, patience and wisdom in food choices.

 

This is helped by calculating the macros in combination with the required calories that everyone needs for weight loss. There are related applications (Apps) specifically for this purpose (personally I find the Cronometer application very easy to use).

 

 

Important!

Consult your doctor before starting any diet or weight loss diet, especially if you have any health problems!

 

 

Basic list of permitted foods:

 

✅ Meat and poultry (preferably free range, organic)

 

Lamb

Kid

Calf

Pork

Rabbit

Hunting

Bacon

Liver and other offal

Duck

Goose

Chicken

Turkey

Homemade sausages

Ham and some cold meats (in limited quantities) etc.

 

 

✅ Fish (with an emphasis on fatty species):

 

Salmon

Sardines

Sea bream

Sea bass

Red snapper

Tuna fish

Cod

Trout

Scallops etc.

 

 

✅ Shellfish:

 

Crab

Mussels

Oysters

Lobster

Octopus

Shrimps

Crawfish etc

 

 

✅ Fats and oils:

 

Dairy butter

Clarifying butter

Lard (pork fat)

Tallow (veal fat)

Duck fat

Coconut oil

MCT oil

Homemade mayonnaise without seed oils

Olive oil

Avocado oil

Almond butter

Tahini (Sesame paste)

 

 

✅ Eggs!

 

 

✅ Dairy products (all in moderation):

 

Organic milk cream

Soft and hard cheeses (better long-ripened sheep or goat cheeses)

Cream cheese

Smetana

Sour cream

Crème fraîche

Quark 20 - 40%

 

 

✅ Vegetables:

That which grows above the earth, chiefly green leaves such as:

 

Lettuce

Wild grasses

Endive

Spinach (in moderation)

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cucumber

Olives

Mushrooms

Asparagus etc.

Fresh onions

Dill, parsley, celery

 

 

In moderation:

 

Green beans

Peppers

Eggplants

Tomatoes

Onions

 

 

✅ Most Nuts:

 

Almonds

Walnuts

Macadamia nuts

Pecan

Hazel

Brazil nuts

Pine

Coconut etc

(no peanuts, no cashews).

 

 

✅ Flour:

 

Almond flour

Hazelnut flour

Walnut flour

and generally all flours (with full or reduced fat) of the permitted nuts

Sunflower flour

Pumpkin seed flour

Coconut flour

Linseed flour

Hemp flour

Sesame flour

Bamboo flour

Chia flour

 

 

✅ Seeds and fiber:

 

Linseed

Chia seeds

Hemp seeds

Sunflower seed

Pumpkin seed

Sesame

Black sesame

Poppy seed

Psyllium husk

Bamboo fiber

Potato fibers etc

 

 

✅ Some fruits such as:

 

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

Berries

Avocado

Lemon Tree

Lime

everything in moderation!

 

 

✅ Some of our favorite beverages and drinks:

 

Coffee (without sugar)

Black tea

Herbal drinks

Sparkling Water

Almond milk (unsweetened)

Full fat coconut milk and cream

Dry wine

Champagne

Hard spirits

in moderation and not every day!

 

 

✅ All spices and some sweeteners:

 

Stevia

erythritol

monk fruit

allulose

once in a while or in small amounts.

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📋 List of prohibited foods:

 

This list probably includes some of your favorite foods. Basically, you should avoid most sugars and starches.

 

 

⛔ Cereals and starches:

 

Wheat

Barley

Rye

Oats

and their flours (even whole grains)

Semolina

Corn

Quinoa

Millet

Groats

Amaranth

Buckwheat

Rice etc.

 

That means, no bread, pastries, pasta, pizzas, popcorn, granola, muesli, etc.

 

 

⛔ Starchy vegetables:

 

Peas

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes

Beetroot

Carrots

and generally avoid any vegetables that grow underground.

 

 

⛔ Fruits other than those belonging to the berries category:

 

Apples

Bananas

Oranges

Grapes

Watermelon

Peaches

Melon

Pineapple

Cherry

Pears

Grapefruit

Plums

Mango

and generally those with a high fructose content.

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⛔ Legumes:

 

All types of legumes (they contain lectins and create various problems).

Soy

 

 

⛔ All types of sugar:

 

Cane sugar

Honey

Maple syrup

Agave nectar

Fructose

Aspartame

Sucralose

Saccharin

Corn syrup ...

 

that means all sweets and soft drinks (and light) on the market or that contain non-permissible materials such as:

 

Candies

Chocolates (unless they have a high cocoa content >85% and those in moderation)

Cake

Buns

Pastes

Tarts

Pies with flour

Pastries

Ice creams

Cookies

Creams etc.

 

We make our own sweets with permitted ingredients and do not resort to anything processed or commercial!

(You will find many recipes on the blog).

 

 

⛔ Cooking seed oils:

 

Canola oil

Cottonseed oil

Soybean oil

Corn oil

Sunflower oil

Sesame oil.. etc.

Margarines

 

 

⛔ Alcohol:

 

Beer

sweet wines and

sugary alcoholic beverages such as liqueurs.

 

If it is wine, it must be white and we prefer it to be as dry as possible - the bottle must have less than 10 grams of sugar in total.

 

 

⛔ Packaged sauces and seasonings:

 

Ketchup,

Mustard (except dijon)

Barbecue sauce,

Ready-made tomato sauce,

Salad dressings

Hot sauces containing added sugar.

 

Always check food ingredient labels!

 

 

⛔ Low-fat dairy products such as:

 

Low-fat cheeses, or low-fat sour cream.

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Good luck on your new nutritional journey!