Thinking about trying the keto diet? This low carb diet is known to expedite weight loss — but more than that — it provides some incredible health benefits. Just check out the Body Reboot book to find out why so many people are finding success on this diet. As a keto newbie, the more research gets done, the better of a dieter will be. For starters, try making a list of what to eat. There are many keto-friendly foods to try, and with that comes delicious meals as well. Below are some keto staples you should stock up on stat. 

Healthline says seafood is keto-friendly and has a lot of nutrients to boot. Here are some examples of what kinds of seafood is good to eat: 

Fish and shellfish are very keto-friendly foods. Salmon and other fish are rich in B vitamins, potassium and selenium, yet virtually carb-free.

However, the carbs in different types of shellfish vary. For instance, while shrimp and most crabs contain no carbs, other types of shellfish do.

While these shellfish can still be included on a ketogenic diet, it's important to account for these carbs when you're trying to stay within a narrow range.

Here are the carb counts for 3.5-ounce (100-gram) servings of some popular types of shellfish.

Clams: 5 grams

Mussels: 7 grams

Octopus: 4 grams

Oysters: 4 grams

Squid: 3 grams

Salmon, sardines, mackerel and other fatty fish are very high in omega-3 fats, which have been found to lower insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese people.

In addition, frequent fish intake has been linked to a decreased risk of disease and improved mental health.

Aim to consume at least two servings of seafood weekly.

If you’re wondering what types of vegetables are allowed on the keto diet, Low Carb Yum explains. The explain which veggies you should focus on eating and which ones to avoid. 

How do you know which veggies are good for a keto diet? And which ones are too high in net carbs? The simple answer: if it’s green and leafy, eat a bunch of it.

Spinach, kale, chard, parsley and any other green veggie that goes well in a green drink are high in antioxidants. But you don’t want to avoid these super healthy veggies just for the sake of staying in ketosis. Because they tend to be lower in net carbs.

Bacon and eggs won’t provide you with the plant compounds that may help prevent disease. Also recommended on the keto foods list in the veggie department: cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, radish and more. For more ideas take a look at this list of low carb vegetables.

In the colder months, you might feel like eating higher starch carbs. You can still eat these. Just do so in moderation. Sweet potatoes, yams, peas, carrots, GMO-free corn, and other tubers contain lots of nutrition. But due to their relative high carb content, exercise prudent portion control.

Sea vegetables are extremely nutrient-dense. But here in the U.S. few people eat sea vegetables such as seaweed, wakame, hijiki, dulse, kelp and others you might see in a sushi restaurant.

One reason researchers believe certain Japanese populations live into their 100s is because of sea veggies. Sea veggies are keto-friendly because they are low in net carbs.

Cheese is yet another keto-friendly food that’s high in fat and also tastes yummy. Try incorporating cheese in various meals to add fat. Healthline dishes on its many nutritional benefits below: 

Cheese is both nutritious and delicious.

There are hundreds of types of cheese. Fortunately, all of them are very low in carbs and high in fat, which makes them a great fit for a ketogenic diet.

One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of carbs, 7 grams of protein and 20% of the RDI for calcium.

Cheese is high in saturated fat, but it hasn't been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. In fact, some studies suggest that cheese may help protect against heart disease.

Cheese also contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a fat that has been linked to fat loss and improvements in body composition.

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.

Nuts and seeds are other foods you can not only snack on while on the keto diet but are also excellent sources of fat. Perfect Keto reveals more below: 

Another easy and satisfying way to sneak more healthy fats into your diet is to reach for raw nuts and seeds. As mentioned in this guide, these nutritional powerhouses are loaded with essential nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and manganese. Nuts and seeds can improve your brain health, fortify your immune system, and aid with digestion and blood glucose management.

They’re also high in healthy fats, have a moderate amount of protein, and are generally low in carbohydrates, depending on the type you choose. Nuts are also portable, making them one of the best snacks to grab on the go when following a keto diet. However, before you run out and stock up enough nuts to last you through winter, you should know that some nuts are better for you than others.

In the context of a keto diet, this means they have more fat and fewer carbs.

These are the top keto nuts and seeds to include on your keto food list:

Macadamia nuts, pecans

Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts

Pine nuts, almonds, cashews

Nut butters

Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and tahini (sesame seed paste)

Sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter

Chia seeds and flaxseeds

Ruled.me recommends stocking up on eggs, which have tons of nutrients and make the perfect keto snack. 

Let’s start off our top 10 list with a cholesterol-packed food that would make your mother gasp — eggs.  Eggs are one of the healthiest and most versatile foods on the planet. Many experts even identify the egg as one of the only true “superfoods.” The reason behind this profound claim lies in the egg yolk, not the white.

In fact, most of the beneficial nutrients in the egg are found in its yolk, including thirteen essential vitamins and minerals and the eye-protecting antioxidants known as lutein and zeaxanthin. They are also one of the best sources of choline, a vitamin-like essential nutrient and methyl donor involved in many vital physiological processes.

Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, consuming them doesn’t raise blood cholesterol levels in most people. Eggs have even been shown to modify the shape of LDL in a way that reduces the risk of heart disease.

Egg consumption has also been found to increase the feeling of fullness and keep blood sugar levels stable, leading to lower calorie intakes for up to 24 hours. This could mean that eggs are the weight loss boosting superfood you’ve been waiting for.

On top of that, one large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and fewer than 6 grams of protein, making it the perfect keto-friendly health food.

If you’d like to find the healthiest eggs possible, seek out egg farmers that give their chickens access to pasture — a place where they can eat plenty of insects and soak up the sun. Studies have found that chickens raised in this way tend to lay eggs that are filled with more omega 3s, vitamins, and minerals.

Dark chocolate anyone? Another delicious snack is dark chocolate, which also happens to be keto-friendly! Read why Ruled.me says this tasty snack has nutritional benefits and is keto-approved. 

This guilty pleasure may be as pleasurable for you as it is for your health. For example, the cocoa in dark chocolate contains many flavanols that decrease blood pressure, heart disease risk, and insulin resistance.

In fact, cocoa is known as a “super fruit” because it provides at least as much antioxidant activity as any other fruit (including keto-friendly berries).

However, this doesn’t mean that you have a free pass at eating as much dark chocolate as you’d like, especially on the ketogenic diet. Many chocolate products contain enough net carbs to kick you out of ketosis.

When buying chocolate or any cocoa product, read the label carefully to make sure it has no added sugars and a minimal amount of carbs per serving. If you don’t like the taste of dark chocolate, then try to find chocolates that derive their sweetness from healthy low-calorie sweeteners.

You might be wondering what kinds of snacks to eat while on the keto diet. Low Carb Yum provides some excellent ideas on which foods to focus on eating: 

I have dozens of low carb snack recipes that are keto-friendly and low in sugar. They use natural sweetener alternatives such as stevia and monk fruit extract. (See list of keto-friendly baking ingredients below.) Here are just a few keto-friendly snacks:

Report this ad

Pork Rinds

Cucumbers

Celery

Cheese sticks

Meat Sticks

Flax Seed Crackers

Parmesan Crisps

Now that you have a good idea of what to eat when you start the keto diet, which foods are you excited about the most? We wrote the Body Reboot book so people can improve their health one step at a time. Help us cover shipping and visit this page to snag a free copy today!

Sources: Healthline, Ruled.me, Low Carb Yum, Perfect Keto