Keto Diet Details

1–3.
Animal proteins
Healthline/Aya Brackett
Share on Pinter est
1. Seafood
Fish and shellfish are very keto-friendly. Salmon and other fish are
not only nearly carb-free but also rich in B vitamins, potassium, and
selenium (9Trusted Source).
However, the carb count in shellfish varies by type. While shrimp and
most crabs contain no carbs, oysters and octopus do. You can still
eat these foods on the keto diet, but it’s important to carefully track
these carbs to stay within your range (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted
Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).
Additionally, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish are very
high in omega-3 fats, which have been associated with lower insulin
levels and increased insulin sensitivity in people who are overweight
or have obesity (14Trusted Source).
Frequent fish intake is linked to improved brain health and a

decreased risk of disease (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
The American Heart Association recommends that adults over 18

years old eat 8–10 ounces of seafood per week (17Trusted Source).
2. Meat and poultry
Meat and poultry are considered staple foods on the keto diet.
Fresh meat and poultry contain no carbs and are rich in B vitamins
and several important minerals. They’re also a great source of high
quality protein, which may help preserve muscle mass during a very
low carb diet (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20).
One small study in older women found that a diet high in fatty meat
led to 8% higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol than a low fat, high
carb diet (21Trusted Source).
It may be best to choose grass-fed meat, if possible, since it has

more omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than meat
from grain-fed animals (22Trusted Source, 23).
3. Eggs
Eggs are an extremely healthy protein source.
Because each large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and
about 6 grams of protein, eggs can be ideal for keto (24Trusted
Source).
In addition, eggs have been shown to trigger hormones that increase
feelings of fullness (25Trusted Source).
It’s important to eat whole eggs rather than egg whites since most of
an egg’s nutrients are found in the yolk. This includes the
antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect eye health
(26Trusted Source).
Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, they don’t appear to

increase your risk of heart disease (27Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Most animal proteins — such as eggs, beef, pork, poultry, and

seafood — are low in carbs and appropriate for the keto diet.
A D V E R T IS E ME N T
4–7. Dairy and dairy

alternatives
4. Cheese
There are hundreds of types of cheese, most of which are very low in
carbs and high in fat, making them a great fit for the keto diet.
Just 1 ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of

carbs, 6 grams of protein, and a good amount of calcium (28Trusted
Source).
Cheese is high in saturated fat, but it hasn’t been shown to increase
your risk of heart disease. In fact, some studies suggest that it may
help protect against this condition (29Trusted Source, 30).
Cheese also contains CLA, which has been linked to fat loss and
improvements in body composition (31Trusted Source).
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 ate 7 ounces
(210 grams) of ricotta per day experienced less loss of muscle mass
and muscle strength than those who didn’t eat this amount of cheese
(32Trusted Source).
Here are some cheeses that are lower in carbs for a keto diet.
Many diets focus on what to eat, but intermittent fasting is all about when you eat.
With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Research shows fasting
for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week
may have health benefits.
Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Mark Mattson has studied intermittent fasting for 25
years. He says our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours,
or even several days or longer. In prehistoric times, before humans learned to farm,
they were hunters and gatherers who evolved to survive — and thrive — for long
periods without eating. They had to: It took a lot of time and energy to hunt game and
gather nuts and berries.
Experts note that even 50 years ago, it was easier to maintain a healthy weight in the
United States. There were no computers, and TV shows turned off at 11 p.m.; people
stopped eating because they went to bed. Portions were much smaller. More people
worked and played outside and, in general, got more exercise.
With internet, TV and other entertainment available 24/7, many adults and children
stay awake for longer hours to watch TV, scroll through social media, play games and
chat online. That can mean sitting and snacking all day — and most of the night.
Extra calories and less activity can mean a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes,
heart disease and other illnesses. Scientific studies are showing that intermittent
fasting may help reverse these trends.
How does intermittent fasting work?

There are several different ways to do intermittent fasting, but they are all based on
choosing regular time periods to eat and fast. For instance, you might try eating only
during an eight-hour period each day and fast for the remainder. Or you might choose
to eat only one meal a day two days a week. There are many different intermittent
fasting schedules.
Mattson says that after hours without food, the body exhausts its sugar stores and
starts burning fat. He refers to this as metabolic switching.
“Intermittent fasting contrasts with the normal eating pattern for most Americans, who
eat throughout their waking hours,” Mattson says. “If someone is eating three meals a
day, plus snacks, and they’re not exercising, then every time they eat, they’re running
on those calories and not burning their fat stores.”
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned
through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat.
Intermittent Fasting Plans

It’s important to check with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting. Once you
get his or her go-ahead, the actual practice is simple. You can pick a daily approach,
which restricts daily eating to one six- to eight-hour period each day. For instance,
you may choose to try 16/8 fasting: eating for eight hours and fasting for 16.
Although some people find it easy to stick with this pattern over the long term, one
research study that was not designed specifically to look at an intermittent fasting
pattern found that limiting your daily time window of eating does not prevent weight
gain over time or yield significant weight loss results. That study’s results showed that
reducing the number of large meals or eating more small meals may be associated
with minimizing weight gain or even with weight loss over time.
Another intermittent fasting plan, known as the 5:2 approach, involves eating
regularly five days a week. For the other two days, you limit yourself to one 500–600
calorie meal. An example would be if you chose to eat normally on every day of the
week except Mondays and Thursdays, which would be your one-meal days.
Longer periods without food, such as 24-, 36-, 48- and 72-hour fasting periods, are
not necessarily better for you, and may be dangerous. Going too long without eating
might actually encourage your body to start storing more fat in response to starvation.

Keto Diet Details

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Keto Diet Details

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Keto Diet Details

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1–3.

Frequent fish intake is linked to improved brain health and a

The American Heart Association recommends that adults over 18

2. Meat and poultry

It may be best to choose grass-fed meat, if possible, since it has

Eggs are an extremely healthy protein source.

Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, they don’t appear to

Most animal proteins — such as eggs, beef, pork, poultry, and

4–7. Dairy and dairy

Just 1 ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of

In addition, eating cheese regularly may help reduce the loss of

How does intermittent fasting work?

Intermittent Fasting Plans

You might also like