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Keto is a low-carb diet that encourages your body to use fat instead of sugar as fuel. While this type of dieting has been linked with temporary weight loss, it could have long-term negative consequences on your health.
The keto diet may cause flu-like symptoms like nausea and headaches, as well as affect your kidneys. Due to these risks, it’s not advised for long-term use.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are an ideal addition to a keto diet as they provide essential fats, proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Not only that but they make for an excellent snack when eaten on-the-go as well.
But it’s essential to be mindful of their carb content on the keto diet. If not careful, they can accumulate to a lot of net carbs over time and potentially knock you out of ketosis.
Thankfully, there are plenty of low-carb nuts and seeds you can enjoy on the keto diet. These nutrient-rich snacks provide sustained energy and may even help lower insulin levels – leading to weight loss!
Eggs
Eggs are an essential food on the keto diet, being low in carbohydrates and packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
They’re also an excellent source of choline, which supports brain and liver health.
A large egg contains 6.5 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 0.5 grams of carbohydrates.
Eggs provide a vital macronutrient profile, making them an excellent addition to the long keto diet.
Be mindful that eating too many calories can lead to weight gain and nutritional deficiencies. The keto diet is an intense way of losing weight that may prove challenging for some individuals to adhere to.
High-fat dairy
Dairy products, in addition to being one of the most inflammatory foods, often cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea and flatulence. This makes eating high-fat dairy more challenging on keto even if you don’t have an allergy or intolerance to it.
To determine if dairy is an issue for you, try eliminating it from your diet for a few days and see how you feel. Then slowly introduce small amounts of it back in, such as low-lactose cheeses or whey protein powder.
Results will allow you to decide if dairy is suitable for a long-term keto diet. Additionally, this test provides insight into which foods make you feel the healthiest overall.
Meat
Generally, the keto diet involves eating low-carbohydrate. As a general guideline, try to limit yourself to less than 25 net carbohydrates daily (total carbs minus fiber). While this may sound daunting at first glance, it doesn’t need to be that difficult if you have the right tools at your disposal.
Though the keto diet may be an effective way to shed pounds, it can also be risky if you don’t properly monitor your food and exercise intake. Speak with a physician before beginning this diet plan. Furthermore, make sure you get plenty of antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients by eating plenty of leafy greens and other non-starchy veggies every day.
Vegetables
Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that have been linked to heart health. Furthermore, they may help prevent certain types of cancer, lower blood pressure and enhance digestion.
Vegetables can be considered part of the long keto diet because they contain low levels of natural sugar and net carbs. Furthermore, vegetables provide fiber which helps you feel fuller for longer and aids weight loss.
Vegetables are essential for your overall wellbeing, so make the most of their benefits by eating a wide range of them daily. Studies have even found that consuming 2 to 4 cups of vegetables daily can reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Oils
Oils can be one of the most challenging elements of a keto diet. While it’s not necessary to completely abstain from oils, you need to know which ones provide beneficial sources of healthy fats and which ones don’t.
In general, high-fat vegetable oils and oils with a low smoke point should be used for cooking. This ensures they remain stable at high temperatures and can be utilized in frying or baking.
Soybean, corn and canola oil are highly unstable and heat-sensitive oils with high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids – hence why they should be avoided on the keto diet.