Whether a food item is keto-friendly or not typically depends on the person. In general, I recommend that everyone avoids these foods:
- Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
- Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
- Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
- Tubers – potato, yams, etc.
and eat these foods:
- Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
- Low Carb Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, and other low-carb vegetables.
- High Fat Dairy – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter, etc.
- Nuts and seeds – macadamias, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries
- Sweeteners – stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and other low-carb sweeteners.
- Other fats – coconut oil, high-fat salad dressing, saturated fats, etc.
If you are uncertain about whether a specific food is keto-friendly or not, then simply read the label or look up its nutrition facts online. Next, you will need to find out how many grams of net carbs are in that food item. (To calculate net carb content, subtract total fiber from total carbs.)
Now, consider all of the other keto food you will be eating throughout the day. Will eating the food in question take you beyond your net carb limit for that day? If yes, then it’s best to eliminate it from your diet (or, at least, that day). If yes but only by a couple of grams, then consider cutting back your carbs from other foods or increasing your keto carb limit enough so that you can consume that item while still staying in ketosis (you can find out how by reading this article). On the other hand, if eating that food doesn’t push you over the edge of your net carb limit, then feel free to add it to your diet.
For more specific advice on what (and what not) to eat on keto, click here.