Recognizing Keto-Friendly Foods: What To Eat And Avoid

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein diet. To know if a food is keto, it is important to read the nutrition facts label on packaged foods. This label can help you understand how healthy a packaged food item is and allow you to compare products to see which is better suited to your low-carb lifestyle. It is especially helpful for catching well-camouflaged sugars and comparing the carbohydrate content of similar items.

1. Check the serving size: It is important to know how much of the food item will contain the number of carbs, fiber, protein, etc. that is shown on the label. This will help you be mindful of how much you are eating.

2. Check out the carbohydrates: Look for the total carbs, which include sugars, starches, and fiber that are naturally occurring in the food item as well as those that have been added.

3. Determine the net carbs: Net carbs are those that will affect your blood sugar level. To calculate net carbs, subtract the dietary fiber and sugar alcohols (if any) from the total carbs.

4. Consider the macronutrient balance: Keto diets typically include high amounts of fat, low to moderate amounts of protein, and very few carbohydrates.

5. Check for hidden sugars: These can include naturally occurring sugars like fructose in lemon juice or added sugars like sugar or corn syrup in salad dressings.

Check the serving size

When determining whether a food is keto-friendly, it's essential to check the serving size indicated on the nutrition label. This information is crucial for calculating the number of carbs, fiber, protein, and other nutrients you'll be consuming per serving. By understanding serving size, you can make informed decisions about the quantity of food you consume and how it aligns with your keto goals.

The serving size is typically highlighted on the nutrition label and expressed in familiar units such as cups, tablespoons, or pieces. For example, the serving size for a particular chocolate bar might be 40 grams or 12 small squares. This information is crucial because it serves as the basis for calculating the nutritional content per serving.

In addition to the serving size, it's important to pay attention to the "Servings Per Container" or "Servings Per Package" information. This tells you how many servings are in the entire package. For instance, a soup container might indicate that it contains four servings of one cup each. If you consume the entire container, you would need to multiply all the nutritional values by four to get the total amount consumed.

Understanding serving size is crucial for mindful eating. It helps you determine how much you're eating and enables you to calculate the net carbs accurately. Net carbs are crucial for keto dieters as they directly impact your blood sugar levels. By checking the serving size and performing the necessary calculations, you can ensure that the food item aligns with your keto diet and doesn't inadvertently kick you out of ketosis.

Moreover, knowing the serving size helps you make informed decisions about your food choices. It allows you to compare similar products and choose the one that better suits your keto lifestyle. For example, by calculating the net carbs per serving and multiplying it by the number of servings you intend to consume, you can determine whether a particular food item fits within your daily carb allowance.

In conclusion, checking the serving size is a critical step when determining whether a food is keto-friendly. It empowers you to make informed decisions about your food choices, ensures you stay within your desired nutritional limits, and helps you maintain ketosis. By understanding serving sizes, you can make your keto journey more effective and aligned with your health and wellness goals.

Check out the total carbohydrates

When determining whether a food is keto-friendly, it is important to check out the total carbohydrates. This is because the keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. Typically, keto eaters keep their carb count below 20-40g each day.

Total carbohydrates show how many grams of carbs in every form (sugars, fibre, and starches) are found in a food item. This includes those sugars, starches, and fibres that are naturally occurring in the food item, as well as those that have been added in.

To calculate net carbs, subtract the dietary fibre from the total carbohydrates. Net carbs are those that will affect your blood sugar level.

For example, if a food item contains 22 grams of carbs (4 grams of which are sugars added during production) and 9 grams of fibre, you would subtract 9 from 22, giving you 13 net carbs.

It is worth noting that fibre does not make the other carbs in food disappear. If a food item contains fibre, as it is not digested, it is not counted towards your daily carb intake. However, adding more fibre will not make the other carbs go away.

When counting your carbs for the day, the net carbs are the number that people count towards their daily carb intake.

Calculate net carbs

The number of net carbs in a food product is a crucial piece of information for anyone following a keto diet. Net carbs are those that will affect your blood sugar level. To calculate the net carbs in a food product, follow these steps:

• Check the serving size: First, look at the serving size. This will tell you how much of the food item will contain the number of carbs, fiber, protein, etc. that is shown on the label.
• Check out the total carbohydrates: This shows how many grams of carbs in every form (sugars, fiber, and starches) are found in the food item.
• Check the dietary fiber: Soluble fiber slows down digestion, keeping your blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after meals. Insoluble fiber helps to hold water in your intestines and prevents constipation. Since fiber isn't digested, the number of grams of fiber in a food product is subtracted from the total carbs.
• Check the sugars: These are the added sugars that have been added to the food product during manufacturing.
• Calculate the net carbs: To get the net carbs, subtract the dietary fiber and any sugar alcohols from the total carbs.

For example, let's say a food product has 22 grams of total carbs, 4 grams of which are added sugars, and 9 grams of dietary fiber. To get the net carbs, subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs:

22 grams total carbs – 9 grams fiber – 4 grams sugar alcohols = 9 grams net carbs

It is important to note that while fiber is not counted towards your daily carb intake, it does not make the other carbs in the food magically disappear.

Additionally, the rules for calculating net carbs differ for people with diabetes. In this case, only half the amount of sugar alcohols is subtracted from the total carbs:

Net carbs = Total carbs – dietary fiber – (sugar alcohols x 0.5)

Calculating net carbs is a crucial skill for anyone following a keto diet, as it allows you to make informed choices about the food you consume and helps you stay within your daily carb limit.

Consider macronutrient balance

When considering the macronutrient balance of a food item, it is important to understand the role of macronutrients in the keto diet. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein diet. The goal is to shift the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it breaks down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy instead of glucose from carbohydrates. Therefore, when considering the macronutrient balance, it is crucial to assess the ratio of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in a food item to ensure it aligns with the keto diet requirements.

Firstly, it is essential to calculate the net carbs in a food item. Net carbs refer to the total carbohydrates minus fibre and sugar alcohols. By subtracting these values from the total carbohydrates, you can determine the number of net carbs that will affect your blood sugar levels. This calculation is crucial because keto dieters aim to keep their carb intake very low, typically below 20-40 grams per day.

Secondly, consider the grams of fat and protein on the nutrition facts label. Keto is a high-fat diet, so products with higher fat content are generally more suitable. Additionally, protein intake should be moderate on the keto diet, so choosing products with a moderate amount of protein is advisable.

It is also worth noting that the energy in your food comes from these three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Therefore, understanding their relative contributions to the total calorie count of a food item is essential. This information can be found on the nutrition facts label and can help you make informed choices about your keto diet.

In summary, when considering the macronutrient balance of a food item for the keto diet, calculate the net carbs, assess the grams of fat and protein, and understand the energy contribution of each macronutrient. This will help you make informed choices and ensure your food selections align with the keto diet guidelines.

Consider energy density

When considering the energy density of a food item, it's important to look at the nutrition facts label. This will tell you how many calories a product contains. While those on a low-carb or keto diet typically don't need to count calories, it is helpful to have a general idea of how many calories are in a serving of food to prevent overeating.

To determine the energy density of a food item, follow these steps:

• Check the serving size: Always check the serving size listed on the nutrition facts label. This will tell you how much of the food item is considered a serving.
• Check the calories per serving: Look at the number of calories per serving, which is usually listed near the top of the nutrition facts label.
• Put the information together: Make a mental note of the energy density of the food. For example, "One quarter cup of pecans has about 170 calories, so they're a dense source of energy. I won't need more than a handful in my lunch."

Most fatty foods eaten on a keto diet are calorie-dense, so a little goes a long way. It's easy to eat more than you need, so having an idea of the energy density of a food can help you make informed decisions about how much to eat.

Frequently asked questions