Green On-The-Go: Keto-Approved?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb diet. Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source, but on a strict ketogenic diet, 5% to 10% of energy intake comes from carbohydrates. The reduction in carbohydrates puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy without relying on blood sugar from food.

The keto diet has gained popularity for its weight loss benefits, but it can also help with neurological conditions, cancer, diabetes, PCOS, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. However, it's important to note that highly restrictive diets like keto can be challenging to follow and may have negative side effects such as constipation, keto flu, and hair loss.

So, what about green beans? Are they keto-approved?

The answer is yes! Green beans are a low-FODMAP, heart-healthy food that is high in protein and micronutrients. A 100g serving of green beans contains only 3.6g of net carbs, making them a perfect addition to a keto diet.

If you're looking to include more green beans in your keto diet, there are plenty of delicious recipes to choose from, such as roasted jicama with green beans, green beans almondine, and southern green beans with bacon.

In addition to green beans, there are several other keto-friendly foods, including non-starchy vegetables, cheese, plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, avocados, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils.

Remember, when starting a keto diet or any restrictive diet, it's always best to consult with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs while maintaining ketosis.

Green beans are keto-approved

Green beans are also a nutritious powerhouse, packed with keto-friendly macronutrients and micronutrients that support overall good health. They are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and calcium.

In addition to their nutritional benefits, green beans offer several health benefits, including aiding in maintaining a healthy weight, improving heart health, reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and supporting healthy bones, organs, muscles, and hair.

If you're looking to include more green beans in your keto diet, there are plenty of delicious recipes to choose from, such as roasted jicama with green beans, green beans almondine, and southern green beans with bacon. So, not only are green beans keto-approved, but they also provide a variety of health benefits and can be prepared in many tasty ways!

Keto-Green diet is Dr. Anna Cabeca's version of the traditional keto diet

Dr. Anna Cabeca's Keto-Green diet is a version of the traditional keto diet that focuses on the consumption of alkaline foods, particularly low-carb green vegetables, to help the body stay in ketosis. The diet aims to promote weight loss, improve hormone balance, and enhance overall health and vitality.

The Keto-Green diet is designed to keep the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. By emphasizing alkaline foods, the diet also aims to reduce the negative side effects often associated with traditional keto, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, low energy, and moodiness, also known as the "keto flu."

Dr. Cabeca recommends limiting total carbohydrates to below 40 grams and sugar intake to 30 grams per day. This means avoiding starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, and squash, as well as whole grains, legumes, and most fruits, which are high in carbohydrates and can interfere with ketosis. Instead, the Keto-Green diet encourages the consumption of non-starchy, low-carb green vegetables, such as zucchini, leafy greens, and green beans.

In addition to dietary guidelines, the Keto-Green diet also incorporates intermittent fasting and exercise routines. Dr. Cabeca's book, "Keto-Green 16," provides a 16-day plan with instructions on what to eat, including recipes, and information about alkaline foods. The book also includes a chapter specifically for men and a vegetarian and vegan version of the diet.

To support her Keto-Green approach, Dr. Cabeca offers various products, such as the Keto-Green protein shake, Keto-Alkaline protein shake, and Keto-Green quick start kits, which include her Mighty Maca supplement and urine test strips to track ketosis and alkalinity.

Keto-Green focuses on alkaline and plant foods

The Keto-Green Diet is a version of the traditional keto diet, created by Dr. Anna Cabeca, that emphasizes more alkaline and low-carb green vegetables. The diet is the centerpiece of her book, "The Hormone Fix", which aims to help the body stay in ketosis, stay alkaline, and feel sexy, lean, and beautiful without the side effects of the traditional keto diet, like keto flu, moodiness, or nutrient deficiencies.

The Keto-Green Diet recommends staying below 40 grams of total carbs and 30 grams of sugar a day. This means avoiding starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, and squash, as well as whole grains like rice and quinoa. Instead, the diet suggests eating more alkaline vegetables, such as beet greens, zucchini, and riced cauliflower.

The diet also recommends avoiding fruits, as they are high in sugar and will block fat-burning. In addition, legumes, such as lentils, black beans, and kidney beans, are not recommended due to their high starch content, which gets broken down into sugar in the body.

By pairing keto-diet staples with alkaline foods, the Keto-Green Diet claims to help shed belly fat, balance hormones, boost mood, and promote weight loss.

Keto-approved snacks

While on a keto diet, it is important to remember that snacking should not be an everyday occurrence. Ideally, you shouldn't feel the need to snack at all. This is because keto diets often reduce feelings of hunger, preventing hunger for hours after meals.

However, if you do find yourself needing a snack, there are plenty of keto-friendly options to choose from. Here are some ideas for keto-approved snacks:

• Mini frittatas or egg muffins are a great keto-friendly snack that is easy to prepare and can be customised with various low-carb ingredients.
• Caprese salad skewers are a portable snack that combines fresh mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes.
• Caesar salad bites are another portable option, made by creating cups out of grated Parmesan cheese and filling them with greens and your favourite dressing.
• Cajun-style shrimp and bell pepper kebabs are a healthy and keto-friendly option, providing heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
• Veggie sticks with nut butter are a simple and nutrient-rich snack. Pair raw carrots or celery sticks with your favourite nut butter, such as peanut butter or almond butter.
• Salmon salad celery boats are a good source of omega-3 fats, protein, and vitamin D. Combine cooked salmon and mayonnaise, and serve stuffed into celery stalks.
• Keto sushi rolls can be made with nori seaweed sheets and chopped veggies and fish. Smoked fish or avocado are also great fillings.
• Collard green sandwich wraps are made by using collard greens as a low-carb wrap and filling them with your choice of ingredients.
• Avocado egg salad is a classic dish with a keto twist. Avocados are a good source of anti-inflammatory compounds and may support weight loss.
• Veggie sticks with guacamole are a portable and healthy keto snack. Avocados provide healthy fats, fibre, and essential nutrients.
• Bone broth is an unexpected but tasty snack option for keto dieters. It provides protein and can be augmented with coconut oil, butter, or ghee for added fat.
• Keto-friendly smoothies can be made using coconut, avocado, or nut butter as a base, along with low-carb fruits and nutrient-dense veggies.
• Mixed nuts are a good source of protein, fat, fibre, and plant compounds, offering a variety of health benefits. Almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans are all good options.
• Fermented vegetables like pickles are a great keto snack option, providing beneficial bacteria that support healthy digestive function and a reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease.
• Olives are praised for their supply of heart-healthy fats and other nutrients. They make a great keto snack and can be enjoyed plain or stuffed with cheese.
• "Fat bombs" are low-carb, dessert-style energy bites that satisfy your sweet tooth. They are often made using coconut oil, nut butter, avocado, or cream cheese.
• Buffalo cauliflower bites are a healthy, vegetarian twist on classic buffalo wings. Cauliflower is a good source of fibre and antioxidants.
• Flax crackers with cheese are a keto-friendly snack option. Ground flax seeds are loaded with fibre and omega-3 fats.
• Yogurt, especially coconut yogurt or full-fat, unsweetened Greek yogurt, is a great source of probiotics and can easily fit into a ketogenic diet.
• Stuffed mushrooms are a tasty keto snack. Button mushroom caps can be stuffed with herbed cream cheese or ground sausage.
• Meatball sliders are a keto-friendly alternative to traditional meatball sandwiches. Simply replace the bun with lettuce for a high-protein, low-carb snack.
• Dill pickle wraps are a high-protein, low-carb snack. Wrap dill pickles and cream cheese with deli meat such as ham, turkey, or roast beef.
• Raspberries with cottage cheese are a keto-friendly snack, providing healthy fats and protein.
• Zucchini chips are a tasty, low-carb alternative to potato chips. Simply slice zucchini, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake or air fry until crispy.
• Deviled eggs with cream cheese are a classic party favourite and a popular keto-friendly snack. Adding cream cheese boosts the flavour and fat content.
• Homemade fruit leather is an easy make-ahead snack made by blending your choice of low-carb berries and dehydrating the mixture in the oven.
• Cauliflower hummus with veggies is a low-carb alternative to traditional hummus. It can be made by blending roasted cauliflower with ingredients like tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice.
• Stuffed mini bell peppers are a colourful and savoury keto snack. Simply slice the peppers, remove the seeds, and fill with cream cheese and seasoning.
• Keto granola bars can be made at home with ingredients like nuts, unsweetened coconut flakes, and sugar alternatives like monk fruit.
• Tuna cucumber bites are a carb-free and heart-healthy snack. Mix canned tuna with mayonnaise, green onions, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of hot sauce, and serve on cucumber slices.

Keto-approved foods

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy, but on a strict ketogenic diet, about 5% to 10% of energy intake is from carbohydrates. The reduction of carbohydrates puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy without relying on blood sugar from food.

Meat and Poultry

Chicken, pork, steak, ground beef, lamb, bacon, turkey, ham, and sausage (in limited amounts). Meat is a source of lean protein and is considered a staple on the ketogenic diet. Fresh meat and poultry contain no carbohydrates and are rich in B vitamins and several minerals, including potassium, selenium, and zinc.

Seafood

Salmon, snapper, tuna, halibut, cod, trout, catfish, scallops, crab, clams, oysters, lobster, mussels, and fatty fish like sardines and mackerel. Seafood is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Dairy

Full-fat dairy products like heavy cream, soft and hard cheeses, cream cheese, and sour cream. Cheese has zero carbohydrates and is high in fat, making it an excellent fit for the ketogenic diet. It's also rich in protein and calcium.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein, B vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Two large eggs contain zero carbohydrates and over 12 grams of protein. They also promote feelings of fullness and contain antioxidants to help protect eye health.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are full of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fiber, and protein. They are also very low in net carbs. The best nuts to eat while on the keto diet include macadamias, almonds, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds.

Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, eggplant, and leafy greens. These vegetables are low in calories and carbohydrates but high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Fruits

Olives and berries like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, all in moderation. Most fruits are off-limits on the keto diet due to their high sugar content, but berries are naturally more keto-friendly due to their lower carb and sugar content.

Beverages

Unsweetened coffee and black tea are keto-friendly beverages. They contain no sugar or carbohydrates and are therefore safe to consume on the keto diet. Tea is also rich in antioxidants and has been linked to improved weight loss efforts over time.

Healthy Oils and Fats

Most fats and oils are approved on the keto diet, including olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, lard, avocado oil, and butter. Olive oil is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, while coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that can increase ketone production.

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