Jeffrey Salazar
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is often combined with intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves going without food for a set period of time, typically 12 hours, to help the body enter a state of ketosis, where it burns stored fat for energy. During fasting, it is recommended to consume calorie-free beverages such as black coffee or herbal tea, while foods such as spinach and other leafy greens have very low calories. After the fasting period, it is important to ease back into regular eating with healthy fats, proteins, and whole foods. On keto fasting days, it is crucial to maintain a high-fat, low-carb diet, which may include animal proteins, dairy, vegetables, plant-based foods, and fats and oils.
What to eat on keto fasting days
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calories | Avoid anything with calories, including food, beverages, and supplements. |
| Beverages | Black coffee or herbal tea without sweetener, cream, or MCT oil. |
| Electrolytes | Calorie-free electrolytes are essential for energy production during fasting. |
| Fasting Schedule | Intermittent fasting (IF) involves not eating for a set period, e.g., 12 hours at night. |
| Keto-Friendly Whole Foods | Non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats, and natural soups or broths. |
| Supplements | Continue taking supplements like electrolytes while breaking your fast. |
| Post-Fast Foods | Healthy fats, proteins, and whole foods. |
| Keto Diet Foods | High-fat, low-carb foods like animal proteins, dairy, vegetables, plant-based foods, fats, and oils. |
| Specific Keto Foods | Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, high-fat dairy, olive oil, high-cocoa chocolate, nuts, seeds, and berries. |
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What You'll Learn
Calorie-free electrolytes and black coffee/tea
When it comes to keto fasting days, it is important to know that any calories will technically break a fast. Therefore, it is recommended to stick to calorie-free beverages such as water, black coffee, and herbal teas.
Black coffee and herbal tea are popular choices for those fasting as they are believed to suppress appetite, making it easier to fast for longer periods. While coffee and tea contain around 2 calories per cup, many proponents of fasting claim that these calories are negligible and do not impact the fasting state. However, this remains a subject of scientific debate. To stay on the safe side, it is important to avoid adding any sweeteners, cream, MCT oil, or other additives to your coffee or tea during a fast.
Calorie-free electrolytes are another great option to consume during keto fasting days. Electrolytes are essential for energy production and can help keep you hydrated, especially during prolonged fasts. Just be sure to choose an electrolyte powder that does not contain any added sugars or calories.
Water is always a good choice, whether it is plain or sparkling. If you want to add some flavour, you can add a squeeze of lemon to your water, but keep in mind that this will add a very small number of calories.
In summary, when it comes to keto fasting days, calorie-free electrolytes, black coffee, and herbal tea are all excellent choices that can help suppress your appetite and keep you hydrated without breaking your fast. Just be mindful of any additives or calories that could interfere with your fasting goals.
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High-fat dairy products
Dairy products are a great way to meet your daily dose of nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and protein on keto fasting days. However, it's important to choose dairy products with minimal carbohydrates and no added sugar to stay in ketosis.
Cheese is a popular keto-friendly food, as most varieties are high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs. Examples of keto-friendly cheeses include mozzarella, gouda, brie, muenster, Monterey Jack, mascarpone, provolone, cheddar, cream cheese, parmesan, and ricotta.
Other high-fat dairy products suitable for keto fasting days include heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, sour cream, and plain Greek yogurt. These products are high in fat and low in carbs, but it's important to consume them in moderation due to their high-calorie content.
Butter and ghee, a type of clarified butter, are also good sources of fat to include in a keto diet. While butter has been associated with negative health consequences in the past, it is now understood to be healthier than previously thought.
It's important to note that not all dairy products are suitable for keto fasting days. Dairy products with added sugars, such as ice cream, flavored yogurt, and flavored milk, are generally not recommended. Additionally, while plain milk is allowed, it's important to monitor your intake because lactose is processed as sugar and can affect ketosis.
To break a fast, it is recommended to stick to healthy fats and proteins and whole foods. Black coffee or herbal tea can also be consumed during a fast as they have a minimal calorie count.
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Meat and poultry
When selecting meat for a keto diet, it is recommended to choose fattier cuts of meat from ruminant animals like beef and lamb. Pasture-raised, grass-fed, and regenerative farmed meat are preferable when available, as they offer a better fatty acid composition with less inflammatory PUFAs. However, these options can be expensive and hard to find, so conventional beef is also a good option due to its high fat content.
Pork is another keto-friendly meat that is loaded with healthy fats and proteins. While it is less nutrient-dense than beef, pork still offers energizing B vitamins and rare micronutrients like choline and selenium. When choosing pork for a keto diet, look for pasture-raised options.
Poultry is also an option on a keto diet, but it is leaner than other meats and may need to be fattened up with butter, ghee, lard, or tallow. Chicken liver is a particularly encouraged variety of poultry. To increase the fat content of poultry, choose cuts with the skin on.
The beef and butter fast is a type of keto-carnivore elimination diet that involves eating only beef, butter, salt, and water. Black coffee is sometimes allowed, and some people add butter to their coffee. This diet aims to reduce inflammation and promote weight loss by eliminating plant foods and focusing on nutrient-dense animal foods.
It is important to note that any amount of calories can break a fast, so it is recommended to avoid any food or beverage with calories during a fast. However, some people choose to consume calorie-free electrolytes or black coffee or herbal tea during their fast to suppress their appetite.
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Fish and shellfish
Other fatty fish like sardines and mackerel are also good options, as they are high in omega-3 fats. Frequent fish intake has been linked to improved brain health and a decreased risk of disease. If you're looking for a leaner fish option, flounder is a great choice. It has 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat per 100-gram serving, and it has a light and flaky texture with a delicate, slightly sweet taste.
Shellfish is also keto-friendly, but the carb count varies by type. Bay scallops, for example, provide 19 grams of protein per 100-gram serving, while shrimp offer 13 grams of protein but less of the healthy fats found in other seafood options. It's important to note that shrimp have a higher cholesterol level of 125mg.
When it comes to keto fasting days, it's recommended to focus on calorie-free or very low-calorie options. Black coffee or herbal tea are popular choices as they can suppress appetite, but they may have a negligible calorie content (around 2 calories per cup) that some consider negligible and others consider as technically breaking a fast. Calorie-free electrolyte powders can also be beneficial for hydration during fasting periods.
After a fast, it's important to ease back into eating with healthy fats and proteins, and keto-friendly whole foods are recommended. Supplements like electrolytes can also be beneficial during this time.
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Eggs
The keto egg fast diet is a very restrictive, short-term diet, typically lasting 3-5 days, that focuses on eating eggs, cheese, and pure fats, with the goal of losing weight or breaking a weight loss plateau. It is intended to be a short-term reset, not a long-term replacement for eating well. During the egg fast, you should eat a whole egg within 30 minutes of waking up and an egg-based meal every 3-5 hours, even if you're not hungry. You should also eat at least six whole eggs per day and consume one tablespoon of butter or healthy fat per egg. You can also eat up to one ounce of full-fat cheese per egg. It is important to note that the egg fast is more restrictive than conventional ketogenic diets, so it may not be suitable for everyone.
After completing the egg fast, it is recommended to continue eating eggs for the first couple of days to prevent weight gain. Eggs for breakfast and lunch on the two days after the egg fast are suggested.
It is important to note that the keto egg fast diet has not been scientifically studied, and it may not provide the same benefits as a conventional ketogenic diet. Additionally, it is crucial to listen to your body and make modifications as needed, as everyone's needs and preferences are unique.
If you are incorporating intermittent fasting into your keto diet, it is important to plan specific times when you will not eat. This may include having at least 12 hours of fasting at night or following the 5:2 intermittent fasting regime, with five days of normal eating and two days of extremely low-calorie intake. After a fast, it is recommended to stick to healthy fats and proteins to ease yourself back into regular eating.
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Frequently asked questions
Intermittent fasting, or IF, is a popular way of eating for many on the keto diet. It involves going without food for a set period of time, usually at least 12 hours, to help your body go into a state of ketosis, burning stored fat for energy.
Technically, anything with calories can break a fast. However, some people consume calorie-free electrolytes, black coffee, or herbal tea during their fast to suppress their appetite.
It is recommended to break your fast with keto-friendly whole foods that will nourish your body, such as cooked non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats, and natural soups or broths. You can also continue taking supplements such as electrolytes.
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and relatively low-protein diet. Keto-friendly foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, high-fat dairy products, non-starchy vegetables, avocados, berries, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and high-cocoa chocolate.
