If you plan to start a ketogenic diet, then you might be feeling some confusion over which foods to eat.
With this in mind, this article provides a keto shopping list featuring the best foods.
You can see the carbohydrate content and net carbs clearly listed for each food. This knowledge will allow you to plan for precisely how many carbs you consume.
As a general guide, the upper limit to stay in ketosis is approximately 50g carbohydrate per day (1).
Keto Shopping List
Below you will find some tables showing the best ketogenic foods along with the number of carbs they contain.
These tables spread over ten different categories, which include:
- Dairy
- Fruit
- Meat
- Nuts
- Oils and Fats
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Seeds
- Vegetables
- Everything else (such as sauces, snacks, and condiments)
About the Carb Count
For all keto foods, the carb count is per 100g.
‘Total carbs’ refers to the overall amount of carbohydrate in the food.
In contrast, ‘net carbs’ means the amount of non-fiber carbohydrate in the food—the carbs that are digestible.
Some foods can be high in carbohydrate but very low in net carbs (such as cacao), while others can be the opposite.
Sources
Nutrition data and the USDA Food Database are the sources for all nutrition values.
Dairy Keto Foods
Almost every dairy food is an excellent choice for a keto diet, but be careful to buy real dairy.
By this, I mean that a yogurt full of added sugar and chocolate rings is not going to be beneficial for health.
Also, while full-fat milk is a perfectly healthy food, there is approximately 5g lactose (milk sugars) per 100ml.
With this in mind, don’t go overboard with drinking milk if you are trying to do a ketogenic diet.
For instance, a big glass of milk would be almost half of your daily carb limit.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Butter | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Cheese (hard – parmesan) | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Cheese (medium hard – cheddar) | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Cheese (soft – brie) | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Clotted Cream | 2 | 2 |
| Cottage Cheese | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Cream Cheese | 4 | 4 |
| Ghee | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Greek Yogurt | 4 | 4 |
| Heavy Cream | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Kefir | 5 | 5 |
| Milk (whole) | 5 | 5 |
| Sour Cream | 4 | 4 |
| Quark | 4 | 4 |
Full-fat dairy foods are one of the best things you can eat on keto.
Not only are they low in carbohydrate, but they’re also very nutrient-dense and full of beneficial fat-soluble vitamins (2, 3).
Keto Fruits List
Technically, you can eat any fruit you want on a ketogenic diet if you’re watching your overall carb intake.
However, it’s better to focus on nutrient-dense, lower sugar fruits which have the least carbohydrate content.
Note: if you want to see a list of 101 ketogenic foods that are all under 10g carbohydrate per 100g, then see this guide.
Some good examples are below.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Avocado | 9 | 2 |
| Blackberries | 10 | 5 |
| Blueberries | 14.5 | 12.4 |
| Boysenberries | 12.2 | 6.9 |
| Cloud Berries | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Cranberries | 12.2 | 7.6 |
| Elderberries | 18.4 | 11.4 |
| Gooseberries | 10.2 | 5.9 |
| Huckleberries | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Lemon | 9.3 | 6.5 |
| Lime | 11 | 8 |
| Olives (black) | 6.3 | 3.1 |
| Olives (green) | 4 | 1 |
| Raspberries | 11.9 | 5.4 |
| Rhubarb | 4.5 | 2.7 |
| Salmonberries | 10.1 | 8.2 |
| Strawberries | 7.7 | 5.7 |
| Tomatoes | 3.9 | 2.7 |
As you can see, berries and fatty fruits dominate the table.
One of the main things to consider when putting your keto shopping list together is that not all carbs are bad.
A far more beneficial way of thinking is to examine carb quality. For instance, brown rice has approximately 73g net carbohydrate, and it is relatively low in nutrients (4).
On the other hand, avocado, olives, and berries all contain a few carbs, but also a wide range of nutrients.
Keto Meats
There are no real restrictions on the type of meat on a ketogenic diet, so you can add anything you want to your keto shopping list.
The only exception here would be for processed meats which contain sugars or a marinade.
Red meat is the king when it comes to nutrients, and organic grass-fed meat is great if you can source it.
The reason for this is that it has a slightly more beneficial nutrient profile and higher amounts of omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid.
Several studies show that both of these nutrients offer benefits for cardiovascular health (5, 6).
However, if you’re on a tight budget then don’t worry about the type of meat – any is better than none.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Bacon | 1.5* | 1.5* |
| Beef – all cuts | 0 | 0 |
| Buffalo | 0 | 0 |
| Ham | 0 | 0 |
| Lamb | 0 | 0 |
| Mutton | 0 | 0 |
| Organ Meats – liver | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Pork | 0 | 0 |
| Prosciutto | 0.3* | 0.3* |
| Salami | 3.8* | 3.8* |
| Sausages | 0** | 0** |
| Venison | 0 | 0 |
* Cured meat products such as bacon and salami often contain tiny amounts of sugar.
** Based on 99% meat sausages; be careful as some brands of sausage use significant amounts of flour in their products.
Nuts For a Ketogenic Diet
There are many types of nuts to choose from, and not all of them are low in carbs.
In fact, some nuts—such as cashews—have quite a high carbohydrate load.
But all things considered, nuts are a healthy food that belong on your keto shopping list.
On the downside, they are very energy dense; 100g of nuts can come to around 700 calories.
With this in mind, don’t go crazy on snacking with nuts—a small handful is easily enough.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Almonds | 21.7 | 9.5 |
| Brazil Nuts | 12.3 | 4.8 |
| Hazelnuts | 16.7 | 7 |
| Macadamia | 14.2 | 5.6 |
| Peanuts | 16.1 | 7.6 |
| Pecans | 14 | 4.4 |
| Pine Nuts | 13.1 | 9.4 |
| Walnuts | 13.7 | 7 |
All of these nuts are full of important vitamins and minerals, and they taste great.
Keto Oils and Fats
Regarding fats and oils, the first thing to remember is that just because a certain food is ketogenic doesn’t make it healthy.
Some of the unhealthiest foods on the planet are ‘keto’ by nature.
For instance, soybean oil and partially hydrogenated trans fats have links to cancer and cardiovascular heart disease (7, 8).
And yes, these foods are ‘ketogenic’ – no carbs in sight! So, again, it’s not just the amount of carbs that matter — it’s the food and nutrient quality.
Given this, here are some of the very best oils and fats that are both ketogenic and healthy.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Avocado Oil | 0 | 0 |
| Butter | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Coconut Oil | 0 | 0 |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 0 | 0 |
| Ghee | 0 | 0 |
| Goose Fat | 0 | 0 |
| Lard | 0 | 0 |
| Macadamia Nut Oil | 0 | 0 |
| Red Palm Oil | 0 | 0 |
| Tallow | 0 | 0 |
As shown above, there are no carbs to worry about with fats and oils.
For me, I think the best choices on here are extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, lard, and butter.
If you have money to burn, then ghee and avocado oil are also excellent but pricey options.
Lastly, margarine, trans fats, and industrial vegetable oils are some of the most important foods to avoid on a ketogenic diet.
Poultry (and Eggs) for a Ketogenic Diet
While poultry is not quite as nutrient-dense as red meat, it does contain a range of beneficial nutrients, and it is zero carb (9, 10).
Of course, the exception is fried chicken, which is neither ketogenic nor good for health!
As for eggs, they are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Chicken | 0 | 0 |
| Duck | 0 | 0 |
| Eggs | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Goose | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey | 0 | 0 |
| Quail | 0 | 0 |
Poultry should be another mainstay on your ketogenic diet shopping list, and I like to eat it once or twice per week.
Eggs have a large number of benefits and if you have any concerns over their cholesterol content, don’t worry.
Dietary cholesterol is very different to plasma cholesterol (the amount in our blood), and it is “no longer a nutrient of concern” (11, 12).
Keto Seafood
There are all kinds of different fish and shellfish that are perfect ketogenic foods.
Fish
Here are some of the most common edible fish that you can buy.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Anchovy* | 0 | 0 |
| Bream | 0 | 0 |
| Carp | 0 | 0 |
| Catfish | 0 | 0 |
| Cod | 0 | 0 |
| Flounder | 0 | 0 |
| Haddock | 0 | 0 |
| Halibut | 0 | 0 |
| Herring | 0 | 0 |
| Mackerel* | 0 | 0 |
| Sardines* | 0 | 0 |
| Salmon* | 0 | 0 |
| Swordfish | 0 | 0 |
| Tilapia | 0 | 0 |
| Trout* | 0 | 0 |
| Tuna | 0 | 0 |
Just to point out the asterisk next to five of these fish — this is for the purpose of identifying the best choices.
All these fish are low in mercury and also contain decent amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (13, 14).
Shellfish and Other Seafood
Unlike fish, shellfish and other sea creatures do contain carbs—but only in minimal amounts.
Shellfish are also full of nutrients, and they are some of the healthiest foods you can eat.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Abalone | 6 | 6 |
| Clams | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Cockles | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Crab | 0 | 0 |
| Eel | 0 | 0 |
| Lobster | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Mussels | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Octopus | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Oysters | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| Scallops | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Sea Squirt | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Shrimp | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Squid | 3.1 | 3.1 |
Keto Seeds
Seeds are interesting in that they contain large amounts of fat, but also a high amount of carbohydrate.
However, as you can see from the table below, the majority of the carbs are from fiber and non-digestible.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Chia Seeds | 43.8 | 6.1 |
| Flaxseed | 28.9 | 1.6 |
| Hemp Seeds | 12 | 5 |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 17.8 | 14.9 |
| Sesame Seeds | 23.4 | 11.6 |
| Sunflower Seeds | 20 | 11.4 |
Don’t feel like you have to include seeds on your keto shopping list.
They are a reasonably healthy food that can help with meeting nutrient requirements, but they’re not necessary.
Keto Vegetables
There are hundreds of vegetables that are suitable for a keto shopping list.
One of the first that comes to mind is zucchini, especially considering it’s the base vegetable for the infamous zoodles.
Generally speaking, it’s best to emphasize leafy greens as they contain minimal amounts of carbohydrate. In addition, leafy greens are extremely nutrient-rich — especially foods such as spinach and seaweed (15, 16).
While starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes do offer valuable nutrients, they are simply too high in carbohydrate for a ketogenic diet.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Artichoke | 10.5 | 5.1 |
| Asparagus | 3.9 | 1.8 |
| Beets | 13 | 9.2 |
| Bell Pepper | 6.3 | 4.2 |
| Bok Choy | 2.2 | 1.2 |
| Broccoli | 7 | 4 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 9 | 5 |
| Cabbage | 5.8 | 3.3 |
| Carrot | 10 | 7 |
| Cauliflower | 5.3 | 2.8 |
| Celery | 3 | 1 |
| Chives | 4.4 | 1.9 |
| Cucumber | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Eggplant | 6 | 3 |
| Garlic | 33.1 | 31 |
| Green Onion | 7.3 | 4.7 |
| Kale | 10 | 8 |
| Kohlrabi | 6.2 | 2.6 |
| Leek | 14.2 | 12.4 |
| Mushrooms (white) | 3.3 | 2.3 |
| Napa Cabbage | 3.9 | 2.6 |
| Okra | 7 | 3.8 |
| Radish | 3 | 2 |
| Romaine Lettuce | 3.3 | 1.2 |
| Red Onion | 9 | 7 |
| Rutabaga | 8 | 5 |
| Spaghetti Squash | 6.5 | 5.1 |
| Spinach | 3.6 | 1.4 |
| Turnip | 6.4 | 4.6 |
| Yellow Onion | 9 | 7 |
| Zucchini | 3 | 2 |
By and large, most vegetables are low in net carbs and suitable for a keto shopping list.
However, if you want to stay in ketosis then limit the amount of higher carb veggies such as carrots and onions.
For a carb count of all ketogenic foods, see this article.
Keto Condiments / Sauces / Snacks
As many of these foods are commercial products, keep in mind that the nutrition values may change depending on the brand.
However, providing you read the labels to confirm the ingredients, they are still relatively healthy foods for your keto grocery list.
While it is true that most of these are processed foods, we can still class them as ‘clean’ foods.
On the negative side, some peanut butter and dark chocolate brands use harmful additives in their products.
So once more, be careful to read the ingredients label if it’s a brand you don’t know well.
| Food | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
| Almond Butter | 21.2 | 17.5 |
| Beef Jerky | 0* | 0* |
| Cacao Nibs | 35.7 | 3.6 |
| Cacao Powder | 57.9 | 24.7 |
| Coconut Chips | 25 | 7 |
| Dark Chocolate (85% – Vivani) | 35.7 | 21.4 |
| Kimchi (commercial) | 7 | 6.2 |
| Peanut Butter (chunky style) | 22 | 14 |
| Pork Rinds (Pork Crackling) | 0 | 0 |
| Salsa | 7 | 6 |
| Sauerkraut | 5 | 2 |
| Tamari Soy Sauce | 6 | 5 |
| Tomato Paste | 19 | 15 |
| Whey Protein | 17.6 | 14.1 |
| Wholegrain Mustard | 10 | 10 |
*Beef jerky contains zero carbs providing you buy a quality product — look for 100% beef with only added seasoning.
As for the rest of these foods, they are all perfectly acceptable for a ketogenic diet in their standard serving sizes.
Summary
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Final Thoughts
All in all, the majority of healthy foods can easily fit into a ketogenic diet plan.
Shopping for your groceries doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, most of the foods that aren’t suitable for keto are the industrially processed foods.
This shows why ketogenic diets can be so successful — they cut out the junk food.
Overall, there’s a big difference between a good and a bad keto plan, but if you stick to this list of foods then you’ll be on the right track.
What are your favorite low carb foods? Is there anything missing from this keto shopping list?
As I am trying to establish a low oxalate diet to prevent calcium stones I am having difficulty choosing vegetables and fruits that still work at a ketosis diet. Meat is not a problem but it seems the best fruit and vegetables for one are the worst for the other. Any suggestions on how to create a suitable plan? Thanks in anticipation
There are two things you could consider.
1. Don’t eat vegetables and get your nutrients from other places (there are no essential foods, only essential nutrients!)
If you want to go this way, then see here for some foods which are really high in nutrition: https://nutritionadvance.com/most-nutrient-dense-foods-in-the-world/
2. Focus on low oxalate veggies.
Here are some that are suitable for a ketogenic diet:
Bell Peppers
Bok choy
Cabbage
Chives
Kale
Lettuce (all types)
Mushrooms
Onions
Radish
Sea vegetables such as kelp and wakame
Squash (all types)
Zucchini
Some of those are very low in carbs, and others are a little higher in carbs than leafy greens such as spinach, but if you monitor what you’re eating then it should be no problem.
And when it comes to fruit, berries are a good choice.
Hope this helps!
Thank you for your advice I will give it a try
No problem – good luck with it!
Thank You!
This was very informative. I am trying to start this kind of diet but am having a hard time with it. It is really hard to cook, cook, cook when you work until 7 pm. at night. Also, I love a nice glass of red wine at night and there is no room for this.
I am hoping to get a grip on HFLC. You have been able to put it in a better prospective for me & I thank you for that.
That’s no problem, Debbie!
I’m not sure what you heard, but a glass of red wine shouldn’t be a problem on a keto diet. Just opt for a dry red rather than a sweet one.
You can see more about carbs in alcohol here: https://nutritionadvance.com/best-alcohol-low-carb-diet
I understand how it might be hard to cook when working full-time, it just takes a bit of practise getting used to it, and maybe finding a few favorites which are quick to make.
Thank you for commenting and good luck with it!
Excellent series of articles on LCHF and keto.
We discuss all your articles on our low-carb forum dlife dot in.
Thanks a lot, Suraj!
If there’s any topic which might be useful, just let me know.
I will check out the forum 🙂
This list was so important to what I want to eat besides I don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on prepared
ideal Protein diet foods. Thank you so much for the information.
Thanks, Mary!
I’m happy it could help.
If there’s anything else that would be useful, just let me know.
Fabulous, thus probly the most helpful article I have read from a simple, practical viewpoint. Thanks.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for your kind comment!
I’m happy it was helpful for you 🙂
Hi I have a question what about green beans any beans ,lentils chick peas ?
Hi Petra,
Those foods are a little high in carbohydrate for a ketogenic diet. I’m not saying they are bad, but they’re not a “keto” food.
i love peanuts so much is it ok for me to eat a lot of it even i want to be in keto stage..thank u
It’s okay to eat them, sure. But a lot? That depends on how much a “lot” actually is!
Peanuts are verrrry energy dense, so too much can be detrimental.
Thanks so much,it was very helpful and informative.
Thank you, Zaher – happy to help!
Thank you for the informative list. The one thing I noticed though is that there are no serving sizes listed. So how would one know ‘how many’ blackberries give you 5 net carbs or how much butter gives you 0.1 net carbs? Knowing the count is great but I can’t imagine a whole pint of blackberries is the same 5 net carbs as say 10 berries would.
Can you help?
Hi Heather,
You are quite right!
The serving size is hiding in the text at the top 🙂
All the carb counts are per 100g, I thought that would be easiest for everyone because it compares everything directly and could also be % carbs.
I’m just learning about ketosis. I’m currently using intermittent fasting to promote stored fat loss, and while this diet focuses on the timing of your eating, and not necessarily what you eat, do you think it could have some of the same benefits while in the fasting state as a ketogenic diet? Or does the body have to be in ketosis 24 hours/day to be effective? Do you think that intermittent fasting could be combined with a ketogenic diet for even greater effectiveness? Thanks for your time, great article!
Hi Erin,
Thanks for commenting! I definitely think intermittent fasting could have some of the same benefits as a ketogenic (or low carb) diet. Actually, there are many studies showing that lower carb diets mimic calorie restriction (so basically intermittent fasting) in their effects on the body.
I’m sure that combining the two together could have greater effectiveness, certainly. That’s presuming the diet is well formulated of course!
Hi, i enjoy and certainly find this diet and/or lifestyle change beneficial. I however see nowhere any comments regarding the horrid death breath. I work with people and talk a lot but could not deal with the bad breath. Any advice?
Hi Jo,
I totally know what you mean!
There’s more info on that in this guide: https://nutritionadvance.com/ketogenic-diet-ultimate-guide-to-keto/
Thankfully this side effect only persists for the first week or two for most people at a maximum…
Dear Michael,
I’m not having any luck finding information about using Lactose-free yogurt, ice cream, cream cheese, mascarpone, or cottage cheese. In addition, I’m trying to find more info about Almond Milk, Soy Milk, sheep’s cheese and yogurt, goat cheese and goat yogurt. I’m not finding anything about these for the Keto WOL?
Any advice? Many thanks!
Hi Christine,
The first few you listed will depend on the ingredients list, so it’s hard to say whether they would be suitable or not.
If the yogurt is 100% pure it should be fine, but I’m not sure about the ice-cream.
Sheep’s cheese and goat cheese are all perfectly fine (and very tasty too!)
Almond milk sometimes has a bunch of additives and added sugar, so watch out for that… a 100% pure one is OK. As is coconut milk/cream. There are many online recipes to make your own almond milk too, which might be worth checking out!
Personally, I’d avoid the soy milk as it’s highly processed.
My husband is considering a Keto Diet to help fight the side effects of Parkinson’s disease, Weight loss is not the goal nor a desired effect. Do you have any suggestions, advice or insight you could share concerning his dilemma?
Hi Lin,
I’m sorry but I can’t give advice/suggestions on what to do as this is a medical issue.
However, studies do suggest that the keto diet has some decent benefits in this area.
There are some great resources on keto and Parkinson’s which are full of references.
You can find two of them here: http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/parkinsons-disease.html
and here: http://www.drdeborahmd.com/solutions-parkinsons-disease
Perhaps it’s worth discussing these with your husband and his physician?
Thank you for the direction Michael. Those are good links. As far as preventing weight loss, do we simply up the fat intake calories?
Yes, basically – there’s no real complex counting you need to do.
Just eat, monitor and adjust. Losing weight? Add a bit more food in. Gaining a little? Cut back a bit.
This post was great! Exactly what I had been looking for. I knew the right food now I know what the carb count is before I eat it! Do you have another post for the differences in flours? Like coconut vs almond vs any other?? Again thanks for this post..
Hi Patricia,
Thank you! But unfortunately I don’t have that kind of post right now, but Ditch the Carbs has one that sounds what you’re looking for: http://www.ditchthecarbs.com/2016/09/12/low-carb-flours/
Hope this helps!
Thanks!
Hi Michael
I just want to say thank-you thank-you & thank-you again. These lists have really helped me put ketogenic foods in perspective. I can now meal plan with a much better knowledge of the Carb counts of different foods without stressing out & having to add each one into an app prior to eating. Your added comments about the nutritional benefits or otherwise of certain foods was also helpful. I have struggled commencing Keto as a non meat eater but feel I can give it a real good go with your information on fish which my body seems to tolerate a lot better than meat. Thanx for your dedication to this woe & for sharing your knowledge. Greatly appreciated
Joy
Hi Joy,
Thank you for the nice comments! And I’m glad that the lists have been helpful for you too.
I’m guessing you must be eating a lot of fish now?!
Feel free to ask if you are ever stuck with anything and need some help.
Carbs you have listed on garlic is got to way off the charts. From what I can see is 1 carb and it is .66 net carbs. You may want to correct that.
Hi Justina,
The listing is per 100g (or % carbs) so that everything can be compared equally.
For 1 clove of garlic, you are right!
Taking cucumber+Lemon+Ginger smoothie for flat tummy, is it OK on keto
Just those three ingredients without any sugar or additives? If so, that should be okay.
To be honest, I’m not aware of any tummy-flattening effects of those ingredients though…
Pls what then should I take to help for tummy. That’s mainly my problem
Unfortunately, there isn’t really any food that is good for a flat stomach. Just overall diet. If you have interest in the ketogenic diet, it might be worth a try: https://nutritionadvance.com/ketogenic-diet-ultimate-guide-to-keto
Would you consider adding Glycemic load to this?
Hi Eric,
Yes, that’s a good idea!
I’ll try to get that added in.
Hi Michael, thank you for this extremely informative article. I just have one quick question, do we follow the total carbs count instead of the net carbs count when trying to stay within the 50g a day limit? Thanks
Hi Rizza,
Glad you found it useful!
You only have to count the net carbs, but if you find it easier (considering food labels don’t give this) then you could just count total carbs.
Just let me know if you have any other queries.
I believe that mastering the basics when it comes to keto diet is vital. This means understanding the ins and outs of keto foods and nutrition.
I like that the fruit and seafood list is way bigger than in any other similar post I have seen.
Just food for thought: Consider adding the carb count also in ounces, as there may be many ketoers who are not used to grams.
Overall very thorough article
Alex
That’s a good idea, Alex!
Thanks for the feedback.
It doesn’t show raisins??? Can I have this??
Sorry, Rachael!
Raisins are approx 80% carbs so they’re off limits for a keto diet.
Thanks for the article. It will certainly help me as I get started on the keto way of eating. I do have one question. When beginning, is it necessary to stop all carbs to get the body in a state of ketosis, and then add them in, or just significantly lower the intake of carbs?
Hi Monica,
No, it isn’t necessary to quit all carbs (although you could if you wanted).
There are generally two ways to do it;
1) Just jump to the carb range you’re aiming for overnight
or
2) Slowly reduce carbs over time until you get to where you want to be.
Some people prefer the second option to lessen the so-called “keto flu” symptoms.
How much weight do you lose the first week of this diet
This very much depends on the individual, diet as a whole, activity levels, and so on. But in general, it’s not unusual to lose 3 lbs + in the first week (mainly from the loss of water weight).
Hi Michael
I need to lose weight. how many calories should I take or does it even matter?
Thank You
Hi Norma,
That question is difficult to answer since every individual’s requirement is different.
It does matter. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessary to count them – for example, eating, monitoring, and adjusting is a good way to lose weight.
Through doing it this way, people can examine their weight loss (or lack of) after a week or two and then reduce the total amount of food if necessary.
If you actually want to count calories, then you can use the same method (increase or decrease depending on success). 2000 kcals might be a good generic starting point – but this very much depends on activity levels, current weight, and so on.
How many carbs are you allowed in a day?
Hi Annemarie,
For a keto diet, an upper limit of around 50g is about right.
The counts in this article are all per 100g for each specific food.
Are beans allowed?
Since beans are quite high in carbohydrate, they’re not really compatible with a ketogenic diet.
If you want to eat them then just a low-ish carb diet might be a better fit.
This so dissappointed me. I thought it would be for a serving, instead it is for 100 g. Whole grain mustard has NO carbs in a single serving. This chart needs to be done based on an average serving. It is of no use this way.
Sorry, Debra.
I tried doing one per serving in the past, but feedback from people was that per 100g offered an easier direct comparison between the different foods.
Hi this is very useful indeed, thankyou so much. Are there any ideas which herbs and spices are good for keto?
Thanks, Kelly.
Pretty much all herbs and spices are fine! So, just go for whatever you enjoy.
if i don’t eat cheese, eggs, drink tea, or lemonade, pasta, would this be a good diet for me to help me lose weight. I have been trying several diet nothing work. what can i do.
Ketogenic diets work well for people who can stick to them.
For me, I think the main thing is to find a way of eating that someone enjoys.
Many people have the most success when they cut ultra-processed packaged foods out of their diet and eat whole foods, with sufficient protein at each meal for satiety.
Hi, I’d be pleased to receive a bit more detail on total /net carbs, because there are 2 types of fiber, in / soluble. Insoluble goes through the system but doesn’t some of the soluble get absorbed? In other words, is the ‘net’ value not a bit deceptive? Also, some basic fruits aren’t on this list, and I’d love to know their values: banana, orange, apple, pear and, if possible, dates and pomegranate, which are staples in our home. Thanks so much. This is a very helpful site to ease the learning curve !
Hi Soraya,
You are right, and ‘net carbs’ isn’t really the perfect measurement, but many people prefer to use it over the total carbs measurement.
The reason why those fruits aren’t on the list is simply because they’re not very keto-friendly. For example, a whole apple comes in at over 20 grams of carbohydrate, which is almost half of the daily maxiumum for carb intake. Of course, this doesn’t mean that those fruits are “bad” – they are fine as part of a healthy diet (in a sensible amount!)
If you ever want to find out the nutrition details of a particular food, there is a great tool here: http://nutritiondata.self.com
Hope this helps!