Low Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Food List

Sometimes just getting started with a new diet is difficult. Figuring out what you should or shouldn't eat can be confusing if you are just starting out.

With the guidelines I present here, you will be able to identify which foods are keto-friendly when you go to the grocery store.

You should also read my page on easing into the keto diet.

All meat is keto approved, with the condition that you don't eat too much protein. Boneless/skinless chicken is fine, as long as you have some fat to go with it.

Cuts of meat like ribeye or New York strip steak are closer to an optimal ratio, as is chicken thighs (cheaper than chicken breast, too!) Frankly, I believe that the fatty cuts taste better anyway.

Note: Fruit is pretty much off the table

Vegetables are almost ALL okay. Eat all the broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts you want.

Beets and carrots need to be limited in your diet, as they have a fairly high carbohydrate count.

Starches like potatoes and sweet potatoes have to be removed completely.

Onions and garlic should be eaten, but limited somewhat. Generally, these aren't eaten in large quantities anyway.

Avocado is a very tasty keto food, and has a very high fat content. Learn how to make awesome guacamole.

Photo by: Jasper Greek Golangco

All nuts and seeds are fine, as long as you don't eat the whole package. Peanuts (technically a legume) are also okay in moderation.

Nuts and seeds to contain some carbohydrates, but also a significant source of fiber. Usually about half of the amount of carbohydrates in nuts and seeds is fiber. The large amount of fat in nuts and seeds make them really good snacks for the keto diet.

Photo: Kaz Vorpal

Dairy you have to be very careful with. Things like sour cream and butter are fine, but most milk and yogurt isn't due to high lactose content. High milkfat cottage cheese is good, but the low and no-fat cottage cheese has added sugars to mask the flavor.

I tend to use heavy cream or half-n-half in my coffee, although small amount of milk shouldn't slow you down too much.

Oils of all kinds are on the plan, except for partially hydrogenated. Coconut and palm oil are particularly prized due to their medium chain triglyceride content. Try to find a cold-pressed variety of coconut oil, as it should taste a bit better.

You might want to try bulletproof coffee, which is coffee mixed with butter and coconut oil/MCT oil. It sounds particularly disgusting, but is actually a tasty breakfast.

Photo: Lemone

I've now lost over 100 lbs, mostly on a keto diet. I know that without keto, I would be a very miserable person, and probably still very overweight.