The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that shares many similarities with low-carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat.
This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, which is necessary for burning fat. Protein can also help stabilize blood sugar levels — research suggests that eating a low-carb diet with higher-protein meals can help you lose weight, even if it means eating slightly more calories daily. While eating too much protein can be counterproductive for some people on keto, there are still plenty of ways to get the right amount of protein.
Protein helps your muscles recover after exercise, so you'll want to ensure you get enough if you're exercising regularly while on keto. You also need protein to keep bones strong and healthy — especially after menopause when your body stops producing as much estrogen and other hormones that help keep bones strong. Here are some of the best keto foods for protein:
Eggs are one of the most versatile proteins worldwide because they can be cooked in so many different ways. They are one of the best protein sources for keto and will keep you full for hours. They're also extremely portable and easy to cook up in various ways. They're also extremely affordable on a ketogenic diet since they are readily available in most grocery stores.
Cheese is a great source of fat and protein that can be used with just about any meal or snack to make it more filling and satisfying. It's also high in calcium which helps prevent bone loss and maintain healthy teeth.
Chicken is another staple source of protein for keto diets and comes in many forms: fried, baked, and grilled are all great ways to enjoy chicken while still sticking with your diet. Chicken provides more protein per serving than beef or pork and contains less fat. Chicken breast is a great source of lean protein for those who don't enjoy red meat.
Fish like salmon or tuna are good sources of protein that can easily be added to salads or other dishes. Salmon has a lot more fat than other types of fish but has fewer carbs too!
Beef is one of the best protein sources on the ketogenic diet because it contains large amounts of saturated fat, which is good for your heart health. This source of protein can be used in many different ways, including steaks, burgers, and meatballs! Meatballs are an easy way to get some extra protein into your diet without preparing an entire meal around them.
You can make them at home or buy prepackaged varieties at the store, making them super convenient when you're busy or short on time! On the other hand, Grass-fed beef has more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef, which can also help reduce inflammation in your body.
Seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseeds have healthy fats that help keep you fuller for longer. They also contain fiber that fills your stomach up quickly. These make them great choices for keto diets.
Nuts like peanuts and almonds are also great for keto diets since they contain healthy fats that will keep you full longer than other foods. However, don't go overboard on them — too much can cause digestive problems like bloating and constipation. A serving size is about one ounce (28 grams) or two tablespoons (30 milliliters).
You can get yogurt with live cultures (meaning no sugar added) to add to smoothies or eat by itself for breakfast or as a snack on the go. It’s easy to make yogurt at home, too, so check out our guide on how to do that! If you don’t have time to make your own, look for brands without added sugar or sweeteners—plain unsweetened yogurt works just fine.
You can also try Greek yogurt, which has double the amount of protein compared with regular yogurt due to its straining process during manufacturing which removes the excess water content from milk.
If you're eating a high-fat diet, your body will turn to fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, which are typically used as fuel sources. This can help with weight loss because it lowers insulin levels, which causes the body to burn more fat for energy rather than storing it.
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