Keto Diet Foods to Avoid
A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. In a typical diet, about half the calories come from carbs. Your body then converts carbohydrates to glucose, which acts as fuel. When you’re on a keto diet, you eat mostly fat, some protein, and very few carbs. Since your meals include minimal carbs, your body is forced into ketosis and burning fat for energy. The fat may be from either the food you eat or the fat stored in your body. In addition to losing or maintaining weight loss, a keto diet helps keep a healthy blood sugar level and avoid the mid-afternoon desire for a nap.
The takeaway is to keep carbs to a minimum when you’re following a keto diet because they undermine weight loss and the benefits of a keto diet. Here is a list of familiar foods that are keto diets don’ts:
1. Potatoes and sweet potatoes
White potatoes are high in carbs and should be avoided in a keto diet. Sweet potatoes have more fiber than white potatoes, but like white potatoes, they are a carb-laden food. If you’re on a keto diet, pass on all the potato dishes.
2. Peas
Although peas pack a lot of protein, they also are a high-carb vegetable. It doesn’t make a difference if they are canned, frozen, or fresh. With more than seven net carbs per ½ cup, eating peas at a meal can derail ketosis and your keto diet.
3. Corn
While corn contains fiber and other nutrients, it also has a lot of carbs. The carbs are mostly in the form of starch, a complex carbohydrate that breaks down into sugar. Like other carbs, starch can hinder weight loss and the other benefits of a keto diet.
4. Rice
When you’re on a keto diet, it doesn’t matter if it’s white rice or whole-grain brown rice. They both have about the same amount of net carbs. All rice has too many carbs to be considered for a keto diet.
5. Flour
Flour comes in many varieties. Whether it’s all-purpose flour, unbleached flour, cake flour, or whole wheat flour, they are all high in carbs and do not have a place on a keto diet plan. Remove them from your kitchen cabinets. If a recipe calls for flour, substitute keto-friendly almond or coconut flour.
6. Dried fruit
Think of dried fruit as a carb concentrate. In addition to naturally-occurring sugar in fruit, many dried fruits on the grocery shelf also have added sugar. For those reasons, dried fruits should be avoided when keeping to a keto diet.
7. Beans and legumes
Like peas, beans and legumes have protein and fiber. Unfortunately, they are also high in carbs. Since avoiding carbs is key to a keto lifestyle, you’ll need to skip the black beans, red beans, and white beans. All colors or shapes of beans should not be included on your keto menu.