Skip to Content

The Top Keto Friendly Foods To Try This Year

We share the top Keto Friendly Foods to try this year and talk all things ketogenic.

Combined with regular physical activity, proper nutrition is an essential component of gaining and maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Counteract unhealthy eating habits with the right diet plan to enjoy numerous benefits, like enhanced energy levels and improved immune systems.

One diet to note is the ketogenic or keto diet. But what are the top keto-friendly foods to eat?

Read on to find out.

The Top Keto Friendly Foods To Try This Year

keto diet with top keto foods on cutting board

What’s the Keto Diet?

Before you learn what to eat in a keto diet, you should know more about this eating plan.

The keto diet focuses on consuming foods rich in healthy fats and protein while having meals and snacks with very few carbohydrates.

This is because this eating plan aims to gain calories from fat instead of carbs.

If you’re a strict follower of the keto diet, your body will use more of its sugar, activating your systems to break down more fat for energy.

The result is the production of ketones, molecules your body uses as fuel.

Hence, one of the significant health benefits of the keto diet is weight management.

Other health advantages may include:

  • Protect cognitive function
  • Improve heart health
  • Reduce the risk of specific cancers
  • Enhances skin
  • Potentially reduce seizures

Eat keto-friendly foods to gain the most benefits of this eating plan.

Continue reading to know the top keto-friendly food options to try this year:

Keto Ice Cream

Are you scared that you need to stop satiating your sweet tooth once you begin your ketogenic journey?

Thankfully, keto-friendly ice cream exists on the market, says Perfect Keto.

Traditional ice cream has two primary ingredients: cream and sugar.

One cup of conventional ice cream will give your body about 50 grams of carbs.

That figure should be the maximum amount of carbohydrates you need to consume in a keto diet.

So, eating one cup of ice cream can potentially destroy your healthy eating plan.

Several ice cream producers hear the cries of keto diet followers to give you sweet and keto-friendly options.

As a solution, search for ice creams made from carb-free sugar substitutes, like erythritol and xylitol.

If you’re not fond of looking at every nutrition profile on the labels of ice creams, you can search for texts like “No Sugar Added” at the front or lid of the product.

These keto-friendly desserts are low in calories and carbs.

For example, one cup of keto-friendly ice cream may net you 70 calories and 5 grams of carbs.

scoops of keto friendly ice cream

Dark Chocolate

Aside from ice cream, you can also find keto-friendly chocolate on the market.

Dark chocolate is an excellent choice for keto practitioners as this delectable dessert results from the combination of fat, sugar, and cocoa.

Conversely, milk chocolate has milk solids, and these components can be high in sugar.

Dark chocolate doesn’t have milk solids, which means it has more cocoa and less sugar.

But, reading the labels on dark chocolate products should still be in your best interest.

Some manufacturers still add a substantial amount of sugar in their dark chocolates for people who can’t get enough of the sweet taste.

As a rule of thumb, eat dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.

These options should have small amounts of sugar to make for a healthy dessert or snack.

You may also sprinkle some grated dark chocolate on your favorite keto-friendly beverage for an additional chocolaty taste.

Seafood

Both fish and shellfish are keto-friendly food options.

But, you still need to be wary about the ingredients you put in each seafood-rich meal.

Otherwise, you’re going to defeat the purpose of following the eating plan.

Also, the carbs in different shellfish may vary.

For instance, shrimp and crabs contain little to no carbohydrates, whereas other shellfish may have carbs that might reduce the efficacy of your keto meal plan.

But, the carbs in certain shellfish might not be as high as you might think.

For example, 30 grams of clams should only net you about one gram of carb and approximately 4 grams of protein.

So, eating 90 grams of clams should only give you about 3 grams of carb and 12 grams of protein.

As a bonus, many seafood options are high in essential fatty acids.

Mackerel, salmon, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fats.

These “good” fats can help lower insulin levels, which can be a boon for overweight, obese, and diabetic patients.

cooked shrimp with lime

Vegetables

When you think of healthy diets, perhaps the first food category that comes into mind is vegetables.

But, not all veggies you find on the market are keto-friendly food options.

Aim to consume non-starchy vegetables in your meals and snacks, such as the following:

Cauliflower:

Cauliflower presents keto diet followers with low amounts of carbohydrates and calories.

Furthermore, this veggie has a mild flavor, which makes it a versatile choice for various recipes.

Broccoli:

Many people, including keto diet enthusiasts, freeze at the sight of broccoli.

Albeit many individuals don’t like its appearance and flavor, perhaps it’s time for you to reconsider this keto-friendly veggie.

Broccoli is a highly versatile vegetable since you can steam, roast, or drizzle it in the sauce.

Also, it’s rich in dietary fiber to help your digestive system.

Spinach:

Do you want to satisfy your sweet tooth but afraid of destroying your eating plan by eating sugary sweets?

Consider eating spinach instead.

Spinach has a sweet taste; you can use it in different recipes, such as salads, chips, and dips.

It’s also very low in carbohydrates, which is a plus for keto diet enthusiasts.

Asparagus:

Hunger pangs are one of the biggest enemies of keto diet followers.

The lack of carbohydrates makes it challenging to maintain a daily calorie deficit to impose weight loss.

Thankfully, foods exist that can help you feel full for long periods, such as asparagus.

This vegetable is very filling.

Plus, it’s rich in essential nutrients with tiny amounts of carbohydrates.

Other keto-friendly vegetables you can add to your diet include zucchini, kale, and green beans.

For nutrition-packed recipes fit for ketogenic diet enthusiasts, don’t be shy to combine these veggies into hearty meals and snacks.

Avocado

Avocados can provide several health benefits to keto diet practitioners, such as improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

High levels of triglycerides will put you at risk of acquiring heart-related disorders.

Furthermore, this fruit is one of the top keto-friendly food options you should try this year.

Consider eating at least 100 grams of avocado every day.

That amount and 7 grams of dietary fiber should net you about 9 grams of carbs.

Furthermore, avocados are rich in other essential vitamins and minerals.

One critical nutrient that’s abundantly found in avocado is potassium.

Consuming the recommended daily amount (RDA) of potassium can promote health benefits, such as:

avocado, tomatoes and asparagus

Cheese

Cheese is an umbrella term for that golden ingredient added to pizza and pasta.

But, it doesn’t mean you should eat any cheese you see that’s sitting on a store shelf, especially if you’re on a keto diet.

This dairy product is rich in healthy fat, low in carbohydrates, and has moderate amounts of protein.

Cheese can also vary in flavor, texture, and variety.

You should choose your cheesy products wisely, or else you’re going to risk destroying your ketogenic diet.

So, what are the best types of cheese to eat when you’re following a keto diet?

The cheeses you should add to your plate include:

Goat Cheese:

About 30 grams of goat cheese should net you approximately 90 calories, 6 grams of protein, 7 grams of fat, and 0.2 grams of carbs.

This type of cheese has one of the lowest amounts of carbs you can find in a dairy product.

Also, cheese developed from goat’s milk has small amounts of lactose, which may benefit some lactose-intolerant people.

Cream Cheese:

Cream cheese is among the many favorites of keto dieters because of its low-calorie count.

Furthermore, a tablespoon of this cheese should let your body absorb about 0.8 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fat.

However, this dairy product might not be ideal for individuals seeking to gain more protein as it only has less than a gram of the nutrient for every tablespoon of this cheese.

Blue Cheese:

Blue cheese might not be your go-to dairy product to eat when you’re following a keto diet.

This is because of the fact that blue cheese has a smell that might be off for some people.

But, in return, you should get about 0.2 grams of carbs, 2.5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein with a 10-gram serving size.

Parmesan Cheese:

Compared to other cheeses, parmesan has a distinct nutty and salty taste.

It’s an excellent ingredient in Caesar salads, among many other dishes.

One tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese should be about 26 calories, 0.9 grams of carbs, 1.8 grams of protein, and 1.7 grams of fat.

With those figures, you shouldn’t worry too much about breaking your keto eating habit.

While there are keto-friendly cheeses, non-keto-friendly cheeses also exist.

Some examples include American cheese, yellow cheddar cheese, and canned or spray cheese.

These options are high in fat and calories.

One tablespoon of these dairy products can put you at risk of destroying your healthy eating habits.

Meat

Yes, meat can also be part of a strict ketogenic diet.

But, don’t consume a 500-gram fatty steak in one sitting as that move will defeat the purpose of you trying to lose and maintain a healthy weight.

Thankfully, some types of steaks are excellent for keto diet practitioners.

Two ideal examples are the New York strip and Ribeye steaks.

These pieces of beef contain a decent amount of calories, fat, and protein per serving.

For example, a 170-gram Ribeye steak can let your body absorb about 360 calories, along with 33 grams of protein and 24 grams of fat.

medium rare steak cut

Aside from steaks, other meaty options to include in your daily ketogenic diet include:

Again, you should maintain caloric deficits to lose weight while following a strict keto eating plan.

For example, you ate a T-bone steak (another excellent keto-friendly food) for dinner.

But you’re already at the 1,400-calorie mark for your 1,600-calorie ceiling.

So, eating the steak may exceed your daily calorie count by about 200 to 300 calories.

So, your body might store those excess calories as fat.

Keto diet beginners and veterans should consider counting their daily calorie intake religiously to avoid overeating.

As a tip, try using a mobile fitness app to help you count calories.

Nuts and Seeds

Hunger can strike at any time when you’re following a strict keto diet.

Thankfully, you can eat a snack between meals.

However, don’t grab a piece of cake or donut from the fridge.

These food options’ high calorie and sugar content can destroy your chances of acquiring health advantages from the eating plan.

Instead, grab some nuts and seeds from your kitchen cupboard.

These food options are the go-to snacks for many keto enthusiasts.

Nuts and seeds are high in healthy fat but low in carbohydrates.

Some nuts and seeds that should be in your kitchen right now include:

  • Pecans
  • Brazil nuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sesame seeds

You can even sprinkle these nuts and seeds in your favorite keto-friendly meal to add an extra flavor to the dish.

Conclusion

Beginner ketogenic diet followers might find it challenging to find the top keto-friendly foods to try this year.

Proper research will help you find the right food items to add to your daily healthy eating plan.

Add foods like keto-friendly ice cream, dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, and meat to ensure you can enjoy the tastes of your meals and snacks.

Furthermore, you can reap the benefits of the diet with these foods.

Hopefully, this post helped you in adding more keto-friendly foods to your grocery shopping list.

error: Content is protected !!