The key defining feature of the keto diet is the inclusion of low-carb, high-fat food items. The goal of this diet is to reach the state of ketosis, where the body starts burning fat instead of carbs for energy.
The keto diet is difficult to follow and needs a strict diet regimen and discipline. However, the ones who have followed through have reported significant weight loss, among other health benefits like improved blood sugar.
If you want to follow a keto meal plan, you must start by eliminating some food items from your meal plans and restricting the portion sizes recommended by a dietician or nutritionist.
To reach the state of ketosis, you must avoid all high-carb food items from your daily food habits.
6 Foods That You Need To Exclude From Your Keto Meal Plan
Pasta, Rice, and Other Refined Carb Food Items
If you continue to eat refined high-carb items like pasta, white bread, and rice, it will be nearly impossible to reach ketosis. This is because a keto meal plan’s required carb intake limit is extremely low.
So, consuming these food items will exceed that limit and stop the body from going into ketosis. In a keto diet plan, carbs are restricted to 20 to 50 gms a day, depending on the physical state and features of the person. For example, a slice of white sandwich bread contains 13 grams of carbs which takes up more than 50 percent of the total amount allotted for a day, leaving little space for additional consumption.
So, it is best to replace these food items with healthier substitutes like rice or mashed cauliflowers or low-carb bread options made from seeds, eggs, and nuts.
Honey And Other Syrups
Honey and syrups like maple and agave contain sugar in their most concentrated form and lack most nutrients. This can mess up your daily carb count without providing major nutrients to your body.
For example, one tablespoon of honey has 17 grams of carbs, while maple syrup has 13 grams. Therefore, avoiding honey and other syrups from your keto meal plan is best.
Beer And Other Mixed Drinks
Beer and mixed liquor drinks tend to have a high carb content with low nutrients to fulfill the gap, making these food items unsuitable for the keto diet. Most of the carbs, however, in these mixed-liqueur drinks come from the purees, sodas, and juices used to make the cocktails.
Instead of going for beer and cocktails, stick to hard liquor and white or red wine, as these contain fewer carbs than beers and other cocktails.
Sugary Sodas
Sodas are sugary drinks with high amounts of carbohydrates and no nutritional value. For example, a single 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of carbs. Depending on your daily carbohydrate allowance, drinking just one soda can take you over the limit.
While sugar-free sodas are considered acceptable for occasional use on a ketogenic diet, their long-term health effects are still debated. An alternative to soda is sparkling or still, water-flavored with ingredients like mint, lemon, or cucumber.
Starchy Vegetables
It is best to avoid white and sweet potatoes on a ketogenic diet due to their high carbohydrate content, despite being good sources of vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. Other high-carb vegetables to restrict include peas and corn.
However, vegetables with fewer carbs per serving, such as beets and carrots, may be included in modest amounts if they fit within your daily carbohydrate allowance. Vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber, and celery are generally better for a ketogenic diet.
Dried Fruit And Trail Mix
Lastly, dried fruit contains concentrated sugar in smaller portions and is not ideal for a ketogenic diet. For instance, a pitted Medjool date (24 grams) contains 18 grams of carbohydrates.
Mixed dried fruit usually contains 31 grams of carbohydrates per 1/4 cup and can quickly take the body out of ketosis. Trail mix, a popular snack that frequently includes dried fruit and ingredients like chocolate chips, candies, and sugar-coated nuts, is a food to avoid as it can easily exceed your daily carbohydrate limit.
How Can Subscribing To Monthly Keto Meal Plans Help You Stay On Course?
Monthly meal subscription plans can help you stay on a ketogenic diet by providing pre-made meals specifically designed to meet the dietary requirements of the keto diet.
Here are the key benefits of using monthly meal subscription plans for following a ketogenic diet:
- Monthly keto meal plans are specifically crafted to meet this diet’s requirements, ensuring you get the right mix of macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates) in each meal.
- Having the meals delivered to your door takes the stress and time commitment out of planning and preparation.
- Having healthy, keto-friendly meals readily available reduces the temptation to reach for unhealthy, non-keto snacks.
- With a monthly meal subscription plan, you’ll always have a keto-friendly meal available.
In Conclusion
It’s essential to be mindful of the foods you consume while on the keto diet. Foods like grains, high-carb fruits, starchy vegetables, and sugary drinks should be avoided as they can quickly disrupt ketosis and exceed your daily carbohydrate limit. Instead, it’s best to focus on low-carb, high-fat options, like meat, eggs, dairy, and non-starchy vegetables, to help you achieve your ketogenic goals.