plate of Keto diet food ingredients on grey background, top view
A keto diet is a diet that is used to burn fats instead of carbs. A ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and a higher fat diet with a lot of health benefits. A Keto diet can help to improve health, weight loss, and performance. Reduction of carbohydrate intake enables your body to generate energy by burning fat from your diet through ketosis.
If insulin levels in your body are lowered, it can increase the process of fat burning. In simple terms, a ketogenic diet lets your body to only use the energy burnt from the fat.
The following are five snacks you can include in your keto diet:
1. Nut butter
Nut butter is made by grinding of foodstuff to make a spreadable paste. There are different types of nuts that can be used to make nut butter, such as; peanut, sesame, almond, hazel, etc. Nuts are known to have many unsaturated fatty acids and nutrients useful for your keto diet. Nut butter also contains minerals and vitamins such as manganese, selenium, vitamin C and E. The combination of all these help to protect the cells in your body.
You can add one or two tablespoons of nut butter to your diet and make sure you go for natural butter with no added sugar. You can also buy keto protein bars to add to your keto diet.
2. Salad with avocado and egg
Avocados contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fat, and anti-inflammatory compounds, which generally have many health benefits. Research shows that avocados contain nine grams of carbohydrates, and out of this, seven are fiber, thus making avocado a low-carb food. Some research also suggests that avocado promotes healthy aging.
Avocados are also rich in potassium, which helps control the balance of water, acid, and base in the blood and tissues. Potassium also improves nerve signal and contraction of muscles. Avocados can be used to substitute the mayonnaise in egg salad and be served with slices of cucumber, lettuce wraps, and radish.
3. Seafood
Seafood has vital nutrients such as Omega 3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin C, and many more that help the body function properly. Seafood includes catfish, sardines, crab, lobster, caviar, etc. The amount of carbs varies with different types of fish, for example, most crabs don’t have carbs, but there are some which contain carbs such as oysters, mussel, squid, etc. Therefore, it is crucial to know what type of shellfish to include in your ketogenic diet.
Research indicates that regular consumption of seafood can decrease the risk of getting diseases and improve mental health. omega-3 fats found in seafood such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc. can lower the level of insulin and increase insulin sensitivity in people with obesity.
4. Vegetables with low carbohydrates
Vegetables with low carbohydrates can be of great benefit if added to your keto diet. Spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and cauliflower are some non-starchy vegetables, but they have many nutrients. These nutrients include fiber, folic acid, vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, etc. Fiber in vegetables is essential for the bowel’s proper functioning by reducing diverticulosis and constipation.
Adding vegetables to your keto diet will improve your overall health; for example, you can lower cholesterol levels in your blood and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Vegetables can also be of great advantage to pregnant women on a keto diet because folic acid helps a lot in the formation of red blood cells and fetal development.
5. Poultry meat
Fresh poultry meat has no carbs, which makes it suitable for people on a keto diet. Poultry meat is also rich in vitamin b and minerals such as selenium, zinc, and potassium. Meat from poultry is also rich in protein, which is essential in preserving the mass of muscle in a diet with low carbohydrates.
It is advisable to eat meat from hens that at least feed on grass because they have a higher amount of omega-three acids, which has higher coupling antioxidants and linoleic acids than meat from animals fed on grain.
In conclusion, a keto diet is essential because it is very nutritious and has many advantages to your general body health. To attain a healthy ketogenic diet, add these five snacks.
