THE Ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-to-no-carbohydrate diet designed to put your body into ketosis, which is when your body turns fat into fuel rather than relying on carbohydrates. for energy. Your brain and muscles will be fueled by fat instead of carbohydrates.
This diet may be especially helpful for people looking to lose weight or control their blood sugar levels. On the other hand, it can have several side effects, so talk to your doctor.
Before embarking on a ketogenic diet, it is essential to know the basics of the keto diet . Discover in this article the foods and recipes that you can eat and their quantity as well as the prohibited foods.
What foods are prohibited on a ketogenic diet?
Avoid sugary foods
Sugary foods are limited in almost all weight loss diets, and ketogenic is no different. When following a ketogenic diet, you must eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. In any case, reduce them as much as possible. This is how your metabolism will shift into a state of ketosis (i.e. where it will now use fat instead of carbohydrates for energy).
- Prohibited foods include soda, candy, sports drinks, cookies, desserts, cakes, pastries, sweetened yogurt, ice cream and breakfast cereals.
- Most fruits contain too much sugar like mangoes, grapes and bananas.
- Ketchup, pasta sauce and salad dressings often contain sugar.
- Natural sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup and agave are sugars. There are dozens of names for sugar. Try to avoid it.
- Avoid alcohol, wines, beers which are often very rich in carbohydrates
Avoid starchy foods
All starches turn into sugar when digested. Many so-called “healthy” foods end up as sugar and can prevent you from losing weight or reaching your health goals. The list of starchy foods to avoid include:
- Bread, tortillas, pasta, rice, couscous, corn, potatoes, fries, chips
- Legumes (like peas, lentils, beans)
- Cereals, porridge, oatmeal and muesli.
- Even whole grains and grain-like foods like quinoa are just other forms of starch.

The alternatives
There are many delicious substitutes for these foods that work on a ketogenic diet. Try them and you might not miss the carbs anymore!
The alternatives :
- To make porridge keto. Replace the oats with chia and sesame seeds and add a little coconut oil.
- To make breads keto . Replace the usual wheat flour with coconut almond or psyllium flour.
- To make pasta keto. Try zucchini tagliatelle if you have the tools to make it at home or opt for konjac-based pasta.

What foods are allowed on a ketogenic diet?
If you don't know what a ketogenic diet looks like, here is a family list of allowed ingredients and their approximate percentage of your total diet.
Carbohydrates (5-10% of RDA)
About 40g per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
The difficulty of Ketogenic diet involves reducing your carbohydrate intake. You should only get 5-10% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. By drastically limiting the consumption of glucose, the cells' usual energy source, it reduces insulin secretions in your body.
At first, the body uses the remaining glucose stored in the liver, then in the muscles. This stock is usually depleted after about three or four days of the keto diet. This is when your body is forced to turn to another fuel source.
The liver will begin converting fats into ketones, which are then released into the bloodstream and used by cells for energy.
On a ketogenic diet, people eat between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day to maintain this ketone-burning state called ketosis.
Not sure which fruits and vegetables are low in carbs? Opt for options grown above ground (like leafy greens, peppers and stem vegetables), rather than underground (like potatoes, carrots, parsnips and root vegetables), because the former generally provide fewer carbohydrates.
Here is the list of foods with carbohydrates to favor:
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts

Protein (10-20% of RDA)
About 70g per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Protein is essential for building muscle.
If you eat too little protein on the ketogenic diet, your body will turn to muscle tissue for fuel. Thus reducing your overall muscle mass and the number of calories burned at rest. Conversely, eating too much protein can be harmful to your kidneys.
Some protein sources (such as Greek yogurt, eggs, and cheese) also provide essential vitamins for your hair, eyes, and immune system, while others should only be consumed in small doses. While processed meats like sausages and bacon are technically allowed on the ketogenic diet, it's best to limit them because they're high in sodium. Otherwise, opt for organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed meat and poultry if possible.
Recommended sources of protein:
- Chicken, dark meat if possible
- Turkey, dark meat if possible
- Beef
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Shrimp
- Pork
- Lamb
- Eggs
- Cheeses (unprocessed)
- Plain unsweetened whole milk Greek yogurt
Lipids (70-80% of RDA)
About 165g per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Lipids should make up the majority of your intake. Although they sometimes have a bad reputation, it is a fact an essential macronutrient that is used as a fuel source for building cell membranes, absorption of vitamins and minerals etc.
Opt for a higher ratio of unsaturated fats (like flaxseed, olive oil, and nuts) to saturated fats (like lard, red meat, palm oil, butter).
One of the common misconceptions is that a ketogenic diet is all bacon, butter, and cheese - and while some people take this approach, it's not the only or best way. Although the diet is high in fat, if your goal is to lose weight, it is important to moderate your fat intake so that your body can burn stored body fat.
Since a majority of your calories come from fat, it's essential to choose options that are less likely to clog your arteries and increase your risk of cancer. Choose hearty meals that contain a balance of protein, non-starchy vegetables and healthy fat sources like nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or the lawyer.
Here is the list of foods rich in good lipids to favor:
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Olives
- Lawyers
- Linseed
- Chia seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Hemp hearts
- Coconut
- Nuts
- Natural nut butters with no added sugar

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