For those of you who have taken my course at ketoforyou.com, you will know about the type of food I recommend on the keto diet but I have listed them below. For recommended ingredients, have a look at my essential pantry items
The following is a handy overview of the foods you should stick to. It is not an exhaustive list, but will show you what is IN and what is OUT!
YES Foods
These foods should be the focus of your diet
All meat, fish & eggs (ideally grass-fed meat and wild fish)
including, but not limited to:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Duck
- Eggs
- Game
- Goat
- Lamb
- Lobster
- Mussels
- Offal (e.g. liver)
- Scallops
- Shrimp
- Small Oily Fish*
- Turkey
- Veal
- White Fish
* Small fish are preferred, e.g. anchovies, freshwater trout, mackerel, sardines, wild salmon
Vegetables
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Aubergines (eggplant)
- Bamboo shoots
- Beet greens
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Celery (root)
- Chives
- Collard greens
- Courgettes (zucchini)
- Cucumbers
- Dandelion
- Fennel
- Green beans
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lettuces and green leafy veg
- Mushrooms
- Olives
- Radishes
- Sauerkraut
- Scallions
- Snow peas
- Spinach
- Spring Onions
- Swiss chard
- Turnips
- Water chestnut
Nuts, seed and butters
- Cacao (100%)
- Coconut (butter)
- Flax, hemp and chia seeds
Fats and Oils
- Animal fats (ghee, (goat) butter, lard, duck and goose fat)
- Avocado Oil
- Cacao butter
- Coconut oil / milk / cream (unsweetened)
- Macadamia Oil
- Olive Oil
Beverages
- Almond Milk (unsweetened)
- Clear Broth (e.g. Chicken Stock)
- Filtered or bottled water
- Herbal teas (unsweetened)
Fruit
- Avocados
- Lemon
- Lime
Condiments
- Fermented foods
- Mayonnaise (ideally made with olive oil, not sunflower oil)
- Mustard
- Pesto
- Spices and herbs
LIMIT Foods
These foods can be included, but in smaller amounts and possibly not every day
Meat and Fish
- Pork: good quality sausages once a week, bacon and chorizo as a condiment or snack but not in large amounts
Vegetables
- Bean sprouts
- Beetroot
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Pumpkin
- Shallots
- Squash
- Tomatoes
Nuts, seeds & butters
- Almonds
- Brazil nuts
- Cashews
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Tahini
- Walnuts
Oils
- Fish oil as a supplement
- Flax oil (store in the fridge)
- Sesame oil (store in the fridge)
Grains and legumes
- Edamame
- Nattõ
- Tempeh
Beverages
- Coffee if tolerated
- Dry wine (1 small glass twice a week max)
- Protein powder drinks (low-carb)
- Soy milk (when no alternative)
Fruit
- Small amounts of fresh berries, cherries, 1/2 kiwi, 1/2 small apple or small amount of papaya
Dairy
- Cream cheese
- Cream
- Organic cheese, ideally unpasteurised
- Goat and sheep cheese
- Mascarpone
- Kefir (ideally homemade)
Sauces and dressings
- Coconut Aminos
- Sea vegetables
- Tamari
Treats
- Coconut yoghurt (unsweetened)
- 85-99% dark chocolate
Condiments
- Extra-dark chocolate
- Inulin (chicory root)
- Zero-carb sweeteners (stevia, erythritol)
NO Foods
Have only very small amounts, if any, of these foods
Meat and Fish
- Meat and fish in batter
- Processed meat or fish with preservatives and additives
Vegetables
- Corn
- Peas
- White and Sweet potatoes
Beverages
- Alcohol
- Coconut juice or water
- Coffee drinks or shakes
- Fruit juices
- Milks except those in the LIMIT column
Oils
- Margarine
- Vegetable Oils like Corn, Canola, Soybean and Sunflower Oil
Grains and Legumes
- Barley
- Black Beans
- Buckwheat
- Chickpeas
- Kamut
- Lentils
- Pinto Beans
- Quinoa
- Red beans
- Rice
- Soy/Tofu
- Spelt
Unrefined carbohydrates
- Processed Bread
- Bagels
- Breadsticks
- Brownies
- Cake
- Candy
- Cereal / granola
- Chips
- Cookies
- Couscous
- Crackers
- Croissants
- Cupcakes
- Muffins
- Oats / porridge
- Pasta
- Pastries
- Pita
- Popcorn
- Processed pizza
- Rolls
- Tortillas
- Tortilla chips
- Wheat product
Fruit
- All except for those mentioned in the YES / LIMIT columns
Dairy
- Milk
- Processed or low-fat dairy products
Sauces and dressings
- Bottled salad dressing (unless sugar free)
- Ready-made sauces
- Relishes
ANYTHING diet / sugar-free
- OR artificially sweetened food OR beverage items of ANY kind
Patricia Daly is an experienced and internationally recognized Nutritional Therapist (BA Hons, dipNT, mBANT, rCNHC). Following her cancer diagnosis, she left her corporate career and started studying nutrition, specialising in the area of Integrative Cancer Support. As a Swiss native, she regularly attends training courses in Switzerland/Germany, including at the renowned Tumor Biology Center in Freiburg, Germany.