Keto Foods at a Glance

For those of you who have taken my courses, 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, seeds 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 and 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)

AVOID 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

Testimonials

I decided to enrol onto Patricia’s course to refresh and start again. However she has taught me lots. She passes on an immense amount of knowledge in an easy to follow, practical way. It can be paced at your own speed so you can absorb the material.

I am certainly following Patricia as she continues to teach me. Her course and books are great value for money if you want to follow a ketogenic diet.

Thank you Patricia for all the information you have gathered and shared . You have certainly made following ketogenic diet easier for me. Good luck with spreading the word to others.

Tracy, UK

About Patricia Daly

Patricia Daly is an experienced and internationally recognized nutritional therapist (MSc, dipNT, mBANT, rCNHC) specialising in the personalised application of ketogenic metabolic therapies for recovery from chronic health challenges. She credits the ketogenic lifestyle for successfully quieting an aggressive eye tumour she was diagnosed with fifteen years ago. In 2021, she completed her MSc degree in “Advanced Nutrition in Research and Practice” at Middlesex University in London.

Patricia is co-author of The Ketogenic Kitchen, a best-selling cookbook that includes meal plans for therapeutic carbohydrate restriction. Born in Switzerland and living in Ireland, Patricia is a proud founding and advisory member of the European Keto Live Center based in Switzerland. Nothing makes her prouder than witnessing her clients transform from by-standers to active and empowered participants on their health journey.

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