What do I eat and what to avoid on the Keto diet?

This is perhaps the most common question people ask me.

Largely, people who want to follow a Keto diet think switching to it is saying goodbye to most food items on the card, as some find it hard to say no to rice while others don’t want to leave chapatti.

I have put together some common questions about what to eat and what not in a Keto diet and tried to answer them in a simple way so that your journey to Keto is joyful and stress-free.

Also Read: Beginner’s guide to Indian Keto diet

Here is the list of Indian foods that you can eat in Keto:

Ghee
Kebabs
Green Veggies
Tandoori Meats
Paneer
Eggs
Butter
Yogurt
Almonds, chia, walnuts etc.
Healthy fats like coconut oil, ghee, olive oil
Most Green Veggies
All kinds of Fish
Tea/coffee
Almond milk
Coconut milk
Peanut butter
All kinds of Cheese

Chapatti / Roti

No! you can’t eat the normal chapatti in Keto diet. As it is high carbs, but you surely can make roti with Almond or Flax seeds flour.

Milk

Dairy is acceptable on the Keto diet, only in the form of yogurt, cheese, paneer and buttermilk.

Tea/coffee

But only if served black and sugar-free. You can also have as much green tea.

Eggs

Let’s not take the humble eggs for granted. On Keto you can have eggs in all forms and also if you can’t cook they are an easy option to cook. They can also come handy as a quick snack and are available everywhere.

Almond milk

You can consume almond and soya milk without any stress. It is safe to consume unsweetened almond milk while maintaining Ketosis.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is a great option for those who are on Keto diet. It won’t kick you out of Ketosis as it is high in fat. It can also be used as a creamer, in the absence of conventional milk.

Peanut butter

Peanut butter is high in fat. Plus it contains some good amount of protein as well. Hence, it is suitable for Keto diet. But we tend to overeat it, so just be careful on that front.

Paneer / Tofu

You can eat paneer while you are on a Keto diet. 100 grams of Paneer contains 18 grams of Protein, 21 grams of fat and only 1 gram of carbs. Paneer is a very apt source of protein for those who want to do pure veg Keto. And so is Tofu a great option, if you want a break from Paneer.

Cheese

Cheese is a low-carb and high-fat product, which makes it a perfect fit for a Keto diet. You can actually have all types of it and use it as a handy snack and not worry about falling out of Keto.

Meats and Sea Food

Remember there is a simple rule for Non Vegetarians trying Keto, if the food product has 2 eyes and can most probably move, then it is ZERO CARBS!!

What to avoid in Keto diet?

Sugar

Soft drinks, candy, juice, sports drinks, chocolate, cakes, buns, pastries, ice cream and breakfast cereals. Also, try and avoid artificial sweeteners.

Starch

Bread, pasta, rice, French fries, potato chips, porridge, muesli, etc.

Fruit

Fruits contain a lot of sugar, so no. And don’t forget that Keto is a no sugar diet.

Daal/pulses

Daal is not a good option for a Keto diet. They are high in protein and high in carbs.

Rice

Keto diet is a low carb diet, hence, no conventional flours on it,

Potatoes

Potatoes are extremely high in carbs. One medium-sized potato contains about 36 grams of carbs, 3.8 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and less than a gram of fat. As a rule, you should not be having any veggies that grow under the ground.

To stay in Ketosis, you need to consume only 20-25 grams of carbs per day. So, eating just one potato may kick you out of Ketosis.

Go check out them here: Indian Keto Recipes For Vegetarians & Non-vegetarians

Dairy products you can have in Keto

Dairy Product	Net Carbs (grams)
Cottage cheese (100 grams)	1
Cream cheese (100 grams)	1
Mascarpone (100 grams)	0
Mozzarella (100 grams)	1.9

Keto-friendly alcohol

Q: Can I drink alcohol in Keto?

Yes, you can but you need to watch out for alcoholic beverages that contain low carbs. Also, remember the body can either process the fats or the alcohol. So the choice is yours!

Q: Can I drink vodka in Keto?

Liquors like vodka, gin, and wine have about 40 percent alcohol are zero carbs and sugars, which is why they’re Keto-friendly. But that does not mean that you can drink daily.

Q: Is Champagne Keto-friendly?

Yes, it is uniquely low carb. But there is more than one type of champagne, and the sugar content can vary and so can its carb level. If you are on Keto for a while, choose a champagne that has low sugar count.

Some of the alcoholic drinks allowed in Keto are:

Vodka
Tequila
Gin

But remember to stick to the rule of 2 smalls or a glass of wine once a week only.

Does Keto diet fit into Indian meal?

Most people believe in the notion that Keto diet doesn’t fit well into an Indian meal plan. However, this is not true!

The Keto diet and Indian food go hand in hand. You just need to know what to eat and avoid.

Indian food offers many good options for Keto benefit seekers.

Indian food includes lots of vegetables and proteins which are low in carbs, making them ideal for a Keto diet.

I have dozens of Indian Keto recipes on my website you can leverage from to kick-start your weight loss journey, no matter whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. You just need to know what to eat and what to avoid while following the Indian Keto diet, list above will help you a lot.

It’s true that Keto diet had originated as a way to treat patients of epileptic seizures in early days; nowadays, it has become all the rage amongst people planning to lose weight. Looking at various components of Indian food, hitting the range of carbs Keto demands looks like a herculean task, owing to the fact that Indian food is mainly grains and rice – which are high in carbs.

Love for grains notwithstanding, many people in India are giving the Keto diet a shot. And its popularity across the nation has risen significantly in recent years as the Ketogenic diet can be tailored to Indian food, leaving Indian Keto diet followers with a world of options to include in their meals.

Here is the 7 Day Indian Keto diet plan and recipes