As the keto diet becomes more popular, everyone from well-known celebrities to your next-door neighbor is trying it. This is one of the easiest lifestyle changes to adopt, and it can have some great results. However, there are still some common food mistakes that people make when going keto. Here are the top three to avoid!
Mistake #1 – Not Getting Your Greens
There is no reason not to eat dark leafy greens and other vegetables. They’re a fantastic source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, folate, and phytochemicals¹. Plus, they are super versatile! Enjoy them raw in salads, add them to stir-fries or recreate some favorite recipes using veggies instead of starchy foods. Some enticing keto meals include cheesy broccoli and chicken, zucchini lasagna, and baked salmon over a bed of spinach or romaine.
Mistake #2 – Filling up on Processed Food
Yes, food can be expensive. There are ways to budget and still get a variety of nutritious groceries though. A typical error for many people (keto or not) is that they fill their cart with convenient processed foods, which aren’t great for you even if they do fit within your macros. Their reasoning might be that they’re cheaper than fresh produce and lean protein, or maybe they don’t have time to prepare elaborate low-carb meals, so they opt for packaged ones. Perhaps they just don’t plan in advance and end up succumbing to the sugar-laden protein bars hiding in the pantry.
Eating a healthy keto diet doesn’t have to be inconvenient or too expensive. Some of the best low-carb meals are made with simple ingredients that are easy to find. Think dark leafy greens, cauliflower, chicken, and eggs. Don’t shy away from frozen produce; it is often flash frozen and packaged at peak ripeness.
Mistake #3 – Missing Out on Fiber
Lots of people choose a ketogenic diet because of its positive health effects. Yet it’s easy to miss out on a critical nutrient: fiber. This vital component of a healthy diet cannot be overlooked. Fiber helps to stave off obesity and overeating². Getting enough fiber ensures that we stay satiated and have healthy digestion and bowel movements. Some keto-friendly sources of dietary fiber include flax and chia seeds, avocado, collard greens, broccoli, and cauliflower. Now there is no excuse to make these mistakes!
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.
Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.
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