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My low carb Keto lifestyle started over 20 years ago at a time when I lived near the Black Forest on the German/French border.
Throughout the years I have learnt a lot through trial and error, trying and re-trying recipes, taking original recipes and ‘ketonising’ them; now, I would love to pass on my acquired expertise to you.
Preparation is the key to Keto Diet success
Before embarking on your new Keto lifestyle it is necessary to do a degree of preparation, with an overhaul of your pantry being crucial. Removing all kinds of non-keto food-stuffs is essential to eliminate temptation.
How to get started on the Keto Diet
The basic idea is very simple, you simply avoid eating most carbohydrates like sugar, processed foods, bread, pasta, rice etc. and instead you eat healthy wholesum foods such as meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, nutural oils and fats.
Foods that should be removed
All grains & starches (flour, pasta, bread, crackers, rice, etc.)
Refined oils such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil and Margarine.
Sugar of all kinds.
Processed Foods – basically, most things that come in a box or a tin. There are exceptions of course like tinned tomatoes or fish, so always look at the carbohydrate content on the label. Artificial drinks such as lemonade, energy drinks, Coke and fruit juices.
I personally buy 0 carb orange squash because I find it hard to drink plain water, making sure it contains no unhealthy sweeteners.
Restock your pantry
Now that you have removed all the non-keto food stuffs from your kitchen, you should replace them with the basic things you need to start.
Note: Always look up the carb content of everything you buy. Anything which is packaged i.e. cheese, nuts, cream etc. will have a breakdown of carbs, proteins and fats on the packaging. In the UK, NET carbs (which are what you have to adhere to) are on the label, so there is no need to subtract the fibre as they do in the US. In the US the carb content on packaging is TOTAL carbs, which means the fibre contact should be subtracted.
IMPORTANT – Keto was the most Googled food-related term in 2020. Sales in Keto ready meals, baking mixes, cereals, snack bars and cookies have grown over 21% in the US in the past year.
Here in the UK the food industry has not, as yet, capitalize on the ‘Keto’ trend. In the US there are so many “keto” products and pre-packaged foods, with the food industry sticking Keto labels on products which are full of low-quality ingredients, high processed vegetable oils, and unhealthy artificial sweeteners.
Instead of buying manufactured ’Keto’ products, please try to concentrate on making your own real, whole, homemade foods, which are the building block of a healthy lifestyle.
I have divided the pantry into categories below, with all the low carb staples you will need to make things easier to locate. This list of keto pantry staples also includes baking ingredients.
Healthy fats and oils
Dietary fat is the cornerstone of the ketogenic diet. It will be your primary source of fuel and calories as you restrict carbs and adapt to keto.
Choose minimally processed animal fats and oils:
Extra virgin olive oil
Avocado oil
Coconut oil
MCT oil
Sesame oil
Hazelnut oil
Walnut oil
Butter
Ghee
Lard
Avoid:
Margarine (and all fully hydrogenated oils)
Vegetable oil
Soybean oil
Canola oil
Corn oil
Peanut oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Cottonseed oil
Grapeseed oil
Low carb flours and baking ingredients
A low carb diet doesn’t mean you have to give up baked goods, you can just replace wheat flour with low carb flours, but unfortunately low-carb flours don’t behave like wheat flour, especially when baking, so you can’t swap them 1:1
ALMOND FLOUR – is the most commonly used low carb flour. It should be blanched and finely ground. It’s mostly used in Baking.
COCONUT FLOUR – If you are low carb and nut-free, coconut flour may be one of your best options for Keto baking, but it’s not an easy flour to work with. You can’t just substitute wheat flour with coconut flour or any other low carb flour because it’s very dense and it requires a larger amount of liquid/eggs to bake properly, so direct 1:1 substitution won’t result in great results.
PSYLLIUM HUSK POWDER – Psyllium husk powder is used as an essential ingredient in many gluten-free, keto, and low-carb recipes. It mimics many of gluten’s properties in baked foods and acts as a thickener. Psyllium husk does it’s best to replicate the texture and flavour of traditional high carbohydrate baking goods.
GOLDEN FLAX SEED MEAL – Flaxseed or Linseed is a great super-food to add to your Keto diet. It contains 71% fats from healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which is ideal for reaching your fat macros quickly. Plus, it has only 3g net carbs per 100g, and 46% of the carbs in flaxseed are non-digestible fibres.
Low carb sweeteners
ERYTHRITOL – is a type of sugar alcohol that is 80% as sweet as regular sugar with just 5% of the
calories. Studies show that the carbs in erythritol don’t affect blood sugar in the same way as regular sugar does.
STEVIA – is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant that contains little
to no calories or carbs.
SUCRALOSE – is an artificial sweetener that’s free of calories and carbs. Splenda, a popular
sucralose-based sweetener, provides a small number of calories and carbs.
XYLITOL – is a sugar alcohol that is as sweet as regular sugar. The carbs in xylitol don’t
raise blood sugar or insulin levels the same way as sugar, therefore they don’t count
towards the total amount of net carbs.
MONK FRUIT – is a natural sweetener that’s 100–250 times sweeter than sugar but contains no
calories or carbs.
For baking
Arrowroot
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Yeast
Whey protein
Egg white powder
Fruits and vegetables
Not all fruits and vegetables are Keto-friendly, therefore ensure you have a good assortment of lower carb options to choose from. These are the fruits and vegetables I buy the most:
Fresh berries – blueberries / raspberries
Asparagus
Avocado
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage white
Cabbage red
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Green Beans
Leafy greens
Lemon and lime
Mushrooms
Olives
Onions
Radish
Spinach
Squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Meat
Naturally devoid of all carbohydrates – all meat and poultry,
Steak
Ham
Chicken
Turkey
Sausage
Bacon
Include fatty cuts of beef and pork, rich in B vitamins and minerals, should preferably be grass-fed, pasture-raised and organic.
Fish and seafood
Fish is one of the healthiest things you can eat. It is full of high-quality proteins, vitamins and healthy fatty acids, omega-3 and vitamin D.
FISH
Salmon
Snapper
Halibut
Catfish
Cod
Trout
Tuna
Mackerel
Canned salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines.
SEAFOOD
Shrimp
Prawns
Mussels
Scallops
Lobster
Dairy and dairy-free alternatives
Coconut milk/cream
Cream cheese
Dairy-free cream cheese
Hard and soft cheeses
Heavy cream
Sour cream or Greek yogurt (full fat)
Unsweetened nut and seed milks
Nuts and seeds
Most nuts and seeds have a high fat content and plenty of fibre making them a great keto snack.
Almonds
Chia seeds
Coconut
Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts
Nut and seed butters
Peanuts (legume)
Pecans
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Low carb condiments
Many condiments have hidden sugars in them! So always read the label.
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Ketchup (Homemade Recipe)
Mayonnaise (Homemade Recipe)
Mustard
Red wine vinegar
White wine vinegar
Herbs & spices
You can’t have a low carb pantry without herbs and spices. They are a cornerstone of the best cooking in general, and definitely crucial to have these Keto friendly staples in your pantry. These are the most common ones you need to make most recipes.
Ground Coriander
Mint
Ginger
Cinnamon
Cumin
Smoked Paprika
Turmeric
Ground Black Pepper
Chili Flakes
Garam Masala
Himalayan Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Italian seasoning
Herbes de Provence
Basil
Himalayan salt
Rosemary
Beverages – What Should You Drink on Keto?
Irrespective of what kind of diet you follow, your primary beverages should be zero-calorie, simple drinks like water, sparkling water, coffee and tea.
Water – When in doubt, drink water.
Sparkling Water – This bubbly, zero calorie beverage can be drunk plain or with some subtle fruity flavours.
Coffee and Tea – Plain, without sugar. A little bit of milk in your coffee or tea is okay, but don’t have too much. If you need to use more than a couple of tablespoons of milk, try using heavy cream or a dairy alternative like unsweetened almond milk or soy milk instead.
Diet Soda – Like soda, but without the sugar and the calories. Make sure you read the labels of any low-calorie drink because they may have added sugars.
Uncategorised Keto staples for your pantry
Coconut milk
Eggs
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar free peanut butter
Homemade mayonnaise
Homemade strawberry jam
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
I am not a medical or nutritional professional. On this blog I am simply sharing what I eat and enjoy and I am providing and sharing it for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. Should you or anyone in your family, develop any symptoms or allergic reactions, contact your medical professional. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate. Under no circumstances will this blog michellecooksketo.com and its owner be responsible for any loss, adverse reactions, effects, consequences, damage, affliction or illness resulting in your reliance on the content here such as the recipes, nutritional information provided or affiliate products and/or brands of food recommended.