The truth of the matter is that every diet takes a certain slant to appeal to people and appear like it’s something new. Very often this is either due to marketing or a group of people created a diet that suits them.
With the Atkins diet, it’s a severe reduction of carbs. With the paleo diet, the focus is on foods available in our natural environment (less processed foods). The keto diet is focused on consuming good fats and getting into ketosis.
Just like how each diet has its rules and guidelines, typical keto rule is that about 75 to 80 percent of your diet should be comprised of good fats. About 15 to 20 percent of it should be protein, and no more than 5% of your diet should be carbs. Each person is different, and some thrive on a lower amount of fat (not the 75-80 macros), however, the key rule is that you limit your carbs, typically less than 20-50 a day. Another main guideline is that the fats you consume should be healthy fats—NOT loading up on transfats and other unhealthy options.
So, what are healthy fats?
Foods such as butter, fish oil, almond oil, ghee, lard, nuts, MCT oil, coconut oil, eggs, cream, bacon, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, nut butters, etc. are all examples of healthy, nutritious fats that your body craves. If using dairy, I recommend organic options because of the excess hormones from the cow found in conventional products.
When initially cutting your carbs and you will increase your consumption of fat and protein. It can be mind-boggling at first in trying to figure out how to get more fat and protein to meet your macronutrient requirements.
The best way to get around this issue will be to get a few keto recipe books and prepare meals from there. Over time you’ll gain an understanding of how much fat you need in your diet,
Watch out for the unhealthy fats!
The fats that you should steer clear of are: hydrogenated vegetable oils, peanut oil, trans fats, safflower oil, canola oil, grapeseed, cotton seed oil, margarine, etc.
What makes this a tricky issue is that many of the unhealthy fats are actually marketed as healthy to fool the consumer. The food manufacturing industry is a multi-billion dollar one and they’ll spend large sums of money to spread false facts in order to sell their goods.
For decades, coconut oil was said to be ‘bad’ and cause cholesterol issues. However, coconut oil is highly beneficial to the body.
It is antiviral, antibacterial and rich in lauric acid, which is what the body craves. People are now seeing the light and realizing that coconut oil is very good.
At the other end of the spectrum, the hydrogenated vegetable oils that the manufacturers claim are healthy, are actually very detrimental to the body. They may look clean, golden and light, but the industrial processes that these oils have gone through make them dangerous to your health in the long run.
These oils cause inflammation which in turn causes heart disease, stroke and many other serious health problems. So, appearances can be deceiving, and you should be aware of the truth behind the claims.
Stick to the healthy fats mentioned above or start researching online on quality fats. I’m constantly posting different info in my private Facebook group, and we tackle this subject in multiple episodes on my podcast. Or grab my keto recipe guide for easy meals when following keto.
Pay close attention to this area. The fats you eat will make or break the health benefits of following keto.
