A comprehensive look at the keto diet rules with food lists and recipes (2024)

The ketogenic diet, commonly referred to as keto, is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat. “Paleo, South Beach, and Atkins diets all fit into that category,” according to Harvard Health Publishing.

The keto diet has been used to help children reduce how many epileptic seizures they have, and the diet has also been used for weight loss, per Harvard Health Publishing.

Here’s a closer look at what the diet is, what foods you can and cannot eat on keto, and some keto recipes.

What is the keto diet?

The keto diet is a way of eating that is low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fats. The goal of the keto diet is to get into a state called ketosis, which is “a metabolic adaptation to allow the body to survive in a period of famine,” per University of Chicago Medicine.

“To achieve ketosis, the diet requires you eat 75% of your calories from fat, compared to 20%-35% normally,” according to University of Chicago Medicine.

As your body is in ketosis, you use fat for energy as opposed to glucose (blood sugar), per the Cleveland Clinic. “When your carb intake is very low, these glucose stores drain down. Since your body doesn’t have enough carbs to burn for energy, it burns fat instead.”

What are the basic rules for keto?

The basic rules of keto are eating few carbohydrates and emphasizing fat with a moderate intake of protein.

In order to be in a state of ketosis, you will likely have to track the amount of carbohydrates you eat by weighing out your food. While there is not a standard range of carbohydrates people eat to achieve ketosis, a range to consider is 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates, according to Harvard School of Public Health.

“Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to about 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, and 75 grams protein,” per Harvard School of Public Health.

To know whether or not you are in ketosis, you can test for ketones at home. The amount of carbohydrates a person can eat per day and still be in ketosis will differ from person to person. Check with your doctor before starting to achieve ketosis.

What can you eat on keto?

On keto, you can eat non-starchy vegetables, eggs, chicken, fish, full-fat dairy, nuts, meat, seeds, butter, oils and limited amounts of low sugar fruits.

Here’s a list of 30 foods you can eat while on keto (you still need to track to make sure that you do not go over carbohydrate limit):

1. Eggs.
2. Spinach.
3. Broccoli.
4. Strawberries.
5. Chicken.
6. Pork.
7. Cheddar cheese.
8. Olive oil.
9. Walnuts.
10. Almonds.
11. Salmon.
12. Tilapia.
13. Steak.
14. Hamburger.
15. Avocado.
16. Butter.
17. Cod.
18. Bell peppers.
19. Onions.
20. Asparagus.
21. Cucumbers.
22. Cabbage.
23. Brussels sprouts.
24. Zucchini.
25. Radishes.
26. Arugula.
27. Macadamia nuts.
28. Raspberries.
29. Lettuce.
30. Endive.

Can you eat bread on keto?

Technically, yes. You can eat bread while on keto, but you would have to track your carbohydrates to make sure that you do not go over your limit for each day.

What can’t you eat on keto?

While on keto, you should avoid eating food high in carbohydrates and sugars.

Here are 30 foods to avoid while on keto:

1. Fried chicken.
2. Toast.
3. Doughnuts.
4. Ice cream.
5. Soda.
6. Pasta.
7. Tortillas.
8. Cereal.
9. Oatmeal.
10. Black beans.
11. Ketchup.
12. Pizza.
13. Rice.
14. Honey.
15. Lentils.
16. Juice.
17. Smoothies.
18. Milkshakes.
19. Flavored yogurt.
20. Sweet potatoes.
21. Potatoes.
22. Corn.
23. Milk.
24. Bagels.
25. Cookies.
26. Hummus.
27. Candy.
28. Cake.
29. Quinoa.
30. Muffins.

Is keto good or bad for you?

It depends. There are some health conditions like PCOS where the keto diet might be beneficial. The diet also has some side effects.

Keto has long-term health risks such as, according to Harvard’s Science in the News:

• Increased risk of heart disease.
• Nutrient deficiencies.
• Low fiber leading to “impaired intestinal function.”
• Increase in “bad cholesterol.”
• Increased risk of kidney disease.

“Though more longitudinal studies are still being conducted, early conclusions already suggest that a ketogenic diet does more harm than good for almost everyone. Rather than a one-size-fits-all miracle weight loss approach, a ketogenic diet should be considered as a medical intervention only to be undertaken upon specific recommendation from a physician,” Ya’el Courtney wrote for Science in the News.

Other experts have raised concerns about the long-term impacts of keto.

“The keto diet could cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease. Strict diets like keto could also cause social isolation or disordered eating,” according to University of Chicago Medicine. “Keto is not safe for those with any conditions involving their pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder.”

For some conditions, keto may be effective, so check with your doctor. Keto may be able to positively impact those with type 2 diabetes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It may also be effective for weight loss, especially for those with insulin resistance.

What are keto snacks?

Here are 10 keto-friendly snacks:

1. Carrots and celery.
2. Avocado with Everything but the Bagel seasoning.
3. Hard boiled eggs.
4. Walnuts.
5. Full-fat, unsweetened yogurt.
6. Baked kale.
7. Seaweed.
8. Cheese and nuts.
9. Olives.
10. A small amount of berries.

Keto recipes

Here are five places to find keto recipes:

1. 45 keto recipes from Delish.
2. 500+ keto recipes from Diet Doctor.
3. Keto recipes from All Recipes.
4. Keto recipes from Food Network.
5. 43 keto recipes from BBC Good Food.