20 Good Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet

The keto diet / ketogenic diet’s increasing popularity is largely due to its potential benefits for weight loss and blood sugar control (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3).

Early evidence also suggests that this low carb, high fat diet may help treat certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and other health conditions. Still, higher quality research is still needed to determine the keto diet’s long-term safety and effectiveness (1Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source, 5, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

The keto diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day.

While some people on keto count their total carb intake, others count net carbs. Net carbs refer to total carbs minus fiber. That’s because fiber is indigestible, so it can’t be broken down and absorbed by your body.

This diet may seem challenging, but it allows people following it to eat many nutritious foods.

Here are 20 healthy foods to eat on the keto diet.

• Animal proteins
  1. Seafood
  2. Meat and poultry
  3. Eggs
• Dairy and dairy alternatives
  1. Cheese
  2. Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
  3. Cream and half-and-half
  4. Unsweetened plant-based milk
• Vegetables
  1. Green leafy vegetables
  2. Peppers
  3. Summer squash
  4. High fat veggies & fruits
  5. Other nonstarchy vegetables
• Other plant-based foods
  1. Nuts and seeds
  2. Berries
  3. Shirataki noodles
  4. Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
• Fats and oils
  1. Olive oil
  2. Butter and ghee
• Beverages
  1. Unsweetened coffee and tea
  2. Unsweetened sparkling water