A healthy yet slim body is what every other person dreams of. It might seem difficult to achieve your dream figure but is not that tough if you follow a healthy routine involving proper workout schedule and a perfect diet. Ketogenic diet is trending these days as it is one of the most hardcore low carb diet that you can have.
A lot of celebrities and famous personalities like Lebron James and Kim Kardashian follow a ketogenic diet. The reason why it is trending these days; it can reduce your daily carb intake to 35 grams or even less. This is the amount of carbs present in one large apple.
According to Jim White, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios in Virginia, ketogenic diet works on the plan that on taking such less carbs a day, your body does not have enough of them to be used as energy. To compensate, fats are converted into fatty acids and ketones by the liver. These ketones are then used as the primary energy source for your body. This burns more fats each day and the process is called ketosis.
Any diet that completely restricts you from consuming carbs is not recommended as they are very important nutrients. However, eating keto-friendly foods that are very healthy as they contain a good amount of proteins and healthy fats can speed up your weight loss process. These foods help you in building up lean muscle, prevent blood sugar levels from fluctuating and keep your cravings away.
Following are 8 foods that you should eat in order to get a flat tummy and a healthy body:
1. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is not only tasty, but is healthy too. It contains lots of proteins, unsaturated fatty acids and energy boosting vitamins including vitamin B-6 and iron too. Jim White says that the most important point that you need to take care of, while choosing peanut butter is to go for the one with no added sugars or oils. Natural versions of peanut butter help you keep your carbohydrates and calorie intake on the healthier side. You can store your peanut butter in the refrigerator and use it for months.
2. Salmon
Salmon is a very rich source of polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. According to Jim White, these fatty acids can only be consumed through food and they are very helpful in losing weight as the increased intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces inflammation which, in return, speeds up the weight loss process.
Salmon is full of Vitamin E that also helps a lot to reduce inflammation and lose weight. You should eat at least one salmon fillet a week.
3. Macadamia Nuts
Almonds and walnuts are very popular healthy nuts and have a lot of benefits but macadamia nuts are of a great benefit in so many ways. They are full of monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and fiber. These contents make them a great food to improve the blood sugar levels in our body.
According to Jim White, they also contain good amounts of thiamine and other B vitamins that are energy boosting vitamins and can prepare your body for workouts.
A handful of nut has 200 calories in it and one tablespoon of macadamia nut oil has 120 calories. So, you can use them instead of other high fatty foods rather than adding them up beside them. They can be used as a replacement for meat, cheese and butter.
4. Eggs
According to Jim White, eggs are the best source of proteins for the human body as our body as our body absorbs digests and uses protein from eggs better than it does from any other food. This means that eggs are an amazing food that helps you build up your muscles and speed up your metabolism.
The best part about taking in proteins is that they take more time to travel from your stomach to your intestine that makes you stay fuller for a longer time and get rid of hunger cravings.
Another important thing that you need to know about eggs is that egg yolks are also very important and should be eaten as they contain vitamins and antioxidants that aid the weight loss process. And more than half of the fatty acids present in the eggs are unsaturated. According to a study published in American Heart Journal in 2015, eggs are so healthy that even heart patients can eat three whole eggs each day without causing any increase in their cholesterol levels.
5. Coconut Oil
Apart from hundreds of its other benefits, coconut oil also provides a great help in losing weight. Jim White explains the reason why coconut oil is healthier when it comes to lose weight. He says that the saturated fats in coconut oil are there in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that might be more weight loss friendly than the fat contents in other vegetable oils that are in the form of long-chain triglycerides (LCTs).
According to a study in McGill University, it was found that the dieters who consumed oils that were rich in MCTs found a remarkable reduction in their body fat as compared to those who consumed LCT rich olive oil. According to The European Journal of Nutrition Research, MCTs may also have the capability of speeding up your metabolism that, of course helps a lot in losing weight. You can also sauté vegetables and cook scrambled eggs in coconut oil as it has a high smoke point.
6. Green Tea
We all know how popular green tea is, for aiding weight loss. Jim White says that green tea has a very high amount of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in it, which is a substance having an antioxidant activity even stronger than vitamin C and E. This helps a lot in losing weight.
Jim White suggests substituting green tea with your daily coffee intake. This will reduce the amount of calories that you intake daily and will help your body fight against inflammation.
7. Avocado
Avocado is basically a fruit but has an extremely low amount of carbs in it. Jim White says that one avocado has only 17 grams of carbohydrates and 13 grams of filling fiber in it.
A research published in the Nutrition Journal found that adding half an avocado to you lunch can help lose weight by increasing the sufficiency levels and making you stay fuller for a longer period. It also reduces your cravings for time as long as three hours after your meal.
8. Aged Cheese
Here is good news for all the cheese lovers. According to a research published in the British Journal of Nutrition, it was found that if you eat cheese in one meal, it makes you eat less in the other meal. The reason behind this is that cheese is full of fats and proteins. However, if you want to add cheese to your low carb diet, you can go for aged cheese like Brie, Parmesan, Gruyere, manchego and blue.
Jim White tells the reason why aged cheese is preferred for losing weight. He says that the aging process makes them lose carbs. You can also go for aged varieties of cheddar and goat cheese.
A healthy diet is the key to a healthy body. You do not need to cut out all the carbs from your diet as they are very important in maintaining good health, though; you need to reduce the carbs and calories from your diet in order to maintain your health and lose weight. Also, diet does not work alone.
You need to spend some time exercising so that you get a well-toned, healthy and strong body that everyone dreams of.
