If you are looking for a way to eat healthily and keep your body in great shape, you should consider going on a keto diet. Chances are that you have come across the term ‘keto food’ or ‘keto diet’ before, without knowing what it means. Keto diet in Nigeria has started becoming a very popular trend.
Keto diet is a food plan that you follow to get your body to the state of ketosis, which is when your body makes use of fat rather than carbohydrate or glucose to function. This way, one can lose some extra pounds and stay in great shape. Keto diet requires you to eat more fat with very little carbohydrates. You would also have to add a bit of protein to your diet as well.
Unlike other types of diet, you do not have to avoid eating for a particular time when you are on keto diet. Instead, you would have to greatly cut down on your consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates like yam, rice, bread, cookies, chocolates, and more.
So, what foods should you be eating? Today, we would be looking at some of the healthy keto foods in Nigeria.
1. Meat
Meat is an important component of keto diet. Whether beef, chicken, or pork, you would need to eat a lot of meat. This is because meat is rich in protein, which you need to help build your body. Meats also have zero carbohydrates, which is something your body does not need a lot of at this point. Some kinds of meat, like beef, contain Omega-3 fats.
Like with everything else, you should stick to a healthy portion of meat. In other words, do not overdo it.
2. Eggs
Eggs are also something you should be eating during your keto diet. Eggs have a healthy amount of calories, which means eating one or two, would satisfy you. It is also rich in other nutrients as well. You can enjoy your eggs by boiling or frying them.
3. Seafood
Fish, prawns, and shrimps, are also keto foods. This is because they are rich in protein and have zero carbs. Some fishes also contain fat, which is something your body needs during your keto diet. Enjoy your seafood how you want it. Just make sure to avoid eating it with anything that has carbohydrates. There are so many other healthy seafoods in Nigeria such as crayfish, prawns, periwinkles etc.
4. Vegetables
You can never go wrong by including vegetables in your diet. Vegetables contain a range of nutrients that your body would always benefit your body, as well as antioxidants. Some of the vegetables you can include in your keto diet include spinach, cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, and green beans. If you prefer to eat leafy vegetables, you can read more on the healthy Nigerian leafy vegetables.
5. Fruits
When on a keto diet, you should generally avoid sweet fruits, as the sugar is converted into glucose in the body. What you should eat is fruits with low sugar like avocado, watermelon, and lime.
6. Nuts
Most nuts are low in carbs, which make them very good for a keto diet, in addition to the nutrients they contain. Some of the nuts you should eat more of include walnuts, almond nuts, peanuts, and pecan. Nuts like cashew nuts contain more carbs than most kinds of nuts, and so should be eaten in moderation. However, there are some other healthy Nigerian nuts much as tiger nuts, dates and groundnuts.
7. Edible Seeds
The last group of keto foods in Nigeria are the edible seeds. A lot of edible seeds are healthy, high fat, and low in carbohydrates. In addition, seeds are rich in fiber, which can help you feel full and take in fewer calories. There are a many edible seeds in Nigeria such as pumpkin seeds, ogbono seeds, flaxseed, sesame seeds etc.
Note:
A helpful tip to remember when picking keto foods is to avoid sweet foods, whether they are natural (fruits like bananas and apples) or foods like ice cream and bread. Sugar is a carbohydrate that is then converted into glucose in the body.
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
