The keto diet was undoubtedly the biggest weight loss trend of 2017 and 2018, but to keto or not to keto still remains a controversy with health and fitness experts. But Jillian Michaels, eight-time New York Times-bestselling author of The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health, and Beauty, says it's a no-brainer: just say no to keto. The first issue Michaels has with keto is that it doesn't require any calorie restriction. At all. “Even if you're not trying to lose weight, moderation should be practiced with your calorie intake,” she explains. It's not just that overeating can lead to weight gain; according to Michaels, it can also trigger processes within your body that may age you faster, slow your metabolism, and make you prone to chronic diseases. Keto restricts intake of nutrient-rich fruits, whole grains, and even some vegetables. “This is terrible for your health, immunity, longevity, and anti aging,” Michaels maintains, adding that because the diet can be low in fiber (unless you are not meticulous about vegetable intake), it can have a negative impact on your digestion and heart health. Michaels points to countless studies that have shown that diets high in saturated fat and animal protein take years off our lives due to too much oxidative stress. “They are terrible for our telomeres, the little caps on our DNA that protect our chromosomes,” she explains. U.S. News & World Report’s recently ranked the Mediterranean diet as the best overall diet of 2019 - and Michaels concurs. “The bottom line is that a Mediterranean diet has proven time and time again as the most healthy,” she says. However, she does suggest making some modifications to it. First, make sure to watch your calorie intake. Next, consume an abundance of antioxidant-rich foods whenever possible. And lastly, taking a page from the keto playbook, she suggests adding an intermittent fast period of 12 to 16 hours between dinner and breakfast.
Fruit: Citrus, grapes, bananas and pineapple. High-carb sauces: Barbecue sauce, sugary salad dressings and dipping sauces. Certain alcoholic beverages: Beer and sugary mixed drinks. Though carbs should be restricted, low-glycemic fruits such as berries can be enjoyed in limited amounts as long as you’re maintaining a keto-friendly macronutrient range. Be sure to choose healthy food sources and steer clear of processed foods and unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats: Margarine, shortening and vegetable oils such as canola and corn oil. Processed foods: Fast food, packaged foods and processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meats. Diet foods: Foods that contain artificial colors, preservatives and sweeteners such as sugar alcohols and aspartame. Sugar can be found in a wide variety of beverages including juice, soda, iced tea and coffee drinks. While on a ketogenic diet, high-carb drinks must be avoided just like high-carb foods. Thankfully, there are many tasty, sugar-free options for those on the keto diet. Water: Water is the best choice for hydration and should be consumed throughout the day. Sparkling water: Sparkling water can make an excellent soda replacement. Unsweetened coffee: Try heavy cream to add flavor to your cup of joe. Unsweetened green tea: Green tea is delicious and provides many health benefits. If you want to add some extra flavor to your water, try experimenting with different keto-friendly flavor combinations. For example, tossing some fresh mint and lemon peel into your water bottle can make hydration a breeze. Though alcohol should be restricted, enjoying a low-carb drink like vodka or tequila mixed with soda water is perfectly fine on occasion. SUMMARY A healthy ketogenic diet should revolve around high-fat, low-carb food choices and restrict highly processed items and unhealthy fats. Keto-friendly beverage options must be sugar-free. Consider water, sparkling water or unsweetened green tea and coffee.
Looking for a way to give your coffee a little more flavor while still being keto-friendly? Your morning cup of joe not only wakes you up in the morning, but it can be a great way to boost your much-needed fat intake. Coffee mixed with fats like grass-fed butter, brain octane oil, MCT oil, and coconut milk - aka bulletproof coffee has long been known to generate sustained energy. But you may not be all there yet with butter and MCT droplets, and that’s ok. Keto creamers, keto-forms of coffee mate are here to supplement. With these high-fat creamers, you can make keto-friendly coffee that’s delicious, flavorful, and downright worthy of waking up to. Here are 10 stored-bought keto-friendly creamer options so you don’t have to settle for black coffee. With only three ingredients, this creamer contains no added sugar or artificial ingredients. It is made with coconut milk powder, Aquamin (calcium from marine algae), and coconut oil. It comes in a powder form and does not contain any additives that would prevent it from clumping, so using your hands to break up any large pieces while still in the bag is recommended.
One tablespoon of this creamer provides 40 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs, and no protein. This is another option for a vegan creamer with no added sugars. It also contains 500 mg of coconut MCT oils (medium-chain triglycerides). One tablespoon of this creamer provides 10 calories, 1 gram of fat, and no carbs or protein. Made from almond milk and coconut cream, this coffee creamer is vegan, soy-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free. It also comes in an easy pour bottle. A serving (one tablespoon) provides 10 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, and no carbs or protein. Offering two different flavors, coconut and vanilla, this creamer is in powdered form and also packs in 10 grams of collagen supplementation supplied by grass-fed cows. The powder mixes in easily with your coffee. Although this coffee creamer is higher in calories, it is also a good source of protein if you are looking to bump up your intake.
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