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Weight-loss diets are nothing new, and many people rave about the keto diet in particular. The keto diet is known to help people lose weight in short periods of time due to its restrictive nature. Unlike some diets, which emphasize a well-rounded eating approach, the keto diet requires strict guidelines that encourage eating a high fat, low carb diet.
Before exploring the particular foods that can be eaten on a keto diet, first it is important to ensure the terms “alkaline” and “alkalinity” are not misunderstood. In the context of food, “alkalinity” refers to how your body’s pH levels react to a certain food. For example, alkaline foods like vegetables, fruits, and nuts, can help your body’s pH levels function optimally. Eating a diet of highly acidic foods, on the other hand, can lead to a lower pH in your urine, resulting in kidney stones.
Alkaline foods tend to be considered “healthy,” since processed/high in sugar foods are almost always acidic. Alkaline foods are often associated with weight loss, good gut health, and more energy.
The ketogenic diet (more commonly known as the “keto diet”) is a weight-loss diet that requires limiting carb intake to bring your body into a state of ketosis. By replacing carbohydrates with fat, the body enters a metabolic state (ketosis), which allows the body to burn fat quickly for energy (1).
Usually, the body requires carbs as fuel, but ketosis allows the body to burn fat instead of carbs. While there are several versions of the keto diet, the standard keto diet typically follows the following percentages:
75% of calories eaten daily come from fat.
20% of calories eaten daily come from protein.
5% of calories eaten daily come from carbohydrates (2).
By following these percentages, you are limited to 50 grams of carbs per day, with some versions of the plan only allowing from 20-40 grams of carbs per day (3).
The keto diet encourages foods that are high in protein or fats, while also being very low in carbs. Staple foods for the keto diet include:
Fish and shellfish: salmon, cod, shrimp, crabs
Fresh meat and poultry
Eggs
Cheese: cheddar, cottage cheese, mozzarella, blue cheese, Parmesan
Greek yogurt: plain, non-sweetened
Cream and half-and-half
Milk: soy, almond, coconut
Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, leafy greens, green beans, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, celery, mushrooms, cucumber, avocados, olives
Nuts and seeds: almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, chia, flaxseeds
Berries: raspberries, strawberries
Olive oil, butter, and ghee (4)
It is important to note that, while the foods listed are low in carbohydrates, they do still contain carbohydrates that need to be counted. Most people on the keto diet eat their daily allotted amount of carbohydrates by consuming only the foods above.
Foods high in sugar or carbs are prohibited on the keto diet. Some of these foods include:
Grains: bread, oatmeal, rice, quinoa
Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, winter squashes, corn, beets
High sugar fruits: bananas, grapes, mangoes, pineapples, apples, pears, oranges, peaches
Juices
Honey, sugar, or syrup: any form, including artificial sweeteners
Chips and crackers
Baked goods (3)
The keto diet is not exclusively an alkaline or acidic diet, as it includes many foods that fall into each category. By consuming more alkaline foods allowed by the keto diet, it is possible to turn the diet into a version of the “alkaline diet,” but it is unlikely the diet can be made completely alkaline without sacrificing valuable sources of protein.
To add more alkalinity to the keto diet, drinking alkaline water is a keto-friendly way to balance the acidic foods eaten during the diet. For a quick and cost-efficient way to make alkaline water at home, try a Seychelle alkalizing water pitcher.
Alkaline foods allowed on the keto diet include:
Fruit (berries)
Olive oil (alkaline-yielding)
Nuts and seeds
Acidic foods allowed on the keto diet include:
Meat and poultry
Eggs
Dairy (yogurt, cheese)
The keto diet is linked to a variety of positive and negative health effects. The keto diet is an effective weight loss diet that can help you lose weight without counting calories. It has been linked to lower blood pressure and help with blood-sugar management for people with type 2 diabetes (1). The keto diet has also been used for over one hundred years to reduce seizures in children with epilepsy (2).
However, some doctors note negative health effects that can stem from the keto diet. Most notably, the highly restrictive nature of the diet makes it difficult to receive all the nutrients your body needs to function properly, with vitamin, mineral, and fiber deficiencies being a common side effect of the diet (2). Additionally, the emphasis on fats can negatively impact your heart health, especially if high quantities of saturated fats are eaten daily. Some doctors note that the keto diet can lead to a negative relationship with food, especially because coming off of the keto diet risks weight gain (3).
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that is used by many as a weight-loss diet. The diet is not exclusively alkaline or acidic, as a mix of alkaline and acidic foods are eaten on the diet. While effective for losing weight, the keto diet is still a subject of debate among doctors, as some note that the diet is highly restrictive and can hinder people from receiving the vitamins and minerals their bodies need to function properly.
Is keto an acidic diet?
The keto diet recommends a mix of both acidic and alkaline foods. It is not exclusively alkaline or acidic.
Are eggs more acidic or alkaline?
Eggs are slightly more acidic.
What are the rules for the keto diet?
The keto diet typically follows the following outline regarding what to eat each day: 75% of calories come from fat, 20% of calories come from protein, and 5% of calories come from carbohydrates.
References
Amy Richter,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101
Northwest Medicine,https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/nutrition/pros-and-cons-of-ketogenic-diet
Lainey Younkin, EatingWell,https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291245/complete-keto-diet-food-list-what-you-can-and-cannot-eat-if-youre-on-a-ketogenic-diet/
Jerlyn Jones,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-foods
