Keto Diet Plan

Keto Bulletproof Tea Recipe

February 9, 2021 by Easy Keto Living

Keto Bulletproof Tea Recipe – How to make low carb hot drinks with butter, heavy cream, coconut oil or MCT oil and green tea, matcha or your tea of choice – with the video.

Keto Bulletproof Tea

Keto Bulletproof Tea is a wonderful warming drink to make to help you meet your macros and keep you full for hours.

You can use a milk frother or blender to blend your tea together, or simply whisk well with a teaspoon to help the healthy fats emulsify with the tea.

Can You Drink Tea On A Keto Diet?

Yes, you absolutely can drink tea on keto, which means you can incorpoate a whole range of tasty (and nutritious) flavored warm drinks in your diet.

My local health food store has a rainbow of herbal teas to choose from. I tend to lean towards peppermint flavored tea, as a personal preference.

You may prefer matcha, green tea, English Breakfast tea or really any tea you’d like.

Just be sure that there are no sugar or carbs added into herbal or flavored teas and you can happily include them in your diet.

Healthy Fat Options

There are a number of healthy fat options to choose from. Start small with a half a teaspoon (or less) to help your body get used to ingesting tea with fat.

Once you’re used to it, you can include a teaspoon, tablespoon or more. And, choose one healthy fat or include a combination for added nutritional benefit. (And taste!)

Here are some options for you to choose from:

Butter
Coconut Oil
MCT Oil
Heavy Cream
Peanut Butter or Almond Butter

Keto Bulletproof Tea Recipe

1 Teabag
1/2 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon Healthy Fat (as listed above)

Place a teabag into a mug and pour over recently boiled water from a kettle.
Allow the tea to brew for a couple of minutes, then remove the teabag.
Add in your health fat (or fats) of choice, mix really well to emulsify, then enjoy.

Keto Bulletproof Tea Recipe - How to make low carb hot drinks with butter, heavy cream, coconut oil or MCT oil and green tea, matcha or your tea of choice - with the video.

Video Tutorial

Here’s the video where I talk you through some of my favorite teas and fat options. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.

More Keto Tips and Inspiration

10 Keto Road Trip Snacks

11 Keto Tips and Tricks

Are Limes Keto

Chia Seeds On Keto

Keto Cheese List

Keto Vegetarian Shopping List

Lazy Keto For Beginners

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Chia Seeds On Keto

February 5, 2021 by Easy Keto Living

Chia Seeds On Keto – net carbs in Chia Seeds, whether they are allowed on a Low Carb Keto Diet, benefits and a pudding recipe.

Chia Seeds On Keto

In this post you’ll discover whether it’s ok to eat chia seeds on keto, about how best to use chia seeds and what benefits you can gain with adding chia seeds into your diet.

Are Chia Seeds Allowed On Keto?

I’m often asked if chia seeds keto or low carb diet approved or not. And, the answer?

Yes! They are a high fiber, nutritional powerhouse and can definitely be included in your low carb, ketogenic diet and weight loss goals.

The best part is there are all kinds of chia pudding recipes.

Net Carbs In Chia Seeds

This ancient Aztec and Mayan superfood are the ultimate keto diet macro-nutrient dream as there is only 1 net carb in 2 tablespoons.

Each two tablespoon (1oz) portion provides about:

Grams of fat 9g
Grams of protein 5g
Grams of carbs 11g
Grams of fiber 10g
Grams of net carbs 1g

Pretty amazing right? These small, yet highly nutrient dense black seeds are the perfect addition if you want to add fibre to your keto diet as well as many other useful properties.

These little power packed black seeds come from both the Salvia hispanica and Salvia columbariae plants which are native to central and South Mexico, Guatemalaas well as the Southwestern USA.

What benefits are there in eating Chia Seeds?

In 2019 a fairly detailed study evaluating the nutrition profile and the health benefits of chia seeds. The results showed that chia seeds are:

Higher in Omega-3’s and fibre than flaxseeds
Full of different types of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Help regulate the hormone estrogen
Lower cholesterol
Natural prebiotic and probiotic
High is essential fatty acids (EFA)
Contain vitamins B1, B2, B3 – which help provide energy for the body
Helps with digestion
Potentially lead to increased glucose and insulin tolerance. Suggesting chia seeds help control your blood sugar levels
May even support the notion that chia seeds increase muscle mass production
Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and manganese

Keto Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

To make a simple and delicious keto chia pudding, you’ll need on the following 2 simple ingredients for a full recipe:

2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Liquid – choose from unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, keto yogurt, heavy cream or coconut milk

Combine the chia seeds and liquid together in a bowl, glass or mason jar. Place into the fridge for a few hours or overnight to thicken, then enjoy as is or with your low carb toppings of choice.

I like to include full-fat coconut milk, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to ensure the keto pudding includes a portion of healthy fats. You can meal prep the simple treat as a great breakfast, healthy snack or keto dessert.

Toppings Ideas

There are loads of ingredients you can mix through or add as toppings for your easy keto chia pudding recipe. Here are some easy ideas for you:

1/2 to 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate chia pudding
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Lemon juice or lemon zest for a lemon chia pudding
Fresh fruit or frozen berries (or any fruit!)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon and sugar/maple syrup
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sugar, sugar free sweetener, maple syrup, monk fruit or your keto sweeteners of choice for sweetness
Nuts, seeds such as sunflower seeds, peanut butter, almond butter or any other nut butters
Chia Seed Jam or sugar free jam
Coconut flakes
Protein powder

Chia Seeds On Keto – net carbs in Chia Seeds, whether they are allowed on a Low Carb Keto Diet, benefits and a pudding recipe.

Low Carb Chia Seed Pudding Video

Here’s the video where you can watch how easy it is to make a low carb chia pudding recipe. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.

More Keto Tips

Are Limes Keto

7 Day Keto Meal Plan

11 Keto Tips and Tricks

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto?

Is Watermelon Keto Friendly

Keto Bulletproof Tea

Keto Cheese List

Keto Food List For Beginners

Keto On A Budget

Keto Vegetarian Shopping List

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Kombucha On Keto

February 1, 2021 by Easy Keto Living

Kombucha On Keto – Tips for whether to include Kombucha in your low carb sugar free ketogenic diet – discussing how many carbs are in kombucha, benefits and whether it’s allowed on Keto.

Kombucha On Keto

In this post, you’ll learn not only about how to include Kombucha tea on a keto lifestyle. You’ll also learn what kombucha is and the health benefits of kombucha so you can decide if having kombucha is the best thing for you on your low carb diet.

It’s funny to think that drinking kombucha nowadays is no longer considered “weird” or “unusual” as it once way. Thanks mainly to the health benefits that have been promoted and in part to the large array of kombucha brands selling bottled kombucha in todays market.

As it happens kombucha is not only is good for you, it happens to have a tasty tangy natural flavour.

So what is Kombucha? Should you drink it and how many carbs are in a bottle?

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea or sweet tea made from a Symbiotic Consortium Of Bacteria and Yeasts commonly called a SCOBY.

By adding sugar to lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and yeast, it ferments over time or changes it’s structure and function becoming a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast – SCOBY. (Shop for a SCOBY on Amazon.)

With the SCOBY the first thing you add is brewed tea (normally green tea or black tea) and flavor (such as apple or lemon) and sugar for the SCOBY (and optional added fruit) to ferment for a period of time (1- 4 weeks usually) becoming the fermented tea drink we know as Kombucha.

Here’s a video showing you how to make Kombucha from scratch at home.

How many carbs are in Kombucha

While the nutritional information may vary depending on the store-bought kombucha variety you buy, below you’ll find the typical nutrition label content based on one cup (247g) of kombucha.

Calories 34
Total Fat 0.6g (saturated fat 0.1g)
Total grams of carbohydrates 5.8g
Dietary fiber 1.9g
Grams of net carbs (Total carbs – fiber) 3.9g
Grams of Sugar 2.1g

There are about 6-12 grams of carbs in a typical bottle of kombucha. This depends on the store-bought brands you choose, so please read the nutritional label carefully before buying.

Some grocery store bought brands may have a second fermentation process which can add added sugar so watch out for those and check how much sugar it really contains.

If you have homemade kombucha it tends to have a longer the fermentation time, the (normally) lower the sugar levels so in turn fewer carbs. Just be careful with your amount so you keep to your total net daily carb intake.

Is kombucha allowed on a Keto diet?

Yes and No. It depends on your own low-carb diet goals, how you allocate your carb content and what brand and flavour you choose.

If you do decide to purchase a store-bought kombucha just double check to see the carb content meets your own personal goals and buy a keto-friendly kombucha variety.

What to look out for in a bottle of Kombucha?

Apart from the carb content here is what to look out for when choosing a store bought bottle of Kombucha.

Refrigerated – As Kombucha is live it needs to be kept in the fridge to maintain the health goodness it can provide.

Ingredients – The only ingredients your bottle should contain are water, tea, sugar and culture (unless flavoured). No fruit Juice should be added!

Raw – No pasteurised or filtered varieties as further processing can reduce good bacteria and potentially lessen the benefits kombucha could do for your overall health.

Use by date – Check whether the kombucha is in date as it only has a short shelf-life if its genuine kombucha.

Benefits Of Kombucha On Keto

In general fermented food improves your microbe gut composition or more simply put improves your gut health. The good news is kombucha being a fermented tea drink is no different. Plus it may also help shed some weight due to the way kombucha interacts with your fat stores.

In fact drinking Kombucha has been shown in various studies to show:

Improvements in digestive health due to increase in healthy bacteria. Positive influences in cardiovascular health, weight loss as well as metabolic health and increased bone density (Source.)

Kombucha has been associated with increases of potassium, calcium iron manganese nickel and zinc which may help reduce fat reserves and improve your metabolic state.

Some potential benefits with reducing arthritis and have other anti-inflammatory effectsKombucha may have a decent source of water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin B2, Blood sugar levels may decrease with regular kombucha intake (within moderation).

Reduce antioxidants, boost immunity, decrease triglycerides in the blood. Anti-viral effects by promoting naturally occurring antibodies and may even help with type two diabetes (Source.)

For keto dieters or those on a high-fat diet this fermented drink has a great flavor and can be beneficial for your immune system.

While some people are concerned that it contains alcohol, in reality the alcohol content of kombucha is only a 0.5%. Technically making it a non-alcoholic beverage. Letting you enjoy a flavorsome drink without the extra sugar or any artificial sweeteners. Yet keep to your ideal number of carbs.

As you can tell there are countless benefits of including Kombucha in your keto diet and with the right portion control it may well in time be your favourite beverage.

Kombucha On Keto - Tips for whether to include Kombucha in your low carb sugar free ketogenic diet - discussing how many carbs are in kombucha and whether it's allowed on Keto.

More Keto Tips

Are Limes Keto

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto?

Keto Bulletproof Tea

Keto Cheese List

Keto Food List For Beginners

Keto On A Budget

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Keto Day 1

December 21, 2020 by Easy Keto Living

Keto Day 1 – Menu and meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert for day one and the first week on the low carb ketogenic diet.

Keto Day 1

This may be your first Keto Day 1 or you may be starting a low carb lifestyle over again. Either way – I’ve been on and off keto for over 4 years now and the first week is always full of mixed emotions as I start back on the keto way.

It can be daunting to know what to eat when following a low carb diet, but once you start to look into it, you’ll see there are loads of easy keto meals to enjoy.

What To Expect On Keto Day 1

What to expect when starting the low carb keto diet

You may be wondering “what can I expect on keto day 1”? Well, my number one piece of advice is to keep it simple.

You don’t have to make every low carb meal under the sun during your first week. Pick a few meals (and desserts like the above pictured strawberry mousse) you like the look of and start with that. Just take it a day at a time.

If you’ve been on a high sugar and high carb diet to date, you may feel weak, dizzy or light headed due to a significantly lower carb intake. That’s why it’s suggested to follow a diet like the Keto Diet under medical supervision and be well aware of the potential side effects – to ensure you stay healthy throughout.

My own strategies for getting through the first few days include having smaller meals every few hours, to get used to keto meals and keep me from feeling unwell.

I try to keep my electrolytes up – electrolytes being sodium (salt), potassium and magnesium. It’s best to speak to a health practitioner and consider being prescribed appropriate supplements.

Also – it’s more important than ever to drink plenty of water to help get you into ketosis and keep you feeling healthy.

Breakfast Ideas

To me, the easiest breakfast is a couple of eggs, vegetables and some healthy fats. There are also heaps of ideas for keto breakfasts without eggs.

Here are some ideas for your day 1 breakfast, you can choose to have eggs or not.

Lunch Ideas

A little prep ahead of time can mean you have easy packed lunches that are keto friendly.

I tend to have a salad of some description for lunch, I like to start with a bed of greens, add a protein and some healthy fats and lunch is sorted!

Here are some easy keto lunch ideas to choose from:

Dinner Ideas

It’s really easy to keto-fy old favorites and make them low carb instead. Here are some easy meals to choose from:

Snack & Dessert Ideas

As I mentioned – on my own keto day 1 I tend to snack through the day and for the first week or so until I’m fully in Ketosis, fat adapted and can easily go between meals without snacking.

Sweet Snacks – if you’d like to satisfy your sweet tooth, here are some ideas for you:

Savory Snacks – if you’d prefer something a bit more savory, here are some easy keto snack ideas for you:

Nuts
Seeds
Jerky/Biltong
Hard Boiled Eggs
Devilled Eggs
Cheese
Pickles
Avocado
Ready cooked meat/chicken
Tuna
Cucumber

Keto Day 1 – Menu and meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert for day one and the first week on the low carb ketogenic diet.

As you can see – your Keto Day 1 can be filled with quick and easy meals that are tasty and will help fuel you and get you into Ketosis.

For more inspiration, check out my full Keto Food List for Beginners.

Keto Day 1 Video

Here’s a video I shared on my YouTube channel with a day of easy low carb meals to give you even more Keto Day 1 Tips. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Lazy Keto For Beginners

August 9, 2020 by Easy Keto Living

Lazy Keto For Beginners – What Is Lazy Keto? Low Carb Food List Guide and easy meal plan and recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks.

Lazy Keto For Beginners

This lazy keto for beginners guide will give you all the tips and meal ideas to start a low-carb lifestyle without the stress.

The ultra low carbohydrate diet can be followed in a number of different ways, including a traditional ketogenic diet or standard keto diet, clean keto, lazy keto or a dirty keto diet.

In this blog post I’m going to focus on the lazy keto approach, which I find to be one of the easiest ways for starting keto, especially for keto beginners who are new to the unique way of eating.

What Is The Lazy Keto Diet?

In short, Lazy Keto is following the low carb and high fat Ketogenic Diet, but without counting or tracking calories, exact carb intake or macros that you usually would on a traditional keto diet.

Instead, you fill your plate (and day) with low carb, high fat foods and meals that naturally see you consuming low enough carbs in your daily carb count to help you transition into Ketosis. (And stay there!)

The best way to check whether what you’re doing is working is to measure your ketones using Keto Strips. (Here are Keto Strips on Amazon for you.)

Can You Still Lose Weight Doing Lazy Keto?

You absolutely can still lose weight while following a lazy keto meal plan instead of a strict keto diet, and also be able to enjoy a whole host of overall health benefits.

By learning about the low-carb diet friendly foods you can and can’t have, you can simply eat all the permitted foods, and stay far away from those that aren’t keto friendly.

Keto Foods List

So, what foods are keto friendly? I try to include as many whole foods in my diet as possible, but there are also a number of keto fast food options for those of you who need to follow a low-carbohydrate diet while on the road.

Here’s a concise list of food choices for you that are all naturally low in net carbs so that you can enjoy the many benefits of lazy keto and be able to achieve your own personal health and weight loss goals.

Low Carb Vegetables – I aim for a serve of low carb vegetables with each meal, so that I get enough nutrients while also keeping my carbohydrate intake as low as possible.

These are my go to low carb vegetables that I usually include on my grocery list:

Mushrooms
Spinach
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Cucumber
Radish
Onion
Garlic
Red Pepper

Dairy – full fat dairy are nutrient-dense foods that play an important role in helping you feel fuller, are generally low in grams of carbs and make meals more exciting to your taste buds on a low carb type of diet. I enjoy all kinds of cheese, cream, sour cream and cream cheese regularly with meals.

Healthy Fats – coconut oil, olive oil and avocado make up some of the healthy fats you can enjoy on keto that are easy to find at the grocery store and can be used in all kinds of lazy keto recipes.

Eggs – I start most days with eggs of some sort, whether that’s fried, scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, and have happily enjoyed a couple of eggs a day though my keto journey as a brilliant, budget friendly protein source.

Protein – tuna, beef, salmon, chicken and other meat can be consumed on keto for your protein intake. You can also keep a keto protein powder in your pantry that makes a great option if you struggle to consume as much protein as you need.

If you’re wanting to follow keto on a budget, check out my full ALDI Keto Shopping List for a great way to shop for healthy food that doesn’t cost a fortune.

Foods To Avoid – if your aim it to get into a metabolic state of ketosis, then your best bet is to avoid foods that contain sugar and high amounts of carbs including food items such as bread, whole grains, sugary baked goods, sugar, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, chips, crisps, crackers, pizza and pasta.

Lazy Keto Meals

Now that you have an idea of what foods are low carb and keto friendly, here are some lazy keto meal ideas to help you with meal planning for your weight loss journey.

Keto breakfast idea - fry up with eggs and 2 vegetables

Breakfast Ideas – enjoy eggs any way with a side of vegetables and healthy fats in the form of cheese, avocado or sour cream. (Here are 7 easy keto breakfast ideas.)

There are also loads of ideas for a Keto Breakfast Without Eggs, such as homemade keto granola, yogurt, a smoothie or even breakfast cookies.

Lunch Ideas – for lunch, I tend to have a salad of some description, with some my favorites being a tuna salad or the above pictured steak salad.

Start with a bed of greens such as spinach, then add a keto friendly protein like tuna, steak, egg or any leftover meat you like and then add in some healthy fats in the form or olive oil, avocado or sour cream.

Lazy keto dinner recipe - spaghetti bolognese

Dinner Ideas – you can easily adapt plenty of dinner favorites into low carb, keto friendly meals.

We enjoy tuna broccoli casserole, cheesy cauliflower rice, an indulgent steak dinner, cheesy chicken bake or even the above pictured keto friendly Spaghetti Bolognese.

Dessert Ideas – I enjoy desserts regularly while following a Lazy Keto lifestyle. Some of my favorite low carb high-fat diet go to desserts are hot chocolate, chocolate mousse and the above pictured strawberry mousse.

Snack Ideas – for lazy keto snacks go for vegetables like cucumber or celery, a handful of nuts (like keto candied walnuts) or berries, salami, pork rinds or cheese. (Here are 17 Keto Snacks On The Go Ideas.)

Lazy Keto For Beginners - What Is Lazy Keto? Low Carb Food List and easy meal plan recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks.

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Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Keto For Beginners

November 4, 2019 by Easy Keto Living

Keto For Beginners – What Is The Keto Diet, what to eat on a low carb ketogenic diet, how to know you’re in ketosis and tips for success.

Keto For Beginners

Over the past 3 years I have followed the Ketogenic Diet (on and off) so I have tons of Keto For Beginners tips to share with you.

What Is The Keto Diet?

Let me start by explaining the Keto Diet – which is a low carb, high fat diet that can put your body into a state of fat burning ketosis.

It’s a very low carb diet – your diet will be made up of:

5% Carbs
20% Protein
75% Fats

So, as you can see, fats make up the majority of your day to day meals.

What To Eat On A Low Carb Ketogenic Diet

So, how do you put together meals that fit Keto macros? Well, start with fat! Find sources of fat that are keto friendly that you enjoy and then rotate them through your meals.

Use this Keto Calculator to work out your own personal calorie and macro goals to aim for.

Here’s a brief list of foods to include and mix and match in your diet. You’ll find that you don’t have to spend a fortune to follow the keto diet. places like ALDI are great for stocking up on essentials. (Here’s my ALDI Shopping List.)

Healthy Fats – coconut oil, olive oil, MCT OIl, avocado oil – keep a selection of healthy oils to include in your meals.

Full Fat Dairy – butter, cream, sour cream, cream cheese, mascarpone, cheese or a potion of another full fat dairy can be enjoyed with keto meals.

The above pictured low carb vegetable casserole has sour cream, cream and cheese included to create a low carb, high fat keto meal.

Nuts & Seeds – a handful of cashews, almonds, macadamias or your favorite nut makes a handy snack. Nuts and seeds are high in fat, protein and fiber. Just don’t overdo it as the carbs can quickly add up and you can blog your macros without realizing it! (Here are ideas for 17 Keto Snacks.)

Meat, Chicken, Ham, Seafood, Fish – enjoy your proteins of choice, in moderation, ideally fattier cuts so that you’re getting more fat in your diet. Some of my favorite keto protein rich meals are a steak salad and cheesy chicken bake.

Avocado – full of healthy fats, fiber and a creamy vegetable to include with meals or as a snack.

Eggs – I tend to have eggs for breakfast most mornings, along with possible a vegetables and a protein too. There are also plenty of low carb breakfasts without eggs you can have too.

Other favorites are easy keto granola or bread that you can enjoy in tasty breakfast meals.

Fruit – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lemons and limes are the fruit you’re limited to on Keto. You can have a handful with whipped cream, in a smoothie or in a dessert like the above pictured strawberry mousse.

Vegetables – there’s a huge choice of low carb vegetables that you can include in your diet:

Cauliflower (like in the above pictured Cheesy Cauliflower Rice)
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Brussels Sprouts
Spinach
Kale
Onion
Garlic
Tomatoes
Peppers

For help with putting together a full meal plan I suggest Balanced Keto Weekly Meal Plans. You’ll get weekly Keto Diet Meal Plans delivered straight to your Inbox. Get 7 days of meal planning every week – all done for you! Click here to learn more.

How To Know You’re In Ketosis

I find that when I’m in ketosis, I have regular bursts of energy and my overall mood is lifted.

You can test whether you’re in ketosis by examining your breath, urine or blood for ketones.

Personally, I find that the least invasive, and most cost efficient method is by using Ketone Strips. It helps to reassure myself that I’m in Ketosis and what I’m doing is working.

Keto For Beginners – How To Avoid Keto Flu

It may be struggle if you’re moving from a standard, carb and sugar loaded diet to a keto diet. Your body may need time to become fat adapted.

I’ve found that the following helps my body adapt as quick as possible, without experiencing any of the dreaded keto flu symptoms:

Drink Plenty Of Water
Exercise – if you regularly work out then keep up your workouts, if you don’t work out at all then try and start with gentle exercise such as yoga or walking to get your body moving.
Sleep – you may notice that’s you’re extra tired when starting keto, so listen to your body, skip that extra late night Netflix show and try and get more sleep!
Electrolytes – salt, magnesium and potassium – get your Doctor to prescribe supplements to ensure you’re getting enough electrolytes

Keto For Beginners - What Is The Keto Diet, what to eat on a low carb ketogenic diet, how to know you're in ketosis and tips for success.

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Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the weekly newsletter as there’s loads more Easy Keto Recipes to come in the future – you can be sure of that! Click here to subscribe.

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto?

August 26, 2019 by Easy Keto Living

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto? The best popcorn options for a low carb keto friendly diet & net carbs in popped popcorn.

Can you have popping corn on a low carb keto diet

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto?

You many think if corn is off limits on a low carb keto diet, so must popcorn, right? But, is there a way you can enjoy the popular snack without blowing your desired net carbs for the day?

Well, a typical cup of the yellow sweetcorn that you may have had before needing to monitor your carb count has slightly over 30g of carbs.

Making sweetcorn a very high-carb food, potentially containing even more carbs than your total daily carb limit to achieve ketosis while following the ketogenic diet.

That’s a lot of carbs. Not exactly the best way to eat for someone who is on a low-carb diet.

And if you are like me who finds you need under 30 g of net carbs to stay in ketosis, sweetcorn’s high carb content doesn’t exactly make it the best option for keeping within your desired carb intake.

So if a cup of corn has over 30 grams of carbs, surely a cup of popcorn cant be much better as a keto-friendly snack?

In fact yes you can, and popcorn is a great snack to have on a low-carb diet. You can have popcorn on the keto diet.

Nutrition Facts Popcorn vs Corn

Below are the nutrition facts of a cup pf popcorn (7.9g) without added sugars:

Calories 44
Total fat 2.7g (Saturated fat 0.6g)
Grams of carbohydrates 4.4g
Grams of fiber 0.8g
Sugars 0g

If we compare the nutritional value of a cup of sweet corn (149g)

Calories 143
Total fat 2.2g (Saturated fat 0.3g)
Grams of total carbs 31g
Dietary fiber 3.6g
Grams of net carbs 30.5g
Sugars 6.6g

How? Well first know there are six types of corn which include the one we are interested in – popcorn.

Here are the 6 forms corn can take:

Popcorn
Dent
Flint
Pod
Flour
Sweetcorn

When compared to sweetcorn, popcorn has a hard shell which keeps all of the moisture out. It is then dried, then the popcorn kernels are removed ready to be heated up to become popped corn.

So named, as the remaining moisture in each kernel turns to a vapour increasing the pressure within the kernel until it ‘pops’. Each popcorn kernel can expand up to 30 times its original size becoming the delicious nutritious snack popcorn.

The reason you can sometime be left with ‘un-popped’ corn is the moisture in those unpoppable kernels wasn’t enough to cause an expansion to pop the kernel in the first place.

For us, we heat popcorn in a saucepan with coconut oil, then we add salt to taste making it ideal for a low carb diet.

A third of a cup or 40g of corn kernels, once popped, serves our family of four two full bowls of popcorn each. So, we tend to get 8 full bowls of popcorn per whole saucepan.

As each of the 8 portions has only 3 grams of carbs. It makes popcorn keto-friendly and one of the best keto snack foods while following a high-fat diet.

Health benefits

Popcorn contains a compound called polyphenols, A compound within some foods that has been suggested may reduce risk of some medical conditions such as::

Type 2 diabetes
Coronary heart disease
High blood pressure
Infectious diseases
Plus reduce free radicals

In addition popcorn may help with your weight loss and improve your metabolic state. Plus, popcorn may be one of the best snacks to help fill you up so reducing the amount of carbs you might otherwise consume. A win-win.

Other Ways To Enjoy Popcorn

You can add olive oil, butter, or nut butter to your cups of popcorn to add extra flavor, while adding good healthy fats.

If are worried about too much popcorn consumption you may want to add cheese. For example, grated cheddar cheese or cheese cubes which adds more fat content making popcorn even more filling.

Store-Bought Popcorn v Homemade Popcorn

Like all things, if you make your own popcorn you are in more control of what’s in it.

From the number of carbs to serving size or added toppings, as long you achieve the goal of a keto diet (to stay in a state of ketosis), popcorn can be a tasty healthy snack.

The bottom line is, as long as you don’t have over the top large quantities, and monitor your portion size, popcorn can be one of those snack options that can fill you up in-between meals, while having fewer net carbs throughout your day.

In conclusion, to answer the question can you have popcorn on the keto diet?

Yes, you can. But for best results you have to decide how much fits with your own personal macros.

Happy popping!

Can You Have Popcorn On Keto? The best popcorn options for a low carb keto diet, net carbs in popped popcorn.

MORE KETO DIET INSPIRATION:

10 Keto Breakfasts Without Eggs

17 Keto Snacks On The Go Ideas

Are Raisins Keto

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Kombucha on Keto

Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the weekly newsletter as there’s loads more Easy Keto Recipes to come in the future – you can be sure of that! Click here to subscribe.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

11 Keto Tips and Tricks

July 12, 2019 by Easy Keto Living

11 Keto Tips and Tricks – Hacks to make it easy to strive for success on the low carb ketogenic diet. Great for beginners or long time keto followers.

11 Keto Tips and Tricks

Whether you’re thinking about starting the keto diet, a beginner or long time keto dieter, then here are my 11 keto tips and tricks for success for you.

1. Keep It Simple

Seriously – if you’re starting out, just keep it simple. There’s no need to make every single keto sweet treat, pancake and bread you find on pinterest.

Take it slow and keep it simple by picking a couple of protein and veg options, some healthy fats for cooking and serving and you’re set!

2. Easy Substitute Ideas

Keto hack - use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice

There are loads of easy substitutes for old carby favourites.

For example cauliflower is one of the most versatile low carb vegetables. You can enjoy cauliflower in place of rice, mash and even pasta.

3. Decide How To Take Measurements

Weighing yourself daily, or even weekly, can be incredibly stressful. So, really think about how often you plan to weigh yourself.

Or, whether you’ll ditch the scale, grab a tape measure and measure your weight loss in inches rather than what the dreaded scale says.

4. Decide Whether To Track

You don’t have to track. Simply cook keto meals, measure whether you’re in ketosis with ketosticks and follow more of a lazy keto diet.

I started out by tracking very roughly, simply writing down in a notebook what I was eating each day.

Then, just googling the net carbs in each food. I quickly learned the approximate carbs in regular foods and what I needed to eat each day to roughly hit my macros.

5. Protein Powder To Help Meet Your Macros

Get hold of a low carb protein powder and then enjoy a scoop in a smoothie or shake (like this strawberries and cream shake) when you think you won’t meet your protein macros for the day.

6. Fat Bombs To Help Meet Your Macros

If it’s fat you’re craving then prepare a batch of fat bombs (like these 2 ingredient fat bombs) to snack on when you need a little help meeting your fat targets.

7. Breakfast Can Be Anything

Breakfast of steak and mushrooms on keto

Ditch traditional breakfast dishes and enjoy leftovers or really whatever you feel like to start your day.

Nothing stopping you enjoying a giant steak with some creamy mushrooms (as pictured above) for breakfast!

8. Explore Intermittent Fasting

I got into the habit of intermittent fasting a few months into my keto diet journey. It meant making one meal less a day and I felt great doing it.

9. Enjoy Budget Friendly Meals

Keto budget friendly meal idea - chicken bake

Keto doesn’t have to be expensive! There are loads of easy meals that are also budget friendly – roast a whole chicken, make a chicken bake, pick cheaper cuts of meat, enjoy eggs regularly.

10. Stress Less, Move More & Get Plenty Of Sleep

Get rest, reduce stress and move more on keto

This is just good advice in general, but can have an impact on your weight loss efforts.

Try and find ways to reduce your stress, get out, active and move more and make a concerted effort to go to sleep earlier. (All easier said than done, I know, but do try and address these areas for success with the keto diet.)

11. Stay Hydrated & Manage Electrolytes

It’s more important than ever to be sure you’re drinking plenty of water and keeping your electrolytes in check.

Speak with your Doctor or health practitioner about appropriate supplements to help you with your electrolytes.

11 Keto Tips and Tricks - Hacks to make it easy to strive for success on the low carb ketogenic diet. Great for beginners or long time keto followers.

Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the weekly newsletter as there’s loads more keto diet inspiration to come in the future – you can be sure of that! Click here to subscribe.

Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Can You Drink Almond Milk On Keto?

June 21, 2019 by Easy Keto Living

Can You Drink Almond Milk On Keto? With information about how to pick a low-carb almond milk brand and the grams of carbohydrates in Almond Milk.

Can you have almond milk on the low carb keto diet

Can You Drink Almond Milk On Keto?

Almond milk is quickly becoming one of the most popular plant based alternatives to dairy milk on the market.

So what’s the big deal and can you have almond milk on a ketogenic diet?

Good news. The answer is yes. You can have almond milk on the keto or low-carb diet.

How Many Carbs In Almond Milk?

The problem with cows milk is the grams of carbs it contains.

With almond milk being a great alternative for traditional milk so you can keep your daily carb intake low.

At around a hefty 12-13 grams of net carbs per cup (240ml) for regular milk. With no added sugar, unsweetened almond milk only has a low 0.8 -1.5g carbs per cup (depending on the brand) with around 0.4 of a gram of net carbs.

Almond milk is made from blending almonds and water together then removing the pulp leaving a smooth creamy texture, with delicious nutty flavor perfect for keto dieters.

Below is a macronutrient breakdown for each cup of unsweetened almond milk (240ml)

Calories 30
Grams of fat 2.6g (Saturated fat 0.2g)
Total carbs 1.1g
Dietary fiber 0.7g
Grams of net carbs 0.4g
Protein 1.1g

Benefits of Drinking Almond Milk

While almond milk is a keto-friendly milk perfect for keeping your carb content down, That is not the only positive of almond milk.

Almond milk has lots of health benefits containing many important nutrients.

Nutrients such as minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and magnesium which according to one study has been shown to be involved in over 600 processes in the body.

Almond milk is also full of vitamins like vitamin C, some B vitamins including vitamin B6 which is important for keeping your nervous system healthy.

Another benefit is almond milk naturally contains high levels of vitamin E which has antioxidant properties and helps in the prevention of cancer, arthritis and cataracts as well as has having some anti-aging properties.

In addition vitamin E has been linked to reduce toxicity, reduce free radicals within the body, (so preventing cellular damage) and reduce other types of inflammation.

Some almond milks are also fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps with the immune system and some chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and a deficiency is linked with heart disease.

Almond milk is a good choice for those of you with lactose intolerance or those of you wanting to reduce the amount of dairy products you consume.

How To Pick A Keto Friendly Almond Milk

Nowadays its easier than ever to buy a good store-bought almond milk that will keep your carb limit low enough if you are on a low-carb or keto diet.

Though you still need to double check the label for the unsweetened variety as not all types will be suitable for a standard ketogenic diet.

Look For Unsweetened

The first thing to look out for is unsweetened varieties.

Some brands and varieties may add sweeteners which can increase the carb content to levels on par with a cup of whole milk (240ml) at around 13g

So look for the unsweetened almond milk varieties only. So ensuring you keep the carb count as low as possible.

Be Aware Of Added Preservatives

A quick look at the almond milk selection at our local supermarket showed many brands added in unnecessary flavourings and stabilisers including:

Maltodextrin,
Tri-calcium Phosphate
Carob Gum
Gellan Gum
Emulsifier’s such as Sunflower Lecithin

For a healthy keto diet, double check which sweeteners and preservatives you are happy to consume, even if its a keto-friendly sweetener for example.

Avoid the flavored varieties like chocolate or vanilla almond milk before purchasing to make sure it suits your carb macronutrient needs.

How To Make Your Own Homemade Almond Milk

If you don’t want the hassle of going through your local grocery store, searching to find the perfect unsweetened almond milk there is another option.

A sure fire way of making almond milk keto-friendly is to make your own almond milk from home.

Below is a simple almond milk recipe. All you need to do is follow these 6 easy steps:

Soak a cup of raw almonds (organic almonds ideally) overnight with with four cups of filtered water if possible.
You may add some vanilla extract to taste
Drain the liquid from the soaked almonds.
Put your soaked almonds in a blender with four cups of fresh water.
Blend it.
Sieve the pulp and pour.

That’s it.

Full of good healthy fats, you have your very own homemade almond milk. An excellent choice as a keto-friendly alternative to traditional whole milk.

How To Enjoy Almond Milk On Keto

Now you’ve picked up or made your own low carb friendly almond milk, what can you do with it?

Well you can drink it, though for some it may be a bit plain so here a a few tips to get you started on enjoying your keto friendly almond milk.

Keto Smoothies With Almond Milk

You can blend it with your favourite keto friendly fruits such as:

Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Lemon/Lime

You can make smoothies with almond milk. Including adding other nuts or seeds such as macadamia nuts, chia seeds or pumpkin seeds.

You could add almond milk to your favourite protein power to make protein shakes. Just make sure your protein powder is low enough in carbs to fit your own personal macro goals while on your keto journey.

Chia Puddings With Almond Milk

All you have to do is combine together chia seeds and almond milk. Then, let it thicken for a few hours or overnight.

You can top your chia pudding with your favourite keto friendly fruit.

Low Carb Granola with Almond Milk

You can whip up a batch of easy low carb granola to enjoy by the bowl full with almond milk.

Keto Meals With Almond Milk

Almond Milk can also be used to create a delectable creamy sauce.

Simply add a portion of almond milk, along with heavy cream and/or mascarpone, for a creamy sauce that’s perfect with zucchini noodles.

So, in answer to can you drink almond milk on keto – overwhelmingly yes you can. It’s low in carbs and one of the best options to incorporate in a low carb diet.

If however you are unsure which cow’s milk alternative to choose from you can click here for the best 5 cow’s milk alternatives while following the keto diet.

More Keto Diet Inspiration:

7 Keto Mistakes To Avoid

10 Keto Breakfasts Without Eggs

17 Keto Snacks On The Go Ideas

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the weekly newsletter as there’s loads more Easy Keto Recipes to come in the future – you can be sure of that! Click here to subscribe.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

Can You Drink Milk On Ketogenic Diet?

May 13, 2019 by Easy Keto Living

Can You Drink Milk On Ketogenic Diet? 5 kinds of low carb keto milks you can have – plus the net carb content. Answering whether you can drink milk on the low carb keto diet.

Can You Drink Milk On The Keto Diet?

While derivatives of milk such as cream, butter and cheese are keto friendly surely it means milk must be too, right?

First lets be clear, to be in a state of ketosis while on a keto diet usually requires under 50 grams of carbs.

And, my own and many other people’s experience is that it usually requires 30 grams of carbohydrates or even less to maintain a state of ketosis.

So can you have regular cow’s milk on a keto diet?

Well a cup of milk (240ml) usually contains around 12-13 grams of net carbs which may take up most of your allotted carb content. So, unless a single cup of milk will fill you up for the day it’s not the best option to fit in with your macro carb count..

Can you have cows milk on a low carb diet

5 Keto Diet Friendly Milk Options

But, do not fear keto dieters. You can still enjoy these delicious non-dairy milk alternatives while you have your cup of bulletproof coffee or enjoy a luxurious hot chocolate with some added heavy cream.

1. Unsweetened Almond Milk On Keto

Almond milk has quickly become the most popular plant-based keto milk alternative.. So easy to find in local grocery stores.

Made from blending almonds and water then straining the mixture to remove left over pulp, it has a delicious (unsurprisingly) nutty taste to it.

Nutritionally Almond milk has only small amounts of carbs, with a low 1.5g of carbohydrates per cup (240ml). Perfect for a low-carb diet. It’s also very high in Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant which can help reduce free radicals that may cause damage to the cells.

Free-radicals have also been linked to increased signs of ageing so almond milk is not only tasty, it possesses potential anti-ageing properties too

2. Coconut Milk On Ketogenic Diet

Apart from the relatively low 6.35 grams of net carbohydrates per cup (240ml) it is high in MCT’s (medium chain fatty acids) which promote fat and weight loss. And great for a high-fat diet

With its high fat content at around 48 grams of fat per cup it also boasts high levels of magnesium and potassium which are essential minerals to maintain nerve function and help in the absorption of calcium, among other health benefits.

In addition unsweetened coconut milk has great anti-inflammatory properties , can be used in smoothies, or even added to hot chocolate and a good choice while making curries among others

3. Hemp Milk On Keto

Made from whole hemp seeds this plant based milk alternative comes in at a low 1.3g of carbohydrate per cup (240ml) A good option to keep your blood sugar levels down

At moderate fat content of 7.3g per cup it is a great source of nutrition to help keep your carb intake down. .

Plus, it contains all the essential amino acids the body needs, making it a great complete protein source.

4. Pea Milk On A Low Carb Diet

I know. It sounds a little crazy, but its nutritional profile may well change your mind.

Containing almost the same protein content as regular milk at 8g per cup (240ml) – benefits include zero carbohydrates, so obviously making pea milk arguably the best milk in terms of keeping your carbohydrate intake low when it comes to keto-friendly milk options..

Plus pea milk contains 50% more calcium than cow’s milk (45g compared to 30g per cup in cow’s).

Made from soaked yellow split peas, it has a beige colour and has been described to taste like cows milk

It’s also high in vitamin D which is a great antioxidant that helps boost the immune system, smooths the skin, strengthen bones and teeth and recent studies suggest it may play a role in reducing depression.

Just check the nutritional label to check there are no added sugars.

5. Pumpkin Seed Milk On Keto

Our final cow’s milk substitute on the list is pumpkin seed milk. It’s made from soaked pumpkin seeds it contains a low 2 grams of sugars (carbohydrates) per cup (240ml).

This creamy, nutty flavoured milk also contains high amounts of magnesium and potassium plus decent levels of iron and zinc.

It can help boost the immune system and decrease inflammation in the body.

So, as you can tell, in answer to can you drink milk on ketogenic diet, there are plenty of cow milk alternatives to choose from, so you don’t need to feel like you are missing out while on keto.

Can You Drink Milk On Ketogenic Diet? 5 kinds of low carb keto milks you can have - plus the net carb content.

So, as you can tell, in answer to can you drink milk on ketogenic diet, there are plenty of cow milk alternatives to choose from, so you don’t need to feel like you are missing out while on keto.

More Keto Diet Inspiration:

7 Keto Mistakes To Avoid

10 Keto Breakfasts Without Eggs

17 Keto Snacks On The Go Ideas

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the weekly newsletter as there’s loads more Easy Keto Recipes to come in the future – you can be sure of that! Click here to subscribe.

Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.

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