1. A ketogenic diet for beginners
A keto or ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, higher-fat diet that can help you burn
fat more effectively. It has many benefits for weight loss, health, and performance, as shown in
over 50 studies.1 That’s why it’s recommended by so many doctors.2
A keto diet can be especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving
type 2 diabetes.34
Here, you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. Get started with our visual guides,
recipes, meal plans, and simple 2-week Get Started program. It’s everything you need to
succeed on keto.
1. What is a keto diet?
The keto diet is a very low-carb and higher-fat diet. It’s similar in many ways to other
low-carb diets.
While you eat far fewer carbohydrates on a keto diet, you maintain moderate levels of
protein intake and may increase your intake of fat. The reduction in carb intake puts your
body in a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat, from your diet and from your body, is
burned for energy.
You can quickly learn more about the basic ideas behind the keto diet in this video
course:
>>click here to watch video<<
What “keto” means
The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce
small fuel molecules called “ketones.”5 This is an alternative fuel source for the body,
used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
2. When you eat very few carbs or very few calories, the liver produces ketones from fat.
These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain.6
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on
fat directly. It can only run on glucose – or ketones.7
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat,
burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase
dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off.8 This is great
if you’re trying to lose weight, but there can also be other, less obvious benefits, such as
less hunger and a steady supply of energy (without the sugar peaks and valleys we can
get from high carb meals). This may help keep you alert and focused.9
When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called ketosis. The fastest
way to get there is by fasting – not eating anything – but nobody can consistently fast
forever.10
A keto diet, on the other hand, also results in ketosis and can be eaten indefinitely. It has
many of the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast long-term
eto recipes
Keto meal plansMeal plans
Keto guidesGuides
Keto get startedGet started
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A keto or ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, higher-fat diet that can help you
burn fat more effectively. It has many benefits for weight loss, health, and performance,
as shown in over 50 studies.1 That’s why it’s recommended by so many doctors.2
A keto diet can be especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for
improving type 2 diabetes.34
3. Here, you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. Get started with our visual
guides, recipes, meal plans, and simple 2-week Get Started program. It’s everything you
need to succeed on keto.
Sign up
1. What is a keto diet?
The keto diet is a very low-carb and higher-fat diet. It’s similar in many ways to other
low-carb diets.
While you eat far fewer carbohydrates on a keto diet, you maintain moderate levels of
protein intake and may increase your intake of fat. The reduction in carb intake puts your
body in a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat, from your diet and from your body, is
burned for energy.
You can quickly learn more about the basic ideas behind the keto diet in this video
course:
Watch the entire 8-part video course
What “keto” means
Ketosis
The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce
small fuel molecules called “ketones.”5 This is an alternative fuel source for the body,
used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
When you eat very few carbs or very few calories, the liver produces ketones from fat.
These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain.6
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on
fat directly. It can only run on glucose – or ketones.7
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat,
burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase
dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off.8 This is great
if you’re trying to lose weight, but there can also be other, less obvious benefits, such as
less hunger and a steady supply of energy (without the sugar peaks and valleys we can
get from high carb meals). This may help keep you alert and focused.9
4. When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called ketosis. The fastest
way to get there is by fasting – not eating anything – but nobody can consistently fast
forever.10
A keto diet, on the other hand, also results in ketosis and can be eaten indefinitely. It has
many of the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast
long-term.11
Who should NOT do a ketogenic diet?
There are controversies and myths about a keto diet, but for most people it appears to be
very safe.12 However, three groups often require special consideration:
2. What to eat on a keto diet
Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. The numbers are net carbs, i.e.
digestible carbs, per 100 grams.13 To remain in ketosis, lower is generally better:
Keto diet foods: Natural fats (butter, olive oil); Meat; Fish and seafood; Eggs; Cheese;
Vegetables that grow above ground
What’s the most important thing to do to reach ketosis? Avoid eating too many carbs.
You’ll likely need to keep carb intake under 50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below
20 grams.14 The fewer carbs, the more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis,
losing weight, or improving type 2 diabetes.15
A keto diet can be especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for
improving type 2 diabetes.34
Here, you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. Get started with our visual
guides, recipes, meal plans, and simple 2-week Get Started program. It’s everything you
need to succeed on keto.
Sign up
1. What is a keto diet?
The keto diet is a very low-carb and higher-fat diet. It’s similar in many ways to other
low-carb diets.
While you eat far fewer carbohydrates on a keto diet, you maintain moderate levels of
protein intake and may increase your intake of fat. The reduction in carb intake puts your
body in a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat, from your diet and from your body, is
burned for energy.
5. You can quickly learn more about the basic ideas behind the keto diet in this video
course:
Watch the entire 8-part video course
What “keto” means
Ketosis
The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce
small fuel molecules called “ketones.”5 This is an alternative fuel source for the body,
used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
When you eat very few carbs or very few calories, the liver produces ketones from fat.
These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain.6
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on
fat directly. It can only run on glucose – or ketones.7
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat,
burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase
dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off.8 This is great
if you’re trying to lose weight, but there can also be other, less obvious benefits, such as
less hunger and a steady supply of energy (without the sugar peaks and valleys we can
get from high carb meals). This may help keep you alert and focused.9
When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called ketosis. The fastest
way to get there is by fasting – not eating anything – but nobody can consistently fast
forever.10
A keto diet, on the other hand, also results in ketosis and can be eaten indefinitely. It has
many of the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast
long-term.11
Learn more about ketosis
Who should NOT do a ketogenic diet?
There are controversies and myths about a keto diet, but for most people it appears to be
very safe.12 However, three groups often require special consideration:
Do you take medication for diabetes, e.g. insulin? More
6. Do you take medication for high blood pressure? More
Do you breastfeed? More
For more details about pros and cons in different situations, check out our full guide: Is a
keto diet right for you?
Are you a doctor or do you need your doctor to help you with medications on a keto diet?
Have a look at our low carb for doctors guide.
Disclaimer: While the ketogenic diet has many proven benefits, it’s still controversial.
The main potential danger regards medications, e.g. for diabetes, where doses may need
to be adapted (see above). Discuss any changes in medication and relevant lifestyle
changes with your doctor. Full disclaimer
This guide is written for adults with health issues, including obesity, that could benefit
from a ketogenic diet.
Controversial topics related to a keto diet, and our take on them, include saturated fats,
cholesterol, whole grains, red meat, whether the brain needs carbohydrates and
restricting calories for weight loss.
2. What to eat on a keto diet
Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. The numbers are net carbs, i.e.
digestible carbs, per 100 grams.13 To remain in ketosis, lower is generally better:
Keto diet foods: Natural fats (butter, olive oil); Meat; Fish and seafood; Eggs; Cheese;
Vegetables that grow above ground
What’s the most important thing to do to reach ketosis? Avoid eating too many carbs.
You’ll likely need to keep carb intake under 50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below
20 grams.14 The fewer carbs, the more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis,
losing weight, or improving type 2 diabetes.15
Counting carbs can be helpful at first. But if you stick to our recommended foods and
recipes you can stay keto even without counting.
Detailed list of what to eat on a keto diet
7. Try to avoid
Here’s what you should avoid on a keto diet – foods containing a lot of carbs, both the
sugary and the starchy kind. This includes starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, and
potatoes. These foods are very high in carbs.
Foods to avoid on a ketogenic diet: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, beer, soda, juice,
candy
The numbers are grams of net carbs per 100 grams, unless otherwise noted.16
Also avoid ultra-processed foods and instead follow our whole foods keto diet advice.
You should also avoid low-fat diet products. A keto diet should be moderately high in
protein and will probably be higher in fat, since fat provides the energy that you are no
longer getting from carbohydrate. Low-fat products usually provide too many carbs and
not enough fuel from protein and fat.17
What to drink
Keto drinks: water, coffee, tea, dry wine
What can you drink on a ketogenic diet? Water is the perfect drink, and coffee or tea are
fine too. Ideally, use no sweeteners, especially sugar.18 A splash of milk or cream in your
coffee or tea is OK, but beware that the carbs can add up if you drink multiple cups in a
day (and definitely avoid caffe lattes!). The occasional glass of wine is fine too.
Diet Doctor
Keto recipesKeto recipes
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Science
For doctors
A ketogenic diet for beginners
A ketogenic diet for beginners
By Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MDDr. Andreas Eenfeldt, MD, medical review by Dr. Bret Scher,
MDDr. Bret Scher, MD – Updated March 4, 2020 Evidence based
What is keto?
Foods to eat
Foods to avoid
Meal plans
Printable leaflet
Weight loss
Health
Ketosis
Practical tips
Side effects
FAQ
Audio version
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A keto or ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, higher-fat diet that can help you burn
fat more effectively. It has many benefits for weight loss, health, and performance, as shown in
over 50 studies.1 That’s why it’s recommended by so many doctors.2
A keto diet can be especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving
type 2 diabetes.34
Here, you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. Get started with our visual guides,
recipes, meal plans, and simple 2-week Get Started program. It’s everything you need to
succeed on keto.
Sign up
1. What is a keto diet?
The keto diet is a very low-carb and higher-fat diet. It’s similar in many ways to other low-carb
diets.
While you eat far fewer carbohydrates on a keto diet, you maintain moderate levels of protein
intake and may increase your intake of fat. The reduction in carb intake puts your body in a
metabolic state called ketosis, where fat, from your diet and from your body, is burned for
energy.
9. You can quickly learn more about the basic ideas behind the keto diet in this video course:
What “keto” means
Ketosis
The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce small fuel
molecules called “ketones.”5 This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood
sugar (glucose) is in short supply.
When you eat very few carbs or very few calories, the liver produces ketones from fat. These
ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain.6
The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on fat
directly. It can only run on glucose – or ketones.7
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat, burning fat
24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase dramatically. It becomes
easier to access your fat stores to burn them off.8 This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but
there can also be other, less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of
energy (without the sugar peaks and valleys we can get from high carb meals). This may help
keep you alert and focused.9
When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called ketosis. The fastest way to
get there is by fasting – not eating anything – but nobody can consistently fast forever.10
A keto diet, on the other hand, also results in ketosis and can be eaten indefinitely. It has many
of the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast long-term.11
Who should NOT do a ketogenic diet?
There are controversies and myths about a keto diet, but for most people it appears to be very
safe.12 However, three groups often require special consideration:
Do you take medication for diabetes, e.g. insulin? More
Do you take medication for high blood pressure? More
Do you breastfeed? More
For more details about pros and cons in different situations, check out our full guide: Is a keto
diet right for you?
Are you a doctor or do you need your doctor to help you with medications on a keto diet? Have
a look at our low carb for doctors guide.
10. Disclaimer: While the ketogenic diet has many proven benefits, it’s still controversial. The main
potential danger regards medications, e.g. for diabetes, where doses may need to be adapted
(see above). Discuss any changes in medication and relevant lifestyle changes with your doctor.
Full disclaimer
This guide is written for adults with health issues, including obesity, that could benefit from a
ketogenic diet.
Controversial topics related to a keto diet, and our take on them, include saturated fats,
cholesterol, whole grains, red meat, whether the brain needs carbohydrates and restricting
calories for weight loss.
2. What to eat on a keto diet
Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. The numbers are net carbs, i.e. digestible
carbs, per 100 grams.13 To remain in ketosis, lower is generally better:
Keto diet foods: Natural fats (butter, olive oil); Meat; Fish and seafood; Eggs; Cheese;
Vegetables that grow above ground
What’s the most important thing to do to reach ketosis? Avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll
likely need to keep carb intake under 50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below 20 grams.14
The fewer carbs, the more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis, losing weight, or
improving type 2 diabetes.15
Counting carbs can be helpful at first. But if you stick to our recommended foods and recipes
you can stay keto even without counting.
Detailed list of what to eat on a keto diet
Try to avoid
Here’s what you should avoid on a keto diet – foods containing a lot of carbs, both the sugary
and the starchy kind. This includes starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These
foods are very high in carbs.
Foods to avoid on a ketogenic diet: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, beer, soda, juice, candy
11. The numbers are grams of net carbs per 100 grams, unless otherwise noted.16
Also avoid ultra-processed foods and instead follow our whole foods keto diet advice.
You should also avoid low-fat diet products. A keto diet should be moderately high in protein
and will probably be higher in fat, since fat provides the energy that you are no longer getting
from carbohydrate. Low-fat products usually provide too many carbs and not enough fuel from
protein and fat.17
More specific advice on what to eat – and what not to eat
What to drink
Keto drinks: water, coffee, tea, dry wine
What can you drink on a ketogenic diet? Water is the perfect drink, and coffee or tea are fine
too. Ideally, use no sweeteners, especially sugar.18 A splash of milk or cream in your coffee or
tea is OK, but beware that the carbs can add up if you drink multiple cups in a day (and
definitely avoid caffe lattes!). The occasional glass of wine is fine too.
Check out our full guides to keto drinks and keto alcohol.
Visual keto diet guides
For more on specific topics – like what fruits or nuts to eat on a ketogenic diet – check out our
popular visual guides:
Keto VegetablesVegetables
Keto FruitsFruits
Keto NutsNuts
Keto SnacksSnacks
Keto AlcoholAlcohol
Keto Fats & SaucesFats & sauces
Keto drinksDrinks
20 and 50 grams of carbs in different waysHow many carbs?
Keto sweetenersSweeteners
Keto diet recipes
12. We have hundreds of fantastic keto diet recipes.
The keto bread
The keto bread
2 g
Three cheese keto frittata
Three cheese keto frittata
6 g
Classic bacon and eggs
Classic bacon and eggs
1 g
Keto hamburger patties with creamy tomato sauce and fried cabbage
Keto hamburger patties with creamy tomato sauce and fried cabbage
10 g
Keto pizza
Keto pizza
5 g
Keto meat pie
Keto meat pie
7 g
Herb butter
Herb butter
1 g
Chorizo with creamed green cabbage
Chorizo with creamed green cabbage
12 g
Keto mushroom omelet
5 g
Keto BLT with cloud bread
7 g
Keto frittata with fresh spinach
4 g
Keto blue-cheese dressing
4 g
Keto Tex-Mex casserole
8 g
Whipped lemon butter
1 g
Keto turkey with cream-cheese sauce
7 g
Keto mealsMeals
Keto breakfastsBreakfasts
13. Keto snacksSnacks
Keto dessertsDesserts
Keto breadBread
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What’s the best keto recipe app for iPhone? Diet Doctor Eat! Download for free, and enjoy our
entire recipe collection in a beautiful and easy phone-friendly format.
Keto diet meal plans
Here are two weeks of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a ketogenic diet:
14-day keto diet plan
Get 60+ weekly keto meal plans, complete with recipes, shopping lists and more, with our
premium meal planner tool (free trial). Our prepared meal plans include quick & easy, budget,
family-friendly weeks, and more.
Our meal planner includes the ability to change meals to any of our hundreds of recipes, skip
meals, or even construct your own keto meal plans from scratch using our recipes, and share
them.
Tex-Mex pulled chicken soup
Mon
Carne asada with avocado salad
Tue
Taco stuffed portobello mushrooms
Wed
Pan-seared steak with yellow rice
Thu
Low-carb chicken Milanese with turnip fries
Fri
Slow-cooked beef stew
Sat
Low-carb chicken fricassee
Check keto diet suggestion video :
