The ketogenic (keto) diet has grown in popularity over the past few years, as more and more people are seeing good results by following it.
Essentially, the idea is that by following a low-carb, high-fat diet your body will go into ketosis on holiday, which means that it is burning fat as fuel instead of sugar. This means that your body will start burning your existing fat stores, and help you to lose weight.
Many people like this diet because it keeps your blood sugar relatively regular, which means that you are less likely to suffer the painful hunger pangs that you would on any other type of diet.
The biggest stumbling block is eating with other people who are not on the keto diet, and Christmas is one of the most challenging times for this! Read on for some great ideas on what you can eat over the holidays, without feeling as though you’re missing out. You never know, you might convince your friends and family to give it a try too!
Dinners
The most important point about a keto-friendly dinner is that it should have a good source of protein, as this will help you to stay fuller for longer.
If you’re a meat eater, centring your meal around a good-quality piece of meat is a good way to achieve this; a garlic-and-herb-crusted pork loin roast, or a stuffed turkey breast would make a wonderful centrepiece. Pair it with lots of yummy veg and you’re onto a winner. There are also lots of great ideas for a keto-friendly Christmas dinner here.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian you’ll need to think a little more carefully about where your protein is coming from, but it’s absolutely do-able. Tofu is a great low-carb source of protein, as are nuts.
Desserts
You might think that desserts are off the table on a low-sugar keto diet, but you’d be wrong!
Sugar itself is discouraged on the keto diet, but there are loads of keto-friendly sugar substitutes that you can use to recreate your favourite dishes. For example, you can replace high-carb flours with lower-carb alternatives such as almond flour, and you can replace sugar with sweeteners such as stevia or xylitol.
Check out these delicious keto desserts for some simple ideas that you can whip up for the holidays.
Snacks
If you’re following a keto diet you won’t be able to dip into a box of Quality Street like you might once have done, but you can snack in a way that is better for you and actually keeps you full, rather than causing your blood sugar levels to spike!
Some of the best foods you can snack on are:
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Avocado
- Cold cuts
- Olives
- Nuts
You could also make some snacks to have on hand over the holidays such as keto egg muffins.
Booze
Drinking alcohol won’t cause you to come out of ketosis, so you can drink on a keto diet. However, alcohol will slow down the usage of fat because the liver will begin to prioritise processing the alcohol.
It’s also important to remember that a lot of alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and carbs, and so are best avoided. For example, beer is very high in carbs so many people choose to drink wine instead. Cider and alcopops are high in sugar, so they are best avoided. Spirits are generally low in carbs and sugar.