The Keto Diet Explained

Many of us, to kick off the New Year on the right foot, are looking into better eating habits and lifestyle changes to help us feel better and be healthier. We want to explore different diets and explain how they work and how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.

Before making any drastic diet or lifestyle change, please consult a doctor.

ILIOS Food's take on the KETO diet

The Keto Diet is a low carb, high fat (good fats!) and medium protein diet. The general idea behind this diet is that by getting most of your calories from fats and protein rather than carbs, your body will eventually run out of blood sugars (carbs turn into sugar) to use for energy and will start using fats and protein which will eventually lead to weight loss.

By reducing your carb intake and replacing it with fat, this change puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat.

Along with helping with weight loss, the Keto diet may also help with acne, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.

This diet is not intended to be used long-term. Because you will not be eating a lot of fruits and veggies (fruits and veggies are high in carbs), you would be missing out on a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients. Also, because of the high fat content in this diet, this can lead to heart disease and/or liver problems. The increased protein intake may also have adverse effects on your kidneys.

Here is a very basic list of foods to avoid and foods you should be incorporating into your Keto diet but it is best to refer to a full Keto meal plan like the Diet Doctor's 14-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan to make sure you're getting the right amount of all the good stuff.

NO LIST:

• Sugary foods (soda, juice, smoothies, cake, cookies, ice cream, candy)

• Grains or starches (wheat-based foods, rice, pasta, cereal)

• Fruit (all fruit except for small portions of berries)

• Beans and legumes (peas, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils)

• Root vegetables (potatoes, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes)

• Low-fat or diet products (often highly processed and high in carbs)

• Condiments and sauces (high sugar content)

• Unhealthy fats (try to limit your intake of processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc...)

• Alcohol (lots of sugar and carbs!)

• Sugar-free foods (often highly processed and contain sugar substitutes which can throw your body off ketosis.)

YES LIST:

• Meat (red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey)

• Fatty fish (salmon, ILIOS tuna, trout, mackerel)

• Eggs (bonus - get omega-3 eggs)

• Butter and cream

• Cheese (ILIOS has some great goat cheeses and brie!)

• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds)

• Healthy oils (ILIOS extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil)

• Avocados

• Low-carb veggies (green veggies (ILIOS spinach), tomatoes, onions, peppers)

• Condiments: salt, pepper, herbs and spices

ILIOS Foods KETO-Friendly Options

Spinach Cake (with cream cheese frosting)

Ok. So this may look like something out of Dr. Seuss but we PROMISE you don't even taste the spinach!

WOW your guests with this cool looking cake that has a little healthy edge.

ILIOS Spinach Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1.5-2 cups of ILIOS spinach (thawed)

3/4 cups of ILIOS olive oil

2 tbsp of lemon juice

2 cups of flour (sifted)

3 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

Frosting:

1 250g block of cream cheese (room temperature)

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

1 1/2 tbsp of milk

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2. Use blender to puree the eggs, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice and spinach together until smooth.

3. Remove the small cap from the blender (to open the hole) and slowly pour in the olive oil while the blender is at a low setting.

4. Sift together all your dry ingredients and, using the little hole on the top of your blender, add them to the wet ingredients about 1/4 cup at a time. Use "pulse" setting to mix.

5. Grease cake pan, line with parchment paper, lightly grease parchment paper and pour the batter in.

6. Bake for approx. 30 minutes (check to see if cooked with toothpick at about 20 minutes).

7. Let cool for at least 1 hour.

8. For frosting, whisk all ingredients together. Use hand blender if possible to make it easier.

9. Slather frosting all over your cake and enjoy!

Spinach & Pea Pasta

What's better than a recipe that combines comfort food and healthy eats? 

This multi-tasking spinach and pea pasta is so easy to make and is oh so tasty! The perfect fall meal for the whole family!

ILIOS Spinach & Pea Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pack of ILIOS organic spaghetti

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 1/4 cups of ILIOS frozen spinach (thawed)

1/2 cup of ILIOS frozen peas (thawed)

1 cup of grated Gran Regale Parmesan-type cheese

Salt, pepper and ground nutmeg to taste

Recipe:

1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. In the same pot (less dishes!), over medium high heat, add the cream and spinach. Bring to a boil, take off heat and mix in the peas and cheese. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste before tossing in the pasta.

3. EAT!!!