25 Keto Diet Essentials

Going keto can help you cut fat in the short term, science says, so stock up on these 25 foods if you’re looking to shed fat fast.

- By Courtney Anaya

If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a primer on the keto diet: Our body traditionally uses glucose to fuel both our muscles and our brain. When you cut your carb intake to less than 5% to 10% of your total calories, the glucose deprivation forces your body to instead use fat as fuel in your workouts and forces your brain to release ketones, a backup brain food that has such effects as stopping epilepsy and enhancing mental clarity. So far, science has found that keto is an option for those looking to trim fat and can also help improve your insulin resistance and cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and maybe even offset type-2 diabetes. However, another study from The Lancet suggests that limiting carbs can shorten your lifespan, and a large study presented at the 2018 European Society of Cardiology Congress found that people on the lowest-carb diets were the most likely to die from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all other causes.

While we don’t know the long-term effects of the diet, it can help you shed fat quickly and is safe in the short term. If you’re going keto, here are 25 essential foods that are easy to always have in the house.

1 RED MEAT AND POULTRY