The ketogenic diet is a low carb-high fiber, or protein diet that diet planners have used to treat certain medical conditions in children that could otherwise be not treated with normal medication. Since the early 19th century, it has been around but gained more popularity in the late 90s when researchers found out the benefits of ketogenic diet among obese individuals. Athletes and sportsmen also widely use it to control their body weight and metabolism to help them perform better and for longer durations.
Proponents of the ketogenic diet believe that the daily net carbohydrate intake should not exceed 25 grams per day. The net carbohydrate intake is calculated after removing the fiber and sugar alcohol. You can incorporate several keto-friendly foods into the diet. A ketogenic diet should be carefully planned and monitored because its basic principle is to cut down carbohydrates drastically. Carbohydrates are essential macronutrients, but their excess can cause more harm than good.
People with low metabolism are recommended to follow the keto diet as it helps burn down the excess fat and control weight. While finding an alternative to high-carb foods can be a challenge, beans have been known to contain high fiber and proteins, which you can incorporate into the keto diet in smaller amounts.
Keto-friendly Beans
Beans are generally high in carbohydrates but also contain very high fiber and proteins. They also provide several essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary for healthy body functions. Unfortunately, most beans are not keto-friendly, but green beans or black soybeans are the best beans that one can use in a keto diet. Here is a keto beans list that one can incorporate into the ketogenic diet:
- Black beans, 12g net carbs
- Kidney beans, 13g net carbs
- Black soybeans, 2g net carbs
- Green beans, 2g of net carbs
- Lima beans, 12g net carbs
- Lentils, 11g net carbs
- Great Northern beans, 13g net carbs
- Pinto beans, 15g net carbs
- Chickpeas, 18g net carbs
From the list, you can see that these beans have net carbohydrate content well under the daily intake of 25 grams of net carbohydrates on a ketogenic diet. The serving size is set at ½ cup of cooked beans (approximately an average of 70 grams of cooked beans). The green beans are lighter than black beans; hence their serving size can be approximately 60 grams, while heavier black beans are approximately 90 grams.
Beans should always be consumed cooked and not raw. While some people might argue that overcooking can result in nutrient loss, it is not true. One cannot easily digest raw beans. Cooking with herbs and spices enhances the taste of the beans and helps break them down easily.
Beans can be boiled too with soup, or as a salad dressing. Lentils soup is a very popular dish in Asian countries and is gaining popularity elsewhere too. The serving size of beans for individuals on a ketogenic diet should never exceed 90 grams. Also, baked beans should be completely avoided as they contain added sugars that might render your keto diet ineffective.
Substitutes to Beans
It is often difficult to judge which beans are keto-friendly and which aren’t. One way to find out is to check the glycemic index of the beans you desire to consume on a ketogenic diet so that it does not interfere with your eating regime. Beans are not the only foods that can help in following a ketogenic diet, though, and here are some substitutes that you can consume more freely as compared to beans:
- Boiled peanuts: Peanuts are legumes and closest to beans when it comes to protein and fiber content. Boiled peanuts have the same texture as beans and can be consumed more freely than beans.
- Ground meat: We all know that meat is high-protein-low-carbohydrate food, an integral component of a keto-friendly diet. Ground meat is more easily digested and can be used as a substitute to beans in soups.
- Mushrooms: Edible mushrooms are very low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. Cooked mushrooms are another excellent substitute to beans in certain recipes.
- Eggplant: Eggplants are similar to mushrooms and can be roasted and mashed to be used as dips. These have very high fiber content that helps in cutting down carbs and subside the craving to eat more.
What is Ketosis?
Individuals following a ketogenic diet are recommended to cut down on carbohydrates drastically. When the carbohydrate intake is nearly zero, the body first draws out stored glucose from the liver to burn it to produce energy. Then, when the glucose is completely exhausted, fats are drawn out. The body starts breaking down fat to produce ketones that produce the energy necessary for various bodily functions. This whole process is known as ketosis.
Benefits of Keto diet
The ketogenic diet has a large number of health benefits, but only when it is closely monitored. Too much ketosis is also harmful to the body as carbohydrates are necessary macronutrients. There are several health benefits of the keto diet:
- Helps in weight loss in obese individuals
- Improves metabolism
- Is known to prevent seizures and Atkins disease
- Helps in controlling blood sugar levels in Diabetics
- Lowers the risk of heart diseases as the cholesterol levels are reduced
Conclusion
You can incorporate several foods into a keto-friendly diet. While judging which beans are keto-friendly may be difficult, you can always consult with your healthcare professional to understand the diet regime better. You can ask your dietician for a keto beans list, keto vegetables list, and keto meat list, too, for options for various recipes.
You can visit our website and find more about keto-friendly food items. Some of our products are completely natural and free from added sugar that can be very useful for following a ketogenic diet. You can also write to us for more details about the nutritional values of our products.
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