You’ve walked down the snack aisle at Costco and see “KETO FRIENDLY” emblazoned on the packages. But wait…are they really keto friendly foods? What makes a food keto friendly? And can a food really be labeled keto anyways? Who says food is keto or not? All of these are excellent questions. So let’s dive down the rabbit hole together.

Firstly, let’s define a few things. There is no governing body that labels products as acceptably keto. Food manufactures want your hard earned dollars so they need to appeal to you to drop that into their corporate piggy bank. And how do they do that? They appeal to your desire for snacks and foods and packing that leaps into your grocery cart because it is “less than 20 grams (net) carbs” or “zero carbs” or “no carbs.” Of course, being the savvy keto consumer, you go okay that less than 20 grams carbs and I want that. But stop…did you check the label to see if there were hidden carbs, sugar alcohols (not counted), fibre or whatever that may lower the total carb grams? Yep, you have to check the label and its ingredients to figure out if the product is good for you if you are truly following a keto lifestyle — a lifestyle that supports ketones in your bloodstream for metabolic fuel.

Secondly, keto supportive foods should enable your liver to produce ketones because your blood glucose is in a healthy range and your blood ketones are above 0.5 mmol/L. With that said, a food doesn’t need a label to tell you it’s a good keto choice for you. Personally, I suggest that the majority of your food in your grocery cart should not have a label (per se) and is likely found in the perimeter of the grocery store.

Thirdly, the whole point of following a keto lifestyle is to have improved metabolic markers, feel amazing in your skin, reduced inflammation, and so much more. Check out this post for more positive symptoms of following a keto diet framework. Or head on over to Dr Ken Berry’s YouTube Channel or Dr Boz’s YouTube Channel for more information on this lifestyle.

So what do I look for if I want “keto friendly” foods without being told what is or is not keto friendly?

I found this quote a long time ago that summarizes it for me:

“If it didn’t come from the ground or the ocean or have a mother – don’t eat it.”

Jillian Michaels

Dr Ken Berry recently presented a very good list of what makes appropriate food for humans during his talk at the Proper Human Diet Summit 2022 – anything that

• grazes
• grows
• swims
• crawls
• slithers
• flys

No where on this list or the previous quote does a food come from a factory or brightly-coloured package that states something like “keto friendly.” Nope, no where.

So the next time you are in the grocery store or market, skip the aisle with the labels and “keto-friendly” stickers, and choose real food like meat or any kind, produce (they’re brightly coloured and eye-appealing), eggs, and dairy (if you are including it). Simple, right? Fill your cart up with nutrients and know that you are feeding your body for its maximum health and wellbeing.

Are you curious how you can get started on this lifestyle? Look no further. Drop an email inquiry to Brenda, who is a certified keto-adapted keto/carnivore coach and holistic nutritional consultant. She offers a FREE 20-minute Discovery Chat to figure out how keto or low carb lifestyle is for you.