Keto and veggies, a match made in heaven. The grass-fed rib-eye steak is never complete without a nice side of buttery spinach, asparagus, and mushrooms (in my eyes). The fresh taste of keto-friendly vegetables really does bring out the succulent flavor of meat, not to mention the benefits of consuming these nutritious veggies.
A well-formulated ketogenic diet is one that includes a lot of low-carb vegetables. Because the keto diet is low carb, it would be easy to assume that the diet is also lacking in fibrous veggies. The plate can be filled with the most nutrient-dense, low-carb vegetables to your heart’s content – it is a matter of choosing wisely rather than outright restriction.
Vegetables that grow above the ground tend to be low in carbohydrates as well as dark leafy vegetables.
Spinach – 1.4g
Bok choy– 1.2g
Asparagus – 1.9g
Celery – 1.8g
Watercress – 0.8g
Cauliflower – 3g
Cucumber – 3.1g
Brussels sprouts – 5.2g
Avocado (technically a fruit) – 1.84g
Broccoli – 4g
(per 100g serving)
Not just famed for the muscles it gave Popeye, spinach is so versatile, it can be the main part of a salad to the perfect side to a steak. High in niacin, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and more. It’s not just your taste buds that will thank you either, your gut bacteria will benefit from a good source of dietary fiber.
Asparagus, the flavor bomb that is straight in my shopping trolley when I am choosing veggies. Boiled, steamed, or roasted, asparagus is much like spinach in its versatility. Particularly good in stir-fry and oven bakes. Asparagus yields decent amounts of pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, as well as being a great source of other nutrients and minerals.
Another superstar in the veg game is broccoli, it features in tray bakes, roast dinners that can be utilized as a rice substitute, and more. Broccoli is a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin K. High in anti-oxidants, broccoli is under research for its protective properties against cancer and other diseases.
The above list of veggies to be included in your keto diet is only a guide, there are hundreds of choices when it comes to good vegetables to choose from. Supplying a good dose of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants a ketogenic diet is not complete without a healthy serving of veggies on the plate.
Nutrition Data – http://www.nutritiondata.self.com