Most keto dieters don't worry about grain or corn shortages since they don't consume the crops. Yet, scarcity or prohibitive pricing spikes of grain or other items—like the current diesel issue truckers are experiencing—can cause cascading effects within the supply chain, potentially resulting in massive #shortages and delays, or sharp rising costs making some staple items suddenly out of reach.
The interconnected nature of our just-in-time food system, and the fact that many of us rely upon it as our primary source of sustenance, may soon reveal serious shortcomings, as issues in one part of the pipeline may directly impact another region that seems unrelated.
Furthermore, rising food prices and the increasing cost of virtually everything may prompt you to consider buying shelf-stable foods or preserving fresh foods to beat #inflation as much as possible.
And with global and national uncertainties looming on many fronts, it seems wise to embrace the urge to prepare by fortifying your low-carb pantry with the nutrient-dense foods you need to continue to provide for your family's unique needs to stay ahead of whatever's coming next.
As supply chains show gaps, keto dieters can benefit from stocking up on foods that store well and contain few carbohydrates, as traditional 'prepper' staples like rice, beans, oats, and other starchy foods won't work well with most keto macro budgets.
When you keep extra food on hand, your family will be well-fed throughout the year, whether you need it for a last-minute recipe, on a rainy day when you don't feel like going out, or during a natural or man-made disaster.
Furthermore, putting up comforting staples like instant #coffee, powdered butter, and an abundance of low-carb baking ingredients can help crush nagging cravings to limit carbs on a whim; it's easy to stay on track when you have all the essentials you'll need right at home.
Diversify your keto pantry with affordable omega-3-rich fish, like mackerel or fatty herring, that is fast, convenient, and tastes delicious right from the can. You can also add beef, pork, chicken, and even canned or dried bacon to your culinary arsenal, increasing the flavors you can use in your meals with these delicious enhancements.
The following are some of my favorite and most essential keto #pantry staples—foods I feasted on to lose more than 100 pounds on keto:
#15: Freeze-dried Foods
Fish and Seafood
The ketogenic diet has been proven effective since the 1920s when the strict low-carb, high-fat diet became a formidable treatment for children with medically-resistant epilepsy.
Plus, studies canvasing the health outcomes of those following a Mediterranean diet, eating lean proteins, primarily fish, moderate amounts of red meat, loads of slow-digesting veggies, and ample amounts of heart-healthy olive oil highlights a significant point; eating fish and seafood is an ideal option to boost cholesterol and heart health, and the macros track well for anyone following a keto diet!
Furthermore, the abundant choices of premium seafood available in quality oils or water-based brines are an excellent addition to the pantry of any conscious keto dieter looking for a way to protect heart health and balance hormones and insulin levels.
Check out the following omega-3-rich options from the sea for some ideas of items you may want to add to your grocery list for your next keto pantry haul:
Mackerel: This succulent fatty fish is rich in vitamin B-12, with a single serving containing more than the recommended daily allowance for adults (2.4 mcg per day). Furthermore, mackerel contains niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, and selenium.
Salmon: Consider picking up canned salmon or pressure-can some wild-caught filets when you find them on sale. This fatty fish helps lower the risk of heart disease and stroke and aids in reducing triglycerides, lowering blood pressure, and raising HDL levels (healthy cholesterol)—while pairing perfectly with steamed cruciferous veggies like broccoli florets—for a fantastic keto meal made fast and easy.
Or sear some savory salmon cakes with roasted veggies and a creamy, rich tartar sauce for a delicious and easy keto meal using ingredients you probably have in your pantry.
Sardines: These oily little fish contain zero carbs and are a good source of healthy fat and protein! As a result, sardines are the perfect keto food! Canned sardines make a delicious keto breakfast, dinner, or snack: consider serving them right out of the can with a side of boiled eggs.
Herring: Fish such as herring are excellent for keto because they are low-carb and high in healthy fats. Herring is also minimally processed and virtually free from harmful ingredients like mercury often found in larger marine life.
Also, besides being low in calories, high in protein, and a rich source of vitamin D, herring is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps maintain good health by supporting cardiovascular function.
Kipper Snacks: These delicious little sea filets are made rather than born, in a sense—created in a specialized way that converts the already fantastic herring fish to a kipper snack.
This firm fish is packed with satiating omega-3 fatty acids, and pairs perfectly with fluffy or buttery scrambled eggs or poached eggs cooked in kipper water.
Crab: These crustaceans are great for keto because they are low in carbs and packed with protein. Moreover, they offer many health benefits, along with a subtle, sweet taste.
A crab's rich protein content is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass. Additionally, crab is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium—offering the body an arsenal of protective properties to prevent a variety of chronic diseases.
Lobster: Aside from iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, sodium, and vitamin B12, lobsters also contain other minerals and vitamins. In addition, its low carb content makes it a favorite among keto enthusiasts, especially dripping in salted grass-fed butter!
Tuna: Among its many nutritional benefits, tuna has a high protein content, making it an effective food for weight-loss, as the amino acids it provides are essential for building muscle tissue—a process that energizes the metabolism.
Oysters contain loads of nutrients, providing omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, copper, and vitamin B12. Plus, oysters are a delicious delicacy and easy to find in shelf-stable forms to stock up your keto pantry. I especially love the smoked variety produced by Crown Prince; sprinkle with some sea salt and pair with crisp broccoli for a fast and filling dish ready in minutes!
Eel: A nutrient-dense whole food like eel provides a rich source of healthy fats, and it's, of course, vital to consume healthy fats for your body to generate and burn clean fuel while in ketosis.
Eel is also high in #potassium, selenium, manganese, zinc, and #iron, has zero sugar, has a low sodium content, and is high in phosphorus. Furthermore, the eel is a tasty and healthy fish that you can easily incorporate into your keto meal plan if you wish to expand your options while effortlessly restricting your carb intake.
Anchovies contain many #vitamins and minerals that promote general health. They are best known for their omega-3 fatty acid content, benefiting the brain and heart. Moreover, anchovies contain selenium, which may lower the risk of certain types of cancer if eaten regularly.
Furthermore, anchovies can add a distinct flavor to condiments like ketchup while offering essential nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc.
Caviar: Each ounce of caviar contains 70 calories. However, it has 7 grams of high-quality protein, making it an ideal addition to low-carb and keto diets, with 5 grams of fat and only 1 gram of carbohydrates.
Nevertheless, it's essential to carefully choose the source of your fish eggs and avoid brands that include artificial colors like blue #1, red #40, and yellow #5.
Caviar is loaded with vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and healthy fats, making it an excellent pescatarian protein source.
Cod is a popular fish that is high in protein and nutrients. A 100-gram serving of the fish has 84 calories and 0.25 grams of fat. Furthermore, this saltwater variety contains vitamins E, A, and C, and multiple B vitamins, including B6 and B-12.
Gefilte Fish: Besides being nutritious, gefilte fish—often deboned carp, pike, mullet or whitefish—is an excellent source of protein for your low-carb diet. It is very low in calories and most varieties are simply packed in water rather than oil, for a potentially longer shelf life.
Meat
Mediterranean low-carb diets promote fish proteins and fats, and research supports their sentiment. Nevertheless, heavier meat-eaters can incorporate premium fresh or canned meat options into meals to accent their menu while still remaining conscious of overall health.
Make sure your meat comes from grass-fed and grass-finished sources, whenever possible, and try to avoid genetically modified or antibiotic-treated foods as a general rule.
You can eat beef, chicken, pork, cured meats, or luncheon meat on a keto diet, but it’s important to seek sources free of added growth hormones or nitrates and nitrites which may cause long-term health effects (1).
Here are some hearty meat options to consider stacking in your pantry for a quick and satisfying keto meal, when you have to improvise something quickly with what you already have at home:
Beef: Grass-fed beef delivers additional health benefits, including aiding in weight loss without requiring extra effort thanks to the cut's rich electrolyte content—especially essential to anyone following a low-carb, high-fat diet.
Grass-fed beef is also healthier because it contains many #antioxidants, such as vitamin
E and omega-3 fatty acids, fewer unhealthy fats, and lower bad cholesterol (called LDL
cholesterol), still considered by many as a potential hazard to cardiovascular health.
Pork: Pork is also a rich source of vitamins and minerals like phosphorus, selenium, and thiamine. It is richer in thiamine, a B vitamin essential to various body functions, than other red meats like beef and lamb.
As well as being savory and slightly sweet, pork is also a nutritious source of protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, and zinc!
Lamb: Besides being a rich source of high-quality protein, lamb is also an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
Also, lamb is typically consumed in Mediterranean diets, repeatedly shown to help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (2, 3, 5). Furthermore, grass-fed lamb is rich omega-3 fats, a nutrient associated with reduced inflammation and possibly reduced risks of heart disease.
Buffalo:Buffalo meat is rich in selenium, a potent antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress and inflammatory responses resulting from a poor diet.
Moreover, buffalo meat is lower in cholesterol and higher in minerals than most red meat and contains less than half the fat of conventional lean beef!
Deer: This heart-healthy meat is rich in nutrients such as vitamin B12, zinc, and niacin, which can help promote weight loss, boost brain health, enhance immunity, encourage muscle growth, and prevent anemia.
Elk: A lean and protein-packed selection, elk meat has a fifth of the fat of beef, a great option when manipulating calories for weight loss, muscle building, and to facilitate improved cardiovascular health.
Poultry
A typical first thought when considering poultry is a chicken. However, a poultry animal is any creature raised to produce meat or eggs, such as chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks—also defined as the flesh of these birds.
Eating #poultry on a keto diet and keeping cans of store-bought chicken breast or succulent home-canned dark meat chicken thighs provide an abundance of nutrients, including:
Iodine which aids in the production of #thyroid hormones.
Iron to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body.
Zinc to strengthen your immune system, keep your skin healthy, and support growth, development, and reproduction of muscle tissue.
Vitamin #B12 to maintain healthy nerves.
Omega-3 to stimulate brain and heart health.
Plus, small short-tailed game birds, such as #quail, are becoming more popular—with some families even raising them at home, as many return to urban and rural #homesteading, creating modern victory gardens to increase self-sufficiency.
Dairy
Dairy contributes creaminess and richness to recipes and coffee. Nevertheless, shelf-stable options are crucial to fortify your food supply and make sure you have ample staple items on-hand that won't spike your blood sugar—even in the event of having no power to cool and preserve dairy foods for extended periods.
You can quickly reconstitute powdered dairy products to work as a great creamer in coffee or tea. And powdered heavy cream, butter, and cheeses work wonderfully to create a low-carb mac & cheese sauce that will satisfy all!
Here are a few shelf-stable dairy items to grab on your next trip to the market:
Heavy Cream, Trader Joe’s (boxed)
Shelf-stable dairy milk (boxed)
Powdered Milk or Cream
Butter (canned or powdered)
Cheese (shredded and freeze-dried, canned or powdered)
Plant-based Milk
Dairy milk can contribute amazing taste and texture to recipes, but there are also a variety of plant-based alternatives with fabulous flavor, dense nutrients, and the ability to last for years on your pantry shelf unscathed.
Add the following plant-based options to your keto meal plan to diversify your low-carb milk options:
Macadamia Milk
Almond Milk
Hemp Milk
Soy Milk (Organic, or non-GMO)
Cashew Milk
Coconut Milk or Cream (liquid or powdered)
Whether you prefer to mix some into your morning smoothie or to pour some on top of Magic Spoon or Schoolyard Snacks keto-friendly cereals for a simple and sweet breakfast reminiscent of Saturday mornings as a kid, any of the above plant-based milk options is low-carb, nutrient-rich and the perfect pairing on a low-carb diet.
Plant-based Proteins
The body can easily digest plant-derived foods, absorbing their nutrients effortlessly to optimize function and performance. In addition, plant-based, complete proteins like hemp, #chia, and flax seeds are great for storing long-term, even if you live in a small apartment with limited space.
These are some nutrient-rich seeds I like to buy in bulk and always have on hand:
Hemp Seeds: Raw hemp seeds burst with nutritional goodness and contain no carbs, making them an ideal keto food. Furthermore, they have all nine essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, such as magnesium and iron, and the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to promote optimal health.
Chia Seeds: You can't go wrong with chia seeds on a keto diet! They are low in carbs but high in fiber, making them filling and satisfying to keep you feeling full for hours without sensations of sluggishness.
Chia seeds have 12 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fiber, 9 grams of fat, and 4.7 grams of protein per ounce!
Plus, you can add one tablespoon of chia seeds to a cup of plant-based milk with vanilla extract and keto sweetener, and let it set up in the refrigerator overnight for an amazing and satiating #chia pudding to put any bowl of fatigue-inducing, quick oats to shame.
Make Easy and Delicious Overnight 'Oats' Chia Pudding!
Flaxseeds: These seeds are high in healthy fat and fiber but low in digestible carbohydrates (so-called net carbs), making them perfect for low-carb, high-fat #ketogenic diets. Plus, you can use these versatile seeds as an egg replacement in baked goods or a binder when making no-bake, keto-friendly energy bars. Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds are an ingredient used throughout the world, most often for topping baked goods like hamburger buns. They're ideal for keto diets with low carbs and high-fat content. Also, they contain #lignans, which have anti-inflammatory properties to aid in preventing a multitude of illnesses.
Tofu & Tempeh: Tofu, seitan, and #tempeh are all keto-friendly vegan meat replacements that are a good source of protein. They're delicious high-protein, low-carb selections that you can prepare in various ways.
There's no reason to sacrifice flavor or texture: you can still eat all of your favorite recipes with these #meatless options as their flavor is neutral and will assume the palette of tastes you infuse.
Flours and Baking Essentials
Adding baked goods to our meal plans provides richness and complexity, and that doesn't have to change when we adopt a #keto diet.
The problem is that traditional flours and grain-based baking mixes are typically too high in carbs and fast-acting sugars to work well on a low-carb diet. However, alternative flours and blends are available both high in fiber and low in carbs to help you have your cake and eat it too.
Try these flours to replicate your favorite baked goods with significantly fewer carbs:
Lupin Flour: Despite being a legume—usually restricted on the ketogenic diet—the lupin bean is high in fiber and is ideal for diabetics or anyone following a low-carb, high-fat diet.
Lupin flour works well in nearly any baked good recipe, but is slightly bitter in taste, so it's best suited for savory recipes unless you sweeten it, with a keto-friendly option like Swerve, to offset its slight bite.
Plus, #lupin flour offers additional health benefits that are not found in almond
flour, coconut flour, or other low-carb blends on the market. Lupin beans have anti-inflammatory properties and may help fight various chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and #hypertension!
Moreover, lupin beans also contain a high level of protein, low GI carbohydrates, a
high level of fiber, as well as #minerals, vitamins, #carotenoids, and #polyphenols.
Almond Flour: Sugar withdrawal paired with a craving for baked goods is a miserable state of affairs. However, using grain-based alternatives for baking, like almond flour—which is lower in carbohydrates and more nutrient-dense than #wheat or coconut flour—is a keto option that produces delicious results that you can use instead.
Plus, almond flour contains less phytic acid than other low-carb options, helping your body to absorb a substantial amount of its nutrients.
As an alternative to wheat flour, almond flour is considered one of the best flours for weight loss as it contains low amounts of #carbs and has an extremely low glycemic index, reducing blood sugar levels, thereby promoting weight loss.
Moreover, almond flour contains manganese, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants that help lower the risk of severe health conditions like cancer, #diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Coconut Flour: Gluten-free coconut flour is derived exclusively from hearty coconut meat—providing a healthy dose of protein and fiber. Including it in your diet may improve digestion and help the heart. When eaten alongside a nutritious, balanced diet, it may also contribute to maintaining healthy body weight.
Coconut flour does have a distinct, mild flavor. However, for those who don't like the coconut taste, getting used to it may take a bit of time, and you need about 1/3 of the all-purpose flour called for in recipes as it's highly fibrous, and a little goes a long way.
King Arthur Keto Wheat Flour Blend: The wheat #gluten and high #fiber wheat variety used in this all-purpose blend is credited with the King Arthur Keto Wheat Blend's ability to aid in weight loss and not spiking glucose. The term keto wheat flour may seem contradictory, but it's not. The truth is, it exists! Although wheat isn't a popular choice for people on a keto diet because of the typical high carb content, it's entirely possible to eat certain wheat-based products if the net carb total stays low with the inclusion of carb-conscious, high-fiber wheat blends in your diet.
Flourish or other high-fiber flour:
Despite its absence of wheat bran, Flourish is a high-fiber product made from a non-GMO, high-amylose wheat variety containing an endosperm abundant in resistant starch—a dietary fiber that doesn't digest in the small intestine but ferments in the large intestine.
This fiber can deliver up to ten times more dietary fiber per serving than traditional wheat flour. It also has the same performance characteristics, taste and texture as traditional wheat flour, making it an ideal swap in any baking endeavor.
Carbquik: There are debates about whether #Carbquik and some other keto flour blends truly qualify as keto if they contain gluten, as it may cause inflammation and digestive issues. But if you don't have Celiac Disease, Crohn's Disease, or another gluten intolerance, you can easily consume Carbquik without sacrificing your macronutrient targets.
Fermented Foods/Beverages
An optimal digestive system is essential to overall well-being, as it breaks down foods and assimilates nutrients efficiently to best support optimal health.
Whether you combine brats and #kraut or prefer gut-healthy #kimchi with your low-carb meals, #fermented foods provide an ideal environment for the breakdown and assimilation of nutrients, and the subsequent creation of energy.
These tangy, tasty foods and beverages provide added fiber or improved digestion, and it's easy and cost effective to add them to your weekly meal plan, as you can make and preserve most of them at home:
Kimchi
Sauerkraut
Pickled Foods
Wine (sugar-free, low-carb varieties, like Dry Farm Wines)
Kefir (Water or Milk)
Kombucha
Sea Vegetables
Whether obtained from land or sea, vegetables are extremely valuable. You should include sea vegetables such as sea moss or kelp in your comprehensive keto diet plan because they are incredibly mineral rich.
Here are a few additional sea veggies to consider stocking in your keto pantry:
- Dulse
- Nori
- Wakame
- Sea Moss: I love making keto-friendly jams and using sea moss and chia seeds in place of #pectin to thicken and enrich the jelly or jam with essential minerals! Plus, my son loves my berry blends and doesn't even notice the added boost of nutrition—a wonderful win-win!
Nuts and Nut or Seed Butters
Adding nuts and seeds, and their butters, to your diet will provide you with a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and protein. You may also choose one or more of the following low-carb options to add some satisfying fat to your meal plan with these delectable pods that are perfect for snacking at any time of day:
Almonds/Almond Butter
Pili Nut/Pili Nut Butter
Cashews/Cashew Butter
Peanuts/Peanut Butter
Walnuts/Walnut Butter
Sunflower Seeds/Sunflower Butter
Hemp Seeds/Hemp Butter
SuperFat Keto Nut Butter
Macadamia Nuts/Macadamia Butter
Sunflower Seeds/Sunflower Butter
Pistachios/Pistachio Butter
Brazil Nuts/Brazil Nut Butter
Pecans/Pecan Butter
Nuts n’ More Butters (e.g., Birthday Cake is my favorite!)
Hazelnuts/Hazelnut Butter
Make Cashew and Macadamia Nut Butter at Home!
Seeds
Raw or sprouted seeds offer a broad spectrum of dense nutrients and add flavor and flare to low-carb, high-fat meals. Complete protein offerings like chia, #hemp, and flax, are always ingredients to have handy. Plus, you can enjoy shelf-stable seeds on keto to add endless variety to your diet.
Here are a few filling seed options you may want to add to your keto pantry:
Black or White Chia Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Golden or Brown Flax Seeds
Hemp Hearts (Seeds)
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds (Raw or Toasted)
Electrolytes, Supplements, and Meal Replacements
It's essential to find ways to incorporate electrolytes into your keto lifestyle. You may also want to include meal replacements and supplements for convenience and added nutrition you can easily take wherever you go.
I have been drinking and enjoying Perfect Keto's Lemon Greens with #MCTs and their electrolytes blend in watermelon—often pairing the powder with the unsweetened Waterloo seltzer, some True Lemon granules, and a dropper or two of liquid #stevia, for a quick keto soda made easily at home.
I've also enjoyed the electrolytes mixed into a refreshing keto chia Fresca water that's recently made its way into my keto beverage rotation as we ease into the warmer summer months.
I also think it's a great idea to have protein shake meal replacements handy for times when you want to blend something up without too much fuss. Plus, having premixed, single-serve, keto shakes stocked and chilled in the fridge is a perfect grab-and-go meal selection I like to always have around for a low-effort, grab and sip meal that's ready whenever I am.
Plus, brands like #Isopure, #QuestNutrition, #Atkins, and Premier Protein all offer tasty, keto-friendly meal replacement shake options with ideal macros for anyone committed to curbing the carbs. And I've found all brands in stores like Target and even Walgreens, or get them sent via one-day shipping from Amazon.
Powdered Foods
Dehydrating and powdering food like tomatoes, roots like #turmeric, or adding #antioxidant powders in hot cocoa or keto cakes, is a great way to add powdered foods into your meal plan and pantry stores. Plus, you can also consider stocking up on the following powdered foods to round out your supplies:
MCT Powder with Whey Protein
Organic Grass-fed Butter Powder
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
Keto BHB Powder
Powdered Butter
Tomato Powder
Powdered Cheese
Dehydrated Foods
Removing moisture from meals transforms them into shelf-stable nourishment to enjoy for several seasons. For example, you can store onions and bell peppers in bulk for long-term storage, dehydrate eggs to form a shelf-stable powder, or try making tomato powder to add to various condiments, sauces and soups.
Investing in a basic dehydrator, or a multi-purpose unit like the Emeril Lagasse AirFryer 360 that I use on the ‘dehydrate’ setting to preserve everything from jerky to fruit leather wraps, is an excellent method to bulking up your pantry stores on a budget.
Zucchini and other summer squash are among the simplest vegetables to dehydrate, and they will both retain their flavor and freshness for recipes all year.
Furthermore, you can prepare yourself for potentially increasing egg prices due to flu outbreaks and other supply issues by cooking, dehydrating, and raw-process powdering eggs for later use—this method comes in very handy if you don't have access to refrigerated eggs.
Freeze-dried Foods
Dehydrated food can last from 15 to 20 years, while freeze-dried food has a shelf life of 25 to 30 years! You should use freeze-dried food within a month after opening and exposing it to oxygen, and store any opened freeze-dried food in a cool, dark place like canned goods.
Plus, you can find freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, and mixed berries at Trader Joe's for an extra nutrient-dense addition to chia puddings, smoothies, or reconstitute it to make keto jam or jelly, at a cost per ounce that’s about a third of store or online options I’ve found, at about $3.99 per one-ounce bag.
Plus, progressive brands like Wild Zora, and other companies like Augason Farms, Azure Standard, and Mother’s Earth offer a wide array of freeze-dried and other shelf-stable foods that fit your macros so you can fill your pantry with long-term options like sausage scramble and steak omelet, which come in handy after a long day or if the power goes out.
Also, Mountain House offers single-serve sized packets of freeze-fried scrambled eggs and larger #10 cans of powdered eggs that make for excellent staple keto pantry picks that store well long-term.
Keto Meals-to-Go/Snacks
Sometimes you need something you can easily heat and eat in minutes without the unwanted excess carbs and sugars, and the following brands have you covered with low-carb, high-fat options you can have ready in a flash—even without the need for electricity.
Here are some keto-friendly brands that offer backpacking meals suitable for long-term stockpiling:
Wild Zora (keto-friendly soups, instant grain-free hot cereal, stews and veggie bars, et al.)
Mountain House Adventure Meals (e.g., scrambled eggs and #bacon, etc.)
Perfect Keto (e.g., bars, greens, etc.) Use code: LOWCARBSWEETSPOT for 15% off all purchases!
Hilo Life Keto Snacks
Quest (e.g., bars, chips, and protein mixes, etc.)
Spices and Seasoning
Adding a sprinkling of your favorite flavorful seasonings can elevate a basic meal to something extraordinary. While some store-bought blends may be healthy, many contain tons of #sugar and other potentially harmful ingredients. Instead, keep your spice pantry keto-friendly with the following options:
Flavor God: This brand, specifically their Garlic Lovers seasoning, has been an absolute favorite for about a decade. and their Buttery Cinnamon Roll selection is divine; a few shakes takes overnight chia pudding to mind-blowing levels!
BeyondShakerz (e.g., Screamin Onion Powder)
FreshJax Keto Chophouse Organic Steak Seasoning
Trader Joe’s (e.g., Everything But the Bagel, Everything But the Elote, etc.)
Sauces and Dressings
Sauces add extra decadence to veggies and other foods, but many brands contain lots of sugar—even sometimes listed under another name, so beware!
Make your own sauces and salad dressings at home, or choose sugar-free alternatives like these to reduce carbs without compromising taste:
Stubb’s BBQ Sauces
Lillie's Q Keto-Friendly Sauces
Salt
Mineral-rich salts are vital to replenish nutrients and electrolytes lost when the body enters metabolic #ketosis. Consider stocking the following salts in your pantry to enhance flavor in foods, replenish the body with essential minerals, or aid in pickling, fermenting, or curing them.
Himalayan Pink Salt
Nama Malak (Black Salt)
Celtic Salt
Truffle Salt
Iodized Salt (or double up on #dulse, kelp, and other sea vegetables for a hearty dose of iodine)
Kosher Salt
Redmond Real Salt
Water and Other Vital Fluids
While metabolic ketosis provides many health benefits, it causes the body to release more electrolytes and body fluid (water), which we must replenish more frequently to maintain proper hydration.
As a result, it's essential to include various beverages and nutritive fluids, like bone broth, in your daily routine. Staying hydrated improves #digestion and helps the body break down the fatty acids it is storing to aid in weight loss!
Whether you decide to tote and sip #water all day or prefer increasing fluids through fermented coconut #kefir or #kombucha, daily consumption of beverages abundant in hydration and minerals contributes to the vitality of your cells.
Here are a few of my staple sugar-free, refreshing and nourishing beverages that I drink regularly:
Water (e.g., plain water, plain or flavored seltzer, etc.): I love bubly, Waterloo and a few other unsweetened brands of seltzer water; pair them with citrus and sweetener for a quick keto soda.
Coconut water
Bone broth
Sea moss water (mineral water)
Water Kefir or Coconut Water Kefir
Coffee
Tea
Meal replacement shakes
The Takeaway
Choosing a diet rich in healthy fats, #proteins, and low-glycemic fruits and vegetables is a beautiful way to optimize metabolic function, assisting with everything from appetite suppression and glucose and insulin regulation to supporting effortless weight loss.
Dark leafy greens from the market or your garden are a great way to stay well-nourished. But don't underestimate the power of a well-stocked pantry filled with all the low-carb fare needed to help you achieve your wellness goals without the distractions and temptations that can quickly end up swaying your choices if you're not prepared.
Furthermore, by buying your keto staples in bulk—and ideally on sale—you'll have a better chance of outpacing rising prices both in stores and online.
Resources
1. Opinion of the scientific panel on biological hazards (BIOHAZ) related to the effects of nitrites/nitrates on the microbiological safety of Meat Products. (2004). EFSA Journal, 2(3), 14. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2004.14
2.Simopoulos, A. P. (2020). Omega-3 fatty acids in growth and development. Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Disease, 115–156. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003066453-6
3. Davis, H., Magistrali, A., Butler, G., & Stergiadis, S. (2022). Nutritional benefits from fatty acids in organic and grass-fed beef. Foods, 11(5), 646. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050646
4. Wang, S., Wang, Y., Shahidi, F., & Ho, C. T. (2020). Health effects of short‐chain, medium‐chain, and long‐chain fatty acids, saturated vs unsaturated and omega‐6 vs omega‐3 fatty acids and Trans Fats. Bailey's Industrial Oil and Fat Products, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/047167849x.bio100
5. Diabetes mellitus, obesity, and the Mediterranean diet. (2001). The Mediterranean Diet, 242–259. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420042221-13
Affiliate disclaimer: Hi. Natasha here. In the interest of transparency on the internet, I'd like to disclose that this site contains links to products I have included on it. I will earn a small affiliate commission if you purchase items through the links I provide.
This blog is designed to educate you about the benefits of low-carb living, as well as equip you with relevant resources and tools to make your journey easier.
You can be assured that I only promote products and services I enjoy myself and believe to provide you with real value. Some examples would be the recent partnership with Perfect Keto: Use 'LOWCARBSWEETSPOT' for 20% off all Perfect Keto individual products - https://perfectketo.com/LOWCARBSWEETSPOT
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Be Well,
Natasha Cornin, The Low-Carb Sweet Spot
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