The foods below are listed from the most to the least ketogenic. As a result, this will help you optimize ketosis based on their carb and protein content.
Foods that contain higher amounts of carbohydrates and protein will rank lower. This is because both carbs and proteins can prevent you from entering ketosis. Excess protein consumption converts to glucose which impacts ketosis.
If you are following Weston A. Price or an organic principles protocol see this paleo keto shopping list.
Where to Go to Buy Your Shopping List Items
Most items are available in your local supermarket and will vary in price. The first step is to choose your supermarket based on your price preference and budget. All, except Aldi, have online shopping and home delivery services.
From least expensive to most expensive, the supermarkets are:
- Morrisons and Aldi are the cheapest
- Asda (10% more expensive)
- Sainsbury’s and Tesco (20% more expensive)
- Waitrose is the most expensive
(Source: Price audit by Guardian Money 2014)
Basic Ketogenic Diet Shopping List
In general, basic food products don’t differ much between brands and produce. Yet, sometimes there are differences between the same products. We have included these ranges for carbohydrates, fat and protein. This will show how ketogenic the product is.
The following are covered:
- Meat and Seafood
- Eggs and Dairy
- Nuts and Seeds
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Fats and Oils
- Salts and Minerals
- Ketogenic Snacks
- Ketogenic Drinks
The more you stick to the food groups higher up the page the easier it will be to get into ketosis. It is the same principle within each list. Favor foods at the top of the tables for the highest ketogenic foods.
Meat and Seafood
Overall, the fatty cuts of meat are your friend, as well as oily fish. Lean meats and seafood are fine, as long as you add a lot of fat to them.
Limit your lean meat intake as these cuts are rich in protein and excess protein can turn into glucose. This will interrupt ketosis.
| Name | Carbohydrates/ 100 g | Protein/ 100 g | Fat/ 100 g | Products Available in UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oysters | 1 | 5 | 1 | Counter Live Oysters |
| Prawns | 0 | 14 | 1 | Tesco Cooked And Peeled Prawns, Cooked And Peeled King Prawns |
| Pork Belly | 0 | 16 | 20 | Pork Belly |
| Chicken Thighs | 0 | 17 | 18 | Chicken Thighs |
| Chicken Drumsticks | 0 | 17 | 18 | Chicken Drumsticks |
| Pork Loin Joint | 0 | 17 | 21 | Pork Loin Joint |
| Lamb Mince 20% fat | 0 | 17 | 20 | Lamb Mince 20% Fat |
| Lamb Leg | 0 | 17 | 11 | Lamb Diced Leg |
| Beef Mince 20% Fat | 0 | 18 | 20 | Beef Mince 20% Fat |
| Lamb Shanks | 0 | 20 | 12 | Lamb Shanks |
| Beef Heart | 0 | 18 | 4 | Sliced Beef Heart |
| Chicken Wings | 0 | 17 | 15 | Chicken Wings |
| Smoked Haddock | 0 | 18 | 1 | Boneless Smoked Haddock |
| Cod Fillet | 0 | 22 | 1 | Cod Fillets |
| Lamb Chops | 0 | 19 | 19 | Lamb Chops |
| Ribeye Steak | 0 | 19 | 20 | Ribeye Steak |
| Pork Chops | 0 | 19 | 22 | Pork Chops |
| Lamb Liver | 0 | 20 | 5 | Lamb Liver |
| Lamb Leg Steak | 0 | 20 | 8 | Lamb Leg Steaks |
| Rump Steak | 0 | 20 | 10 | Rump Steak |
| Roast Beef | 0 | 20 | 10 | Beef Roasting Joint |
| Ox Tail | 0 | 20 | 10 | Ox Tail |
| Beef Steak Mince | 0 | 20 | 14 | Beef Steak Mince |
| Whole Chicken | 0 | 20 | 13 | Tesco British Whole Medium Chicken, Whole Chicken |
| Turkey Drumstick | 0 | 32 | 7 | Turkey Drumstick |
| Pork Loin Steak | 0 | 20 | 16 | Pork Loin Steaks |
| Sea Bass Fillet | 0 | 20 | 9 | Boneless Sea Bass Fillets |
| Scallops | 3 | 23 | 1 | Raw Half Shell King Scallops |
| Smoked Mackerel | 0 | 22 | 25 | Smoked Mackerel |
| Sirloin Steak | 0 | 22 | 13 | Sirloin Steak |
| Turkey Breast | 0 | 28 | 2 | Tesco Turkey Breast Quick Cook Steaks, Tesco Mini Turkey Breast Fillets, Turkey Breast Diced |
| Chicken Breast | 0 | 24 | 1 | Chicken Breast Portions |
| Salmon Fillet | 0 | 24 | 12 | Tesco 2 Boneless Salmon Fillet, Tesco Half Salmon Side, Smoked Salmon |
| Guinea Fowl | 0 | 25 | 12 | Whole Guinea Fowl |
| Duck Leg | 0 | 25 | 13 | Duck Legs |
| Tuna Steak | 0 | 26 | 1 | Tuna Steaks |
| Duck Breast | 1 | 27 | 9 | Duck Breast Fillets |
Eggs and Dairy
Eggs and dairy products are quite versatile on a keto diet. They are easy to prepare and provide a cheaper alternative to meat and fish. Both dairy and egg protein are quite insulinogenic and can knock you out of ketosis. Therefore, make sure not to eat too much at any given meal and balance them out with plenty of fats.
| Name | Carbohydrates/ 100 g | Protein/ 100 g | Fat/ 100 g | Products Available in UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 0 | 1 | 82 | English Salted Butter, Kerrygold (grass fed) Butter |
| Double Cream | 1 | 1 | 50 | Double Cream |
| Soft Cheese | 3 | 6 | 22 | Soft Cheese, Philadelphia Original |
| Whole Eggs | 0 | 13 | 9 | Eggs, Free Range Eggs, Organic Eggs |
| Soft Goat’s Cheese | 2 | 23 | 25 | Counter Goat’s Cheese |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 2 | 22 | 18 | Mozzarella Cheese |
| Cheddar Cheese | 0 | 23 | 35 | Medium Cheddar, Mature Cheddar |
| Hard Swiss Cheese | 0 | 28 | 32 | Swiss Gruyere |
| Hard Parmesan Cheese | 0 | 28 | 30 | Parmigiano Reggiano |
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are great options to eat on the go, as they need no preparation. Some varieties contain a high amount of carbohydrates so watch out for this. Have a look in the table below.
| Name | Carbohydrates/ 100 g | Protein/ 100 g | Fat/ 100 g | Products Available in UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macadamia Nuts | 5 | 8 | 76 | Roasted and Salted Macadamia Nuts |
| Flaxseeds | 2 | 18 | 42 | Wholefood Brown Linseeds |
| Brazil Nuts | 5 | 14 | 67 | Wholefood Brazil Nuts |
| Sesame Seeds | 1 | 22 | 58 | Wholefood Sesame Seeds |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 5 | 30 | 49 | Wholefood Pumpkin Seeds |
| Almonds | 10 | 24 | 54 | Roasted and Salted Almonds, Whole Almonds |
| Pistachios | 12 | 26 | 46 | Roasted and Salted Pistachio Nuts, Pistachio Nuts |
| Sunflower Seeds | 17 | 24 | 51 | Sunflower Seeds |
| Cashew Nuts | 24 | 20 | 51 | Roasted And Salted Cashew Nuts, Cashew Nuts |
Fruits and Vegetables
Berries and most above-ground vegetables are low in carbohydrates. They contain negligible amounts in the form of dietary fiber. Starchy root vegetables and sweet fruit are high in carbohydrates, avoid these.
| Name | Carbohydrates/ 100g | Protein/ 100g | Fat/ 100g | Products Available in UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | 1 | 1 | 1 | Celery |
| Lettuce | 1 | 2 | 1 | Iceberg Lettuce |
| Romaine Lettuce | 1 | 2 | 1 | Romaine Lettuce Hearts Twin Pack |
| Cucumber | 1 | 2 | 1 | Whole Cucumber |
| Kale | 1 | 3 | 2 | Kale |
| Avocado | 2 | 2 | 19 | Ready To Eat Large Avocado, Ready To Eat Avocado Twin Pack |
| Spinach | 2 | 3 | 1 | Spinach |
| Asparagus | 2 | 3 | 1 | Asparagus Bundles |
| Tomatoes | 3 | 1 | 1 | Salad Tomatoes |
| Broccoli | 2 | 4 | 1 | Broccoli Loose |
| Cabbage | 2 | 4 | 1 | Sweetheart Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage |
| Cauliflower | 3 | 4 | 1 | Cauliflower |
| Brussel Sprouts | 4 | 4 | 1 | Brussel Sprouts |
| Raspberries | 5 | 1 | 1 | Raspberries |
| Strawberries | 6 | 1 | 1 | Strawberries |
| Bell Peppers | 6 | 1 | 1 | Red Peppers |
| Blueberries | 14 | 1 | 1 | Blueberries |
Fats and Oils
Fats and oils should be used for cooking or to add extra fat calories to a meal lacking in it, such as lean meats or salads. Choose oils that are high in saturated fat or monounsaturated fat.
Stay away from trans fats and oils that are high in polyunsaturated fat such as vegetable and seed oils (sunflower, canola, soybean, safflower, grapeseed).
The best types of oils to use are:
- Coconut Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Macadamia Nut Oil
Top fats to use are:
- Ghee
- Lard
- Tallow/Beef Dripping
| Name | Brands / Products Available in the UK |
| Ghee | East End Pure Butter Ghee |
| Coconut Oil | Ktc Coconut Oil, Groovy Organic Virgin Coconut Oil |
| Avocado Oil | Pure South Press Pure Avocado Oil |
| Olive Oil | Tesco Olive Oil, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Napolina Olive Oil |
| Macadamia Nut Oil | Olivado Macadamia Nut Oil |
Salt and Minerals
Consuming salt is important on a ketogenic diet. Stay away from table salt. Choose a salt that has a high mineral content such as Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt. Add it to your meals or dissolve it in your water to stay hydrated throughout the day. The recommended intake of salt is 3-5g per day.
| Name | Brands / Products Available in UK |
| Himalayan Pink Salt | Tesco Finest Himalayan Pink Salt Mill, Redmonds Real Salt |
| Celtic Sea Salt | Light Grey Celtic Sea Salt |
Ketogenic Snacks
Keto specific products are starting to become available in the UK. Alongside this, there are a wide variety of low carb products available both online and in store.
It is important to remember to double check all snacks marked “Low Carb” or “Keto” as they do not always fit the goal of getting into ketosis.
- Ketone Bars from Ketosource are the first snack bars tested to confirm they are 100% ketogenic. They have zero glycemic response and increase blood ketones within 30 to 60 minutes (see the trial results on this here).
- These Keto Bars are the only ketogenic bars on the market with very low protein and carbohydrate. You can buy them from the UK here. Otherwise, they can be shipped internationally from the main site in the US here.
You can search for products with specific net carb content. Most products have sugar alcohols (polyols) in place of sugars. Some polyols don’t count as carbs. Others, like Maltitol, do act like carbs.
Ketogenic Drinks
Low carb shakes, hot and cold drinks are available from many sources in the UK. They contain carbohydrates, mostly in the form of sugar alcohols. However, they can be part of a ketogenic diet.
- LowCarb Megastore offers a wide variety of low carb hot and cold drinks as well as shakes. The nutritional value is listed for each product. It is an online store and everything can be ordered on the site, however, you have to register to place an order.
- In the Drinks & Shakes category, only some of their products are ketogenic friendly. The nutritional information is listed so you can check their carbohydrate and protein content.
Summary: The Takeaways
Focus on the top end of the food lists above to get in and stay in ketosis.
To be sure that you are in ketosis and benefiting from this plan, track your blood glucose and ketone levels.
The current gold standard to track your glucose levels is with a Freestyle Libre continuous glucose meter. You can track your blood ketone levels with the On Call Dual GK monitor.
It is safer to verify with these meters, however, most people do not due to the inconvenience and cost of the products.
