8 Keto Essentials You Should Always Have Stocked in Your Kitchen
If you are on the keto diet or are thinking about trying it, loading your fridge and pantry with these staples will ensure that delicious and satisfying meals are always at your fingertips.
MCT Oil
This flavorless oil extracted from coconut triples calorie burning, according to Italian scientists. Add it to coffee, smoothies, and salad dressings. Find flavored and flavorless options at GNC stores and Simply GOODFATS.
Macadamia Nuts
Each of these tiny, delicious nuts is an especially rich source of monounsaturated fats that switch on the genes that speed belly fat burn by 25 percent.
Avocados
They’re loaded with omega-9 fatty acids that stimulate fat burn — enough to melt away 6 pounds of belly flab in two months when you eat half of one daily. Avocados’ carotenoids also encourage cells to flush fluids, helping you shed 1 pound per week.
Grass-Fed Butter
Compared to standard butter, the grass-fed version is richer in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a compound proven to activate fat-burning enzymes that increase weight loss in women. Two brands available in supermarkets: Anchor and Kerrygold.
Grass-Fed Beef
It’s up to five times higher in omega-3 fatty acids and boasts twice as much CLA as grain-fed beef, and Australian researchers say eating four servings per week cuts the risk of belly fat gain by 67 percent.
Wild Salmon
Adding three 4-oz. servings of this fatty fish to your weekly diet can help you shed 1 pound a week without exercise — plus enjoy the energy of someone at least 12 years younger, suggests research from the Cleveland Clinic.
Leafy Greens
Canadian studies suggest eating 4 cups per week can help you shed 5 pounds in 30 days thanks to compounds that help the liver burn stored fat for fuel. Tasty options: Kale, chard, and collard greens.
These Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners have zero calories, but research shows they kill good gut bacteria, disrupting hormone balance and triggering weight gain. The exception: Swerve ($7.68, Walmart) and stevia ($3.96, Walmart), both of which help balance hormone levels and dial back hunger.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First for Women.
