• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Paleo Leap
  • Recipes
    • Beef and Red Meat
    • Chicken and Poultry
    • Pork
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Eggs
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Sides, Veggies and Appetizers
    • Sauces, Dips & Vinaigrettes
    • Drinks
    • Sweets and Snacks
    • Cooking Tips
  • Learn
  • Your Starting Point
    • Topic Index
    • Paleo 101
    • Paleo Meal Plan
    • Paleo Food List
    • Transitioning to Paleo
    • Am I Doing it Right? - Checklist
    • Mini-Course for Beginners
  • Popular Topics
    • Recipes for Beginners
    • Breakfast Ideas
    • Homemade Condiments
    • Legumes
    • Wheat & Gluten
    • Dairy
    • Nightshades
  • More
    • Compilations
    • Foods
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Chicken
  • Pork
  • Snacks
  • Salads
  • Learn Paleo
  • Paleo Cooking Tips
  • Paleo Diet Foods
  • Paleo Recipe Compilations
  • Keto Diet Recipes
  • Paleo Beef and Red Meat Recipes
  • Paleo Drink Recipes
  • Paleo Egg Recipes
  • Paleo Fish and Seafood Recipes
  • Paleo Sauces and Dips
  • Paleo Sides, Veggies and Appetizers
  • Paleo Soup Recipes
  • Paleo Tips & Tricks
  • Paleo Topic Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Snacks
    • Salads
    • Learn Paleo
    • Paleo Cooking Tips
    • Paleo Diet Foods
    • Paleo Recipe Compilations
    • Keto Diet Recipes
    • Paleo Beef and Red Meat Recipes
    • Paleo Drink Recipes
    • Paleo Egg Recipes
    • Paleo Fish and Seafood Recipes
    • Paleo Sauces and Dips
    • Paleo Sides, Veggies and Appetizers
    • Paleo Soup Recipes
    • Paleo Tips & Tricks
    • Paleo Topic Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Learn About Paleo & Keto Diets

    Infographic: Intro to Ketosis & the Keto Diet

    Last Modified: Feb 24, 2023 by Paleo Leaper · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Sharing is caring!

    262 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Reddit

    Jump to infographic

    What is Ketosis?

    Ketosis is when your body primarily runs on fat, not carbohydrates, for energy. You don’t have to be in ketosis to be Paleo, but it’s useful for some people as an optional tweak for weight loss, mental health, or other benefits.

    Just the Basics:

    • Keep net carbs very low. 30-50 grams is a good rule of thumb. You will have to exclude all grains, all legumes, and all starchy vegetables, but it’s OK to eat low-carb vegetables (there’s a list below)
    • Keep protein moderate. Too much protein will throw you out of ketosis.
    • Focus on fat. Fat should be your primary calorie source, around 80-85% of calories.

    On the plate

    Fatty Meat.

    Forget chicken breast; think bacon and ribs.

    Non-starchy vegetables.

    Vegetables make your meals more interesting, and also provide electrolytes (potassium, and magnesium), which prevent cramping.

    Fruit.

    Watch your fruit intake; it can easily bump up your carb count.

    Lean meats.

    Too much protein will kick you out of ketosis. If you eat a chicken breast, smother it in butter or wrap it in bacon.

    No grains, legumes, potatoes, and starchy vegetables. These have too many carbs; they’re not good for ketosis.


    What vegetables can I eat?

    For ketosis purposes, vegetables are all about net carbs. Fiber doesn’t count as a “carb,” so the total carb count on the Nutrition Facts panel may be misleading. Here’s a quick guide:

    Eat Up!

    Endive, bok chook, broccoli raab, celery, asparagus, eggplant, jicama, bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, zucchini, radishes, lettuce (and other salad greens), broccoli, and leafy green vegetables (spinach, Swiss chard, collards, kale).

    Once a day or small serving

    Turnips, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, beets, carrots, okra, tomatoes, onions.

    Limit or avoid

    Butternut squash (and most other winter squash), parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes.


    Ketosis Superstars

    Coconut oil

    The specific fat in coconut oil is very ketogenic and will help you get and stay in ketosis.

    Avocados

    Avocados have important nutrients and they’re a nice change from animal fat.

    Eggs

    Eggs are one of the most nutrious foods around: make sure to eat the yolks!

    Grass-fed dairy (if you tolerate dairy)

    Dairy is easy, affordable, and delicious source of fat. Go for full-fat products like butter.


    So... what do I cook?

    Here's a sample menu:

    • Breakfast: 3 eggs fried in coconut oil; sautéed spinach (cooked in more coconut oil).
    • Lunch: Grilled steak salad and 1 whole avocado.
    • Snack: 1 ounce of roasted almonds.
    • Dinner: Asian-style beef ribs and asparagus ribbons with lemon dressing.
    • Dessert: 1 cup of berries with as much coconut cream as you can pile on.

    Want to learn more?

    Try our Keto 101 guide for a more in-depth explanation of what ketosis is and how it works.


    Infographic

    Use the code below to embed this infographic on your website:

    More Learn About Paleo & Keto Diets

    • 8 dealing with constipation
      Dealing With Constipation
    • bad beans
      What’s Wrong with Beans and Legumes?
    • immune system
      The User-Friendly (Paleo) Guide to Your Immune System
    • new year resolution
      10 Paleo Resolutions that Aren’t about Weight Loss

    Sharing is caring!

    262 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Reddit

    Filed Under: Learn About Paleo & Keto Diets

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    paleo leap square logo

    Hi, I'm Rick! Paleo Leap is the oldest and biggest resource online, covering everything about the paleo diet. We have over 1500 recipes categorized and plenty of meal plans for you to try.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Featured
      Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Recipe
    • Almond Milk Custard
      Almond Milk Custard Recipe
    • Flourless Banana Pancakes Featured
      Flourless Banana Pancakes Recipe
    • Turban Squash Soup Featured
      Turban Squash Soup Recipe

    Recent Recipes:

    • two sliced grilled barbecue pork tenderloins on white plate with half lemon
      Barbecue Pork Tenderloins
    • slice of beef rib roast with au jus on brown plate
      Beef Rib Roast with Green Peppercorn Sauce
    • Baked Pork and Apple Casserole
    • sliced cooked pork belly on wooden cutting board
      Roasted Pork Belly with Fennel

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Cookie Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    For your information only. The statements on this website are merely opinions. Paleo Leap does not provide medical or nutritional advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Read the full disclaimer.

    Copyright © 2023 Paleo Leap