The Keto diet is a new food trend that you might’ve heard of – but what exactly is involved in this diet?
A keto diet is a diet consisting of low amounts of carbs and high amounts of fat. The body usually relies on the sugars from carbohydrates as an energy source for it to undergo metabolic activities so you are able to function normally throughout your day to day tasks.
However, when the body is in a carb deficit, it cannot utilise the sugar and instead, turns to the fat for its energy. It causes the body to go into a state of ketosis, where the fat undergoes different biochemical reactions to generate ketones, a structure the body can use. Typically, the body burns fat a lot quicker, so this diet is for those who want to lose weight. It can also be beneficial for those who struggle with diabetes and can’t consume too much sugar in a day – the body will begin to replace carbohydrates with fat for energy. A ketogenic diet would typically restrict carb intake to 20-50 grams a day (Healthline, 2020).
What can be classified as keto?
For snacks to be classified as keto, they would contain a higher amount of fats in comparison to carbohydrates or protein. Most of the portion-control, single-serve snacks contain at least 10 grams of fat, either saturated or unsaturated. Many people on the keto-diet, use net carbs to track their daily carbohydrate intake. This is total carbs, less the fibre. Fibre comes in nuts, seeds and vegetables, which are all good for your digestive system and overall health so definitely not something to avoid.
So for a snack, we look to have products with less than 5g of net carbs per serving. So for example, if a snack with nuts has 8g total carbs, but 3g of fibre, it may be considered keto with 5g net carbs.
Why are keto snacks expensive?
Some of the keto snacks that you find on the shelves can be relatively expensive, compared to the refined carbohydrate-rich foods that you find. That’s because sugar, cereals, dried fruit and flour are all very cheap and lack nutrients.
Keto-based snacks on the other hand, especially the plant-based, organic ingredients, such as coconut oil can increase the overall cost of these snacks, as well as production costs – BUT they have added value to your body. Eating nutritious foods is MUCH CHEAPER than taking supplements or limiting your daily nutrient intake and having health issues pop up. At Snack Proud, we choose keto snacks with wholesome ingredients, not fake chemical ingredients like you get with the low carb snacks in the supermarket. These can cause bloating the digestive issues when eaten several times a week.
Our goal is to make keto snacks affordable with our keto snack box being 25% cheaper than store prices.
What are some keto-friendly foods I can buy?
There are some keto-friendly snacks out there that aren’t the healthiest, as it can be heavily processed and contain high amounts of salt, but there are many others that contain nutrients beneficial for the health and wellbeing of your body; Greek yogurt and cheese contain calcium and are low in carbs, avocados and nut butters contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which is beneficial for heart health and for lowering cholesterol buildup, and eggs contain protein and fats –it can be paired really nicely with mayonnaise!
If you are keto snacker, you definitely need to try our Keto snack box and discover new keto snacks each month.
What are the best keto snacks to take on the go?
We recommend matching both fresh keto snacks with packaged ones to convenience.
Here are our favourite keto snacks that aren’t boring!
- Pics really good peanut butter.
- Locako collagen brownie bars.
- Love Snacks Maple Hazelnuts and coconut.
- Natures Tribe, Keto chocolate Bars.
- Amazeballs, Freeze-dried cheese balls.
Here are some fresh ideas.
- Cheese cubes are also great to snack on. Dips and vegetable sticks are a filling snack to have in the morning or afternoon; especially avocado dips, cream cheese or mayonnaise. For a sweet alternative, opt for some Natural Greek yogurt, flax seeds and berries!
- Hard boiled eggs can be a great lunch idea – chop the eggs up and mix it with some mayonnaise and dill, and spread it onto seed based crackers or paleo bread.
- Many nuts have a high amount of good fats in them, and are low in carbs – perfect for a keto diet! It’s easy to bring along a container of mixed nuts as a snack to munch on during the day.
- Grass-fed beef jerky is also a great option, high in protein and low on carbs; however, make sure you read the nutrition label, since some cheaper brands use sugar or flavourings which consists of high amounts of salt. We love Just Jerky for a fail proof option.
What are some keto friendly drinks?
Always be wary of some of the processed drinks available, as they can be very high in sugar! Nut milks are great, to enjoy on its own or in a smoothie, coffee or milkshake. If you’re craving a sugary drink, try matcha lattes or smoothies as a low carb alternative!
Here are some of our sugar-free drinks
- Sips sparkling water
- Tea Gardens Kombucha
- Remedy Sodas.
We’ve made sure that we have delicious and healthy keto-friendly snacks stocked up and available on our website. Some of our favorites link in this blog for you to check out!
If you are unsure of what snacks to pick out, or want to send a snack box to a loved one on a keto diet, check out our keto-friendly snack box (also linked below!). We’ll send you a range of different snacks, both sweet and savoury to keep in your bag and eat throughout the day. What’s more, each month, we’ll switch it up for you, so you’ll never get bored of the same snacks!
