Facts about Ketogenic Foods

Understanding Keto Foods

In an ever-segmented food market, it’s easy to get lost. But some food trends are showing significant staying power and are worth buckling down and reading up on. The ketogenic diet falls into that category. So-called “keto foods” are gaining popularity, and food manufacturers should take note.

Here are a few things you should understand about this important specialty food segment.

What’s on the Ketogenic Food List?

In short, anything that has zero (or close to zero) carbohydrates. Keto-friendly foods are typically high in fat, moderate to high in protein (depending on your perspective), and low to no carbs. They include meats and leafy vegetables. People on a ketogenic diet will avoid breads, grains, fruits and starchy vegetables. They also eliminate sugar entirely.

What Is the Ketogenic Diet, and Why Is It Popular?

For calorie counters and weight-conscious consumers, fat has long ruled the roost as Enemy #1. That logic has changed in recent years. Sure, too much fatty food can knock anyone off an otherwise healthy diet, but that doesn’t mean all fats are bad. In fact, when compared with certain other ingredients, fat can be the preferable source of calories.

That’s where the ketogenic diet comes in. Advocates for this diet note that fat burns much more quickly than certain carbohydrates. What’s more, a diet that prioritizes fat over carbohydrates can change the body chemistry in a way where it burns off existing body fat much faster — a state known as ketosis. The key benefit of the ketogenic diet, according to advocates, is that a person can consume more calories than they might otherwise because the body is processing them much more quickly.

Where Does That Leave Food Manufacturers?

Ketogenic products have been around for a long time, but they tend to be limited in scope. But as the market grows, manufacturers have an opportunity to fill that void with products specifically made to be keto-friendly.

Already, food manufacturers are trending toward sugar-free products that use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or zero-calorie natural sweeteners such as stevia. The challenge for those manufacturers is creating food products with nutrients that are typically lacking in keto diets.

For example, traditional keto foods are low in fiber, vitamin C, zinc and iron, to name just a few. As such, food manufacturers are likely to home in on recipes that incorporate those missing ingredients into their products while staying within the parameters of the ketogenic diet. It’ll take a little maneuvering, but it’s certainly worth looking into if the keto diet is here to stay.