No doubt you’ve heard a friend, coworker, or family member talking about the keto diet, or more precisely the ketogenic diet. This diet focuses on restriction of carbohydrates with concentration on high-fat and protein-rich foods in order to put the body in a state of ketosis, or fat burning versus carbohydrate burning mode. Keto was primarily employed to treat refractory epilepsy in children. However, many dieters have found success with fat loss using low carb diets, similar to the Atkins diet, for weight loss. Keep in mind that keto, like many diets, has several negative side effects (i.e., kidney stones, constipation, high cholesterol, and acidosis).

There are several dos and don’ts of the ketogenic diet, including:

1. Meat
The first one of the keto foods that you can have is meats that have not been processed. This is because this meat is not going to have a lot of carbohydrates in them and more than likely, the cows will be only feed grass. Therefore, it will be a lot healthier for you. But it is very important to remember that this diet is high in fat without a lot of protein, so you don’t need to eat a lot of meat.

2. Eggs
The second one is eggs. There are a variety of different ways that you can enjoy these eggs. Some of these ways include fried in some butter, boiled, as an omelet or scrambled with cheese. It is a good idea to buy organic eggs or eggs that are pastured so that they will be healthier for you. You will have to think about your cholesterol when you are eating the eggs though.

3. Vegetables
The third one is the vegetables that are grown above the ground like avocado, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, and cabbage. You can buy them fresh or frozen just based on what is convenient for you. This is one of the best ways that you will be able to get some good fat when you are on a keto diet. Plus they are going to add a lot of flavor and color to your plate. They taste great fried in butter and olive oil.

4. Sugar
The first one of the foods that you cannot have when you are eating a ketosis diet is foods and drinks that have a lot of sugar in them. This means that you are no longer going to be able to drink fruit juice, sports drinks, vitamin water, and soft drinks. You will also not be able to eat sweets like candy, cookies, donuts, and chocolate bars. It is very important to you read all of the labels for any type of hidden sugars.

5. Starch
The second no-no food on keto is any type of starch like potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, potato chips, and french fries. You will also need to avoid eating any whole grains. You will be allowed to eat a small amount of the root vegetables like carrots and onions. The good thing is that you will be able to find replacements for some of the foods that you once enjoyed like keto friendly bread, rice, and pasta.

5. Beer
The third thing that you should not have is beer. This is basically like liquid bread. It is full of rapidly absorbed carbs. Therefore, you don’t have to have this in your diet.

6. Fruit
The fourth thing is that you should stay away from fruit. This is because the fruit has a lot of sugar in it, the main reason why the fruit is so sweet. You can have fruit every once in a while. But it is a good idea to treat the fruit like it is a natural form of candy.