Keto Diet Food List: What to Eat and What to Avoid

The Complete Keto Diet Food List

Knowing exactly what to eat is one of the biggest challenges when starting the keto diet. This comprehensive food list covers everything you need to stock your kitchen, plan your meals, and stay in ketosis. We have organized foods into three categories: eat freely, eat in moderation, and avoid completely.

Proteins: Meat, Poultry, and Seafood

Eat Freely

• Beef: Steak, ground beef, roast, ribs, organ meats (0g carbs)
• Pork: Pork chops, tenderloin, bacon, ham, sausage (check labels for added sugar)
• Poultry: Chicken (thighs, breasts, wings), turkey, duck (0g carbs)
• Fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, trout, cod, halibut (0g carbs)
• Shellfish: Shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, oysters (0-4g carbs per serving)
• Eggs: Whole eggs, any style — scrambled, fried, poached, hard-boiled (0.5g carbs each)
• Lamb: Chops, leg, ground lamb (0g carbs)

Eat in Moderation

• Processed meats: Deli meats, hot dogs, jerky — check for added sugars and fillers
• Breaded or battered proteins: Avoid the breading, eat the protein inside

Fats and Oils

Eat Freely

• Avocado oil: High smoke point, great for cooking (0g carbs)
• Extra virgin olive oil: Best for dressings and low-heat cooking (0g carbs)
• Coconut oil: Rich in MCTs, excellent for keto (0g carbs)
• MCT oil: Rapidly converted to ketones, great in coffee (0g carbs)
• Butter and ghee: Grass-fed preferred (0g carbs)
• Lard and tallow: Traditional cooking fats (0g carbs)
• Avocados: Whole fruit — approximately 2g net carbs per half

Avoid

• Vegetable oils: Soybean, corn, canola, sunflower — highly processed and inflammatory
• Margarine: Contains trans fats and processed seed oils

Dairy Products

Eat Freely

• Hard cheeses: Cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda, Swiss (0-1g carbs per ounce)
• Soft cheeses: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese (0-1g carbs per ounce)
• Heavy cream: For coffee, sauces, and recipes (0.4g carbs per tablespoon)
• Cream cheese: Great for fat bombs and recipes (1g carbs per ounce)
• Sour cream: Full-fat only (1g carbs per 2 tablespoons)
• Butter: Grass-fed preferred (0g carbs)

Eat in Moderation

• Full-fat Greek yogurt: Plain, unsweetened (5-8g carbs per cup)
• Cottage cheese: Full-fat (5-6g carbs per half cup)
• Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella (1g carbs per ounce)

Avoid

• Milk: Contains lactose (12g carbs per cup)
• Low-fat dairy: Higher in carbs, lower in fat
• Flavored yogurt: Loaded with added sugar
• Ice cream: High sugar and carbs (unless keto-specific brands)

Vegetables

Eat Freely (Under 5g Net Carbs Per Cup)

• Leafy greens: Spinach (1g), kale (1g), arugula (0.5g), lettuce (1g)
• Cruciferous: Broccoli (4g), cauliflower (3g), Brussels sprouts (4g), cabbage (3g)
• Other low-carb: Zucchini (3g), asparagus (2g), mushrooms (2g), celery (1g), cucumber (2g), bell peppers (3-4g), green beans (4g)

Eat in Moderation (5-10g Net Carbs Per Cup)

• Tomatoes: 5g net carbs per medium tomato
• Onions: 9g net carbs per medium onion — use sparingly
• Spaghetti squash: 7g net carbs per cup
• Eggplant: 5g net carbs per cup

Avoid (High-Carb Vegetables)

• Potatoes: 33g net carbs per medium potato
• Sweet potatoes: 24g net carbs per medium
• Corn: 27g net carbs per cup
• Peas: 14g net carbs per cup
• Carrots: 9g net carbs per cup (small amounts okay)

Fruits

Eat in Moderation

• Berries: Strawberries (8g per cup), raspberries (7g per cup), blackberries (6g per cup), blueberries (17g per cup — limit to small portions)
• Avocados: 2g net carbs per half — eat freely
• Olives: 1g net carbs per 10 olives
• Coconut: Unsweetened, 2g net carbs per ounce
• Lemon/Lime: Small amounts for flavoring (1-2g per wedge)

Avoid

• Bananas: 24g net carbs each
• Apples: 21g net carbs each
• Oranges: 12g net carbs each
• Grapes: 26g net carbs per cup
• Mangoes: 45g net carbs per fruit
• Pineapple: 20g net carbs per cup
• Dried fruit: Extremely concentrated sugar

Nuts and Seeds

Best Choices (Lowest Carb)

• Pecans: 1g net carbs per ounce
• Macadamia nuts: 2g net carbs per ounce
• Brazil nuts: 1g net carbs per ounce
• Walnuts: 2g net carbs per ounce
• Almonds: 3g net carbs per ounce
• Chia seeds: 1g net carbs per ounce
• Flaxseeds: 0g net carbs per ounce
• Hemp seeds: 1g net carbs per ounce

Limit

• Cashews: 8g net carbs per ounce — easy to overeat
• Pistachios: 5g net carbs per ounce

Beverages

Drink Freely

• Water: Still or sparkling, with or without lemon
• Coffee: Black or with heavy cream/MCT oil
• Tea: Unsweetened — green, black, herbal
• Bone broth: Rich in electrolytes and collagen

Drink in Moderation

• Diet soda: Zero carbs but artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings
• Dry wine: 2-4g carbs per glass
• Hard liquor: Vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila — 0g carbs (avoid sugary mixers)
• Unsweetened almond milk: 1g net carbs per cup

Avoid

• Regular soda: 39g sugar per can
• Fruit juice: 25-30g sugar per cup
• Beer: 10-15g carbs per bottle (most varieties)
• Sweet cocktails: Margaritas, daiquiris, piña coladas
• Milk: 12g carbs per cup

Keto-Friendly Sweeteners

• Stevia: Zero calories, zero carbs, 200-300x sweeter than sugar
• Erythritol: Sugar alcohol with 0 net carbs and no glycemic impact
• Monk fruit: Zero calories, zero carbs, natural sweetener
• Allulose: Rare sugar with minimal caloric impact

Condiments and Seasonings

Keto-Friendly

• Salt, pepper, and most dried herbs and spices
• Mustard (yellow, Dijon)
• Hot sauce (most brands)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Soy sauce or coconut aminos
• Mayonnaise (full-fat, check for seed oils)
• Ranch dressing (full-fat)

Avoid

• Ketchup (high in sugar)
• BBQ sauce (very high in sugar)
• Honey mustard
• Sweet chili sauce
• Most store-bought salad dressings (check labels)

Print This List and Take It Shopping

Having a clear food list makes grocery shopping on keto simple and stress-free. Focus on the perimeter of the grocery store where fresh meats, produce, and dairy are located. Avoid the center aisles where processed, high-carb foods dominate. With this comprehensive keto food list, you will always know exactly what to put in your cart.