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Many of us are wanting to look our best and feel our best every single day… and that starts with what we eat. Many people get great results eating a Keto diet. However, common food sensitivities include gluten and dairy... But can you eat gluten free dairy free keto?
What is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been shown to help some people lose weight. Here’s a basic overview:
1. **Low Carbohydrate Intake:** The keto diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day. This drastic reduction can put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
2. **High Fat Intake:** About 70% to 80% of your daily calories will come from fats. This high fat intake is a hallmark of the keto diet.
3. **Moderate Protein Intake:** The remaining calories will come from proteins. It’s important not to overdo it with protein on a keto diet as excessive protein can be converted into glucose, preventing the body from entering ketosis.
The idea behind the keto diet is that by reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, your body is forced to use fat for fuel instead of carbs. This can lead to weight loss. However, like any diet, it’s important to consider your personal health needs and consult with a healthcare provider before starting a keto diet.
Is Keto Gluten and Dairy Free?
The ketogenic, or keto, diet is naturally gluten-free as it eliminates many of the foods that contain gluten, such as wheat, barley, and rye. These are all high in carbohydrates and are therefore avoided on a keto diet. However, the keto diet is not inherently dairy-free.
Many people on a keto diet consume dairy products that are high in fat and low in carbs, such as butter, cheese, and heavy cream. That being said, it’s possible to follow a dairy-free keto diet if you choose to avoid dairy for personal health reasons or due to lactose intolerance.
In this case, you would substitute dairy products with other high-fat, low-carb foods like avocados, nuts, and seeds. So, while the keto diet is naturally gluten-free, whether it’s dairy-free or not depends on your personal dietary choices and needs.
Why Gluten Free Dairy Free Keto
I started eating keto when I was pregnant and dealing with gestational diabetes. It was a way that I could focus on eating healthy fats and protein… without spiking my blood sugar with extra carbs.
After my baby was born, I realized that I really did feel better eating keto. I didn’t have energy crashes after I ate. I also didn’t have sugar cravings, so it was easy to just stick with keto foods. Plus, I just wasn’t at hungry when I was eating keto.
All these were really great health results for me, so I just stuck with it.
When I started looking into food sensitivities, I learned that along with gluten, dairy is a very common food sensitivity.
With keto, I was pretty much already gluten free… but I was eating more dairy that I had before. All of our favorite keto recipes seemed to be loaded with dairy upon dairy. I started feeling like I really needed to make some changes.
Even if it was just adding in more balance with eating less dairy.
The easiest thing to do was to look at what keto recipes I was already making that were also dairy free.
I realized that there were many that I could start with and that even though eating dairy free was a little more restrictive on a keto diet, it was possible!
Gluten Free Dairy free Keto Recipes to Try:
Hibachi Style Chicken with Yum Yum Sauce
Air Fried Steak Bites and Mushrooms
How to Start Your Gluten Free Dairy Free Diet
Read more about Navigating Dairy Free Keto: A Beginners Guide
Am I still Eating Keto?
In the most simple description, no. The recipes above are keto + gluten free + dairy free and are recipes that we are making each week… but I’m not looking at carb counts, I’m looking at ingredients.
Because I do seem to have issues with my blood sugar regulation, I personally steer away from eating sweets (unless they are low carb + gluten free + dairy free).
Many of recipes that I have shared previously can easily be altered to be dairy free using dairy free alternatives.
I would say that I’m moving more towards a Paleo diet (which would be grain free + gluten free + dairy free), but not fully – and that’s okay! The biggest thing that I want to focus on is limiting foods that cause inflammation. The best place for me to start is with gluten and dairy.
Here is the cute recipe binder that I love!
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Are you interested in starting a gluten free dairy free diet?
Additional notes: You don’t have to do it all at once to count.
If it seems like a lot to change all at once… then don’t! Just make one change and focus on that for a week. By the end of a month, you will have swapped out 4 different products for dairy free alternatives.
What are small changes you can start adding into your life that can help you reach your long term goals?
Read More about Eating Dairy Free
Navigating Dairy Free Keto: A Beginners Guide
Easy Dairy Free Alternatives for a Dairy Free Diet
How to Start Your Gluten Free Dairy Free Diet
Should you eat diary on a healthy diet?
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