In this article, we are going to discuss and answer the question “Can you eat cheese on a keto diet?”. I will discuss the best cheese you can eat on a keto diet, and I will also include the percentages of macronutrients on the keto diet. I will include some foods that are high in carbs that can not be consumed on the keto diet and some ideas on how to add cheese to your plates.
Can you eat cheese on a keto diet?
Yes, you can eat cheese while staying on the keto diet. Cheese is mostly made from protein and fat which makes it a perfect food for a keto diet.
Yet there are many kinds of cheese to pick from when you are following a keto diet. Some cheese contains more saturated fat than others. Saturated fat should be limited to less than 10% of your calories to protect your heart health.
It is better to choose cheese that is natural rather than processed. Processed cheese contains a lot of additives and preservatives; they include oils that are not healthy as well.
Cheddar cheese
You can eat cheddar cheese on a keto diet. It is very low in carbs containing only 2.44 grams in a 100 grams serving. It also contains 23.3 grams of protein, 34 grams of fat, and 707 milligrams of calcium which makes it rich in calcium.
Cheddar cheese can be enjoyed with lettuce sandwiches and added into sauces to be enjoyed with chicken or meat.
Goat cheese
Goat cheese contains 0 grams of carbs, which makes it the perfect cheese for a keto diet. It also includes 32.1 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein, and 714 milligrams of calcium in a 100 grams serving. Goat cheese can be added to salads.
What is the macronutrient percentage consumed on the keto diet?
The macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat, they need to be consumed in large quantities.
The lowest percentage of macronutrients that is consumed on the keto diet comes from carbohydrates, it ranges from 5% to 10% of your calories. Protein comes in second ranging between 15% to 20% of the total calories.
Fat is the highest micronutrient in the keto diet ranging between 70% to 80% of the total calories.
The keto diet must have carbs restrictions and high fat intake. Normally, the usual source of energy comes mainly from glucose. Glucose is stored as glycogen in the body, any excess carbs that are consumed will be stored as glycogen.
When carbs are limited in the keto diet, the body uses the glycogen stores until they are depleted. Since the body needs a source of energy, it switches to ketone bodies. These ketone bodies are produced in the liver and used for energy instead of carbs. Gradually the body loses weight on the keto diet.
What are the foods that are rich in carbs?
The food that is rich in carbs should be reduced to the keto diet. These foods include sugary beverages, juices, all kinds of baked goods, flour, fruits especially bananas, starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes, sugar, maple syrup, honey, pasta, rice, bread, and any food that contains sugar in it.
What are some ideas I can add the cheese to?
Cheese can be added to many dishes including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cheese can be added on top of a healthy keto-friendly cauliflower crust pizza. Sprinkling some mozzarella on top of the pizza would add protein to your dish. Plus protein induces satiety and you feel less hungry.
Cheese can be added to salads as well. It helps make you feel more full when eating low-calorie vegetables. Greek salad for example includes feta cheese.
Cheese can be added with scrambled eggs to increase the protein content and make it richer in taste.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed and answered the question “Can you eat cheese on a keto diet?”.I discussed the best cheese you can eat on a keto diet, and I also included the percentages of macronutrients on the keto diet. I included some foods that are high in carbs that can not be consumed on the keto diet and some ideas on how to add cheese to your plates.
References
Keto Diet and Cheese: The Best and Worst Cheeses to Choose (healthline.com)
Can You Eat Cheese on Keto Diet? [The Cheesy Guide] | Bodyketosis
