The ketogenic diet is hands down one of the most beneficial diets for anyone looking for overall health and longevity.  Personally, we believe the best diet for the human body is one which was outlined by Dr. Weston A. Price.  It just so happens that many of the foods which Dr. Price recommended for optimal health, is in fact ketogenic friendly.

For those unaware, Dr. Price was a dentist who studied various tribes around the world who were still consuming a traditional diet.  Expecting to find disease and malnourishment rampant among the various tribes, Price found the complete opposite.  He observed that these Native peoples were free from the disease of western society and extremely robust.  He also saw that all of these people had a perfect set of teeth free of cavities, gum disease, and able to comfortably house their wisdom teeth (1).

The food in which these Natives were eating was completely different from what the west would consume, but in line with the ketogenic diet.

Price observed that a higher fat, low sugar, and moderate carbohydrate diet was typical among the various tribes he studied.  However, all consumed adequate amounts of animal foods and prized the fat.

Ketogenic and Weight Loss

For those looking to lose weight, the ketogenic diet is perfect.  As mentioned before, all the tribes in which price studied consumed some form of carbohydrate.  Yet, these people still displayed amazing health.  For this reason we have found that keeping carbohydrates around 100 grams a day is beneficial.

A study published in Experimental & Clinical Cardiology showed that obese patients who followed a ketogenic diet experienced drastic weight loss and cholesterol significantly improved.  All carbohydrates were obtained from vegetables (2).

Furthermore, all sugar must be removed from the diet and should be replaced with animal fats.  Plant fats such as coconut oil and olive oil are OK, but animal fats truly nourish the body.

For those looking for a ketogenic meal plan, be sure to check out this FREE book which outlines the best fats to consume in order to burn fat.

Ketogenic Diet Foods for Optimal Health

If you’re looking to drastically improve health and wellbeing while following a keto diet, we highly suggest you add these keto superfoods into your diet.  These foods have been used for centuries and have proved to be extremely nourishing to the body.

Below are the 5 best ketogenic foods for optimal weight loss and health

Ghee

Ghee is an ancient Ayurveda secret and has been used for centuries to help nourish the body and eliminate disease.  It’s the ultimate keto food as it’s extremely high in beneficial saturated fat.

A study published in the Journal of International society of Sports Nutrition found that Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which is found abundantly in ghee, promotes an increase in lean mass and a reduction in fat (3).

Furthermore, the butyric acid found in ghee can help reduce the inflammation in the intestinal tract and is excellent for anyone suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (4).

Ghee is pure saturated animal fat and contains zero carbohydrates.  It’s perfect for anyone following a keto diet meal plan.

Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil

Cod Liver Oil is must for anyone looking to maximize their keto diet plan.  Cod liver oil contains the essential vitamin K2 which is extremely important for bone health and the integrity of the teeth.

Many believe K2 is the “X-Factor” that Dr. Price discovered to keep the Natives so healthy.

A study published in the journal of Integrative Medicine found that K2 is essential in order for proper bone and cardiovascular health and must be in balance with calcium (5).

Those experiencing bone issues, or tooth decay (teeth are bones), are typically low in vitamin K2.  Although calcium is necessary for healthy bone development, it needs K2 in order to be utilized by the bones.  When K2 is deficient in the diet, calcium deposits will begin to form around the body and this leads to calcification.

Desiccated Beef Liver

Although fresh grass fed beef liver would be best, desiccated beef liver is a great option for those following the keto diet.  The vitamins and minerals found within liver are unsurpassed when compared to any other food on the planet.

Furthermore, these vitamins and minerals are in a highly bioavailable form and contain no anti-nutrients which could possibly hinder absorption.

Desiccated Beef Liver is so nutritious that it’s often given to growing children who are at risk of developing nutrient deficiencies (6).

Colostrum

Colostrum is an amazing superfood that is extremely keto friendly.  For those unaware, colostrum is the first milk produced by all mammals after birth.  It contains numerous amounts of growth factors and immunological properties that help strengthen the immune system.

Researchers have found that supplementation of colostrum increases IGF-1 levels naturally in the body (7).  IGF-1 is extremely important for building and maintaining muscle mass and often declines as we age (8).

Furthermore, supplementation of bovine colostrum has shown to decrease intestinal permeability which is leading cause in those with leaky gut and other gut disorders (9).

Camu Camu

Since the keto diet tends to be low in vitamin c, camu camu can make an excellent addition and will ensure you’re getting adequate amounts of this vitamin.

In fact a single serving of camu camu has around 1,800 mg of whole food vitamin c and is naturally low in carbohydrates.

Research published in the The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that camu camu contains powerful antioxidant properties and helps reduce inflammation in the body (10).

Always choose a whole food vitamin c such as camu camu. Synthetic vitamin c (ascorbic acid) has been shown to contain pro-oxidant activity in the body (11).

1. Price WA. Nutrition and physical degeneration: a comparision of primitive and modern diets and their effects. Oxford: Benediction Classics; 2010.