Keto Diet Menu: 7-Day Keto Meal Plan for Beginners

The ketogenic, or "keto," diet has become widely popular in recent years, as celebrities like LeBron James and the Kardashian sisters have touted it as a surefire way to drop pounds fast.

In fact, a 2019 survey of registered dietitian nutritionists ranked the keto diet as the most popular diet in the US.

Here's how you can follow the keto diet and critical information to know about its health benefits and risks.

What Is The Keto Diet?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan. "[It is] low enough in carbohydrates that it would induce ketosis," says David Levitsky, Ph.D., a professor in the division of nutritional sciences at the Cornell University College of Human Ecology.

Ketosis is a physiological state in which your body burns fat rather than carbohydrates for fuel, which can help some people lose weight.

According to Levitsky, if you're eating keto, you should minimize your intake of carbohydrate-rich foods, such as:

Bread
Fruits
Beans
Root vegetables like potatoes
Grains like rice, oats, and wheat, as well as quinoa
Milk and yogurt

You should also aim to maximize your intake of fatty foods, such as:

Fish
Eggs
Nuts
Seeds
Dairy products such as cheese, butter, and full-fat Greek yogurt

Keto Diet Benefits

Eating keto may improve your health in a few ways, according to research:

It can help you lose weight. [1]

Ketogenic diets consist of foods that fill a person up and may reduce hunger-stimulating hormones. For these reasons, following a keto diet may reduce appetite and promote weight loss.

In a 2013 meta-analysis of 13 different randomized controlled trials, researchers found that people following ketogenic diets lost 2 pounds (lbs) more than those following low-fat diets over 1 year.

Fuels and strengthens your brain. [2]

Some studies, such as this 2019 review, suggest the ketones that generate during the keto diet provide neuroprotective benefits, which means they can strengthen and protect the brain and nerve cells.

Keto stabilizes blood sugar. [3]

People with insulin resistance are unable to produce enough insulin to lower the body’s blood sugar levels, which leads to type 2 diabetes. However, by significantly reducing your carb intake, the body would no longer need to produce a large amount of insulin to handle your already-low blood sugar levels.

Improves Heart Health. [4]

When a person follows the ketogenic diet, it is important that they choose healthful foods. Some evidence shows that eating healthful fats, such as avocados instead of less healthful fats, such as pork rinds, can help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol.

Prevent Epileptic Seizures. [5]

The Epilepsy Foundation suggests that ketosis can reduce seizures in people with epilepsy — especially those who have not responded to other treatment methods. More research is necessary on how effective this is, though it seems to have the most effect on children who have focal seizures.

Keto Diet Risks

Although eating keto does not have any known "long-term deleterious effects," says Levitsky, it is not without risk. Some risks of the keto diet include:

Keto flu describes symptoms such as nausea, upset stomach, and fatigue that you may experience while your body adapts to ketosis.
Low blood pressure
Kidney stones
Constipation, most likely due to a reduced intake of fiber
Increased risk of heart disease due to high intakes of saturated fat and red meat
Increased risk of cancer due to high intakes of processed meat like bacon
Nutritional deficiencies due to reduced intake of fruits and whole grains

Therefore, it's best to adhere to the keto diet for a short period of time, Levitsky says.

The recommended minimum is two to three weeks — the typical length of time it takes to reach a state of ketosis — and the recommended maximum is six to 12 months.

Some people should avoid the keto diet entirely. This includes those with existing conditions affecting the following organs or body parts:

Liver
Kidney
Thyroid
Pancreas
Gallbladder
Anyone with a history of eating disorders

7-Day Keto Meal Plan

Here is an example seven-day Keto meal plan you can follow. However, you should consult with a registered dietitian to determine the right serving size and nutritional breakdowns for your own unique health needs.

Day 1

Breakfast: Baked avocado with egg and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste

Lunch: Chicken salad with onion, feta cheese, olives, and a small amount of oil-based dressing

Dinner: Beef stew with carrots, shallots, bell peppers, and your choice of herbs and aromatics like thyme and garlic

Day 2

Breakfast: Whole milk greek yogurt with almonds

Lunch: Roasted chicken breast topped with mozzarella cheese

Dinner: Fish tacos with lettuce wraps instead of tortillas — top them with guacamole, pickled red cabbage, radishes, and a squeeze of fresh lime

Day 3

Breakfast: Crustless broccoli quiche

Lunch: Tuna salad with avocado, capers, and a small amount of mayo

Dinner: Cauliflower crusted white pizza with cheese (no sauce) and your choice of healthy low-carb toppings like basil, mushrooms, olives, jalapenos, pepperoni, or chicken