The ketogenic diet, often called keto, is a high-fat, very low-carb diet designed to shift the body's metabolism from burning glucose to burning fat for energy. This metabolic state, known as ketosis, can lead to weight loss and other health benefits. However, achieving and maintaining ketosis requires careful attention to food choices, particularly carbohydrate intake. With the rise in popularity of both the keto diet and ancient grains like farro, many people wonder if farro fits into a ketogenic lifestyle.
Understanding the Keto Diet
The primary goal of the keto diet is to drastically reduce carbohydrate intake while increasing fat consumption. This shift forces the body to use fat as its primary fuel source, producing ketones as a byproduct. To achieve this, the diet typically consists of:
- 60-75% of calories from fat
- 15-30% of calories from protein
- 5-10% of calories from carbohydrates
Fats on Keto
Fat is a crucial component of the keto diet, but not all fats are created equal. It's best to opt for a range of fat sources with omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, and saturated fats. Trans fats are the only type of fat to avoid at all costs. Good sources of fat include avocado oil, brain octane oil, coconut oil, fish oil, MCT oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, avocados, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, pecans, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts. Full-fat dairy products like butter, cream, and yogurt are also acceptable.
Protein on Keto
There’s a common myth that the keto diet is a low- or moderate-protein diet. The truth is that for most people, protein won’t kick you out of ketosis. Quality is crucial when it comes to protein. Any animal food that isn’t highly processed with sugar will work for your protein needs. If it comes in a package, check for added carbs. Good sources of protein include bacon, fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), low-carb shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster), poultry (dark meat), beef, lamb, pork, bison, and organ meat (liver, tongue, tripe).
Vegetables on Keto
There’s a wide variety of vegetables that fit into a low-carb diet, making them a crucial component of your overall diet. Good choices include leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula, romaine, Swiss chard, mustard greens, collard greens), bell peppers, bok choy, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli rabe, celery, mushrooms, sprouts (alfalfa, bean), cucumbers, radishes, summer squash (zucchini, yellow), and avocado.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Dairy on Keto
Some people avoid dairy on a keto diet because they’re afraid that the natural sugars present in dairy products will kick them out of ketosis. While some dairy products like ice cream or yogurt with added sugars won’t work on keto, there are many keto-friendly dairy options. When it comes to dairy, full-fat is key. When brands reduce the amount of fat in their dairy products, they often add sugar to make up for the loss of flavor that fat typically provides. Even if sugar isn’t added, the reduction in fat shifts the macronutrient ratio of the dairy to be higher carb. Full-fat dairy has a richer mouthfeel and will leave you more satisfied.
Nuts and Seeds on Keto
Most nuts and seeds fit perfectly into your keto diet because they’re naturally rich in fat. You can also enjoy nut butter, making sure that there are no added sweeteners or fillers in the ingredients list.
Fruits on Keto
While most fruit is off-limits on a low-carb diet, there are a select few that you can enjoy. The only high-fat fruit you’ll find is avocados, but there are a few other fruit options that fit the low-carb category. Berries should always be enjoyed in moderation.
Beverages on Keto
About half of American adults enjoy at least one soda every day. There are 39 grams of sugar in just 12 ounces of Coke, and 65 total carbs. While it should come as no surprise that these drinks are a ticket right out of ketosis, there are a lot of sugar-bomb drinks out there masquerading as healthy. High-fat beverages, on the other hand, tend to be harder to come by. Sugary beverages like soda are obvious offenders on the keto diet, but other packaged drinks like sports drinks and energy drinks are packed with sugar and other toxic ingredients. Fruit juices, pre-made iced teas, and iced coffee drinks also often include a hefty dose of sugar. Cocktails, in general, tend to be higher in sugar then drinks like vodka soda or martinis.
Foods to Avoid on Keto
There are plenty of foods to enjoy when following a keto diet, but just as important as what’s on your plate is what you forgo in the name of steady blood glucose. While it’s true that fruit is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, most fruits will kick you out of ketosis. Starchy veggies like sweet potato, potatoes, yams, and squash should all be avoided (or at the very least moderated) on the keto diet. Most grains (even higher protein grains) contain way too many carbs for a strict keto diet. Many keto dieters find that omitting grains is actually quite easy once you have an alternative to bread. Unless the item specifically states that it’s keto-friendly, you can be sure that any baked treat you come across is going to be packed with carbs. Most baked goods like cookies, cakes, pastries, brownies, pies, etc. Aside from added sugar, many packaged foods also include artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, and preservatives. Some manufacturers will go with sugar alternatives like stevia or monk fruit, and stick to natural preservatives - but this is the exception, not the rule. Beans are another high-carb food that should be excluded in your keto meal plan. Even lentils, which have a higher protein content than most other beans, are too high carb for a keto dieter.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
What is Farro?
Originally from Ancient Mesopotamia, farro is a term used to describe any one of three ancient wheat grains: einkorn, emmer, or spelt. However, in the United States and Europe, the term farro generally refers to emmer wheat. Although farro has been popular in other parts of the world - especially Italy - for a long time, farro is rising in popularity in the United States as a nutritious substitution for other common grains. It’s known for its unique, nutty flavor. It’s also packed with nutrients and provides more health benefits than many common grains.
Nutritional Profile of Farro
Farro is a grain, and most people use it as a carbohydrate source in meals. But when compared to popular refined carbohydrates, farro’s health benefits make it a superior choice for healthy living. Farro is loaded with nutrients, making it a good alternative to the “empty carbohydrates” that many diets warn against. In fact, it’s an excellent source of plant-based protein, making it a great option for vegetarians and vegans to add to their lifestyle. Farro is also an excellent source of iron, magnesium, and fiber.
Per ¼ cup serving of farro, you’ll get:
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 6 grams
- Carbohydrates: 30 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sodium: 25 milligrams
Health Benefits of Farro
Farro provides more health benefits than many common grains. Here are just a few of the impressive health benefits of eating farro:
- Improve Digestive Health: Farro is an excellent source of fiber, which helps regulate the digestive system. Farro has been shown to improve digestion in humans. If you have constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, or other digestive disorders, you may especially benefit from adding farro to your diet.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Although no studies have specifically looked at farro and weight loss, there are a number of factors that suggest that farro could help you maintain a healthy weight. Specifically, farro is loaded with fiber and protein. Studies show that increasing fiber intake can help prevent obesity. Meanwhile, protein is associated with creating a feeling of fullness, which can help prevent overeating. And studies show that eating three servings of whole grains like farro per day is associated with a lower BMI in humans.
Is Farro Keto-Friendly?
Given the carbohydrate content of farro, it is generally not considered keto-friendly. A single ¼ cup serving contains 30 grams of carbohydrates, which would likely exceed the daily carbohydrate limit for someone following a strict keto diet.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Net Carbs
Foods that are high in fiber contain a lower number of net carbs, which is the number of carbs the body absorbs. You can calculate net carbs by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbs. Even when considering the fiber content (3 grams per ¼ cup), the net carb count of 27 grams is still too high for most keto dieters.
Glycemic Index
There is only one figure for glycemic index (GI) in the international tables and that is 63 (medium) for pearled farro. You might expect unpearled farro to be slightly lower due to its higher fibre content and intact bran layer.
Potential Exceptions
While farro is generally not suitable for a strict keto diet, there might be some exceptions:
- Modified Keto: Individuals following a more liberal low-carb diet (e.g., 50-100 grams of carbs per day) may be able to incorporate a very small serving of farro into their meal plan.
- Cyclical Keto: Those practicing cyclical keto, where they reintroduce carbohydrates on specific days, might include farro during their carb-up periods.
Keto-Friendly Alternatives to Grains
If you're looking to limit your carb intake, there's plenty of options for you - especially when it comes to replacing grains. While all of the alternatives won't have the exact same taste and texture of grains like rice, if you experiment with them you will definitely find something that makes you traditional dishes just as delicious.
- Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower rice is not only a great low-carb alternative to regular rice, but it also has "more nutritional mileage than rice". One cup of cauliflower contains 5 grams of carbohydrates compared to 45 grams that come in a cup of rice.
- Broccoli Rice: Similar to cauliflower, broccoli also can serve as a tasty plant-based, low-carb alternative to rice.
- Quinoa: White rice contains almost 15 times the carbohydrates and half the protein that quinoa does.
- Sweet Potatoes: A ½ cup of cooked brown rice includes about 24 grams of carbs, but a sweet potato only includes about 21. Sweet potatoes also offer more fiber and fewer calories than brown rice.
- Rutabaga: Rutabaga is also an antioxidant that can boost a person's immune system and improve digestive health.
- Shirataki Rice: This translucent type of rice and noodles is made from the Japanese konjac plant, which absorbs whatever flavors you cook with it. Shirataki rice containing zero calories and zero carbohydrates, it's also gluten-free and soy-free.
- Butternut Squash: This type of winter squash is an ideal source of fiber and potassium, which aids digestion and can lead to decreased blood pressure. One cup of cooked butternut squash consists of about 82 calories and 21.5 grams of carbs.
- Cabbage Rice: One cup of raw cabbage contains about 22 calories and a mere 5 grams of carbohydrates.
- Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles): Zoodles serve as a great way to lower your carb consumption and increase your fiber intake, which will keep you full longer and assist with weight loss. While two cups of pasta contain 480 calories and 90 grams of carbs, two cups of zoodles have 66 calories and only twelve grams of carbs.
Keto-Friendly Flours
Buying flour at the grocery store used to be simple. Today, grocery store shelves are stocked with gluten-free flour alternatives and keto-friendly flours made from products you may not be familiar with.
Keto flour is similar to gluten-free flour in that it doesn’t contain gluten. The main difference, however, is keto flour is also low in carbohydrates. Keto flour typically is more nutrient dense than gluten-free flour. Many gluten-free flour mixes contain rice, potato, corn or tapioca starch that offer minimal nutrition.
Generally, keto flours can’t be used in a 1-to-1 swap for all-purpose flour, bread flour or cake flour. Because of the low levels of carbohydrates, keto flour is dense and absorbs more liquid than traditional flour (recipes usually call for more eggs or other liquids). Using a mix of keto flours often results in a better final product instead of focusing on one type.
- Almond flour: This popular keto flour is made from blanched almonds (skins removed). Almond flour is one of the few keto flours that can be swapped 1-to-1 in place of traditional flour.
- Almond meal: This type is made from whole almonds, skins and all, which makes it higher in fiber. Almond meal has a coarser texture and is darker in color than almond flour.
- Coconut flour: This type of flour is made from ground, dried coconut meat. It is both high in fiber and protein, but it’s more dense than almond flour and soaks up liquids fast. Most recipes call for a 1-to-4 ratio.
- Flaxseed flour: Sold as ground flaxseed, this type of powder is high in fiber and omega 3 fats. The high fiber content makes ground flaxseed turn into a gel when mixed with liquids.
- Sunflower seed flour: This type of flour is made from ground sunflower seeds. Sometimes called sun flour, sunflower seed flour is high in vitamin E and omega 3 fats. It’s a popular flour swap for people with nut allergies, and it even has more protein than almond flour.
- Pumpkin seed flour: This type of flour is yet another alternative for people with nut allergies. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein and low in carbs.
- Sesame flour: This type of flour is made from unhulled sesame seeds, which creates a high-fiber, low-carb powder. Sesame flour is another nut-free alternative that can be swapped for traditional flour.
- Chia seed flour: This type of flour is a good source of fiber and omega 3 fats. Like flaxseed flour, chia seed flour is considered hydrophilic, meaning they absorb water and turn into a gel.
- Oat fiber: Not to be confused with oat flour, oat fiber is made from the outer shell of oats. Oat flour is high in carbs, making it not keto-friendly. But oat fiber is much lower in carbs since it contains only the hull.
- Lupin flour: This type of flour comes from lupin beans of the legume family and is high in fiber and protein and low in net carbs. Lupin flour can be bitter, so it’s not often used as a primary swap for traditional flour.
- Cauliflower flour: This type of flour is made from dried cauliflower florets, stems or leaves. Unlike other seed and nut flours, cauliflower is fat free and isn’t as dense as other keto flours.
Keto flour is almost always a healthier swap for traditional flour due to a higher amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber.