If you’ve ever tried out a diet regime before, you’d know that a large part of the diet itself is planning–what you eat, when to eat, how frequent, and how many.
It’s all fun and games until you’re actually in front of your kitchen stove, not knowing how to start eating healthy.
Here’s the thing–it doesn’t really have to be very complicated! You’ll find it comforting that most of the Filipino home cooked ulams are keto!
Just don’t fall prey to that enticing cup of rice. In fact, most of the food Americans eat on a keto diet are ingredients usually found in a Filipino kitchen like avocado and coconut!
What is a Keto Diet?
To recap… a ketogenic diet consists of low-carb, no sugar, and high-fat foods which puts your body into ketosis. This works by repressing your body from carbohydrates and proteins, so that your body gets its energy from its back-up fuel source, your body fats.
Fats or lipids are good energy sources, because they last longer than carbohydrates! And because your body fats are being converted to energy, you tend to lose those extra fats–which makes keto diet a good regime for those who want to carve off a few inches from their bellies.
Other than losing weight, a keto diet is also good for those who need to lower their blood sugar levels!
Keto diets are not just cutting off carbohydrates like rice, pasta, and bread from your diet. It’s also ensuring that you get enough protein and fat (especially this one!) from the food you eat.
Proteins are usually found from meat, fish, eggs, and other dairy products. Fats, on the other hand, can be acquired from fatty fish, coconut oil, milk, some fruits, and meat. Now, it is important to know that for this diet plan to succeed, you need healthy fats in your body!
How to Prepare Meals for a Keto Diet
You see, not all fats are healthy. If possible, try to avoid trans fats. These are the ones usually found in baked goods, processed foods, and other junk food you can find in your pantries. It’s best to look at the nutritional fact sheet to see what to avoid and what to indulge yourself with.
What you can eat, on the other hand, are foods that have monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. These are chicken meat, coconut oil, fatty fishes and meat, and some fruits and vegetables. It could be a little confusing to discern what fats are healthy and what is not. It might help you to create a list, so you won’t accidentally feed yourself with something you’re not supposed to.
Here’s a tip: always prepare your meal with fresh ingredients–that means no canned foods! Studies show that MSG can spike your blood sugar levels!
Whoever said that going on a diet means having to cut off mouthwatering dishes has clearly never tried doing keto! Spoiler alert: you can eat lechon and chicharon in this diet!
11 Filipino Keto Foods
Now, that you’re familiar with keto diet. Here are 11 Filipino foods you can eat while on a keto diet!
Tortang Isda/Giniling for Breakfast.
Fishes like sardines and dulong are rich in fat! Egg yolks are also a good source of fat, making this dish the perfect breakfast meal for a keto diet!
Sinigang for Lunch/Dinner.
If you’re like most Filipinos, you probably cook your sinigang with pork belly cuts, which are a good source of fats. You can also cook your dish with fish, like mackerel or salmon, both high in fat content.
Bicol Express for Lunch/Dinner.
This dish is also usually cooked with pork belly cuts. Coconut milk, a relatively high-fat food, is also a significant ingredient in bicol express.
Adobo for Lunch/Dinner.
Whether you’re preparing your adobo with chicken or pork, you won’t have to worry about it not being “keto-friendly”! The only catch is you might want to substitute your high-processed oil with coconut oil to make it fattier.
Sisig for Lunch/Dinner.
This Filipino favorite is made from various pork and chicken parts, both of which are high in fat content.
Lechon for Lunch/Dinner.
Yep! You’ve read that right! Lechon is a keto-friendly food! This does not give you a pass to eat lechon every day, though! Moderation is always key.
Chicharon for Snacks.
Chicharon is another putok batok favorite! Since the traditional chicharon is made from deep-fried pork belly, it’s a good source of fat.
Balut for Snacks.
Fertilized egg, like the usual egg you’d use for cooking, is also high in fat content. Just don’t overdo it! One balut a day is enough. Or two.
Kesong Puti for Snacks.
Kesong puti, like any other dairy product, is high in fat. The tricky part now is what to pair it with. Remember: no bread or pastries!
Avocado with Carabao Milk for Snacks.
This Filipino favorite is made from avocado and milk, both of which are good sources of fat. Just leave out the sugar, and you’re good to go.
Bulalo for Lunch/Dinner.
Bulalo is made from beef bone marrow, which is high in fat content! This makes bulalo a hearty dish for those on a keto diet.
In conclusion…
Like any other diet regime, the keto diet requires meticulous meal planning. What makes this diet plan a good one is that you don’t have to make significant changes to your eating habits.
Yes, straying away from carbohydrates is necessary, but most Filipino home-cooked meals are already keto-friendly. If not, there is always a way to keto-fy them!
Comment down your favorite Filipino keto meal and let us know if we’ve missed anything on the list. We’d love to hear from you!