Budget-friendly keto diet with Munch snacks? We'll show you it's possible

What is the keto diet all about?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that was originally developed primarily for treating epileptic patients, especially children. The essence of the diet is that by depriving the body of carbohydrates, it forces the body to meet its energy needs from fats. Normally, carbohydrates consumed with food are converted to glucose by the body and used throughout the body, including in the brain. During the keto diet, very few carbohydrates are available, so the liver breaks down fats into fatty acids and ketones. In this case, ketones play the "energy carrier" role instead of glucose. High levels of ketones in the blood and brain (ketosis) helps reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures.

The classic ketogenic diet establishes a 4:1 ratio of dietary fats to proteins and carbohydrates in nutrition. This is achieved primarily by excluding foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, starchy vegetables, pasta, bread, sugar, and other sweeteners. Adequate fat intake is ensured by consuming milk, cream, and butter.

Where does the keto diet come from?

As we mentioned, the keto diet was originally used to treat epilepsy patients. The first records come from ancient Greece, where similar diets were often used to treat patients. In the same collection where they write about the dietary application of epilepsy, there is a story about a man whose epilepsy disappeared as quickly as it had appeared after fasting and thirst. According to Erasistratus, an ancient Greek physician, short-term severe fasting was the solution for epilepsy.

The final form of the diet was created by American pediatrician Mynie Peterman. The daily calorie allowance includes one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight and 10–15 grams of carbohydrates per day, with the remainder covered by fat. Peterman worked on implementing and maintaining the diet in the 1920s. He documented both positive and negative effects: improved attention, sleep, and behavior, but also nausea and vomiting. Very good results were achieved in children: in 1925, Peterman reported that 95% of his 37 young patients improved, and 60% became seizure-free. By 1930, 100 adolescents and adults were enrolled in the trials. Clifford Barborka reported improvement in 56% of them and 12% became seizure-free.

The ketogenic diet fell into slight obscurity in the mid-20th century during wartime. The big "rediscovery" came in October 1994 when the story of Jim Abrahams, a Hollywood producer, and his son Charlie Abrahams was brought to light. The two-year-old boy suffered from uncontrollable seizures that could not be treated by either conventional or alternative methods. The father found a parent's guide to epilepsy that included information about the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet achieved great success with the boy, so in 1997 Abrahams documented his son's story in the film "First Do No Harm."

What is ketosis?

Ketosis develops in the body through a drastic reduction in carbohydrate intake. The body's carbohydrate stores are depleted within a few hours, so there is not enough to maintain proper blood sugar levels. As sugar runs out, instead of insulin—the hormone responsible for transporting sugar—a hormone called glucagon, a fat-breaking hormone, is released. In the liver, fat is converted into ketone bodies, thus the body gets a new type of energy source that almost every cell in the body can use, and it can release more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates.

Ketosis creates an ideal environment in which accelerated fat burning leads to weight loss without hunger, while insulin levels—the fat-storing hormone—decrease in our body.

What can we eat during the diet and what can't we?

Proteins we can eat:

• fattier fish
• low-fat shellfish
• duck meat
• beef
• lamb
• pork
• offal
• full-fat dairy products

Proteins we cannot eat:

• cured meats
• smoked butcher's meat
• breaded meat

Vegetables we can eat:

• green leafy vegetables (spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula)
• asparagus
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• celery
• mushrooms
• sprouts
• cucumber
• zucchini

Vegetables we cannot eat:

• ginger
• sweet potato
• leek
• corn
• beets
• butternut squash
• artichoke

Fruits we can eat:

• strawberries
• raspberries
• blackberries
• kiwi
• coconut flesh
• lemon juice
• lime juice
• honeydew melon
• tomato
• olives
• avocado

Fruits we cannot eat:

• dried fruit
• cantaloup
• watermelon
• apricot
• plum
• blueberry
• cranberry
• apple
• pear
• grapes
• banana
• orange
• peach
• mango
• cherry
• papaya

Let's go for the "VEGGIE" munch snacks!

Fats and nuts we can eat:

• avocado oil
• coconut oil
• fish oil
• olive oil
• cacao butter
• walnuts
• chia seeds
• flaxseeds
• pecan nuts
• pine nuts
• macadamia nuts
• hazelnuts
• butter
• cream
• yogurt

Fats and nuts we cannot eat:

• sunflower oil
• margarine
• canola oil
• cashews

Legumes and grains we can eat:

• white beans
• soybeans

Legumes and grains we cannot eat:

• peanuts
• chickpeas
• lentils
• green peas
• beans (all types, except white kidney beans)
• quinoa
• wheat
• oats
• popcorn
• rice

How can Munch help with the keto diet?

Among the Munch snacks, you'll already find many "diet-friendly" packages that you can easily filter by the Diet tab. This way, you can filter for sugar-free, soy-free, or gluten-free snacks. Even if you can't solve your keto diet entirely with Munch snacks, it can significantly reduce the costs spent on your special diet.

Let's go for the snacks!