While the keto diet seemed to explode on the scene as the leading and most popular new diet about five years ago, the concept of ketosis and healthy eating have been around for a long time. It was the mainstay for professional athletes, celebrities and the elite as a specialized way of eating that optimized nutritional benefits, while reducing the harmful impact of carbohydrates on human health.
Eating long-term on the keto diet is a complicated process, but when you see the weight-loss and health stories on Facebook, it’s not hard to see why it is so popular. The ketogenic diet is very low carb, in fact, most people eat less than 25 carbs per day on this diet to achieve a metabolic state called ketosis. When your body is in ketosis for an extended period of time, it learns to rely less on carbohydrates (sugar) for energy and turns instead to burning fat. It converts fat to ketones in the liver.
For individuals who have health conditions like obesity or diabetes, ketogenic diets have been clinically shown to provide tremendous improvements in blood sugar and insulin levels. There are actually four levels of ketogenic diet regimes that someone can try, if they want to lose weight:
a) Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)
This involves maintaining a dietary intake that is 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs. This is the most strict and difficult type of ketogenic diet to maintain, when you consider that the maximum carbohydrate amount may be as little as 25g. For reference, a slice of bread is about 12g of carbs.
b) Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)
This type of ketogenic diet incorporates ‘cheat days’ and is one of the most popular and easier of all diet models to follow in this group. The same structure of 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs are used in this diet, with 2 high-carb days off. Then, people who follow CKD reset back to a five-day sprint of low carbohydrates.
c) Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)
A targeted ketogenic diet follows the 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrate model too, but is designed for individuals who are athletic. Many professional athletes follow this diet, that only allows for additional carbohydrates immediately before and following an intensive workout.
d) High-Protein Ketogenic Diet
This version of the keto diet is designed for meat eaters! It allows for 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates daily, and is recommended for people who have a larger muscle mass and require additional protein to maintain their physique. It is also known as the Body Builder Keto diet.
If you are following a keto diet, you already know that premium antibiotic and hormone free 100% beef patties can factor into some healthy and delicious meals. Some of our most enthusiastic customers follow a Paleo or Keto diet and write to us about Free Graze as an important part of their meal plan. With no artificial preservatives, non-GMO natural ingredients, Free Graze is one of the healthiest choices you will find, in your frozen meat section.
Since customers who are following a keto diet are unlikely to eat their burger on a bun, you can get a little creative with your toppings and prepare your Free Graze burger as a protein on your plate. Then pile it high with your favorite keto-friendly burger toppings! Check out some of our suggestions below.
Mushrooms with White Wine, Thyme and Butter Sauce
When you take your favorite antibiotic and hormone free burger, and top it with sautéed mushrooms, who needs the bun? Mushrooms are low carbohydrate, and they are like little flavor sponges, that rapidly absorb whatever seasonings you decide to sauté them in.
Kim is the foodie and writer behind the food blog “Low Carb Maven”. She not only shares this amazing recipe with lemony thyme notes but points out all the health benefits of mushrooms. Did you know that virtually every variety of fresh mushrooms provides b vitamins, copper, potassium, selenium and beta-glucans? There have also been many clinical studies that link mushrooms as a natural protection against certain types of cancers (particularly the darker varieties such as cremini and portobella).
So, pile them on if you are following a healthy keto diet. Not only do they enhance the already delicious flavor of your favorite Free Graze burger, but they are really good for your health!
Get the recipe here and try it with a slice of swiss cheese and our Free Graze Organic beef burger, or cage-free vegetarian fed Turkey Burger.
Garlic Parmesan Grilled Zucchini
Many delicious and keto friendly recipes start with healthy zucchini. This vegetable is incredibly low in carbohydrates but packs a lot of flavor and fiber in every bite (especially when you leave the skin on during grilling).
This recipe from “Joy Filled Eats” and food blogger Taryn, adds some extra kick by seasoning the zucchini before grilling with a delicious paste, that is made from fresh garlic and extra strong parmesan cheese. While she suggests cutting the zucchini in rounds for grilling, you can also cut them on the vertical for hardy strips you can stack like pickles on your Free Graze hormone and antibiotic free grass-fed burgers.
Mashed Roasted Pumpkin
Many of the burger sauces available at the grocery store, are not an option for people on a keto diet. Once you read the label and see how much sugar is added to them, and homemade burger sauce recipes are usually not much better.
Grilled pumpkin is a superfood! Pumpkin is very rich in vitamin A, which can be hard to source from other dietary foods. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains only 49 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 2 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates (9 net carbs after fiber) and 11% of your daily RDI for copper.
Here are some of the other vitamins and nutrients found in pumpkin, in a one cup serving:
19% of RDI for vitamin C
16% of RDI for Potassium
3 grams of fiber
11% of RDI for Vitamin B2
10% of RDI for Vitamin E
8% of RDI for Iron
Check out this recipe for instructions on how to prepare and grill fresh pumpkin, on “Steamy Kitchen”. Roasted or grilled pumpkin can be mashed, and combined with garlic powder, salt and pepper to make a delicious and nutritious burger topping.
What did you think of our suggestions? If you are following a ketogenic diet and you enjoy our Free Graze hormone, antibiotic, preservative and GMO-free burgers, let us know, and leave us a comment below.
