Following a ketogenic diet can be challenging for anyone, and where you live can have a big impact on the foods that are readily available.
If you are from Nigeria, you might be having a hard time since many of the foods around you are high in carbs (yams, rice, potatoes, grains).
However, there is a way of following a Nigerian keto plan.
In this article, we will cover how to follow a ketogenic meal plan with foods you can typically find in Nigeria.
Learn the benefits and drawbacks of this type of diet, how to start following this plan, foods to eat and to avoid, a shopping list, and a one-day plan for you to start on your journey to healthy low-carb eating.
It is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet that reduces your carbohydrate or glucose intake to help you create a ketosis state.
When you eat less carbs, your body needs to adapt to create a new energy source. It enters ketosis so that it can break down fats into ketones to use for energy. So instead of using carbohydrates, your body is burning fat for fuel.
You reduce your carbs to provide 5 to 10% of your calories. Meanwhile, 20% comes from proteins, and 70 to 80% comes from fats.
This specific plan focuses on foods and dishes you can typically find in Nigeria.
Please note that this plan is not intended for pregnant or nursing women, or insulin-dependent people.
There are several possible benefits of following a Nigerian keto plan. Here is a list of the positive effects you may experience.
While there are many good reasons to use this plan, there are also some drawbacks you need to consider before changing to this eating style. Here is a list of the most common side effects you might encounter.
Before you decide to try this plan, first, you need to ask your healthcare provider if it is right for you. If they approve, you can start following the Nigerian keto plan.
Before we dig into the shopping list and a one-day keto meal plan, we need to determine which foods you can consume and which you need to avoid.
Let’s talk about those foods you want to focus on.
Fats are the main energy source in your body on keto. Thus, the main foods you should include in your diet are fats.
Some of the most common fat sources are avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, butter, and ghee. Focus on more fat sources from plant sources (like avocado, nuts, and seeds) instead of animal sources (like butter, ghee, lard, and tallow) since they are healthier for your heart.
The other food source you need to focus on is proteins. Proteins are essential since they help support your muscle mass, increase your metabolism, and increase your satiety levels. You can include protein sources: eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, meat, pork, and fish.
One of the foods you need to be careful with is carbs. However, when it comes to non-starchy vegetables, you want to consume them in larger amounts since they are lower in carbs and higher in fiber and provide you with key nutrients. Make sure to include at least three different colored vegetables per day to get various nutrients for the day and the week.
Now, let’s talk about those foods you need to avoid.
As mentioned before, you need to be careful with carb consumption. Foods high in carbs like potatoes, rice, legumes, and other grains should be avoided to prevent going overboard on your daily carb requirements.
Foods high in sugars like cookies, sweets, cakes, and pastries are very high in calories and carbs, which can affect your ketosis levels.
You can consume some fruits in moderation as long as you know the portion size and how many grams of carbs they provide.
Now that you know which foods you need to eat and which ones to avoid. It is time to go grocery shopping and stock up your fridge and pantry!
Fats
Proteins
Vegetables
Fruits
On occasion you can include some lentils or beans as long as you are careful to have a small portion size.
Here is a one-day plan to help guide you on what a Nigerian keto meal plan looks like.
2,120 calories | Total macros: 45 g net carbs – 118 g protein – 159 g fats
If you still have questions related to the Nigerian keto plan, here is where you can go over them.
Protein options like meats (all animals and all parts, including organ meats), chicken, seafood, fish, and eggs are low in carbs.
You can also include low-carb vegetables like mushrooms, leafy greens, onions, and bell peppers.
Nuts and seeds are also encouraged to have since they have healthy fats.
Fufu is made from starchy foods like cassava, plantains, or yams. So, yes, fufu is high in carbs.
1 cup of cooked fufu has 73 grams of net carbs, which is more than most people should eat in a whole day on a keto diet.
Instead, try making a low-carb fufu using cauliflower, cabbage, coconut , or almond flour.
It depends on how many of these melon seeds you eat. 50 grams of milled Egusi seeds has 7 grams of carbohydrates. This amount would usually be okay on keto, though it depends on your personal macros.
Pay attention to your serving size. For example, if you use 2 cups (300g) of ground egusi seeds in a soup that serves 6 people, each person will have 50 g, amounting to 7 g of carbs per person from the seeds, plus the carbs from other ingredients in the soup.
No, since this powder is made from the starchy vegetable cassava, garri is high in carbohydrates and should be avoided for a ketogenic diet. Just ¼ cup could have more than 20 grams of carbs.
Yes, also known as okro or gumbo, okra is an excellent choice for keto. low in calories and full of nutrients like fiber, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
In 100 g of cooked okra, you get only 2 grams of net carbs, which makes it one of the best keto-friendly vegetables you can have.
Here are some keto-friendly Nigerian dishes you can add while following a ketogenic meal plan.
