One of the most popular plans for losing weight in the last few years is the keto diet. At the same time, skeptics, including researchers and nutritionists, have cautioned us on the possible long-term health effects. Still, that hasn’t stopped folks from ditching pasta and bread for dairy, eggs and meat.
The keto diet has been touted as being effective for rapid weight loss, lowering triglycerides, increasing good cholesterol and reducing blood sugar. But people also report feeling sluggish, a change in bowel movements and weight regain, which happens on most diets. Additionally, it has been shown that it can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease and may increase bad cholesterol.
Furthermore, since most low-carb keto diets can be restrictive — 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrates — it can be hard for many to stick to it long term. But if you have spoken to your healthcare provider and decide that you want to give it a try, these keto diet cookbooks can help. Some offer tips on eating healthy, explanations of the diet and choices for keeping your meals interesting.
Read on for our round-up of the best keto diet cookbooks below.
1. The Keto Diet: The Complete Guide to a High-Fat Diet
BEST OVERALL
Not everyone knows how to plan and execute a meal, which can be made all the more challenging when you are on a low-carb diet. If you have the best intentions but aren’t quite sure what to pair things with, The Keto Diet cookbook lists meal plans to keep it simple. Plus, the book talks about how much a keto diet costs, traveling while on the diet, and some side effects of a keto diet, such as bad breath, keto flu and constipation.
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2. Keto Cookbook For Beginners
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
If you have just embarked on your keto diet journey and aren’t sure where to start, Keto Cookbook For Beginners breaks it down. The book is a bit hefty as it features 1,000 recipes, but if you plan on making homemade low-carb meals, you will want all the ideas you can get. It explains the plan and features recipes that cover breakfast, lunch and dinner. To keep it simple, the table of contents breaks down the book into quick and easy meals, breakfast and eggs, soups and salads, poultry, pork, beef and lamb, fish and seafood, vegan options, vegetable and dairy, smoothies, snacks and appetizers.
3. Keto Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners
BEST AIR FRYER RECIPES
Air Fryers are the much-loved kitchen appliance of the moment. They can help to reduce the amount of oil and fat you consume. And you might not have thought it possible, but there are 800 keto-based recipes available for the air fryer. The book addresses some of the skepticism about the diet; you can access recipes for breakfast, appetizers, snacks, side dishes, vegetarian, beef, pork and lamb, fish and seafood, desserts and staples.
4. Keto for Vegetarians
BEST FOR VEGETARIANS
It is very easy to assume that the keto diet doesn’t offer options for vegetarians, and that makes sense since the diet tends to be low in carbs but high in fat and protein. Keto for Vegetarians is no-nonsense in its approach. It helps you get going with a 14-day plan and offers recipes for breakfast and smoothies, salad, soup, sandwiches, hearty main dishes, desserts, and staples. It also explains macronutrients and the pros and cons of a keto vegetarian diet.
5. Keto in 30 Minutes
BEST FOR QUICK MEALS
For those short on time but still want to eat home-cooked keto meals, the Keto in 30 Minutes cookbook is a great option. No matter your cooking style or way of eating, what’s hard about making meals when you are short on time is finding recipes that you can whip up quickly. This book features 100 recipes, offers prepping tips and advice on what to do when eating out.
6. Keto Instant Pot Cookbook
BEST INSTANT POT
Instant Pot cooking has been getting a lot of buzz for a while. And that is understandable since using an Instant Pot can free you up for other things and still get a meal on the table for yourself or your family. In addition to the standard fare, the Keto Instant Pot Cookbook, which is authorized by Instant Pot, offers recipes for Turkish, Thai, Mexican, Asian and West African style cuisines, plus a keto cheesecake.
7. Southern Keto
BEST SOUTHERN-STYLE CUSINE
Even though you may want to commit to a low-carb lifestyle, you may still want to enjoy certain types of foods like southern cooking. The author of Southern Keto addresses her personal journey with food, offers at least 100 recipes, creates theme menus, helps you build your grocery lists and offers tips on how to start your process of switching to a low-carb diet.
8. Keto Copycat Recipes Cookbook
BEST RESTAURANT RECIPE DUPES
Have you ever been in the middle of a meal at a restaurant and wondered how you would be able to reproduce that same meal at home? Well, Keto Copycat Recipes Cookbook may have the answers. You can find duplicated recipes such as Starbucks’ blueberry muffins, McDonald’s hash browns, Tuscan Chicken Breasts from the Cheesecake Factory and Cajun Baked Catfish from Texas Roadhouse. Now you can manage the ingredients of some of your favorite restaurant-style meals.
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