Diets come and go in popularity. What works for one person, may not work for another. The keto diet, short for the ketogenic diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that is surging in popularity across the globe. For good reason too - the keto diet offers some serious health benefits if it is the right fit for an individual.
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Keto Origin Story
The ketogenic diet requires a person to drastically cut down on their carb intake and to replace the carbs that used to be in their diet with fat. The idea is that this cut in carbs will put your body in a state of “ketosis.” When your body is in ketosis, it is highly efficient at burning fat for energy use.
While the keto diet might be new to you, it’s actually been around for quite a while. Invented in 1920 or 1930, the diet was a popular therapy for people suffering from epilepsy. While the diet was largely abandoned with the advent of anti-convulsive therapies, these newer medications still didn’t work for 20%-30% of people experiencing epilepsy. Especially in the case of children, the keto diet was one way of managing the condition when other avenues failed.
It’s not just people with epilepsy whose lives can vastly improve when their bodies are in ketosis: there is evidence to suggest that the keto diet can support a plethora of other medical conditions including metabolic syndrome (often called prediabetes), glycogen storage disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, and some cancers.
Cutting out carbs and most sugar can be a daunting change in lifestyle - but the benefits of the diet, especially with certain health concerns, can have hugely positive impacts on individuals and their families. With a little creativity, you can find ways to reimagine some of your favorite meals.
Compiled below are 10 ways that you can eat tomato sauce on a keto diet.
Tomatoes and Sugar
In addition to drastically cutting carb intake, you also have to seriously cut back on sugars in order to reach ketosis. Unfortunately, we’re not just talking candy and cupcakes this time around - you also need to be intentional about what fruits you incorporate into your daily food intake. Fruits like pineapple, banana, apples, and oranges are really high in sugar and should be avoided. Tomatoes, while also a fruit, are a low glycemic fruit, which means they’re lower in sugar and a very keto-friendly food.
If you’re using fresh tomatoes or frozen ones you saved from the garden, your imagination is the limit. However, be sure to look for organic tomatoes and tomato sauces when going the canned route. Sometimes, these produced goods can have a lot of added sugar.
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1. Easy Keto Marinara Sauce
This easy keto marinara sauce can be a great place to start if you’re wanting to begin with the basics. Marinara sauce can be used in so many ways and will keep in the fridge, ready to be applied to various meals throughout the week, adding flavor and comfort to an otherwise boring meal.
2. Sugar-Free Tomato and BBQ Sauce
The biggest thing to keep in mind when cooking on the keto diet is to stay vigilant in regard to sneaky sugars. While BBQ sauce can be sticky sweet and loaded with sugar, it doesn’t have to be.
3. Creamy Tomato Sauce
With 23g of fat and 25g of protein, this soup is a keto dream. It’s also a quick recipe that only requires one pan - who said diets have to be hard?
4. Pizza Sauce
Yes, keto is a diet where pizza is in fact possible. And everyone knows the secret to the perfect pizza lies in the sauce.
5. Mediterranean Cod Skillet
One of many keto fish dinner recipes, a cod skillet can look fancy and taste amazing. When including fish in your meals, be sure to research where you can buy sustainable fish as well. Keto diet will support your health, while you support the planet’s health.
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6. Salmon With Bacon Tomato Cream Sauce
Featuring salmon and bacon, this recipe is dripping with protein and fat for your body to absorb in the best way.
7. White Fish Pomodoro
Pomodoro is a basil-heavy sauce, which you can thank the Italians for. This can be a fun experiment to play with as there is a wide variety of white fish that you may prefer compared to others.
8. Roasted Tomato Soup
There are few meals that are as comforting as tomato soup, and there are endless versions of this recipe with a quick google search.
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9. Gazpacho
While soup is usually a comfort, it doesn’t always have to be hot. Cold soup can be a refreshing addition to a sweaty day of sunshine and activity. Gazpacho is packed with flavor and a bit like converting your ripe garden into a salty smoothie.
10. Shrimp In Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
How about the flavors of Italy on your table, keto-style?
Bonus: Tinned Fish with Tomato Sauce
Perhaps the easiest way to incorporate tomatoes into your keto diet? Eating delicious, tinned fish that comes packed in organic tomato sauce. Yum!
General Health Benefits of Tomatoes
In addition to being a keto-friendly fruit, tomatoes are jam-packed with other health benefits to consider: tomatoes provide us with vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, folate, and antioxidants. Whether you’re sticking strictly to the keto diet or just trying to feel a bit better about your food habits, the best kind of health care you can give yourself is preventive care - considering what your body needs to thrive and enjoying delicious meals that support your health.
Article written by Siri Undlin on December 10, 2020.
Featured image by RitaE from Pixabay.