The ketogenic diet, or keto for short, has become a popular way for many Australians to manage weight, improve energy, and support metabolic health. But at its heart, the keto diet follows a simple, fundamental rule: drastically reduce carbohydrate intake and replace those calories with healthy fats to shift your body into a fat-burning state called ketosis.
The Core Principle: Low Carbs, High Fat
In a typical Western diet, carbohydrates make up about 45-65% of daily energy intake, according to Australian Dietary Guidelines. On keto, this percentage drops sharply to around 5-10% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, which usually means consuming less than 50 grams of carbs per day-about the amount found in two slices of bread and a banana combined.
By limiting carbs to this extent, your body exhausts its usual glucose stores and begins producing ketones from fat breakdown. These ketones then become your body’s primary fuel source, helping you burn fat more efficiently.
Protein and Fat: The Supporting Players
While carbs take a backseat, the majority of your daily energy on keto comes from fats-typically 70-80% of your calories. Healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, butter, cream, coconut oil, and fatty fish are encouraged and eaten liberally. Protein intake is moderate, usually around 15-20%, focusing on sources like eggs, meat, and cheese. Too much protein can interfere with ketosis, so balance is key.
What Foods Are Limited or Avoided?
To maintain ketosis, foods high in carbohydrates must be restricted or eliminated. This includes:
- Sugary foods and drinks (soda, sweets, fruit juices)
- Grains and starches (bread, pasta, rice, cereals)
- Most fruits (except small portions of berries)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- Root vegetables and tubers (potatoes, carrots, parsnips)
- Processed low-fat or diet products with added sugars
- Alcoholic beverages like beer and sweet cocktails
Australian Context: What Does This Look Like?
Australians following keto often base their meals around whole, minimally processed foods such as:
- Meat and poultry (beef, lamb, chicken, kangaroo)
- Fatty fish (salmon, barramundi, mackerel)
- Eggs and full-fat dairy (cheese, cream, butter)
- Healthy oils (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil)
- Low-carb vegetables (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus)
- Nuts and seeds (macadamias, almonds, chia seeds)
The fundamental rule of the keto diet in Australia is to keep carbohydrate intake very low-usually under 50 grams per day-while consuming high amounts of healthy fats and moderate protein. This dietary shift encourages your body to enter ketosis, turning fat into its main energy source instead of carbs.