Ham is a meat, so that should mean your New Year’s dinner is safe for your ongoing ketogenic diet, right? Is ham compliant with the keto diet?
The Short Answer:
Yes, ham is perfect for a keto diet, provided it is not glazed in sugar.
The Long Answer:
The new year is almost upon us, which means it’s time for that New Years ham. Ham is a common holiday staple food, enjoyed all over the world.
But if you’re on a ketogenic diet, can you still partake? Can you add any condiments to it?
Ham in its natural state is perfectly fine on a keto diet. In fact, it’s fairly ideal. It’s a meat, so it has no carbs, and it is high in fat. Ham is perfect for driving your body into ketosis.
The only downside to a keto dieter’s holiday ham feast lies in the preparation.
Ham is typically prepared with a glaze. Some are glazed in honey, others in brown sugar, and as should come as no surprise to anyone who has been doing this diet for more than a week, these are serious no-nos.
As far as condiments go, you can use all the mustard you want on your holiday ham, but don’t use a sweet mustard like honey mustard. Those are serious keto infractions that will offset your precious macros.
It’s also a good idea to avoid deli hams, as they are often cured with sugar and other non-keto friendly ingredients. If you’re going to be picking up some sliced deli ham, it is best to ask to see the label so that you know what you’re buying.
What is Keto?
The Ketogenic Diet, or Keto, is a low carb, high-fat diet which helps you lose weight by forcing the body into a state of ketosis. On the Keto diet, users force the body to shed pounds by feeding on fat broken down in the liver, rather than carbohydrates and glucose.
When we eat a lot of carbohydrates, the body produces both insulin and glucose. The body feeds on the glucose to produce energy and stores fat, rather than burning it. With keto, you can lose weight, improve your overall health, and enrich yourself in both body and mind. Learn more about the Keto Diet here.
What’s your favorite ham recipe? How do you glaze your ham while on the keto diet? Sound off in the comment section below and let us know!
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