Epilepsy Information

Commonly Eaten Foods

Be sure to check out http://www.lowcarb.com for some great low carbohydrate options! Low-Carb candies, breads, sauces, etc!!  Please note that very few foods are completely keto-friendly without additional fat added.  For example, a low carb bread will not be okay to use on the ketogenic diet unless it is weighed out on a scale and eaten with the correct proportion of fat.  This is the same for all low carb foods. 
Here's a partial list of just some of the foods that are common on these diets. I'll start with the '100% safe foods.’ These are foods that would be fine on the modified atkins diet but would need to be consumed with additional fat if the pt is following the ketogenic diet.  Next I'll go to 'questionable' foods, such as hotdogs, where you must check the carb content on the package, because some hotdogs have only 1 gram of carbs per hotdog while some have up to 7 grams. I'm also including a list of higher carb content foods, that can be eaten in VERY limited quantities.  Foods marked with an '*' are considered healthy, we highly recommend eating them as much as possible while staying under your carb limit and staying in ketosis!)

No Carbs/Trace Carbs
Beef, Steak, Hamburger, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon, Roast Beef, Chicken*, Duck, Any Fish*, Tuna*, Salmon*, Trout*, Halibut*, Lamb, Pork, Bacon, Ham, Eggs, Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Butter, Oils (Olive Oil*, Flaxseed oil*, etc.), Mustard, Salt, Pepper, Soy Sauce, Tea, Coffee, Heavy Cream and Nutrasweet/Equal.

Minimal Carb Foods
Broccoli*, Spinach*, Lettuce*, Cabbage*, Bok Choy*, Kale*, Asparagus*, Mustard Greens*, Mushrooms*, Cucumbers*, Pickles*, Olives*, Celery*, Green Beans*, Brussel Sprouts*, Cauliflower*, Artichokes*, Peppers* (Red, Green, Jalapeno, Habanero), Onions*, Nuts, Flaxseeds*, Cheeses, Salami, Pastrami, Hot Dogs, Sausages, Ribs (watch out for the sauce!), Buffalo Wings, Liverwurst, Oysters, Abalone, Protein Powders, Salad dressings (some), some Wines.

Higher Carb Foods (Very Limited Quantities!)
Grapefruit*, Lemons*, Limes*, Strawberries*, Olives*, Rasberries*, Blackberries*, Kiwis*, and Half-N-Half,
Again, please note,  that though these some of the foods listed above may include little to no carbohydrate some are very high in protein.  Though protein is not limited in the modified atkins or  the low glycemic index treatment, it still must be accounted for in the ketogenic diet (meaning it needs to be consumed with added fat).  This is why it is crucial for any patient considering diet therapy for epilepsy to meet on an individualized basis with a dietitian and a physician. 

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