Your Guide to Clean Keto (Plus a 7-Day Sample Meal Plan)

Clean keto is all about eating a wide variety of real foods that are low in carbs and high in fat. With this version of the ketogenic diet, your focus is on getting your nutrients and macros met from fresh, unprocessed (or minimally unprocessed) foods. It’s really about the quality of what you’re eating with this style of keto. 

In this article, we’ll cover how to follow a clean keto diet, its benefits, and what makes it different from a dirty keto diet. We even provide a 7-day sample meal plan to make starting clean keto easy. 

Clean Keto vs. Dirty Keto

If you’ve heard of the clean keto diet, it’s more than likely you’ve also heard of the dirty keto diet. Let’s quickly talk about the difference between the two and which is more beneficial to your overall health. 

Clean 

The clean keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet plan that prioritizes foods in their natural state — or are as close to their natural state as possible. Think non-starchy veggies and fruits, meat, fish and seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, olive oil, and coconut oil.

Clean keto is very similar to the traditional keto diet; it just places a higher emphasis on the quality of food you eat. Your macros even stay the same with this version of keto:

• 5% or fewer calories from carbohydrates
• 70-80% of calories from healthy fats
• 20-30% of calories from protein

By eating cleaner, you’re able to maximize your intake of micronutrients (e.g. vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes). These are essential for optimal body and brain function, disease prevention, and overall health. (1, 2)

Dirty

Dirty keto (also known as “lazy keto”) is the complete opposite of clean keto. This version of keto allows you to consume highly processed foods (e.g. pork rinds, sugar-free soda, fast food). It focuses on meeting macros but largely ignores food quality.

While dirty keto is a convenient way to enter ketosis, it’s not the best approach for long-term health and weight loss for the following reasons:

• Additives: Dirty keto foods contain additives like artificial sweeteners, food dyes, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and industrial seed and vegetable oils. These additives enhance the appearance, taste, texture, and shelf life of foods. However, if consumed regularly, they can contribute to inflammation, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. (3, 4)
• Empty calories: Processing makes food more shelf-stable but removes certain vitamins and minerals. Your food may be high in calories but devoid of nutritional value.
• Added sugars: Some dirty keto foods have added sugars in them, which cause your blood sugar levels to rise and ketones to drop. Consuming small amounts of added sugars will unlikely result in immediate weight gain. Regular consumption, however, increases cravings that eventually lead to increased body fat. (5)

Avoiding heavily processed foods might seem like a lot of work, but eating cleaner can be easy and rewarding. While dirty keto may feel like an easy way for beginners to get into ketosis quickly, you’ll likely end up with more health concerns in the long run. If you are on a dirty keto diet and are looking to switch to clean keto, ensure you do so gradually. This will help your body get used to a new diet and get you into a strategic routine.

Benefits of Clean Keto

There are some significant health benefits when it comes to eating clean on keto. Let’s take a look at the main ones.

1. Optimizes Nutrient Intake 

In general, foods in their natural state or that are minimally processed contain more nutrients. As mentioned earlier, processing removes some micronutrients in food.

Vitamins and minerals carry out a wide range of functions, all of which are incredibly vital for you and your health. 

Unprocessed meat, for example, is an excellent source of nutrients that are difficult to obtain in the right amounts from other food sources. (6) Plus, it’s close to zero carbs. Here are some of the nutrients it provides: (7)

• B vitamins: Helps form red blood cells and DNA. (8) These specific vitamins also protect your nerves.
• Iron: Supports your overall energy, as well as the normal production and function of hormones. (9)
• Zinc: Keeps your immune system healthy and promotes wound healing. (10)

Just by this example, you can see that missing out on nutrients found in high-quality, low-carb diet foods can impact your daily life. That’s why it’s so important to eat a variety of low-carb options to ensure balanced nutrition and meal diversity. 

2. Promotes Gut Health

The gut microbiome is the collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and archaea living in your digestive tract. Your microbiome affects many aspects of your health and wellness. Research shows that it influences your metabolism, immunity, brain function, and mood. (11, 12)

A 2019 review suggests that long-term consumption of food additives (e.g. emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and food colorants) may contribute to intestinal inflammation, colitis, colorectal cancer, and metabolic syndrome. (13)

Another study in male and female mice shows that emulsifiers directly affect the intestinal microbiome. Consuming emulsifiers ​​CMC and P80 increased fat mass and triggered anxiety-like behaviors. (14)

Since your gut microbiome can influence various aspects of your health, it’s essential to support it by eating a keto diet rich in whole foods. Processed foods harm the gut, which then increases your risk of health concerns and issues.

3. Aids in Sustainable Weight Management

Losing body fat takes a lot of effort and patience, whether it’s visceral fat (around your internal organs) or subcutaneous fat (stubborn fat under your skin).

Although the dirty keto diet promises quick weight loss, changing the quality of your diet is the most powerful way to experience lasting results. Here’s why clean eating works for sustainable fat loss:

• Whole foods help you regulate your calorie intake because they’re typically lower in calories. For instance, a cup of raw blueberries has only 84 calories. (15) Meanwhile, a cup of dried blueberries has 394 calories. (16)
• Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are more satiating than those that are highly processed. (17) Additionally, highly processed foods also have a higher glycemic index. This means they’re more likely to raise blood glucose levels. 
• Whole foods aren’t as palatable (e.g. fragrant, visually appealing) as their ultra-processed counterparts. This means that you’re less likely to overindulge when eating them. (18)

Related: How Much Weight Can You Lose on Keto (and How Fast)?

Costs Less in the Long Run

Some people think that eating healthy is expensive. It turns out diets rich in processed foods cost more, as they increase your risk of having a disease and getting hospitalized.

A meta-analysis of 27 existing studies from 10 high-income countries noted that healthier diet practices cost about $1.50 more per day than the least healthy diets. (19) However, this difference is nothing compared to the financial costs of being sick.

Focusing on eating cleaner is better for saving more money in the long run, especially with the help of a few cost-cutting tips.

You can check grocery stores for deals and discounts on meats and fresh produce and stock up on them. This is especially helpful for when you’re doing keto on a budget. Then, make sure you’re not wasting food (and throwing it away) by doing proper meal prep.

What to Eat

There are plenty of clean keto foods to enjoy. (We think these are also the best-tasting keto foods, too!) Stock your fridge and pantry with:

• High-fat protein sources (grass-fed beef, fatty, wild-caught fish, free-range eggs, etc.)
• Low-carb vegetables 
• Small portions of berries
• Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, nut butter, full-fat yogurt, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.)
• Seeds
• Unprocessed cheeses

What to Avoid

As with any diet, there are some foods and beverages that you’ll want to avoid when following a clean keto diet. Obviously, you should avoid any foods that are likely to spike your blood sugar levels, such as bread, pasta, desserts, sodas, beans, and many fruits. 

But on a clean keto diet, you’ll want to steer clear of these foods that may technically otherwise fit within your daily macros:

• Pork rinds (fried in vegetable oils and with added sugars)
• Deli and processed meats (cured bacon, hotdogs, luncheon meats)
• Bunless cheeseburgers from fast food restaurants
• Processed cheese
• Low-carb packaged snacks with artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, and other harmful additives
• Margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Vegetable oils
• Sugar-free soda
• Bottled or boxed juices

7-Day Sample Meal Plan

When you begin following a clean keto lifestyle, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to eating. Here’s a sample 7-day plan of keto recipes to help give you an idea of what your weekly meals can look like:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Cheesy Breakfast Tacos
• Lunch: Zesty Chili Lime Keto Tuna Salad
• Dinner: Instant Pot Ribs

Day 2

• Breakfast: Eggs and avocado slices
• Lunch: Homemade Keto Mozzarella Sticks
• Dinner: Chicken thighs with cauliflower rice

Day 3

• Breakfast: Keto Blueberry Pancakes 
• Lunch: Creamy Garlic Lemon Zucchini Pasta
• Dinner: Instant Pot Pork Chops

Day 4

• Breakfast: Eggs and spinach, topped with cheese slices
• Lunch: Shrimp Stacks
• Dinner: Zucchini noodles (aka “zoodles”) and meatballs

Day 5

• Breakfast: Keto Bagels
• Lunch: Quick Keto Egg Roll In A Bowl
• Dinner: Spicy Beef Keto Fajitas

Day 6

• Breakfast: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
• Lunch: Fried chicken with broccoli
• Dinner: Low-Carb Romanesco With Cabbage Noodles

Day 7

• Breakfast: Bulletproof Keto Coffee
• Lunch: Egg Drop Soup
• Dinner: Spicy Ginger Salmon Buddha Bowl

Some Extra Tips 

Whether you’re new to keto or transitioning to a cleaner version, these tips can help you stay on track and build a sustainable ketogenic lifestyle. 

Stock Your Fridge and Pantry

Fill your fridge and pantry with fresh, whole foods that fall into a clean keto eating plan, such as certain meats, low-carb veggies, fruits, and nuts. You’ll want to toss out any processed foods and snacks (e.g. sugary desserts and baked goods) to avoid any temptation when junk food cravings strike.  

Try rotating your kitchen inventory with different cuts of meat, snacks, and extra ingredient choices. In other words, don’t buy the same foods every week. This will allow you to create and maintain a nutrient-rich, diverse menu. 

Meal Prep

Plan your grocery trips well and batch-cook meals for the week ahead of time. You can prepare keto-friendly options like ground grass-fed beef, egg muffins, and bone broth. These are all great meal prep foods that last well in the freezer. 

It helps if you organize a comprehensive shopping list to minimize trips to the grocery store, too. To make this step even simpler, here’s a grocery list of clean keto approved foods and beverages: 

Keep Clean Keto Snacks on Hand

Even with reduced hunger in keto – thanks to your body becoming fat-adapted – there are times you really need a good snack. Keep clean snacks on hand for when cravings hit, such as: 

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Nuts (e.g. macadamia, pecans)
• Veggie sticks
• Slices of unprocessed cheese
• Lettuce and tuna wraps 
• Keto-friendly protein bars
• Nola Bars

All of these require minimal preparation and keep you on track with your ketogenic diet.

Make Smart Food Swaps

Swap everyday foods for clean keto versions. For instance, make your own preservative-free burgers at home instead of getting a bunless cheeseburger or hamburger patty at a restaurant. 

To do this, all you need is grass-fed beef, sea salt, unprocessed cheese, and your spices of choice. Fry your homemade hamburger patties and you now have a cleaner – and tastier – version of a fast-food bunless cheeseburger. 

Cook with Healthy Fats

Use coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, and animal fats (e.g. lard and tallow) for cooking. You should avoid processed vegetable oils (e.g. canola or corn) due to their inflammatory properties and high omega-6 content. (20)

MCT oil – a keto-friendly fat and supplement – is also a great option for low-temperature cooking, baking, or adding to drinks (e.g. coffee or tea). However, you should never use MCT oil for deep frying, and you need to make sure it doesn’t exceed its smoking point. 

The Bottom Line

The clean keto diet, focused on unprocessed or minimally processed foods, is a manageable and effective way to achieve your health and ketogenic goals. 

We’ve covered everything you need to get started, from a shopping list to a 7-day meal plan. Plus, we talked in-depth about the benefits and what makes clean keto stand out from the traditional and dirty versions of keto.  

20 References