Eat Fat to Burn Fat?

Let’s be honest, eating tons of fat is one of the best things about the low carb diet. And it isn’t a gimmick, either. The benefits of high fat low carb foods are backed by hard science.

• Learn why eating high fat low carb food increases your weight loss
• Print and try a few high fat low carb recipes
• How to add the healthiest fats to your low carb diet

If you want to rapidly burn extra fat or conquer a weight loss stall, stop depriving yourself and start adding these high fat low carb foods to your diet.

Nutritionally, all fat is not created equal. Eating high fat low carb means making only the healthiest choices to reap the benefits.

Fortunately, these 14 high fat foods are common enough to eat on a daily basis.

The High Fat Low Carb Advantage

Eating saturated fat helps your low carb diet in three big ways:

• Increasing your fat intake accelerates your fat burning.

• Eating high fat low carb food keeps you fuller, longer: the key to reducing your daily calories without feeling deprived.

• Healthy fat increases your HDL (good) cholesterol, which helps remove plaque from your artery walls. This effect decreases your risk of heart disease.

How to Eat High Fat Low Carb

Don’t be afraid to eat healthy, high fats – and lots of them. Why?

With the absence of carbs, fat is your body’s primary fuel source. But pushing fat levels even higher while cutting carbs makes a big difference in the amount of fat you’ll burn.

Choose the Right Amount of Fat

A low carb diet often requires varying levels of fat, protein and carbs to meet specific weight loss goals.

• During ketosis (a rapid fat-burning phase), the fat levels are very high.

• During periods of muscle building, protein percentages are slightly increased. Fat intake may be decreased slightly, or may replace carbohydrate calories completely.

See how your body responds to different high fat low carb foods.

Simply adjust the recipe ingredients to adjust the percentage of fat.

Healthiest High Fat Low Carb Foods

Here are the top 14 best bets to improve your low carb diet, and your health.

Coconut Oil (100% Fat)

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is one of the healthiest sources of fat for your low carb diet. It’s also your new rapid fat-burning secret.

Coconut oil is essential for fat-burning. Fats from coconut oil aren’t stored. Instead, these fats are used immediately for energy.

Benefits

• Anti-inflammatory properties lessen arthritis symptoms.

• Supports healthy thyroid function and boosts metabolism.

• Increases calcium and magnesium, improving teeth and gums.

• Heals skin heal quickly after an infection or injury.

How to use coconut oil:

• Lasts up to two years when stored.

• Flavors food with a nice “buttery” (not a coco-nutty) taste.

• Easily used in baking and cooking.

• Enjoy a glass of cold, raw homemade coconut milk.

• Heat homemade coconut milk with 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder for a delicious low carb hot chocolate. (Add Splenda to taste.)

• Add coconut oil to smoothies, yogurt, hot beverages or soups!

Left Coast Performance MCT Oil (100% Fat)

Triple filtered, pharmaceutical grade, BPA-free container, USA-made, identical quality to the popular ‘Bulletproof’ brand.

Left Coast’s pure MCT oil is easier to absorb and digest than other brands. MCT converts into energy faster than other oils, ignites your body’s metabolic rate and helps maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.

MCT oil is an easy way to increase your healthy fats. Add to salads, smoothies or flavored Bulletproof coffee for immediate, all day energy.

Olive Oil (100% Fat)

Olive oil is a perfect high fat low carb food. It keeps our heart healthy by reducing our “bad cholesterol” and increasing our “good cholesterol.” It’s a staple for any low carber.

Olive oil is high in vitamin E and antioxidants, protecting us against cancer and lessening the signs of aging.

How to use olive oil:

• Add olive oil to any sauce or soups.

• Make a rich, nutty pesto:

Blend salt, garlic, fresh basil and pine nuts in a food processor until it forms a paste. Slowly add olive oil until it reaches a thick sauce consistency. Refrigerate.

• Mix a fresh vegetable marinade or garden salad dressing:

2 parts olive oil plus 1 part balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Add crushed garlic, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.

Avocado Oil (100% Fat)

La Tourangelle Avocado Oil is all-natural, expeller-pressed, non-GMO and Kosher. La Tourangelle has a fruity roundness – great for both sweet and savory applications.

Butter (100% Fat)

The natural fat in butter helps your body absorb the healthy nutrients in vegetables.

Without fat, your body can’t absorb carotenoids (powerful antioxidants) or the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

How to use butter on low carb:

• On low carb diets it’s important to deliberately add butter for flavor and fat.

• Focus on grass-fed, natural or organic butters. There is a huge difference in taste, quality and nutrition. (Try Kerrygold and Cabot Organic brands.)

• Make a savory, lemon avocado butter spread:

Add avocado, lemon and herbs to butter. Whip or process in a food processor. Refrigerate promptly.

Avocado Lemon Butter Spread Recipe – 98% Fat

Cream Cheese (90% Fat)

Loaded with vitamin A and potassium, cream cheese is one the most flexible high fat low carb foods. Shred it, melt it or eat it by the chunk.

Cream cheese adds a smooth and creamy texture to any low carb dish.

How to use high fat cream cheese:

• Combine high fat low carb cream cheese with herbs and chopped low carb veggies for an instant dip or spread.

• Use cream cheese to thicken sauces, or as a main ingredient in Atkins approved desserts.

Sour Cream (90% Fat)

Sour cream is one of the richest sources of fat on a low carb diet. Sour cream delivers an amazing flavor, adding a luxurious texture to any low carb food.

It only takes a few tablespoons of sour cream to give boost your fat ratio, helping you get into ketosis quickly.

How to use high fat sour cream:

• Look for full fat versions of sour cream. Full fat versions taste better and are the lowest in net carbs.

• Add onion, spices or cucumber to sour cream for a quick low carb veggie dip.

• Try sour cream with seasoning as a steak and eggs topping.

Coconut (89% Fat)

Adding coconut to your high fat low carb food list lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease and raises your HDL (good) cholesterol. That’s a win-win.

Organic Coconut Flakes

Let’s Do Organics coconut flakes are one of the healthiest sources of fat. Large flakes quickly toast to a golden brown.

How to use high fat coconut:

• A morning smoothie with coconut will keep you satisfied for hours.

• Try unsweetened shredded coconut raw, and flavors (such as vanilla, lemon, cocoa) in “sweeter” low carb recipes:

Vanilla Coconut Bar Recipe – 72% Fat

Avocado (83% Fat)

Avocados contain high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids.

Avocados are rich in potassium, and vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folate).

Avocados are very high in fiber, and are sodium and cholesterol free.

How to use high fat avocado:

• Sprinkle avocados with herbs and seasonings, combine with cooked egg yolk, and stuff into hard-boiled egg halves for delicious low carb deviled eggs.

• Add avocados to smoothies, sauces, soups and salsa for extra flavor and an amazing creamy texture.

• Avocado dressings or and dips add flavor to raw and steamed low carb veggies.

• Mix with butter for a savory steak, fish or poultry topping. (recipe below)

Full Fat Cheese (75% Fat)

Cheese is amazingly versatile! Shred it over any low carb food, or eat a 1 to 2 ounce chunk. Use hard cheeses such as cheddar, Monterey Jack and swiss.

How to use high fat cheese:

• Spread cream cheese between two slices of cheddar cheese for a mock high fat low carb sandwich. Add bacon for crunch or a few high fat meat slices, too.

• Make a “cheese bowl” container to hold any low carb dish:

Grate Parmesan over a piece of parchment paper, creating large circles and bake.

While it is still warm and fresh out of the oven, place the Parmesan circles over a glass to form it into a bowl before it cools.

High Fat Protein

Use these high fat meats to increase your overall fat ratio while adding protein.

High fat low carb meats make a perfect, pack-able snack. Sliced meats are easy to roll around low carb veggies or cream cheese chicken salad.

Bacon (70% Fat)

Bacon. Love it, or love it. Bacon adds extra crunch and goes great with everything. Enough said.

Nitrate-free bacon has healthy fat, the perfect amount of protein and minimal carbs.

How to use high fat bacon:

• Flavor soups, casseroles, side dishes, salads or top with melted low carb cheese.

• Make a “bacon or ham bowl” container to hold any high fat low carb food:

Place thick, Canadian (or regular) bacon slices in a muffin tin, fill with cream cheese, egg, bacon, spices and veggies, then bake.

70/30 Ground Beef (60% Fat)

Buy the highest fat ground beef you can find. Why?

Almost half of the fat in beef is a monounsaturated fat (also known as oleic acid)— the same heart healthy fat that’s found in olive oil.

The saturated fat in beef lowers your risk of heart disease risk in two ways: it decreases your LDL (bad) cholesterol, and reduces your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol.

How to use high fat ground beef:

• Choose locally farmed or grass-fed beef for higher amounts of nutrients like iron, zinc and B vitamins.

• Try cooking your high fat burgers in butter. Top with cheese and avocado, then spread some sour cream on top for a juicy, high fat low carb meal.

Whole Eggs (60% Fat)

Eggs have the perfect ratio of protein to fat, and more essential vitamins and minerals per calorie than almost any other food.

Eggs are one of the most economical high fat low carb foods. They are convenient and store well.

High fat low carb eggs are one of the highest sources of choline, a substance your body needs to break down fat for energy.

How to use eggs on low carb:

• Crust-less quiche, frittata, scrambled, poached, boiled, deviled or sunny-side up, seasoned low carbers can do eggs 1,000 ways.

Poultry (58% Fat)

Chicken and turkey are go-to sources of protein, but including certain cuts add the extra fat we need.

Using poultry on low carb:

• For a higher fat content, concentrate on eating the dark meat and the skin.

Pork (57% Fat)

Bacon, pancetta, salami, pepperoni and ham are obvious choices. Here, the higher fat percentage the better.

How to use high fat pork:

• Roast, shred or stuff a loin with a low carb veggie medley.

• Layer sliced meats with cheeses and spinach for a quick wrap.

Dark Chocolate (65% Fat)

Dark chocolate? Yes, dark chocolate can be a part of your low carb diet or ketosis plan.

Dark chocolate is low in carbs and contains powerful disease-fighting antioxidants. If you follow the rules, chocolate speeds up weight loss on a low carb diet.

Dark Chocolate Chips

Lily’s premium dark chocolate chips are your low carb solution for recipes. Lily’s dark chocolate chips melt and blend easily.

Stevia-sweetened, all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. Fair trade and gluten-free certified cocoa.

Organic Raw Cacao Nibs

Organic Raw Cacao Nibs are “nature’s chocolate chips,” boasting a strong, raw dark chocolate flavor. Snack on these chocolate nibs or use them in recipes.

• Plentiful source of antioxidants and magnesium
• Raw cacao is high in fiber, iron and essential minerals

Organic, kosher, non-GMO, certified gluten-free and vegan.

Organic Cacao Powder

Cacao powder offers a rich taste and bold chocolate flavor. Viva Labs Cacao Powder is made from Criollo cacao beans – the highest quality cacao without bitterness.

Viva Labs Cacao Powder is unprocessed, retaining important nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber and protein.

Antioxidants in cacao provide cellular defense against the effects of free radicals, improving the look of skin and promoting cellular repair and rejuvenation.

Lift your mood, elevate energy and burn more fat. Add cacao to your favorite cup of Bulletproof coffee and smoothies.

How to use dark chocolate:

• Use the darkest chocolate you can find with real cacao and cocoa butter.

• Try a rich, dark chocolate “fat bomb:”

Dark Chocolate Fat Bomb Mousse Recipe – 98% Fat

High Fat, Low Carb, No Guilt

Are you getting enough fat in your low carb diet? From oils and meats, to fruits and chocolate, the high fat foods on this list are delicious and nutritious.

These foods are perfect for the Atkins Induction phase or any time you need to boost your fat loss. So add butter, bacon and cheese to everything! Click the image to view, print or save.

Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan

Three easy days, one aggressive technique and major fat loss.

The Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan is designed to break even the worst stall, burn large amounts of stored fat, and induce deep ketosis – in 3 days.

• The Technique
• 150 Recipes (100 under 1g net carb)
• Shopping List & Sample Menus
• Printable Meal Planner

If what you’re doing isn’t working, get your meal plan now.