The Best Sri Lankan Keto Foods

 

Sri Lankan Crab Curry.

My fascination with the idea that food can be used to keep our bodies healthy or even
remedy what ails us began with my grandmothers' sayings from “the good old days”.

As kids, my cousins and I were never given serious medication for those childhood ills. What we were given was various herbs either cooked, toasted or tinctured and our flues, upset tummies and infected wounds always disappeared.

For those of you who know my story, the Ketogenic diet offered me a non-chemical alternative treatment, with no side-effects. The special thing about the Keto diet is that it is a very healthy way to a healthy life, meaning... It’s a good way to eliminate pain, and inflammation and increase mobility.

And the wonderful array of Sri Lankan and international Keto food and spice along with the Keto companions of intermittent and prolonged fasting have kept me in Ketosis, pain free, inflammation free and purposefully happy.

At this point I wish to say that the Ketogenic diet was my choice. It’s what worked for me. However, it is not for everyone; so, if you are more critical and skeptical than open minded, then I recommend that you pop those painkillers and live your life; I wish you well.

What is the Ketogenic Diet?

The Ketogenic diet is a diet that causes the body to run on ketones instead of sugar from carbohydrates and sugary food. It requires consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing the rest with High-fat foods. This reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state known as Ketosis; in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs and by turning fat into Ketones the liver supplies the body, particularly the brain, with energy.

The standard Keto diet is a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein (3-6 oz), and only 10% clean carbs (carbs from vegetables).

Many important studies have shown that this type of diet helps you lose weight and has health benefits against cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and auto-immune disease; to name only a few. It can also significantly reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin levels.

This being said, let's take a look into my shopping basket.

My Comprehensive List of Sri Lankan Keto Food

An interesting fact about Sri Lankan cooking is that it is naturally Ketogenic. If you eliminate certain unhealthy condiments and replace it with the Keto alternatives, it doesn’t take long to prepare a Keto meal, with what you have in your home pantry.

Our home-grown vegetables span across the board to cover roots, tubers, fruity veg, leafy veg, Gourds, Fungi, and nuts. From the best known to the more exotic, and some not on the Ketogenic food list.

A Good Sri Lankan Keto Food List.

Sri Lankan Spices

Includes all the normal Keto vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts.

Carrots, green and purple Cabbages, Tomatoes, Turnips and Radish, Bell peppers, Cauliflower, Zucchinis and Cucumbers; peanuts, walnuts, flax, chia and sesame seeds, and Avocados remain a part of life.

To these I have added:

Fruity Vegetables: ladies' figures (okra), 4 types of eggplant, Moringa (drumstick tree fruit).

Gourds: Bitter gourd, Snake gourd, Ridge gourd (Luffa), Butternut squash.

Fungi: Oyster, Abalone and Button mushrooms.

Stems: Lotus stem.

Nuts: Coconut.

Flowers: Banana blossom, Onion flowers, Kathur-moringa flowers (swamp Pea)

Leaves: Beet greens (chard), Ceylon Kale (cabbage leaves), 3 types of lettuce, Red and green Spinach, Kankung (water lettuce), Moringa (drumstick tree) leaves, Kathur moringa (swamp pea) leaves, Mukunuwenna (Sessile joy weed), onion leaves, and Gotu Kola (Indian penny wort).

There are others too that have specific medicinal abilities and must be consumed with care and only when needed.

These next few fruity and root vegetables are not Keto, but I include them in my basket because they are extremely nutritious (super food status) and I reduce the glycemic load in the method of preparation, though not completely and by adding spices that counteract the starch. These I consume in moderation because I happen to like them a lot.

Fruity Veg: Ash Plantain, Bread fruit, and Jack fruit.

Rooty Veg: Manioc, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes.

Sri Lankan Herbs, Spices and Condiments

Sri Lankan herbs, Spices and condiments are famous worldwide, and the aroma and flavor that these spices bring to the dinner table are an acquired taste. However, they are all Keto.

The herbs native to Ceylon (Sri Lanka): Ceylon Cinnamon, Curry leaves, Rampa leaves (Pan Dan leaves), Coriander, Nutmeg, Mace, Lemon grass.

The Spices: Green and red Chilies, Capsicum, Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Turmeric, Star anise, Cumin, Fennel seed.

Condiments: Coconut oil, Coconut milk, Coconut Vinegar, Coconut Toddy, Tamarind, Goraka fruit, Ginger, Garlic, Mustard seed and Onion.

I list the Onion here because in Sri Lanka it is used to flavor almost any food and not just on the menu as a side dish.

My pantry includes the multi-cultural herbs too as well as a few Middle Eastern ones and the recipes that go with them, as I love the variety they bring to life.

Sri Lankan Penny Wort Mallum.

My Sri Lankan Mallum Recipe

Choose one bundle of the Indian penny wort, swamp peas or onion leaves or flowers. (The Sri Lankan names are given above.)

Add to these 3 to 5 tablespoons of shredded coconut, ½ a large onion, 1 Green chili, salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Combine well.

This salad is what we call “Mallum”.

How to create a Sri Lankan Keto Plate. 

• 20% of my plate per meal would consist of a Mallum or Vegetable curry. 
• 30% or 180-200 grams of seafood or meat including the fat, and 
• 50% other raw or semi-cooked vegetables like a salad or a crunchy stir fry.

The idea is to have at least 5 cups of vegetables. 

3 Tips to a Successful Keto diet.

• I cook my seafood, meat and veg in coconut oil or butter, or both to increase the fat content to fit Ketogenic requirements. 

• My Carbohydrates are clean carbs from vegetables. 

• I add to this intermittent and prolonged fasting.

Remember there is no hard and fast rule that you should eat only Sri Lankan food when you decide to enjoy a keto meal. I often combine the Sri Lankan with the other cultures, it makes my mealtimes more fun and enjoyable. 

In conclusion let me just say, the reason I eat this way is that I didn’t want to accept defeat when I was diagnosed with an incurable illness. And today, I am pain and inflammation free, and with new energy able to live my life.

Don't forget to leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Your comments let me know what's on your mind and what you like to read about. 

In my next Keto article, I will share my recipe for Sri Lankan Keto prawn curry.

Until then... Healthy Eating, Everyone!