Keto Shopping Guide for Indians
It’s all available online!!
This Keto shopping guide for Indians has been a long time coming. Mainly because I live in India and it’s easier for me to tell fellow Indians where they can buy their Keto ingredients. I also figured it would be a good idea to include some of the kitchen gadgets/appliances I use as well. Most of the stuff is available online but of course fresh products like meat and vegetables are always something I recommend that you buy offline from your local markets. So let’s get started.
Ingredients
If you go through any recipe on the website there is generally a link next to each ingredient. This link normally takes you to the Amazon of your country and either gives you the same product or a similar one. Since most of my audience is USA based it’s optimized for that. For example wherever you see Almond Flour it will link to Bob’s Red Mill since I used to use that and it’s available easily in the USA. However in India it’s still pretty expensive and I’ve found a cheaper alternative. So what I will do now is link you to exact products that I am using.
Keto Flours & Baking Stuff
Almond flour – When I started Keto I first looked around for almond flour. I saw the Bob’s Red Mill bag in a store and got a mini heart attack when I saw the price. That’s when I started making my own almond flour at home. However over time more and more companies started making almond flour at cheaper prices and I just started buying it. I currently use the Urban Platter almond flour. They have a couple of different size bags, when I was shooting for my cookbook I bought the 1kg bag. Otherwise I generally get the 200g or 400g bag. I always get the regular or the fine flour, never the defatted one.
Coconut Flour – Much like with almond flour, when I saw price of the bag of Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour I got a mini heart attack. Making it at home was too much of a process so I coughed up and bought it. Lasted me for more than 6 months. But like everything else suddenly with Keto getting popular there were a dozen cheaper options. Now I use coconut flour made by a company called By Nature or the Narla coconut flour. Both are great.
Psyllium Husk – Most Indians are so confused when I say psyllium husk. Do you know what it is? IT’S ISABGOL! Almost every Indian has had this in their house at some point and now it’s a regular ingredient in my Keto cooking. Anyway you can just buy it from the local chemist or just click here and order it.
Xanthan Gum – I barely and rarely use this. Which is why I’ve bought it only once and I’ve still got most of it left. So this is almost like a one time buy and it never goes bad. I use the Urban Platter xanthan gum.
Cocoa Powder
For all your Keto desserts you’re going to want to use unsweetened cocoa powder. A good quality one goes a long way. I use it in my dessert recipes right from the tiramisu to the chocolate almond flour cake. I’m currently using a dutch processed cocoa powder that my wife picked up on our last trip to Bangkok. I would recommend buying either the Hershey’s cocoa powder or the one that is made by Urban Platter. Both will suffice.
Sweeteners
This is the issue for a lot of people switching over to Keto. Most of them cannot find the right sweetener that works as a sugar replacement. The truth is nothing will ever be sugar. It’s best to get over that fact and it will make the transition easier. It took me a long time to get used to Keto sweeteners. There are many good options. I personally have moved over to Sukrin Gold for most of my baking. However I get this from the UK, which is also where I got some Monkfruit sweetener from. But for my daily use I use Stevia. This was the best one for me, I used to drink 1 drop of it in my coffee, it doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste and it’s great. I also use it to make many of my Keto desserts. I also used Zevic’s powdered stevia for a while which wasn’t bad either. But then I switched over to Pluck Stevia which was also great, no bitter aftertaste. Now I am using Bliss Of The Earth Stevia which was recommended by a friend and I find it’s the best one for me to use in my coffee. It’s also not bad for baking. However given the choice I use Erythritol for baking since it’s almost a 1:1 for sugar.
Chocolate
We don’t get 100% chocolate in India. At least I haven’t seen it. So I rely quite a bit on Lindt 85% and Lindt 90% for my baking. These do have some sugar but not enough to kick you out of Keto when used in a dish and divided over multiple servings. I’m not a huge fan of eating these chocolates as they are because I find them bitter. If I do buy chocolate to eat I normally get some sugar free chocolate from Zevic. Even though it’s a stevia sweetened chocolate it has a fair amount of carbs so just eat in moderation.
Peanut Butter
I am constantly asked by people if peanuts are Keto. That is the reason I made this video ‘What foods can I eat on the Keto diet?’. The short answer is yes, for the longer one watch the video. Most store bought peanut butter contains sugar. Which is why I made a video ‘How to make peanut butter at home‘. However since then a lot has changed. We have many options for peanut butter without sugar. I personally like to use the Alpino Smooth Peanut butter. It’s great for making my peanut butter bread. I also love using it to make my peanut butter fat bombs. Basically, it’s good.
Cheese & Dairy Products
I often get asked about what ‘cream’ I am using in my recipes. It confused my American viewers when I said ‘Fresh Cream’ and it confuses my Indian viewers when I say ‘Heavy Whipping Cream’. My UK viewers are also equally confused. In short you want to find the cream with the highest fat % in it. In the USA that’s heavy whipping cream, in the UK it’s double cream and in India it’s probably Parsi dairy cream. I however use Amul cream or D’electa cream most of that time because that’s what’s available.
When it comes to cheese I use local brands like Mooz and Dairy Craft. These are my go to brands and they have everything from cream cheese to mascarpone to ricotta to cheddar. My parmesan is normally purchased on trips to the UK from Waitrose or if someone is travelling to Italy I ask them to buy it for me. I sometimes use GO Cheese as well because they have a few nice ones. I generally don’t use Amul or Britannia cheese but both are also fine on Keto. As long as the cheese is made from milk it’s all good. I don’t ever buy these online, I just go to Foodhall or Nature’s Basket and even the local grocery stores in Mumbai keep these in stock. So there are no links here for cheese but now you know what to look for.
Meat & Seafood
I generally avoid ordering meat online. But when I do it’s from Fresh-pick.in. I generally just order things like goat’s balls, beef brisket and goat heart from them. I buy all my pork, beef, chicken etc from Joseph’s Cold Storage in Bandra. He has the best meat in town. I sometimes buy Prasuma products from the supermarket. I’ve got a local fish monger who brings fresh seafood to the house but if I want something specific or something like Salmon then I always get it from Cambay Tiger. There are also some other websites I like to use once in a while like Meatigo and Licious
That pretty much covers most of the ingredients you will need. If you feel something is missing please leave me a comment and I will add it to the list along with links.
Kitchen Gadgets
I’m often asked what gadgets do I use in the kitchen so I thought I would list them all out here. They are all available online so click the relevant links and you can purchase them.
Oven – I do a lot of baking and so does my wife. Apart from baking a lot of bread (not Keto) my wife has also made desserts in it like our famed Flourless chocolate cake. If you’ve seen my oven it looks like it’s been through a fire. That however is just the souls of a 1000 dead pigs from making over 300 bacon bombs. Needless to say my Bajaj Majesty oven has served me well. I used to use the 35 liter one. For the same price you now get the Bajaj Majesty 45 liter oven. I however went ahead and upgraded to the Bajaj Majesty 50 Liter one.
So do you really need such a big oven? Depends really. If you plan to roast a full chicken or maybe even a turkey or make some pork shoulder, then yes. Otherwise you can suffice with something smaller. You can get yourself the Bajaj Majesty 22 liter oven. This is perfect even if you want to bake Keto cakes or pizzas.
Now when it comes to baking things there are a couple of other items I would recommend buying along with your oven. I would recommend a silpat which is great to use when making items like cauliflower pizza. It saves you the trouble of using baking paper or parchment paper. A good set of oven mitts will prevent you from burning your hands. My roasting tray with the wire rack is one of my most prized possessions but I bought that in the UK. However you can order the Chef Direct roasting pan if you live in India, sadly no wire rack with it.
Blenders & Mixers
Food Processor – After my coffee maker this would be my most prized appliance because I use it for everything! Whether it’s making my cauliflower rice or mincing meat for my chicken nuggets this bad boy does it all. I’m using the Phillips Daily Collection HR7629 machine. I don’t think there are any cheaper options for this. Honestly I would not skimp here because this is worth the price.
Nutri Bullet – This is kind of like a juicer, mixer and grinder. It’s not the same as a food processor. For example, I would puree my berries for my berry swirl cheesecake in this gadget not in my food processor. I would make my strawberry and mint smoothie in this. You get the idea. I was using a the Wonderchef Nutri Blend and it’s lasted me for a long time. However I recently upgraded to the actual Nutri Bullet which is available in India finally and again it’s one of those items that costs more here but it’s worth the price.
Electric Hand Mixer – The whisk is very commonly used in baking. The simple manual one is fine when it’s just whisking ingredients together for a mug bread or mug cake. But when you have to whip egg whites to stuff peaks for say my Eton mess recipe, then it’s a problem. It’s not that you can’t whisk by hand. The problem is it will take a lot more time and a lot more energy. I’ve had mine for over 30 years and it’s from the USA. You won’t find it anywhere now. Since I generally trust Philips products I recommend their Electric Whisk.
So that list pretty much covers all the kitchen tools I use for my cooking. If there are particular items you are curious about or want to know about more kitchen gadgets I recommend then let me know in the comments below. I will keep updating this list and adding more things in depending on your feedback.
Meat Grinder – Ground meat is a staple on Keto. It doesn’t matter if it’s chicken or beef or pork. There are so many dishes you can make like my Keto Thai Basil Chicken or my Ground beef and broccoli stir fry. And most of the time I will buy pre-ground meat from the butcher or supermarket. However unlike in the west Indian meat sellers largely sell LEAN ground meat. Whether it’s beef, chicken or pork. Most of it has a low fat % which is why sometimes I like to grind my own meat. I do this mostly with beef/buff which is super lean. I get a fatty cut and I grind it myself. For this purpose I use my Orbit Meat Grinder which is no longer available on Amazon. However I did some research and here are a few that I recommend.
I found the Andrew James meat grinder which costs a bit more than the Orbit but looks similar and seems to be well built. If you don’t plan to grind more than 100-250g at a time for making small portions of things you can always opt for a hand operated one like the Kai Mincer but it’s gonna take some elbow grease. Of course if money isn’t a problem and you don’t mind spending a bit more because you will really grind meat regularly then I’d suggest something like the PMH Electric Meat Grinder. Otherwise your best bet is making friends with your butcher and asking them to do a custom grind for you.
Coffee Machines & Others
Coffee Machine – The machine I used to use was the Tecnora EPIC TCM 801A. I had an older model of theirs and they gave me a good offer on exchanging it for this one so I took them up on it. Now I really love my coffee. Some people like buying fancy phones, TVs, music systems, cars, motorbikes etc but I like to invest in good coffee and for that I need a good coffee maker. So I don’t mind spending a few extra bucks on it.
In fact as of 2021 my wife Deepti got me a new machine for our anniversary. Now this is a REALLY expensive coffee machine I won’t lie but it’s totally worth it. Of course in India everything is more expensive because of taxes and duty so if you can have a friend/relative travel and bring it for you from abroad that’s great. The machine we have is the Delonghi Magnificas Cappuccino. I mean this machine is just magic. The best part is that it has an inbuilt grinder so you can use beans or powder. If you love milky drinks it’s got a super milk attachment to make epic Cappuccinos. It’s a really great machine and worth the price tag.
I realize though that maybe you don’t have the same love as I do and hence want a cheaper machine. For that I recommend the Tecnora Cafe Gusto which is a cheaper/smaller version of what I used to have. I can vouch for the company and their service has been good over the years that I had the machine. Now before I got into drinking from an espresso machine and being all fancy about coffee, my first step was a simple filter machine. This is the most affordable machine and the coffee is great. It’s the Philips HD7431/20 model.
Hi, are you sure on the Stevia and the lot? Dietdoctor opines that a lot more research needs to be done on them: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/sweeteners
I’m pretty sure about them. I’ve been using them for the last 3 years.
You can also use Monk Fruit as sweetener…
Hi wanted to ask if Amul processed cheese and Amul Chesse cubes and slices can be used. Chesse Morzella of Amul plz tell me.
Read the ingredients. If it’s made from MILK and not something else then it’s fine.
Rgis is the best article for all indian Keto doer’s . One stop everything Keto. thanks headbanger’s kitchen ( Sahil) for Making our lives easier . Great Job and very informative .
how do you make Keto rotis?
Search for Keto Naan or Keto Tortilla on the website. Both are keto rotis
Hey Sahil.
So glad to have found your blog ! I’v been on Keto for a month and havn’t really researched much before i started. Spent hours watching your videos. Super fun and informative…..yaayy to you and big thank you.
Is it recommended to take magnesium and potassium or any other supplements while one is on a keto diet?
Also, how long can one do it for? I read that carbs are essential for the brain to function 😐
Hi Ramya, thank you for the kind words. You can take those supplements if you are deficient in them and you are not feeling good even after being Keto adapted. You can do Keto for life. You are consuming carbs anyway in the form of vegetables and nuts and dairy etc. The brain has plenty of ways of making glucose when it needs it. 🙂
Hey Sahil, need some advice on keto supplements. I have been on keto for 6 months. There is so much on the net… Must take Collagen, magnesium, multi vits. Please recommend. Esp collagen, should I take bovine or marine? My hair is falling and I think I need to start on something. Can you recommend what’s good and not too pricey, please. Thanks a million in advance
Hi Radha. This will help you https://headbangerskitchen.com/vlogs/keto-and-hair-loss/
This is so helpful! Many thanks! Was struggling with a good almond/ coconut flour recco.
Just a note- you do get 99% Lindt chocolate in India.
Also The Butternut Co has a great unsweetened peanut butter and unsweetened almond butter. Available by the kilo on Amazon.
Yes I’ve seen 99% but it’s not always on the shelf.
Hey there, big fan of your work. The Stevia product you mentioned has Fructooligosaccharides, which seems like some form of sugar. For reference https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid. Won’t it knock us out of keto?
I’ve used it for 3+ years and it’s worked for me. So you got to take a call. It’s fine in my books.
So helpful! Thanks a ton Sahil.
Hi Sahil,
I started watching your blog since two weeks and it helped me a lot to know about the right products and ingredients to use while in keto! thanks a ton..
i had a question about using milk, cant we use milk at all while in keto diet? it would be really helpful if u give me an insight about using milk during Keto.
thanks again.
Hi Sahil,
I’ve seen you use a splatter guard when frying. Where did you purchase that? It looks like it works really well.
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Sahil
Greetings from the UK. Been following your recipes on YouTube for a few months. Really glad i found you cause i was missing my curry 🙂
Anyways, wife and I are touring India in Feb/March. Are their Keto stores (in Mumbai or Delhi)?
We buy most of our stuff from Amazon as unlike the US, we dont have dedicated stores in the UK yet
Thanks
hey you can shop at Supermarkets like Nature’s Basket and Foodhall. They have Keto stuff available. You will also find restaurants that have Keto menus and stuff.
Hi Sahil,
I’ve been doing keto/low carb for nearly two years now and I absolutely love it! Your recipes have had a huge role in helping alleviate the boredom that comes with the more limited ingredients one can work with while on keto. I have two questions that I’m hoping you can help me with –
1. While I love keto, I fell off the wagon back in October and I’ve been struggling to get back and stay on! Any tips to help with that? I have a long commute to work and the eating eggs for breakfast and then something with meat/paneer when I get home from work hasn’t worked 🙁 any ideas?
2. Where can I buy halomi cheese in india? Haven’t seen it the Nature’s near me
Hi,
I want to know whether the keto diet is advisable for a person having thyroid. Since most of the vegetarian recipes include cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, or soya. I am eggetarian and having thyroid.
Please confirm and tell the alternatives for these vegetables.
Please speak to a doctor as I am not qualified to give medical advise nor do I feel right advising anyone who has a medical condition. There are people with thyroid issues doing Keto, maybe you can speak to some on FB via the many Keto groups available.
HI Sahil,
Your blog has been really helpful to do the Keto diet , this is my second time doing it and love all the recipes that you post. My life has become simpler and easier.
I have a question regarding the coconut flour that you posted by nature – it shows that it has about 19 net carbs for a 100 gms serving and 7 gms of sugar – is that okay ?
Also can I use this isabgol (organic india psyllium whole husk) instead of the one that’s linked.
Thanks
Hey Mithila, yes on both counts.
Hi! Thanks for this informative blog post. Can you please let me know where icc BC an get avocados from. I’m from Haryana, Yamunanagar. I don’t know where to get them from.
I generally buy mine from markets or supermarkets in Mumbai. I honestly have no clue when in Haryana you get avocados. We grow them in the south of India so maybe there is a market there for them.
Hi! Thanks for such an informative blog post. I wanted to ask where I can get avocados from. I’m from Yamunanagar, Haryana, India. I don’t know where to get them from.
If you can’t find avocados I’ve given a few alternatives to it.
I’m sorry if I’ve missed, but I couldn’t find the vegetarian alternatives to avocados. Would you be able to mention few please?
hello sahil,
i have been following yr keto reciepies and they are awesome, it has really helped me lose weight.its been 1month since I have started keto and I have lost 3kg..i have started Intermitent fasting as well..but now the weight just doest seems to reduce..pls help where am I going wrong..
Also i would like to know if Honey can be used in keto diet( very small amount).
Thanks
Hi Gargi, there could be many reasons, hormones, too many calories etc etc. How many days has the weight not reduced? And you cannot use any honey on the Keto diet.
Hi im very new im 108 kgs 5.7 is my hieght hypothyroidism and pco as well desperate to lose weight but can make my mind plz help he
If you have these medical conditions please consult a doctor.
Quick question – do you know where to find pork fat or duck fat? I’ve hunted everywhere but had no luck finding it anywhere
You won’t find it in India. Pork fat you just go to the pork shop and buy pork with fat or ask the butcher for pork fat and then render it down yourself. You can also do the same with bacon. As you cook and eat it keep saving the fat, that’s what I do.
Hello, are there any good Indian Keto brands (snacks, flours, breads, etc.)? I’m overwhelmed by the amount of brands out there, many don’t seem that trustworthy (non-keto ingredients, poor or fake ratings).
I trust none of them and never used them and have no plans to. I just prefer real food and cooking my meals.
Sahil I love your love for keto, meat, coffee… And your generosity is sharing and making it all so accessible. Thanks a ton.
thank you for such kind words.