8 Keto Japanese Foods (With Weight Loss Tips)
If you’ve been to Japan or have tried Japanese, then you know how much Japanese people care about their food culture and cuisine.
However, if you’re someone who is dedicated to a fitness goal and want to find the lowest carb options that can fit into a Keto diet, then this is the article for you.
We summed up our favorite Keto Japanese foods that are both healthy and delicious.
Before we jump into our top 7 list, let’s talk about how to get into a Keto diet and if it’s the right diet for you.
Most people that want to do a Keto diet are seeking to shed fat and get a leaner physique that showcases a flat stomach or a sick pack.
However, going on keto does not simply mean that this will occur.
The main goal of a Keto diet, one that has a daily carb intake of less than 30-50 grams, is to put the individual in a caloric deficit.
Just like many other diets, it acts as a tool that you can use to eat less and lose fat.
However, what if you were to just focus on the caloric deficit? The same results will occur and there are less restrictions.
The goal is to focus on eating the right amount of carbs and to avoid overeating them.
Just some food for thought if you are someone who is wondering if Keto is the right choice for you.
If you’re firm about your Keto diet and are ready to pursue it, then let’s get into these 7 Keto Japanese foods that are great for your Keto goals and for any healthy diet.
8. Tamagoyaki
Tamagoyaki is a traditional Japanese dish that is extremely popular all over the world.
It’s featured in Japanese media and is a dish that is usually served in a homemade bento or at home with family.
It’s essentially an omelette with a sweeter taste and a fluffy consistency that is cut into bit sized pieces.
Tamagoyaki is made from eggs and a mixture of japanese ingredients such as dashi and mirin.
Dashi is a very flavorful broth that is made from fish stock or seaweed and mirin is a rice wine with a sweet and flavorful taste to it.
Here is a recipe that we found so that you can make it at home and try out for your next weeked meal.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/tamagoyaki-japanese-rolled-omelette/
Let’s take a look at what goes into a typical Tamagoyaki dish.
For every 9 grams of fat, there are 3 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein. Typical macronutrients for an egg dish excluding the 3 grams of carbs.
What’s great about this dish is the different flavor that you can add to your typical egg dish.
Keto can be a limiting diet so getting some variety into your meals can be such a blessing.
Tamagoyaki has an awesome sweet and savory taste that can really take you away from your typical scrambled eggs and bacon in the morning.
Try this dish out if you’re looking for a boost in your egg game!
7. Salmon Chan Chan Yaki
Fish can be a very difficult food to cook and can oftentimes be a flavorless meal.
The Japanese do fish extremely well and, when adding things like sake, miso, and ginger root into the mix, the fish they serve can be taken to a whole new level.
Salmon Chan Chan Yaki is essentially a vegetable and salmon stir fry that carries a variety of different veggies and greens which adds a ton of fibers into your diet.
There are a ton of different vegetables such as mushrooms, bell peppers, cabbage, green onions, and onions.
This is a great dish to eat if you’re looking to shed some fat and can really offer you a ton of protein per serving.
Here is a recipe you can take a look at if you want to try making this at home.
https://cookingwithdog.com/recipe/salmon-chan-chan-yaki/
Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Salmon Chan Chan Yaki dish.
For every 4.5 grams of fat there are 4 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein.
This is a great meal to have as someone who is conscious about their weight and wants to see some substantial results.
This is really the perfect Keto dish as this has a higher protein count than there are fats and carbs.
One of the hardest parts to maintain in a Keto diet is the ratio between fats and protein.
It’s easy to overeat on fats since they don’t satiate you.
So, this allows us to eat a lot of fats and not even realize that we are overeating on them.
When you find a high protein option like salmon or chicken breast, you’ll find that your fat and protein ratio is much more manageable.
Try this dish out regardless of whether or not you’re on Keto!
6. Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki is a Japanese Hot Pot that has a sweet and savory taste to the broth where you dip your meats in.
The difference between what we have here in LA compared to that of Japan is that we focus on the quantity whereas the Japanese focus on the quality.
LA has a ton of all you can eat Sukiyaki joints so our suggestion is to be like the Japanese and either make the Sukiyaki at home or go to a place where they really dial in the quality of meat.
Here is a recipe that we found so you can have Sukiyaki in the safety of your own home.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sukiyaki/
Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and what goes into a typical Sukiyaki dish.
For every 4.5 grams of fat, there are 4 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein.
Once again, this is an amazing macronutrient ratio and can be enjoyed for any diet really.
As mentioned above, having high protein meals is really the key to be successful on a Keto diet.
Protein is the hardest macronutrient to consume as the other two are just so delicious and satisfying to eat.
Japanese cuisine contains a lot of protein, however, so definitely eat some more Japanese foods if you’re looking to lean out and get in shape.
5. Japanese Hamburger Steak
This is one of my favorite dishes to eat as it is such a flavorful dish and is extremely easy to make.
The Japanese Hamburger Steak takes a cheap cut of ground beef and turns it into something really amazing that has great sweet and savory flavors that you don’t get from a typical hamburger dish.
It’s a little hard to find out here in LA so if you want to make it at home, we have a Youtube channel where we make healthier versions of Asian foods and meal prep them for the week.
Here is our Hamburger Steak video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgwunuDOgSo
Let’s take a look at what goes into a typical Hamburger Steak dish.
For every 8 grams of fat, there are 12 grams of carbs and 15 grams of protein.
A little high on the carbs, I know, but you can still have a few carbs in your day if you want to be on keto.
Once again, the amount of protein in this dish is very high which is very valuable in any diet.
Our tip with this food is to make sure to eat it with some green vegetables instead of the typical rice bowl that comes with it.
Making this at home is preferred since you can customize your meal with a ton of awesome veggies that will complement these steaks well.
4. Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki is one of my favorite seasonings for any type of dish.
It really elevates the dish and allows for an awesome sweet and savory flavor that I never get sick of. T
eriyaki, in my opinion, is great when paired with chicken as it allows for an awesome flavor with one of the highest protein options out there.
There are a lot of recipes out there, however, that use a ton of sugar to season the dish which makes for a lot of carbs per serving.
What we like to use to instill a sweet taste that still penetrates the core of the chicken is thai chili and stevia.
We have a complete recipe for you right here where you can make it yourself and meal prep it for the next week to come. Here is the link to the recipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I97m39URXhI
Now, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and what goes into a typical teriyaki chicken dish.
For every 4 grams of fat there are 4 grams of carbs and 16 grams of protein. T
Teriyaki chicken earns its number 4 spot due to how great these macros are. 16 grams of protein for every 4 grams of carbs and fats is amazing and is four times the amount of each macronutrient.
A dish so flavorful that offers 16 grams of protein is amazing and should be eaten on a regular basis.
Our tip here with Teriyaki chicken is to eat it with a lot of sauteed vegetables and greens.
This is something that I actually eat two to three times a week since it’s so good for keeping lean and building muscle.
Protein is in charge of maintaining and building new muscle and allows for us to also be more satiated when dieting.
When you fill your diets with too much fat, you can still feel hungry as fat is something that we can eat a lot of and not even notice.
This is a dish that should be implemented into your staple dishes and is something that we totally recommend you learn to make at home!
3. Grilled Eel (Unagi)
When I went to Japan, I was amazed at how delicious this eel was as it was cooked over charcoals and basted with a teriyaki sauce that kept adding more and more flavor.
We had this at a Yoshinoya in Tokyo and we couldn’t believe that they made Unagi under charcoal there.
Unagi is a simple dish and is made from similar Japanese flavors that involve mirin, soy sauce, and a little bit of sake.
Especially when cooked over a charcoal grill, you’ll see how much flavor this simple fish carries.
It’s easy to make and doesn’t take that much effort to prepare. Here is a recipe where you can cook this at home and try out for yourself.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/unagi-don-unadon/
Let’s take a look at the calorie contents and what goes inside a typical Unagi dish.
For every 13 grams of fat, there are 6 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein.
Fish usually has a very high protein ratio and is something that we should all be eating more often.
It is also high in omega-3 fatty acid which can reduce risks of heart disease and high blood pressure.
There are so many benefits to eating fish and can be a great source of protein to supplement any diet.
The issue with this dish, however, is that it usually comes with a serving of rice.
Our tip here is to make sure to avoid the rice and enjoy the fish with a wide variety of vegetables.
It makes for a great salad and is flavorful enough to even eat on its own.
2. Yakitori
Yakitori is huge here in LA and makes for such a fun experience when you go to a traditional Japanese joint.
Yakitori is usually served in a bar setting and allows for fun times when you can communicate with the chef and see how they make and serve each of the dishes you order.
Yakitori has a huge variety of meats such as chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken gizzard, chicken skin, pork belly, heart, and liver.
There are probably many other dishes served but these are all of the dishes that I have tried so far.
The best part about Yakitori is that no rice is needed and is usually just eaten on its own.
There’s no fear to go over on those carbs since all you’re eating is interesting meats that are perfectly cooked over a roaring charcoal grill.
Our favorite restaurant here in LA is called Torigoya Magic Night. Here is a link to their website where you can go check them out for yourselves!
Now let’s take a look at a typical Yakitori Skewer.
For a typical chicken skewer you get 12 grams of fat for every 4 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein.
This is amazing considering how tasty this food is and how you can go out and enjoy the meal with no guilt whatsoever.
The Japanese really know how to cook up skewers and, if you’re in the LA area, you gotta try out Torigoya. They won’t let you down.
1. Sashimi
Taking our number one spot has to be sashimi since it is the most Keto friendly food that you can ask for.
When on a keto diet, we always recommend fish as its healthy benefits are vast and it is a delicious food that keeps us fit.
Sashimi can range from tuna, salmon, mackerel, eel, yellowtail, squid, and more. All of these items are high in omega-3 fatty acids and allow for us to get the amount that we need to receive all of the benefits.
If fish isn’t part of your normal diet, make sure to add some sashimi into the mix, you’ll be satisfied with the delicious flavors and will be looking great as its calories are low and protein is high.
It’s the best diet food in my opinion.
Sashimi isn’t something that you can really make at home so I recommend you either buy it at your local Japanese supermarket, or go to a restaurant with an awesome sushi chef.
My go to places are actually far from Los Angeles and more towards the 626.
These two places are called Akasaka and Otoro which are located in Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights respectively.
Here is a link to both of these restaurants.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/akasaka-sushi-restaurant-hacienda-heights
Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical sashimi platter.
For every 3.5 grams of fat, there are 0 grams of carbs and 22 gram per 100 grams of fish eaten.
There is no added oil, nothing cooked, just raw fish that is precisely prepared for a delicious meal.
This is an amazing dish not only for its nutritional value but also for how amazing and how delicious it is. Our tip here is to eat more sashimi!
There it is!
8 Keto Japanese foods that are perfect for any fitness goal.
If you’re on a Keto diet these dishes are especially for you and you can enjoy all of these without a fear of overeating on those sneaky carbs.
If you want more articles on healthy asian food or more Keto options from different cuisines, make sure to check out our blog where you can find them!
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PHILLIP PAK
Phillip Pak is a fitness expert who has been training clients for 6 years. Throughout his fitness journey, Phill has done it all when it comes to diet and nutrition. He is now the owner of Aspire Fitness Walnut where his main goal is to help those who are seeking to find the best version of themselves. Phillip is also a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT).
