Dante Carrillo
The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating that helps the body burn fat instead of glucose. While nuts are a great source of healthy fats and nutrients, some nuts are high in carbs and should be avoided or eaten in moderation on a keto diet. So, what are the best alternatives to nuts on keto? Some good keto-friendly options include seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, which are high in healthy fats and low in carbs. Avocados are another excellent choice, as they are rich in healthy fats and provide various essential nutrients. Olives and coconut products, such as coconut oil and coconut milk, are also keto-friendly alternatives to nuts, offering healthy fats and low carb content. Additionally, consider including hard cheeses, dark chocolate, and full-fat yogurt in your diet, which can provide similar nutritional benefits without the high carb count of nuts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Keto-friendly nuts | Macadamia, pecan, Brazil, walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds |
| Nuts to avoid | Cashews, pistachios, chestnuts |
| High-carb nut alternatives | Keto-friendly nut flour, nut butter, low-carb crackers |
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What You'll Learn
Pine nuts
When adding pine nuts to your keto diet, be mindful of portion sizes and the number of carbohydrates you consume. It is easy to overindulge in nuts, especially when they are roasted and salted. To ensure you stick to your macros, it is a good idea to weigh out your pine nuts before eating them.
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Hazelnuts
Firstly, hazelnuts are low in net carbs, with only 2 grams of net carbs per 28-gram serving. This helps you stay in ketosis, which is crucial for a keto diet.
Secondly, hazelnuts are rich in healthy fats, particularly monounsaturated fats. These fats provide a steady energy source, helping you maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day. They also support heart health by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and raising good cholesterol (HDL) levels.
Additionally, hazelnuts are a good source of dietary fibre, which is important for digestive health. Fibre also helps you feel full for longer, making it easier to stick to your keto eating plan.
When incorporating hazelnuts into your keto diet, you can enjoy them raw, roasted, or ground into hazelnut butter. They pair well with both sweet and savoury keto dishes. However, if you're pairing them with chocolate, opt for dark chocolate to stay keto-friendly.
While hazelnuts are a delicious and nutritious addition to a keto diet, they may be harder to find and more expensive than other nuts. They are also calorie-dense, so portion control is important to ensure you don't overconsume calories, especially if weight loss is your goal.
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Macadamia nuts
However, macadamia nuts are calorie-dense, so it is easy to overeat them. They are also quite expensive compared to other nuts. If you are trying to lose weight, it is important to be mindful of your calorie intake and not overeat macadamia nuts just because they taste good.
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Walnuts
While nuts are generally considered a good source of healthy fats and protein, not all nuts are created equal when it comes to the keto diet. Some nuts are high in carbs, which can disrupt ketosis and hinder weight loss. However, walnuts are a notable exception and are highly recommended for those following a keto diet.
Firstly, walnuts are low in carbohydrates, which is crucial for maintaining ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fats instead of glucose for energy. By minimising carbohydrate intake, the keto diet aims to keep the body in this fat-burning state, promoting weight loss and improving blood sugar management. With their low carb content, walnuts are well-suited to support this process.
Secondly, walnuts are rich in healthy fats, including omega-3 fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega-3 fats have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol, improved blood pressure, and reduced triglycerides. This makes walnuts a heart-healthy choice, which is especially beneficial for those on the keto diet, as the diet's emphasis on high-fat foods may raise concerns about cardiovascular health.
Additionally, walnuts provide a range of essential nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, and fibre. They are also a source of polyphenols, which have anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes walnuts a nutrient-dense food that can contribute to overall health and help meet nutritional needs while on a restricted diet like keto.
However, it is important to remember that while walnuts are keto-friendly, portion control is still crucial. Nuts are energy-dense foods, and overeating them can lead to excess calorie intake, potentially hindering weight loss efforts. Practising mindful eating and paying attention to serving sizes can help prevent overconsumption.
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Peanuts
However, peanuts are high in fat, which is great for keto, but a significant percentage of this is a type of fat called omega-6. They are not balanced out with omega-3s, which is an issue because humans evolved eating a diet with a 1:1 omega-3:6 ratio. Omega-3s are generally anti-inflammatory, while omega-6s have inflammatory properties.
Therefore, while peanuts can be eaten on keto, they should be consumed in moderation.
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Frequently asked questions
Some keto-friendly foods that can be eaten as alternatives to nuts include eggs, meat, fish, olives, dark chocolate, avocados, and full-fat dairy products.
Pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts are all keto-friendly options.
Cashews, pistachios, chestnuts, and almonds are high in carbs and should be avoided or eaten in moderation on a keto diet.
It is important to monitor your serving sizes when eating nuts on keto, as it is easy to overindulge. A one-ounce serving of nuts is approximately a small handful, but using a kitchen scale to weigh them is recommended.
While some nuts are high in carbs, others are packed with fat and lower in carbs, making them a good choice. The right nuts do not always come with a keto-friendly label, so it is important to check the nutritional facts and research which nuts are safe to eat.
