The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate protein and low carb diet designed to put your body into a state of ketosis. Once in ketosis, your body switches from burning glucose as its primary energy source to burning fat. Developed initially to help treat children with epilepsy, the diet became famous when it proved extremely successful for weight loss and the management of several common illnesses and conditions, such as PCOS, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer.
Today, the diet has millions of followers worldwide, and a dedicated keto-community has formed online to help those looking to transition to a keto way of eating.
What Can You Eat On The Keto Diet?
One of the most searched for questions about the keto diet is what foods you can eat. Although low-carb diets are nothing new, the keto diet is incredibly restrictive and requires that you consume fewer than 5% of your daily calories from carbohydrates - which often equates to 20g or less. To put this into perspective, a single apple can contain as many as 27g of net carbs (the carb content of the food after the fiber content has been subtracted), which could throw some people out of ketosis. As a result, keto-friendly foods are often those that are high in fat, contain a moderate amount of protein, and are very low in net carbs such asnuts, seeds, butter, oils, unprocessed meat, and leafy green vegetables.
Why Are Nuts So Great On The Keto Diet?
It’s no secret that nuts should form a vital part of any healthy diet; however, they are particularly important for those following the keto diet due to their nutritional composition. Most nuts are very high in fat, with some nuts such as pecans providing as much as 20g of fat per one-ounce serving. Nuts are also packed with a fair amount of protein, which is the second most crucial macronutrient on the keto diet. Aside from fat and protein, they are also fantastic fiber sources and deliver many other micronutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs. In short, nuts such as pecans, brazils, almonds, and walnuts are perhaps the perfect convenient keto-snack, delivering everything that you need in one bite-size package.
Are There Any Nuts To Avoid?
Generally, you’re free to go nuts on nuts on the keto diet, but there are two that you should avoid - peanuts and cashews.
Why Avoid Peanuts?
Peanuts are referred to as a nut, but they are actually a legume and so have a different nutritional composition to tree nuts. Unlike pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc., peanuts have a very high protein content, and they also contain far more net-carbs, which makes them unsuitable on the keto diet.
Why Avoid Cashews?
Sadly, cashews are also a nut to be avoided because they contain a much higher number of carbohydrates than most other nuts and could kick you out of ketosis. If you still want to enjoy cashews on the keto diet, it is essential that you weigh out your serving, and you may need to limit your carbohydrate intake elsewhere to account for them.
New To Nuts?
If you’re new to nuts and need some inspiration, then check out our delicious range of hand-roasted nuts - we’d be delighted to help you find your new favorite.
If you're looking for more healthy and satisfying snacks while you're on the keto diet
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Posted on March 12, 2021
Gillian Brady
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