3 High Carb Nuts to Avoid on Keto

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Ketogenic diets have been a long-standing trend in the fitness community for quite some time now. Though the diet was originally created as a treatment for epileptic patients in the 1920s, it’s now commonly used as a weight-loss method or health-optimizing diet for healthy individuals.

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One of the foods most keto-followers rely heavily on is nuts, but not all nuts are created equal. Some nuts are a great option that fits well within the parameters of a keto diet, but others could unknowingly be sabotaging your results. Keep reading to find out the best nuts for keto and which nuts are better to steer clear of.

What is Keto, Anyway?

Before examining the nitty gritty nutrition of different types of nuts, it’s important to understand the basic premise of a ketogenic diet. Keto diets are high in fat, moderate in protein, and very low in carbohydrates. This allows the body to switch from burning glucose from dietary carbohydrates for energy to primarily using fat for fuel instead.

The type of fuel the body derives from fat is called ketones. They’re produced in the liver from free fatty acids, which are partially broken-down fat molecules. These ketones are only made if the hormone insulin is low enough, and insulin is only low if carbohydrate consumption is restricted. Carbohydrates are preferentially converted into glucose for fuel, over fat into ketones, so a diet that includes an average or high amount of carbohydrates won’t allow for any ketone production.

The ratio of macronutrients needed to allow the body to produce ketones for energy varies from individual to individual, but the range is typically carbohydrates reduced to 5-10% of total caloric intake. Fat intake will be around 70% of total caloric intake, and protein will be approximately 20% of total caloric intake. It’s also very important that protein intake remains moderate because certain amino acids from protein can also be converted into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. This will prevent ketones from forming and defeat the purpose of following a ketogenic diet.

Benefits of Keto

Eating a keto diet can take some rigorous planning and some serious lifestyle adjustments, yet many people still choose to live this way. This implies that there are some serious payoffs, and that assumption is entirely correct.

Though keto diets aren’t for anyone, many individuals find a number of positive health effects from eating this way, even just temporarily or intermittently. One of the most common desired effects is weight loss. This generally occurs because of the metabolic changes that take place and allow the body to begin to burn stored fat for fuel. Ketogenic diets can also help to realign hunger cues and prevent overeating.

Keto diets can also help to increase insulin sensitivity—an important marker of metabolic health. Finally, ketogenic diets can help soothe gastric distress in many people. This won’t be the case for everyone, but some individuals who find high-fiber and high-carbohydrate foods to be irritating to the gut may prefer eating a more keto-centric diet to minimize their discomfort.

Best Foods for Following a Keto Diet

Now that the premise of a ketogenic diet is clear, you may be wondering what foods fit into this plan. People on keto diets tend to consume plenty of meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, green vegetables, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and more. They may also sprinkle in some low-carbohydrate fruits, low-starch vegetables, and some ketogenic treats from time to time.

What’s more important than what you eat on a keto diet is actually what you don’t eat. Limiting carbs is essential. This means those on keto need to cut out bread, pasta, grains, and starchy vegetables like corn, pumpkin, squash, beets, and potatoes. Cutting out sugary drinks and snacks will also be essential, as well as highly processed foods. It’s advisable to stick to a whole foods diet as much as possible while eating this way.

Tips for Eating Nuts on Keto

Nuts are one category of keto-friendly foods that are surprisingly easy to slip up on. While nuts are generally high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates (making them an excellent keto food), there is a large variety in the nutrition of different types of nuts.

There are three nuts in particular that are higher in carbohydrates than most other nuts and should therefore be avoided or limited while on a keto diet.

High-Carb Nuts to Avoid

Cashews
Pistachios
Chestnuts
Honorable mention: Almonds

Cashews are one the highest in carbohydrates of all nuts. They’re often used as a base in plant-based desserts, sauces and dairy-alternative, so being mindful of those products can be helpful to avoid accidentally breaking your keto diet. They contain 7 grams of carbohydrates per 1/4 cup serving, which is quite high compared to other nuts, such as the 3 grams the same serving of walnuts contains.

Pistachios are another delicious nut that is, unfortunately, quite high in carbohydrates. They’re most often used in desserts or as a snack on their own. A 1/4 cup of pistachios clocks in at 8 grams of carbs, so a small amount can be eaten without disrupting ketosis, but a large amount is not advisable.

The final nuts to avoid are chestnuts. These are less common but still worth mentioning since they’re the highest in carbohydrates of any nut on this list. A 1/4 cup serving of chestnuts packs in a whopping 19 grams of carbs. This is well over the amount generally recommended for a single keto meal.

Though these nuts aren’t well-suited to a keto diet, virtually all other nuts can be enjoyed while maintaining a keto-adapted metabolism. Walnuts, pecan, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, and many others are all wonderful options. They can be eaten as snacks, ground into nut butter, or used as keto-friendly alternative baking flour to make some treats.

Adapting to a ketogenic lifestyle will likely take some time, but gradually adding small changes, such as selecting the right type of nuts for you, can make a major difference in your final results.