Nuts on Keto Diet
Keto Diet Food: Should You Consume Nuts?
Ongoing keto diet needs proper care. While entering into ketosis, maintaining your ketone level and sticking to a low-carb diet, you probably will be surfing for keto snacks, for this is the option we cannot rule out in any weight loss program.
Same idea you’re going to touch here, it is about nuts. Are you looking for some information about nuts? Or do you need to know nuts are keto friendly? Don’t be worry because you are in the right place.
Registered dietitian and keto doctors always recommend usage of natural and healthy food.
This well-balanced diet should be low carb, high-fat on a keto diet and low-fat on simple weight loss plan.
Many foods have too many carbs, so I was concerned whether ketoers should go for them or not. One of that food is nuts.
Usually, certain plant foods are not a part of the keto diet, but nuts and seeds are particular food elements that do not bear such restriction.
If we say, nuts might silently keep you away from ketosis, it is mild real but what if it is okay to eat them?
Nuts and seeds are super healthy and widely marketed in the world. Many internet sources provide conflicting information regarding their use.
I am telling you here, what are the pros and cons of consuming nut as a keto food.
Keto Diet & Plant Food:
Seeds and nuts are different parts of a plant. Leaves, fruit and stems of many plants are used as diet. If said technically, nuts are fruits, may or may not be sweet.
Except for walnuts, nuts are super healthy for the heart, since they have mono-unsaturated fatty acids.
Contrarily, seeds are embryonic plants, and some are hidden in a hard shell or husk, so we remove outer part before eating them.
Seeds possess the high quantity of poly-unsaturated fatty acid, unlike nuts.
Keto diet grocery list contains many plant products.
Nuts and seeds are low-carbs as compared to many other plant food, grains, fruits and vegetables.
They include the proper amount of vitamins, minerals, fibers, potassium, selenium and magnesium.
Now, should you eat nuts on a keto diet?
Of course yes, but you must attain some knowledge under your belt before proceeding.
Weighing pros and cons of a food item before consuming it may save you from certain ailments.
Ketosis & Blood Sugar:
The most critical stage of a keto diet is ketosis. You can attain this only if you’re following a correct Ketogenic meal plan.
Next important is to know, how seeds and nuts work with ketosis and so sugar levels of blood.
They contain low to medium amount of carbs per type. For instance, Brazil nuts contain less amount of 3.5 gram per ounce while chia seeds contain 12.6 grams.
These carbs are fiber in nature and does not cause blood sugar rise, so ketosis stays.
Fiber bonds are different, and it is not assimilated in the body, rather goes into the colon and excreted. It depends on its types, i.e. soluble and insoluble.
Former dissolves in water make a gel-like substance, and you do not feel hunger. As it approaches colon, food bacteria absorb short-chain fatty acids from it.
Later is not soluble and passes through the colon and makes a part of the stool.
Usually, 75% of seed and nuts are insoluble fibers.
When soluble fiber is fermented in the small intestine, it offers only a few calories to a body with no impact on sugar level. Rather, research suggested that it enhances blood regulation.
Consuming moderate level of nuts and seeds on keto diet would not raise blood sugar level, maintain blood regulation, enhance the sensitivity of insulin and suppresses other risks of metabolism.
Keto Diet & Weight Loss vs Nuts & Seeds:
Per ounce nuts and seeds (28 grams) offer 165-210 caloric amount, so they are good calories food. However, it is interesting to know that walnuts, almonds and pistachios, according to research, contain a portion of fat in their fibrous wall and that is neither digested nor that calories absorbed in the body.
For instance, in walnuts one ounce (28 grams), 185 calories are present, according to researchers, this whole amount of calories is not digested, but only 146 absorbed into the body.
One is likely to overeat nuts and seeds since they are small, tasty and crunchy. You buy a bag, eat straight from it and cannot hold your hand back. Concerning weight loss, you’d limit yourself by only taking out a small quantity to consume a day.
Nuts Nutrition
Keto Friendly Nuts & Seeds:
Some nuts are appropriate on a keto diet, and others are not. You need a low-carb lifestyle and understand what the best you can add to your daily intake is.
These nuts and seeds are lowest in carbs, and offer net carbs, i.e. less than 3 gram in 1-ounce (28 grams) serving:
pecans: 1.2gram
Brazil Nuts: 1.4gram
Flaxseed: 0.8gram
Macadamia Nuts: 1.5gram
Walnuts: 2grams
Hemp Seeds: 1.3gram
Chia Seeds: 1.7gram
Almonds: 2.6gram
Hazelnuts: 2gram
Nuts on Keto Diet: Pros
Nuts offer huge health benefits both for keto dieter and an average person.
Provide Healthy Fats: We believe on macros on a keto diet, so is nuts, providing fat content in high amount. Fats make you feel full, satisfied and add to ketosis. You’ll surely get more fats if choose the right type of nuts.
Low-carb Food: Nuts are low-carbs; you can add them to daily diet but don’t make a mistake by consuming them the whole day.
On a keto diet, you strictly monitor low-carb intake, so always take the food item calculating net carbs, for many labels on products are misleading.
High-Nutrient Food: Nuts offer the good level of nutrients; the fiber content is not present in any other keto food. It is super healthy for your body.
Nut flour is the great substitute for wheat grains and the best transition for Ketogenic diet. It can help burning fat when used in the transition period and bring you a variety of baking and bread types, i.e. keto bread.
Anti-Inflammatory Food: Nuts prevent inflammation due to the presence of L-arginine and magnesium, polyunsaturated fats, and fibers. They are most likely to reduce heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory points. The antioxidants present in nuts are meant for body protection.
Nuts on Keto Diet: Cons
Said a lot about nuts and keto diet, it is important to know about the side effects of nuts and seeds, if consumed excessively.
High Caloric Content: Nuts sometimes offer the high level of carbs-opposite to keto- and high-calorie level. When you start eating nuts, it’s tough to hold back your hand; it may be a concern if you’re on keto.
We love the tasty, salty and crunchy nuts but wait, do you know they are roasted in salty oil, compel you to overeat. You’re likely to gain weight, and this will pull you out your ketosis level.
Anti-Nutrients in Nuts: Despite the benefits, nuts offer, they contain phytic acid that reduces mineral absorption capacity of a body, so digestion becomes hard.
Consumption of nuts in the soaked, roasted and sprouted form is beneficial. It is your choice to include them in keto diet.
You’d stay aware about caloric content, fat-content and carb level and choose Brazil nuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts, but a key is to eat them in moderation.
Bottom Line:
Nuts and seeds are convenient, tasty, salty, and versatile food. They are a perfect for gut-friendly, nutrient dense keto diet.
Before adding them to diet, choose the right type of nuts, their correct quantity and know your ketosis level.
