There are a lot of health benefits to eating nuts. What are the best nuts for keto? Nuts were once thought to be bad foods to eat. Over recent years studies have shown that nuts are very nutritious and healthy.
Nuts provide antioxidants, help reduce cholesterol, good fats, protein, and nutrients, and have even been shown to help you live longer.
Nuts contain carbohydrates, so you must watch how many you consume on a low-carb or keto diet. We’ve compiled a list of the best nuts for keto to help you decide which ones you want to eat.
If you’re new to the keto diet, see our keto diet guide to get started.
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The Best Keto Nuts Chart
Pecans – 1g net carbs
Pecans contain 1 gram of net carbohydrates per serving but also deliver 10 grams of fiber. They are high in calories and fat but are still healthy. For men, pecans contain beta-sitosterol, which aids in the relief of an enlarged prostate. The pecan provides more than 19 vitamins and minerals. Because pecans have high-fat content, like avocados and olive oil, they promote stable heart health through unsaturated fats. The healthy fats and fatty acid content in pecans are vital to weight loss.
Brazil Nuts – 1.4g net carbs
Brazil nuts are a great addition to a keto diet due to their low net carb, high healthy fat, and rich nutrient profile. They contain important minerals and antioxidants, such as selenium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E.
They are versatile and can be eaten as a snack, used in recipes, or ground into nut butter.
Macadamia Nuts – 1.5g net carbs
These nuts contain only 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per serving. This makes the macadamia nut one of the lowest-carb nuts. Some of the most important vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, folate, manganese, protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants, are found in these nuts.
Studies have shown that consuming macadamia nuts can help with heart health. They’ve also been shown to help with blood sugar levels. They can aid in weight loss and bone health. The macadamia nut is one of our favorites for the best nuts for keto.
Hazelnuts – 2g net carbs
Like many other nuts, hazelnuts are rich in nutrients and have a high content of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Hazelnuts are slightly high in calories but packed with nutrients. They also contain a decent amount of potassium, zinc, vitamin b6, phosphorus, and folate.
Hazelnuts contain high amounts of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. These nuts are a great snack, with only 2 grams of net carbs per serving. Other benefits include being heart healthy, being linked with lower cancer rates, decreasing inflammation, and helping to lower blood sugar levels.
Walnuts – 2g net carbs
Walnuts are high in omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and phytosterols. They contain 2 grams of carbohydrates for a 1-ounce serving. Walnuts can help protect against cancer, are good for your heart, and are good for your brain.
They may be able to reduce depression and the risk of age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Phytochemicals and high amounts of polyunsaturated fat potentially benefit brain health and function. Omega-3 plays a part by helping to reduce oxidative stress in the brain and may also help reduce the effects of certain mood disorders.
Eating walnuts can improve cholesterol levels. The walnut is a great nut to snack on for a keto diet.
Almonds – 2g net carbs
This magical nut has only 2g of net carbohydrates per 1oz (about 28 almonds). Almonds are high in fiber, healthy fats, vitamin E, and magnesium and have the most elevated calcium of all nuts.
They can help to lower cholesterol, protect against diabetes, and reduce the risk of heart disease. They are one of the world’s most popular tree nuts. Almonds also contain phytic acid, which is a healthy antioxidant.
Almonds are low in carbs but high in healthy fats, protein, and fiber, making them a great snack for people with diabetes. The high amounts of magnesium help correct a magnesium deficiency in diabetics to help lower blood sugar and improve insulin function. Magnesium can also help to lower blood pressure. Finally, eating almonds can help reduce hunger feelings and lower overall calorie intake. All of this makes the almond one of the best nuts for keto.
Peanuts – 6g net carbs
Peanuts have 6 grams of carbs per one-ounce serving. That’s about a handful. They have the highest amounts of folate compared to other nuts. Folates are essential for brain development.
Peanuts can promote a healthy pregnancy because of their high levels of folate, which help reduce the risk of congenital disabilities.
Peanuts are high in protein and fat with low carbs. They also contain many beneficial nutrients such as biotin, copper, niacin, folate, manganese, vitamin E, thiamin, phosphorus, and magnesium. Peanuts can also boost memory, help fight depression, and reduce heart disease risk. That makes the peanut one of the best nuts for keto.
Cashews – 9g net carbs
One handful of cashews contains about 9 grams of carbohydrates. That’s a little bit high for someone on the keto diet, but there are also a lot of benefits that come with those 9 grams of net carbs.
Cashews are an excellent source of minerals. They contain high levels of copper, manganese, magnesium, vitamin K, and phosphorus.
It has been shown that the magnesium in cashews can lower blood pressure, prevent heart attacks, improve memory, and make migraines less likely. Copper contains antioxidants that protect against heart disease and cancer—magnesium and copper work together to increase bone strength.
Melanin and elastin help to provide joint flexibility, giving the nerves just the right tension. For these reasons, cashew is one of the best nuts for keto.
Conclusion – The Best Nuts for Keto
We’ve given you information on seven of the best keto nuts. These nuts are low in carbohydrates but high in things you need on the keto diet, like healthy fats. They’re all packed with vitamins and minerals.
We’ve seen nuts that can help with everything from heart health to diabetes. Many of these nuts can also help with the feeling of fullness and optimize your body for weight loss by boosting your metabolism. Adding nuts to your keto diet may be a great choice!
