{"id":24,"date":"2021-05-16T19:50:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-16T19:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/?p=24"},"modified":"2022-02-04T19:59:16","modified_gmt":"2022-02-04T19:59:16","slug":"best-keto-snacks-benefits-and-nutrition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/best-keto-snacks-benefits-and-nutrition\/","title":{"rendered":"Best keto snacks: Benefits and nutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"css-1u22pos\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"css-dmtxcr\">The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a popular eating plan that limits carbohydrates and focuses on protein and healthful fats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>People who follow a\u00a0keto diet\u00a0try to limit their carb intake to\u00a050 grams (g) per day.<\/p>\n<p>The purpose of this restriction is to force the body to use ketones, which are acids formed in the liver, or fat to provide caloric needs.<\/p>\n<p>This article explores the keto diet in more detail and lists some of the best keto-friendly snacks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Nut butters<\/h2>\n<p>There are many different nut butters to choose from, including\u00a0peanut,\u00a0almond, and sesame.<\/p>\n<p>Nut butters are high in fat and protein but low in carbs. This makes them a filling and nutritious option.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to look for natural butters that do not contain added sugar. According to the\u00a0United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter, with no added sugar, contain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>7 g of carbs<\/li>\n<li>8 g of protein<\/li>\n<li>16 g of fat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Olives<\/h2>\n<p>Olives\u00a0provide a large amount of fat but minimal protein. Still, they are an excellent snack choice for many people following a keto diet.<\/p>\n<p>However, since olives are also high in sodium, people who need to limit their sodium intake should exercise caution.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0USDA, a 3.5 ounce (oz) serving of olives provides:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>14 g of fat<\/li>\n<li>1.2 g of dietary fiber<\/li>\n<li>900 milligrams of sodium<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"css-20w1gi\">\n<aside class=\"css-0 css-0\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Nuts and seeds<\/h2>\n<p>Nuts and seeds are high in protein and healthful fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, and low in carbs. For example, according to the\u00a0USDA, a quarter cup of raw, whole almonds has 15 g of fat and 7 g of protein.<\/p>\n<p>Some good nuts and seeds for people following a keto diet to snack on include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>almonds<\/li>\n<li>walnuts<\/li>\n<li>sunflower seeds<\/li>\n<li>peanuts<\/li>\n<li>hazelnuts<\/li>\n<li>cashews<\/li>\n<li>pumpkin seeds<\/li>\n<li>chia seeds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is best to look for unsalted nuts with no additional ingredients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Avocados<\/h2>\n<p>Avocados\u00a0are full of healthful fat and dietary fiber. According to the\u00a0USDA, a single green skinned avocado contains:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>44.6 g of fat<\/li>\n<li>6.08 g of protein<\/li>\n<li>20.4 g fiber<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Avocados are also a good source of vitamin C, which can help increase the body\u2019s ability to absorb iron.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Boiled eggs<\/h2>\n<p>Hard-boiled\u00a0eggs\u00a0are a protein-rich snack, and they make a good topping for a salad.<\/p>\n<p>Boiling or poaching eggs is a lower-fat cooking method. If a person needs more fat grams for the day, they can use butter or oils to fry or scramble them.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0USDA, one large egg contains 6.29 g of protein and 5.3 g of fat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Cheese<\/h2>\n<p>Full fat\u00a0cheese\u00a0can be a good source of protein and fat. For example, according to the\u00a0USDA, a 1 inch cube of cheddar cheese contains 3.89 g of protein and 5.66 g of fat.<\/p>\n<p>It also contains less than 1 g of carbs, which makes it an excellent choice as a keto-friendly snack.<\/p>\n<p>However, people should note that low fat and fat-free cheeses may contain around 2 g of carbs per serving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Green bell peppers<\/h2>\n<p>A person following a low carb or keto diet can eat green bell peppers in moderation. Though they are low in carbs compared with some other vegetables, they contain\u00a04 g of carbs\u00a0in a 3 oz serving.<\/p>\n<p>Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers have similar nutritional values.<\/p>\n<p>Chopped green bell peppers with a dip, such as unsweetened Greek yogurt, makes an excellent keto-friendly snack. However, it is important to note that half a cup of regular unsweetened Greek yogurt can contain 3\u20135 g of carbs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Carrots<\/h2>\n<p>Like green peppers,\u00a0carrots\u00a0are also acceptable in moderation when following a keto diet.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0USDA, a 3 oz serving of carrot sticks contains 7 g of carbs. Carrots also offer plenty of\u00a0beta-carotene and other nutrients, making them a healthful addition to a keto diet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Plain, full fat Greek yogurt<\/h2>\n<p>Plain, full-fat\u00a0Greek yogurt\u00a0provides protein and fat and is relatively low in carbs. According to the\u00a0USDA, a 6 oz serving of Greek yogurt contains:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>15.3 g of protein<\/li>\n<li>8.5 g of fat<\/li>\n<li>6.77 g of carbs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A person following a keto diet may wish to plan for the carbs if they wish to eat Greek yogurt as a snack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Celery sticks<\/h2>\n<p>Celery\u00a0sticks are a low calorie, low carb food that a person can eat while following a keto diet.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0USDA, 110 g of celery \u2014 or about nine celery sticks \u2014 contains around 3 g of carbs.<\/p>\n<p>Celery sticks are excellent choices for dipping in nut butters, such as unsweetened peanut or almond butter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries<\/h2>\n<p>Many people following a keto diet choose to limit the amount of fruit they eat, as fruit is high in carbs. However,\u00a0raspberries,\u00a0strawberries, and\u00a0blueberries\u00a0provide fiber and antioxidants.<\/p>\n<p>Still, they are not sugar-free, so people following a keto diet may wish to eat them in moderation.<\/p>\n<p>According to the USDA, three-quarters of a cup of raspberries contains 17 g of carbs,\u00a01 cup of strawberries contains 12 g of carbs, and\u00a01 cup of blueberries\u00a0contains 17 g of carbs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Sliced cucumbers<\/h2>\n<p>Sliced\u00a0cucumbers\u00a0are another low carb vegetable option for people following a keto diet.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0USDA, 1 cup of sliced cucumbers contains around 2.57 g of carbs.<\/p>\n<p>People can consume cucumbers alone as a snack, or they can add them to a salad. They are also a good option for dipping into low or no-carb dips.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h3>What is the keto diet?<\/h3>\n<p>According to a\u00a02020 article, someone following a typical keto diet gets:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>5% of their total daily calories from carbs<\/li>\n<li>60\u201375% of their total daily calories from fats<\/li>\n<li>20\u201335% of their total daily calories from proteins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>People following a keto diet may need to avoid grains, starchy vegetables, and most fruits.<\/p>\n<p>In the short-term, following a keto diet may help a person lose weight and control their blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n<p>However, according to a\u00a0study that looked at the long-term effects of such low carb diets, people who favor animal-based fats and proteins have a higher mortality rate than those who primarily eat plant-based fats and proteins.<\/p>\n<p>Following a keto diet may also cause some side effects, especially in the first few weeks. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>brain fog, or reduced mental energy<\/li>\n<li>muscle cramps<\/li>\n<li>stomach discomfort<\/li>\n<li>increased hunger<\/li>\n<li>constipation, from a lack of fiber<\/li>\n<li>fatigue during exercise<\/li>\n<li>sleep disturbances<\/li>\n<li>nausea<\/li>\n<li>a lack of nutrients, from reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To help combat hunger and fatigue, a person may wish to consume healthful snacks throughout their day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-0\">\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<p>People can choose from a wide range of nutritious, low carb snack options that fit into a keto diet.<\/p>\n<p>However, it is important to speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before making any significant changes to the diet. This helps ensure that a person is getting enough essential nutrients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a popular eating plan that limits carbohydrates and focuses on protein and healthful fats. People who follow a\u00a0keto diet\u00a0try to limit their carb intake to\u00a050 grams (g) per day. The purpose of this restriction is to force the body to use ketones, which are acids formed in the liver, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24\/revisions\/25"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ketodietchoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}