Ideally, when eating a keto diet, you should keep to keto staples that are guaranteed to keep you in ketosis. But when there isn't time, or if you're too tired to cook, it's smart to have snacks so as not to be tempted by non-keto food.
Shopping for snacks that will be keto-friendly for you personally is challenging if you don't have a clear framework due to:
Net carbs confusion on the internet (Europe vs. USA, fibre, polyols etc.)
The fact that each person has a personal net carb limit. It's not one size fits all.
Hidden net carbs that don't show up in nutrition information on packaging.
Use Our AXIS Nutrition App to Make This Easy
Before reading on, you can use our AXIS Nutrition app to make this whole process easy.
Just sign up for free at axisnutrition.app. It will give you personalised ratings for snacks and other foods. These ratings are specific to you and will take the guesswork out of finding the best foods for your keto lifestyle.
The Three Steps to Choosing Keto-Friendly Snacks
If you don't want to use the AXIS Nutrition app, then here are some steps you can follow to find keto-friendly snacks.
Step 1: Screen out snacks with hidden net carbs with the ingredients list.
Step 2: Calculate net carbs from nutritional information table.
Step 3: Evaluate against a conservative net carb snack limit (or better, your personal net carb limit via the AXIS Nutrition app)
Step 1: Screen Out Hidden Net Carbs
Hidden net carbs behave like net carbs but cannot be counted accurately. So they are the first thing you should check for in the ingredients list on the item's packaging.
Here is a list of common hidden net carbs:
Maltitol
Iso-maltooligosaccharide (IMO)
Polydextrose
With that in mind, we can now focus on net carbs. What they are and how to find them on food packaging. Once you master this, shopping for keto-friendly snacks or foods will be that much easier.
Step 2: Identify and Calculate Net Carbs Per Serving in Europe
When checking your packaged food and snacks, you can find the number of net carbs per serving by checking the Nutritional Information section. It is usually located on the back of your packaged item.
The Information provided here applies only to European food labels as USA labels are structured differently. So keep that in mind when going through the steps below.
Here is an Example:
Health Bar Nutritional Information |
|
Typical Values Per 100g | 60g |
Energy 1526 kj / 366 kcal | 916 kj / 220 kcal |
Fat 28.4g | 17.0g |
- of which are saturates 17.3g | 10.4g |
Total Carbohydrates 30.8g | 18.5g |
- of which sugars 1.5g | 0.9g |
- of which are polyols 25.7g | 15.4 |
Fibre 17.4g | 10.4 |
Protein 9.1g | 5.4g |
Salt 0.71g | 0.43g |
To calculate the net carbs amount, use this two-step process in Europe:
1) Review the Nutrition Label (like the one above) and check for the ‘Polyols’ section. This could also be called ‘Erythritol’ or ‘Xylitol’.
2) Subtract the number found in the 'Polyols' from the ‘Total Carbohydrates’ section for one serving.
Here's an Example:
Morgan wants to buy a box of health bars. To find out if the bars are keto-friendly for her, she uses the following equation:
Total Carbs - (Polyols/ Erythritol/ Xylitol) = Net Carbs
Total Carbs: 18.5g per 60g serving
Net Carbs: 18.5g - 15.4g = 3.1g per 60g serving
Step 3: Check Against a Conservative Net Carb Snack Limit
Next, take the net carb per serving amount you calculated and check if it is below a conservative default net carb limit. You should use 5.0g as the cut off for this to be confident it is a keto-friendly snack for you.
Going by the conservative net carb limit of 5.0g, Morgan would only be able to eat one of the above bars per day.
Keeping your net carbs low is crucial to staying in ketosis. Consuming too many net carbs in one sitting will lower your blood ketones below 0.5 mmol/l, compromising your fat loss results. Ketones keep your appetite low and therefore help you to consume fewer calories throughout the day without trying. This is what helps you to lose fat over time.
One final note on the conservative net carb limit of 5.0g: It's a good place to start because we've set it to be conservative to work for most people. But it is not personalised. Depending on the person, the limit for snacks may be above or below this number.
If you would like to find your personal net carb limit, our free AXIS Nutrition app calculates this for you. It uses your personal limit to rate snacks specifically for your keto diet.
Actionable Takeaways
Choosing keto-friendly snacks can be simple if you follow these guidelines:
Avoid any snacks that have hidden net carbs
Check the nutritional information of the snack and find the polyol section (sometimes called ‘Erythritol’ or ‘Xylitol’)
Subtract the polyol number from the total carbohydrates for one serving of the snack
Make sure that number is below the conservative snack limit of 5.0g per serving
Use the AXIS Nutrition app to remove this work and simplify your snack choices
Need More Help?
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