Which Nuts Are Keto-Friendly and Low in Carbs? Which Ones Should You Avoid?

Nuts are a great addition to a ketogenic (keto) diet. Nuts that are keto-friendly and low in carbs include almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, and other nuts.

Nuts are a great addition to a ketogenic (keto) diet. Ketogenic nuts will be high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates. They should also be rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. In contrast, some high-carb nuts must be avoided if you’re on a keto diet. 

Here’s what you need to know about nuts you can eat and the ones to avoid if you’re on a keto diet. 

While on a keto diet, you must track your carbohydrate and macronutrient intake. This helps ensure that your body burns fats instead of glucose and stays in a state of ketosis to support weight loss. Low-carb nuts are great for a keto diet: They are full of good fats and other nutrients.

Here are some of the best keto-friendly nuts:

Almonds

Almonds are versatile and widely available low-carb nuts. They are a healthy and tasty addition to your keto diet. One ounce (28.35 grams) of almonds will contain the following nutrients:

• 164 calories
• 6 grams of protein
• 14 grams of fat
• 5 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of fiber

Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamin E, minerals like magnesium and copper, and antioxidants. They have several health benefits due to their rich nutrition profile. 

In particular, raw and roasted almonds are great, keto-friendly snacks. Meanwhile, keto-friendly almond flour can be a great substitute for high-carb flour. You can also add almond milk or butter to your keto diet. 

Macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are low-carb tree nuts grown in Australia. They’re rich in fat, making them perfect for the keto diet. A one-ounce serving of macadamia nuts, which is about 10 to 12 kernels, contains:

• 204 calories
• 2 grams of proteins
• 21 grams of fats
• 4 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber

Macadamia nuts also contain trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium. They contain vitamins like thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and B6. 

This profile makes them a perfect low-carb, high-fat snack that can be enjoyed raw or roasted. Macadamia nut flour, milk, and butter can also be keto-friendly. 

Macadamia nuts and related products can also be a tasty addition to desserts or baked goods, provided that the other ingredients are equally keto-friendly.

Pecans

Pecans are an excellent source of low-carb, high-fat nutrition for your keto diet. One ounce of pecans, about 19 halves, provides you with the following nutrients:

• 196 calories
• 3 grams of proteins
• 20 grams of fats
• 4 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of fiber

These keto-friendly nuts are filled with minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium. They also contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and some B vitamins. 

You can enjoy raw or roasted pecans as a snack, or you can crush them and use them in keto-friendly recipes.

Brazil nuts

Brazil nuts are large tree nuts native to South America. They are low-carb nuts with a high-fat content, which makes them ideal for the keto diet. One ounce of Brazil nuts, about six kernels, contains:

• 186 calories
• 4 grams of protein
• 19 grams of fats
• 3 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber

They’re an excellent source of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and selenium, which are essential for your body. In fact, a Brazil nut contains even more than the recommended daily intake of selenium, which is 55 micrograms. They are a great way to get enough selenium in your diet.

However, an ounce of Brazil nuts will give you about 543 micrograms of selenium which is above the recommended limit of 400 micrograms. To avoid selenium toxicity, try not to eat excess Brazil nuts every day.

Instead, you can eat Brazil nuts on occasion as a snack or pair them with low-carb cheese and meat. You can also use ground Brazil nuts to make a low-carb crust for pies or tarts or add them to smoothies.

Walnuts

Walnuts are versatile, high-fat, low-carb nuts used in various dishes. About 14 halves of walnuts, weighing around an ounce, can provide the following nutrients:

• 185 calories
• 4 grams of proteins
• 18 grams of fats
• 4 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber

Walnuts also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and copper. They are a great source of vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, and they contain B vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, and B6. 

You can add walnuts to keto-friendly desserts like fudge or brownies. You can also enjoy them as a snack or add them to salads and other low-carb recipes.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are delicious low-carb nuts that are used in desserts. An ounce of hazelnuts, which amounts to 21 whole kernels, provides:

• 178 calories
• 4 grams of proteins
• 17 grams of fats
• 5 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of fiber

Hazelnuts are a source of vitamin E, vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. They also provide vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, and vitamin B6. 

Hazelnuts are often paired with chocolate, but for a keto-friendly diet, you should only eat hazelnuts with a bit of dark chocolate. 

Hazelnut flour, meanwhile, is a great, keto-friendly flour substitute.

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are an essential ingredient in Italian sauce pesto. They are versatile and flavorful, so they can be added to various recipes. They are ideal for a keto diet because of their low-carb and high-fat contents. 

About 167 kernels of pine nuts collectively weighing an ounce will provide the following nutrients:

• 191 calories
• 4 grams of proteins
• 19 grams of fats
• 4 grams of carbohydrates
• 1 gram of fiber

Pine nuts contain vitamins E and K, as well as minerals like magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. They also have vitamins A, C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, and B6.

Pine nuts add a unique, earthy flavor to foods. You can eat them raw or roasted as a snack or add them to sauces or other dishes.

On a keto diet, avoid high-carb foods that are low in healthy fats. If you have too many carbs, your body will break them down instead of fat, disrupting ketosis. 

So, here are some high-carb nuts to avoid on a keto diet:

Cashews

One ounce of cashews, about 18 cashew kernels, contains 163 calories, 13 grams of fats, and 9 grams of carbohydrates. They’re not the best nuts to eat on a keto diet. If you like cashews, you can add them to your diet, but you must remain mindful of the portion size and the number of carbs you consume while on the keto diet.

Pistachios

Pistachios are high in carbs. They have about 8 grams of carbohydrates in one ounce (i.e., 49 pistachio kernels).

Chestnuts

Chestnuts are not keto-friendly because of their high-carb content. An ounce grams of chestnuts contains approximately 14 grams of carbohydrates: more than most other nuts. So, it’s best to avoid chestnuts if you’re on a strict keto diet. 

If you like chestnuts or follow a liberal low-carb diet, try to include only limited amounts of raw or roasted chestnuts, just enough to satisfy your tastebuds.