Beans Keto? How about Keto Refried Beans?! [Info + Recipe] [2019] (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat refried beans on keto? ›

There are some circ*mstances where a flexible ketogenic diet can allow for occasional consumption of refried beans. The targeted ketogenic diet allows for extra carbs before or after workouts. The cyclical keto diet allows for extra carbs one to two days per week in limited amounts.

Green beans and black soybeans are keto-friendly bean options, each containing only 2 grams of net carbs per 1/2-cup (60–90-gram) serving. Some promising keto substitutes for beans include mushrooms, eggplant, avocado, ground meat, and boiled peanuts.

The keto diet is a low carb, high fat dietary lifestyle that involves restricting the amount of carbs you eat. Both white and brown rice are high in carbs, so in general, rice is *not* keto. Keto-friendly alternatives to rice include vegetable options with broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and zucchini.

Why Are Beans Not Keto Friendly? Because keto is a low-carb, high fat diet, and most types of beans fall into high-carb categories, they are not best suited for a ketogenic diet. Though the range can vary, one serving of any type will likely take up a large chunk of your daily carbohydrate allowance.

Although beans contain carbohydrates, they are low on the glycemic index (GI) scale and do not cause significant spikes in a person's blood sugar levels. Beans are a complex carbohydrate. The body digests this form more slowly than other carbohydrates, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable for longer.

Highest and Lowest Carb Beans

Among these, black soybeans and green beans have the lowest carbs, potentially making them better for a keto diet. On the other hand, chickpeas, pinto beans, and navy beans have high carbs. You might want to avoid these if you're strictly following a keto diet.

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries. If you're unsure whether the keto diet is right for you or how it may affect your health, consider speaking with a dietitian or your healthcare provider.

Can You Eat Bacon On a Keto Diet? While you may not think of bacon as diet food, most types of bacon fit perfectly into a keto diet plan since they're low in carbs yet high in protein and fat. That means bacon is perfect for snacking on in the afternoon or mixing into your chicken dinner dish for some extra flavoring.

What can I eat instead of rice on keto? ›

Regular, full fat sour cream is made from cream and contains far more fat than carbs. Therefore, it's considered keto-friendly. However, low fat or nonfat sour cream is not. Full fat sour cream can provide some variety in a keto diet when used as a dip base or incorporated into recipes to boost the fat content.

1. Sugary Foods. Most people already think of many of the foods in this category as unhealthy treats. Candy, soft drinks, and sweet desserts such as cake, chocolate, and ice cream are all expected entries on a list of carbs to avoid to lose weight.

Cabbage is delicious when stuffed into keto fajitas, used in soups, or made into coleslaw with a rich, creamy high-fat dressing that's keto-friendly. It has 2 grams of net carbs per cup shredded, so you can eat a lot in one sitting without falling out of ketosis, says Dixon.

Refried Beans Traditional Canned (1 cup) contains 34.1g total carbs, 24.8g net carbs, 5.1g fat, 12.5g protein, and 227 calories.

All the same, if you're eating at a Mexican restaurant in the United States, you may need to avoid high carb ingredients like tortillas, rice, and beans. At home, you can make many keto-friendly variations on Mexican dishes, including ceviche, fajitas, carne asada, and carnitas.

Beans are linked to health benefits, including a lower risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular issues, and type 2 diabetes. However, beans aren't the best choice for a strict keto diet because of their carbohydrate content. You could include them in small amounts or when keto cycling.

Hummus can definitely be part of your keto diet, but just one or two servings can quickly expend a significant portion of your daily carb allotment. If you do eat hummus, you'll want to limit yourself to a small amount — perhaps just 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 grams), which provide 4–8 grams of net carbs.