Are Pickles Keto Friendly? Complete guide to whether you can eat pickles on a low carb diet. With net carbs, benefits and the best easy recipe ideas.
Are Pickles Keto Friendly?
Are Pickles Keto Friendly? That’s a question I’m often asked by blog readers and followers of a low-carb diet.
Pickles may be an old favorite ingredient of yours that you usually enjoy as a snack, in burgers or as a crunchy side with meals.
But, can you still enjoy them as part of a health and weight loss journey, specifically when following a low carb ketogenic diet lifestyle?
Here’s the video where I give you an overview of my thoughts about whether pickles are keto friendly. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.
How Many Carbs In Pickles?
Depending on whether your jar is dill pickles, sweet pickles, sour pickles, kosher pickles, candied pickles, bread and butter pickles or you’ve made homemade pickles yourself, the amount of added sugar and ultimately grams of net carbs is likely to be significantly different.
The sweeter varieties are likely to have a much higher carb amount than brands of pickles that are sour. Just be sure to carefully read the nutrition label and ingredient list of store-bought pickles to be sure that you’re happy to include the ingredients and net carb count in your diet.
Below is the nutritional profile for an average 100g portion of pickles:
- 18 Calories
- Total fat 0.19g (0.048g Saturated fat)
- Total grams of carbs 4.12g
- Dietary fiber 1.2g
- Grams of net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber) 2.92g
- Sugars 3.51g
- Protein 0.62g
The ketogenic diet community debate about whether pickles are permitted, because, aside from pickle brands with a high sugar content, some keto dieters prefer not to consume pickles due to the lectins, which have been known to aggravate inflammation and possibly counteract the many health benefits that pickles potentially hold.
I personally include them in my diet, I just try to find a brand with as low sugar content as possible, paying close attention to the type of pickle and ingredients included in the jar. So – my answer to are pickles keto friendly is YES!
If you’d prefer to make your own keto-friendly pickles to control how much sugar and other ingredients are included, then here’s a video where you can watch how to make fermented pickles yourself. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.
Health Benefits
The good news is that there are numerous benefits to your overall health in including pickles in a keto-style diet, whether that’s your own pickles that you’ve made or your store bought jar of choice.
Due to the healthy bacteria and fermentation process of any pickles recipe, the ingredient has been claimed to be a good source of probiotics, essential mineral content, aid digestive health, improve the gut microbiome and gut health and even reduce the risk of heart disease.
The pickle juice itself contains high volumes of sodium and is also often consumed by keto dieters as a way of combating the dreaded keto flu while adjusting to a state of ketosis and aiding with ailments like muscle cramps.
Easy Keto Pickles Recipe Ideas
There are plenty of tasty ways to enjoy the crunchy texture and sour taste of pickles in keto friendly ways.
Here are some ideas to enjoy varieties of pickles that are low in number of carbs:
Whole Pickles – of course you can simply snack on a whole pickle or two, just be sure to be mindful of the exact gram of carb in the portion size you choose.
Keto Snack Box – put together a keto snack box like the above pictured box with pickles, meat, avocado, nuts and cheese such as cheddar cheese, brie or Parmesan cheese to be able to grab and go as a healthy snack option when needed.
Burger Topping – enjoy a bunless burger in a lettuce cup and pop a couple of pickle chips as toppings for added crunch and flavor.
Dips, Dressing or Sauce – flavor your favorite keto dip, dressing or sauce, such as egg mayo dip or my Keto Russian Dressing, with finely chopped dill pickle slices. Or you could simply dip a medium-sized pickle in your favorite dip, dressing or sauce as a great snack or side dish.
Deviled Eggs – top deviled eggs with finely chopped pickles for crunch and a tangy flavor element.
Soup Topping – add some chopped pickle spears as a sour topping to a warming bowl of soup.
Side Dish Topping – top creamy cauliflower mash or cauliflower rice with chopped pickles.
Instant Wrap – roll a piece of pastrami or another deli meat around a pickle as a speedy and satisfying snack.
Keto Fried Pickles – traditional fried pickles can have a not very keto friendly high carb count, and thankfully they are easy to ketofy and make yourself. Pick your favorite keto pickle brand to make mouthwatering fried pickles with. Dip pickles into whisked eggs then dredge in a low carb crumb mix that can include parmesan cheese, almond flour, pork rinds or a combination of crumb ingredients, then fry until perfectly golden.
More Low-Carb Diet Inspiration
Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.
Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.