Is Oatmeal Keto Friendly? Can you have oats on the low carb ketogenic diet? Net Carbs and an easy recipe idea.
Is Oatmeal Keto Friendly?
Is Oatmeal Keto Friendly? For some there is nothing nicer than having a nice hot bowl of oatmeal topped with your favourite fruit and sweetener. But, is oatmeal keto friendly?
That’s a question I’m often asked by blog readers and followers of a low-carb diet.
If you wish to get into or remain in a state of ketosis, that requires you to have a total of around 25 -50g of net carbs.
Looking at the nutritional data below, a regular oatmeal serving of half a cup (117g) has 12 grams of carbs once you take the dietary fiber into account. That doesn’t even include any extra carbs, depending on the type of milk you may want to add such as unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk.
So while it wouldn’t kick you out of ketosis, you would certainly have to be exceptionally careful the rest of the day. Though, if you intermittent fast in addition to keeping a carb intake suitable for a keto diet, it could certainly be done.
How Many Carbs In Oats?
Oatmeal’s nutritional content for a regular serving of half a cup (117g) is as follows:
- Calories 83
- Total grams of fat 1.8g (saturated fat 0.4g)
- Grams of carbs 14g
- Grams of fiber 2g
- Grams of net carbs (total carbs – fiber) 12g
- Sugars 0.3g
- Protein 3g
Are Oats A Keto Friendly Food?
As mentioned above while oatmeal technically could be allowed in small enough amounts, it certainly pushes the boundaries of an acceptable carb count.
And, if you’re like me and you find that 30 grams of carbohydrates is your nutritional ketosis limit, I would have to say if you have three meals a day oatmeal is not keto-friendly. Particularly if you want a low carb breakfast to start your day with.
While that may be bad news, the good news is there are plenty of oatmeal alternatives to choose from.
Here are the following keto-friendly food alternatives instead:
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Hemp seeds
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Nut Butter
Chia Seeds
A typical serving of chia seeds is per tablespoon or tbsp (12g)
- Calories 58
- Total grams of fat 3.7g (0.4g saturated)
- Grams of carbs 5.1g
- Dietary fiber 4.1 g
- Net carbs (total carbs – fiber) 1g
- Protein 2g
A good source of fiber and healthy fats in the form of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 health benefits have been shown to be helpful in having good cardiovascular health, brain function and in helping weight loss.
Due to chia seeds ability to absorb up to 10 times there weight in liquid they can make some of the easiest oatmeal substitute recipes for a high-fat diet such as the keto diet.
Flax Seeds
Flaxseeds per tsp (10g)
- Calories 55
- Total grams of fat 4.3g (0.4g saturated)
- Grams of carbs 3g
- Dietary fiber 2.8 g
- Net carbs (total carbs – fiber) 0.2g
- Protein 1.9g
Full of healthy fatty acids and fiber they are easy to use for keto breakfast recipes. Evidence suggests that flaxseed health benefits include the prevention of chronic diseases like diabetes heart disease and stroke.
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds per tsp (10g)
- Calories 55.3
- Total grams of fat 5g (0.5g saturated)
- Grams of carbs 0.9g
- Dietary fiber 0.4 g
- Net carbs (total carbs – fiber) 0.5g
- Protein 3.2g
With the amount of carbs in hemp seeds being so low, hemp seeds certainly help with keeping your overall carbohydrate intake low. Plus Hemp seeds have all 9 essential amino acids and has evidence it can help with lowering blood pressure and your cholesterol.
Keto Oatmeal Recipe
One of the easiest recipes to make a low-carb oatmeal alternative, when you want that hot cereal taste on a cold morning, is a delicious warming bowl of chocolate “noatmeal”. (Or no oatmeal!)
Here’s the full easy low carb oatmeal recipe for you to enjoy on busy mornings –
- 1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
- 1-2 Tablespoons Stevia or Keto Sweetener
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on the stove top over medium heat.
- Bring the oatmeal up to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a couple of minutes.
- Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, top with your favorite toppings of choice and enjoy.
More Keto 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.
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