When eating a ketogenic diet, especially starting out, it can be hard to know what you can or can not eat. At first, I thought it was as simple as looking at the carb count but boy was I wrong! Here is how to properly read nutrition labels to help you buy the right foods! This information is for strict keto diets only and every body acts differently to certain ingredients. Find what works best for you in the correct balance and you can still stay in ketosis! The nutrition label has 2 main parts that we will focus on.
The macros, and the ingredients.
From reading this nutrition label you can see the following macros:
- Total Carbs 31g
- Total Fat 18g
- Total Protein 20g
Now with this basic information we can know that this most likely not a keto product due to the macro rations. Carbs are at 45%, Fat is at 26%, and Protein is at 29%. Carbs and protein are too high and fat is too low. We still need more information though to determine if we can eat this product.
Let’s start by finding out the Net Carb Count:
- We have 31g total carbs
- Minus the Dietary Fiber (2 grams)
- Minus the Sugar Alcohols (0 grams)
That leaves us with 29 Net Carbs which is more than what we are allowed to have in the day.
Other things to note on this label:
- There are 0 grams of Trans Fat which is always good!
- 4 grams of sugar is not ideal but this is one of those things that you can factor into your day’s meals by taking away products that have any sugar.
Now let’s talk about those ingredients!
In the crust:
- Wheat Flour – No wheat or grains are ok on Keto
- Sugar
- Powdered Cellulose – HIDDEN CARB! Watch out for this.
Beef Sausage:
- Cured with Sugar
Pork:
- Cured with Sugar
Bacon:
- Dextrose – HIDDEN SUGAR! This is not counted in the Sugar grams
- Corn Syrup – HIDDEN SUGAR! This is not counted in the Sugar grams
Pepperoni:
- Dextrose – HIDDEN SUGAR! This is not counted in the Sugar grams
In conclusion, eating a ketogenic diet, you need to make time to read the entire label. The fewer ingredients the better. Keep it simple and straight to the point and it will save you many headaches!
I hope this helps you in your keto travels!
Did you know about all of the hidden carbs/sugar in products? Is there anything I missed? Let me know!
Leave a comment below!
See also:
Keto Sweeteners – Good vs. Bad
How Much Water Do I Have to Drink on Keto?
Keto Meal Plans – So you don’t have to
Top 10 Easy to Understand Health Benefits of Keto
What is Keto? – Beginning Your Journey
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