Many nuts fit right into the keto diet’s high-fat macronutrient prescription.
“Nuts can make a great addition to a keto diet since they are low in carbs and high in healthy fats,” says Haley Bishoff, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Rūtsu Nutrition. Bishoff adds that nuts are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
As if those benefits weren’t enough to get crunching, nuts have also been well-researched for their ability to help lower cholesterol and triglycerides1, improve blood sugar, and reduce inflammation2. These cardiometabolic bonuses could add to the big picture of healthy weight loss while on keto.
Of course, if you’re looking to lose weight, it can’t be a nut festival all day, every day. But here are some intriguing (and, frankly, pretty awesome) news: research shows that eating nuts in moderation doesn’t contribute to weight gain3. In fact, the body doesn’t even typically absorb all the calories from nuts4, according to research from the USDA. Eaten in their whole form, nuts like almonds could contribute up to 32% fewer calories than listed on their nutrition label due to their bioavailability and how the body absorbs their nutrients.