Can You Eat Cashews on the Keto Diet?

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Cashews are a popular type of tree nut, commonly consumed as a healthy snack.

They’re also often used to make nut butter, plant-based milk, and dairy-free cheese alternatives.

However, if you follow the low carb, high fat keto diet, you may be curious about whether they’re a good addition to your diet.

Most people on keto aim to keep their total carb intake at 50 grams or fewer per day, or 25 grams of net carbs per day — which is total carbs minus the fiber.

This article reviews the nutritional content of cashews and whether they can be part of a keto diet.

Cashews in a bowlShare on PinterestKeeley Burmeister/Getty Images

Are cashews keto?

Whether cashews are a good fit for the keto diet comes down to their nutrient composition. One ounce (28 grams) of cashews contains (2):

  • Calories: 163
  • Protein: 4 grams
  • Fat: 13 grams
  • Total carbs: 9 grams
  • Fiber: 1 gram
  • Net carbs: 8 grams

At 9 grams of total carbs and 8 grams of net carbs per ounce, cashews may not be the best nut to eat while on keto. A small portion of cashews can quickly use up a significant chunk of your daily carb allotment.

However, if you really enjoy cashews, you can fit them into your keto diet.

Just be mindful of the portion size you’re eating and how many carbs you’ll have left after eating the cashews.

Summary

A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of cashews contains 9 grams of total carbs or 8 grams of net carbs. This is a significant amount of carbs for the low carb keto diet, but cashews can be included if you’re careful with your portion size.

Alternatives to cashews

If you’d prefer to include lower carb nuts in your diet, a few good options are available, including:

  • Almonds: 6 grams total carbs, 3 grams net carbs per ounce (28 grams) (3)
  • Pecans: 4 grams total carbs, 1 gram net carbs per ounce (28 grams) (4)
  • Walnuts: 4 grams total carbs, 2 grams net carbs per ounce (28 grams) (5)
  • Macadamia nuts: 4 grams total carbs, 2 grams net carbs per ounce (28 grams) (6)
Summary

Almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, and walnuts are all lower in carbs than cashews. As such, they may be a better fit for the keto diet.

The bottom line

Cashews are a popular tree nut and healthy and handy snack.

However, they’re not the best-suited nut for the keto diet, as they’re relatively high in carbs, especially compared with other nuts like pecans or macadamia nuts.

That said, you can make room for cashews in your keto diet if you really enjoy them. Just make sure to be mindful of your portion size and how many carbs you’ll be left with for the remainder of the day.

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