Are Cashews Keto-Friendly? Nutritional Facts and Keto Compatibility

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.

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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.

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:

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

Suggested read: The 13 Best Nuts and Seeds for Keto Diet

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.

Summary

Cashews are a popular tree nut and a healthy, 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 enjoy them. Just make sure to be mindful of your portion size and how many carbs you’ll have left for the remainder of the day.