Quick Answer
Onion rings are high in carbs. A typical serving of onion rings contains about 20-30 grams of net carbs, coming mostly from the batter used to coat the onions before frying. The batter is usually made from flour, which is high in carbohydrates. However, the carb count can vary depending on the specific recipe. Breading with panko or coarsely ground pork rinds can lower the carbs substantially. Overall, onion rings are considered a high carb food.
What are Onion Rings?
Onion rings are a popular appetizer or side dish made by coating onion slices in a batter or breading and then deep frying them. The onions are usually sliced into rings, but sometimes half rings or whole small onions are used.
A basic onion ring consists of:
- Onion slices
- Batter – usually a thick, coatable batter made with flour, eggs, milk, seasonings
- Breadcrumbs or other coatings – panko, cornflake crumbs, ground pork rinds
To make onion rings, the onion slices are dipped into the batter to fully coat them, then the battered rings are coated with breadcrumbs or another crunchy coating. Finally, the rings are deep fried in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
Are Onion Rings High in Carbs?
Yes, most onion rings are high in carbohydrates, primarily due to the batter.
A typical batter for onion rings contains:
- All-purpose flour – Up to 1 cup per batch
- Cornstarch – Up to 1/4 cup per batch
- Beer batter – Uses beer instead of other liquids
Since these ingredients are very high in carbohydrates, they contribute a large amount of carbs to the finished onion rings.
Some typical nutrition info for a serving of onion rings:
- 1 cup of onion rings (4-8 rings) – 26g net carbs
- Medium order fast food onion rings – 30g net carbs
- Onion ring appetizer (6-8 rings) – 24g net carbs
As you can see, a single serving of onion rings can contain 20-30g net carbs, which is considered high for a side dish.
Factors Affecting Carb Count
Several factors affect the total carb count in onion rings:
- Batter ingredients – More flour = more carbs. Beer batter is slightly lower in carbs than flour-based.
- Breading – Panko or pork rinds have fewer carbs than flour or cornmeal breading.
- Coating thickness – Thicker batter coating means more carbs.
- Onion size – Smaller rings mean more batter per onion.
- Cooking method – Deep fried has more soaked up batter than oven baked.
So the exact carb count can vary quite a bit based on the specific recipe and cooking method. But most onion rings ultimately end up high in carbs.
Onion Ring Carbs vs Other Appetizers
Compared to other popular appetizers, onion rings are one of the highest carb options:
| Appetizer | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Onion Rings (10 rings) | 30g |
| Mozzarella Sticks (6 pieces) | 18g |
| Chicken Wings (6 wings) | 3-9g |
| Quesadilla (1 wedge) | 15-20g |
| Nachos (20 chips) | 18-24g |
While foods like wings and mozzarella sticks contain less than half the carbs of onion rings, they are still not exactly low carb options. But onion rings are one of the highest carb appetizers.
Low Carb Onion Ring Options
There are a few ways to make lower carb onion rings:
Use Lower Carb Batters
Substitute lower carb flours like:
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Flax meal
You can also dip the onions directly in beaten egg before breading to eliminate the batter.
Try Low Carb Breading
Swap traditional breadcrumbs for:
- Pork rind crumbs
- Crushed up cheese crisps or cheese crackers
- Chopped nuts
- Crushed pork rinds
- Parmesan cheese
- Coconut flour
Panko Japanese breadcrumbs are also slightly lower in carbs than regular breadcrumbs.
Oven Bake Instead of Fry
Oven baking onion rings considerably reduces the amount of oil and batter that is absorbed compared to deep frying. Just coat the onions lightly before baking.
Watch Portion Size
Stick to just a few onion rings as a side to a low carb main dish instead of having them as an appetizer. A serving of 3-5 rings can fit into a low carb diet as an occasional treat.
Are Onion Rings Keto?
Onion rings are generally not keto-friendly. Most homemade and restaurant onion ring recipes contain 20g net carbs or more per serving.
To stay in ketosis, you need to keep net carbs under 20-50g per day. That means a typical order of onion rings could potentially use up your entire carb limit for the day!
An occasional small serving of low carb oven baked onion rings may fit into a keto diet. But in general, traditional breaded and fried onion rings do not fit with a true ketogenic diet.
There are lower carb options like wings, deviled eggs, and veggies and dip that make better keto-friendly appetizers.
Can Onion Rings Kick You Out of Ketosis?
It’s possible for onion rings to temporarily kick you out of ketosis due to the high carb content.
Here’s what happens when you eat high carb foods on a keto diet:
- Carb intake spikes above keto limits (over 50g net carbs)
- Body releases insulin in response to excess carbs
- Insulin promotes glucose burning over fat burning
- Stores excess glucose as liver and muscle glycogen
- Body shifts out of ketosis and back to burning glucose
- Ketone levels drop as ketosis is interrupted
Consuming a large serving of onion rings could essentially halt ketone production and fat burning for several hours until the glycogen stores are depleted again.
However, this effect is temporary. Once the onion rings are fully digested and glycogen levels lower, the body will resume producing ketones and return to ketosis.
But regularly overdoing carbs can prevent you from becoming fully keto adapted. So onion rings and other high carb foods are best avoided on keto.
Onion Rings on Low Carb Diets
Onion rings are higher in carbs than recommended for most low carb and ketogenic diets.
Here are the suggested daily carb intakes on various low carb diets:
| Diet | Recommended Carbs |
|---|---|
| Keto | Under 50g net carbs |
| Low Carb | Around 100g net carbs |
| Slow Carb | 80-120g carbs from legumes and veggies |
| Atkins | Starts at 20g net carbs and slowly increases |
Based on their typical carb counts, onion rings don’t fit these recommended daily intakes, except potentially on higher carb low carb diets with room for an occasional treat.
On keto or strict low carb, it’s best to choose lower carb options and watch portions if having onion rings occasionally. And those following vegetarian and vegan keto will want to minimize or avoid onion rings due to the eggs and potential animal products used in most recipes.
Healthier Onion Ring Alternatives
Here are some lower carb alternatives that capture the taste of onion rings without all the carbs:
Onion Petals
Onion petals are thinly sliced raw onion layered to look like an onion blossom. They have a crispy onion flavor with only around 5g net carbs per serving.
Chicken or Turkey “Onion Rings”
Sliced chicken breast or turkey cutlets can be battered and breaded into onion ring lookalikes for a protein-packed spin.
Zucchini Onion Rings
Thin sliced zucchini standing in for onion makes a veggie-filled onion ring substitute with about 3g net carbs per ring.
Radish Onion Rings
Sliced radishes can also be turned into onion rings for an extra crispy low carb option with only 1-2g net carbs per serving.
Onion Crisps
Thinly slice onions, spray with oil, and bake into crispy onion chips with 6g net carbs per ounce.
Conclusion
Onion rings are considered a high carb food, with a typical serving containing 20-30g net carbs. This primarily comes from the flour-based batter used to coat the onions before frying.
Breading with nuts, pork rinds, or cheeses can reduce the carb count substantially. Oven baking also limits carb absorption compared to deep frying.
But overall, traditional onion rings don’t fit into low carb, keto, or vegetarian diets due to the high carb content. An occasional small portion may work for some low carb diets with room to spare.
To enjoy the onion ring experience without all the carbs, healthier alternatives like baked onion petals, zucchini onion rings, and onion crisps are good options. Or consider swapping onion rings for lower carb appetizers like wings, deviled eggs, or celery and carrot sticks on your next night out.
