The ketogenic diet, also known as keto for short, is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares similarities with the Atkins and other low-carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat to achieve nutritional ketosis – a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. Many people follow the keto diet to lose weight, control blood sugar, and improve health. However, the diet is quite restrictive, especially when it comes to snacking and treats. Chips and crisps are convenient and tasty snacks for many, but most are too high in carbs to fit a keto diet. This article will discuss what chips and crisps may be keto-friendly options.
What is Keto?
The keto diet typically limits carbs to 20-50 grams per day. To put this in perspective, one medium banana or apple already contains around 25 grams of carbs. Even foods that aren’t normally considered high-carb like carrots and certain types of nuts should be eaten sparingly on keto.
Instead, keto emphasizes foods that are high in fat and low or moderate in carbs. This includes meat, fish, eggs, full-fat dairy, healthy oils, avocados, and low-carb vegetables like leafy greens.
By severely restricting carbs, your body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of carbs. Ketones are produced as a byproduct of fat breakdown and become the main fuel source for many cells in the body, including brain cells.
Research shows that keto diets can promote fat loss, improve certain health conditions like type 2 diabetes, and enhance mental clarity and focus. However, the diet is very restrictive and not suitable for everyone. It’s important to speak with your healthcare provider before starting keto, especially if you have any medical conditions.
Now let’s look at which chip varieties may fit into a keto eating plan.
Tortilla and Corn Chips
Standard tortilla and corn chips are some of the most popular snack chips out there. But unfortunately, both corn and wheat tortillas are very high in carbs and off-limits on a strict keto diet.
Just a 1 oz (28g) serving of plain tortilla chips contains about 18-20 grams of net carbs, which would use up most of your daily carb allowance on keto. The same goes for corn chips – a 1 oz serving of plain corn chips has around 21 grams of net carbs.
So traditional tortilla and corn chips are too high in carbs to fit a keto diet. However, some companies have developed low-carb tortilla and corn chip alternatives made with keto-friendly ingredients:
Low-Carb Tortilla Chips:
– Chips made with almond or coconut flour instead of corn/wheat flour
– Flaxseed-based tortilla chips
– Chips made with cheese powders or tapioca flour
Low-Carb Corn Chips:
– Chips made with palmini hearts of palm instead of corn
– Pork rind snacks flavored like corn chips
Just be sure to check labels and aim for varieties with about 5 grams of net carbs or less per serving. Measure portions carefully as even keto-friendly chips can contain a fair amount of carbs.
Potato Chips
Potato chips are an American favorite, but contain too many carbs for keto. One ounce of regular potato chips has around 15 grams of net carbs.
However, some companies make low-carb potato chip alternatives such as:
– Chips made from jicama, rutabaga, or heart of palm instead of potatoes
– Thinly sliced radishes baked into chips
– Zucchini or eggplant sliced thinly and baked into chips
– Pork rinds – crunchy, salty, and zero carbs
There are also keto-friendly brands of cheese crisps on the market. These are essentially baked cheeses like cheddar or parmesan turned into crunchy, savory crackers and chips. Just be aware that portion sizes need to be monitored as even low-carb chips can contain a few carbs per serving.
Pita and Crackers
Traditional pita and cracker snacks are very high in carbs and off-limits on keto. However, there are some keto-friendly alternatives:
Low-Carb Pitas:
– Pitas made with almond or coconut flour
– Flaxseed pitas
– Lettuce leaf “pitas”
Low-Carb Crackers:
– Flaxseed crackers
– Cheese crisps
– Nut flour crackers like almond flour
– Thinly sliced vegetables like cucumber or zucchini
When buying prepared low-carb pitas or crackers, look for options with about 5 grams of net carbs or less per serving. You can also make homemade keto pitas and seed crackers fairly easily with keto baking ingredients.
Protein Chips
There are some crunchy, protein-based chips and crisps that can fit into a keto eating plan:
– Chips made from chicken or turkey
– Beef or bison jerky chips
– Soy crisps and edamame chips
– Bean chips made from black soybeans or lentils
The protein and fiber content tends to be higher in these types of chips, while net carbs are generally low at around 5 grams per serving. Be sure to check labels for additives like sugars. Measure portions to keep carb intake in check.
Nut and Seed Chips
Chips made purely from nuts and seeds can be great keto options. However, moderation is key as nuts and seeds are calorie dense:
Keto-Friendly Nut Chips:
– Pecan crisps
– Macadamia nut chips
– Walnut chips
– Pili nut chips
Keto-Friendly Seed Chips:
– Pumpkin seed chips
– Sunflower seed chips
– Flax chips
– Chia chips
When possible, look for raw and unflavored nut and seed chip varieties without extra oils or seasonings. A one ounce serving will provide about 5 grams of carbs, so measure portions carefully.
Seaweed Chips
Seaweed may seem like an unconventional snack chip, but many Korean and Japanese seaweed chips and crackers can fit into a keto diet. Options include:
– Roasted seaweed sheets/snacks
– Seaweed crackers
Plain seaweed chips are low in carbs, high in fiber, and contain beneficial nutrients. Flavored seaweed snacks have slightly more carbs from seasonings and oils. A 1-ounce serving of seaweed snacks averages around 5 grams of carbs.
Cheese Chips/Crisps
As mentioned earlier, baked cheese crisps and chips are a fantastic keto snack. They provide all the crunch and saltiness of regular chips, with much fewer carbs. Popular keto-friendly cheese chip flavors include:
– Cheddar chips
– Parmesan crisps
– Pepper jack chips
– Mozzarella chips
Watch out for cheese chip varieties with added carbs from corn/potato starches. A 1-ounce serving of plain cheese crisps contains less than 1 gram of carbs on average.
Pickles and Olives
Brined and oil-cured foods like pickles and olives make great low-carb chip alternatives:
– Dill pickle chips
– Fried pickle chips
– Green olive chips
– Oil-cured black olive chips
Pickles and olives offer a satisfying crunch and salty flavor for just 1-2 grams of carbs per ounce. You can even make baked keto pickle chips drizzled with olive oil and seasonings.
Vegetable Chips
We’ve covered zucchini, jicama, radish, and other low-carb veggie chips already. Here are some more keto-friendly vegetable chip options:
– Carrot chips made from shredded carrots
– Sea salt and vinegar beet chips
– Roasted parsnip chips
– Turnip chips flavored with garlic and parmesan
– Baked Brussels sprouts slices
– Kale chips
Thinly slice vegetables and bake with oil and seasonings into chip form. Most vegetable chips will have around 5-6 grams of net carbs per ounce, so keep portions in check.
Meat Chips/Crisps
Along with the turkey and chicken chips mentioned earlier, here are some other keto meat chip options:
– Bacon chips – baked and crisped
– Prosciutto crisps
– Salami chips
– Pepperoni chips
Crispy meat snacks make the perfect high-protein, high-fat, and low-carb keto snacks. A 1-ounce serving averages only 1 gram of carbs from meat varieties.
Keto Crackers
Here are some specific keto-friendly cracker brand and recipes to look for:
Keto Brands:
– Flackers flaxseed crackers
– Diet Doctor Keto Crackers
– Birch Benders keto crackers
– HighKey keto crackers
Homemade Keto Crackers:
– Flaxseed crackers
– Almond flour crackers
– Psyllium husk crackers
– Cheese crisps
– Seed crackers with chia, sesame, etc.
Aim for keto cracker options with 5 grams of net carbs or less per serving. You can also make quick homemade seed crackers by combining seeds with egg and baking.
Portion Control is Key
When snacking on keto, portion control is very important even for low-carb chip options:
– Measure chip portions and stick to suggested serving sizes
– Use a small bowl instead of eating straight from the bag
– Be mindful of calories in fatty snacks like cheese and nuts
– Track your total daily carb intake including chips and crisps
– Avoid mindless chip snacking and pair with protein like turkey roll-ups
Practice moderation to keep your overall carb intake in line with keto guidelines. Snack chips can fit into keto diets, but shouldn’t become a free-for-all.
DIY Keto Chips and Crisps
One of the best ways to control carbs and ingredients is to make your own keto snacks at home:
Keto Veggie Chips:
– Eggplant, zucchini, jicama, radish
– Toss with oil and spices
– Bake at 400F until crispy
Keto Cheese Crisps:
– Finely grate hard cheeses
– Add seasonings if desired
– Bake at 350F until golden and crispy
Keto Nut Chips:
– Pecans, walnuts, macadamia
– Toss with cinnamon and sweetener if desired
– Bake at 350F for crunchy DIY nut chips
Keto Seed Crackers:
– Chia, flax, sesame, poppy seeds
– Bind with egg and seasonings
– Bake into thin crackers
Get creative with crunchy veggie slices, nut brittle snacks, and cheese wafer varieties at home.
Best Keto Chips Brands
Some keto-friendly chip brands to look for include:
Low-Carb Tortilla Chips:
– Carb In Balance
– Cali’flour Foods cauliflower tortilla chips
– Chica’s Chips chicken tortilla chips
– Mission Carb Balance tortilla chips
Low-Carb Crackers:
– Flackers flax crackers
– Birch Benders keto crackers
– Diet Doctor multi-seed crispbread
Nut and Seed Chips:
– Blue Diamond nut thins
– Sahale Snacks nut blends
– Paleo Angel keto nut mixes
Cheese Chips:
– Moon Cheese
– Parmesan crisps by Barebells or Cello Whisps
– Whisps cheese crisps
Beef and Pork Chips:
– Epic Provisions beef and pork rinds
– 4505 chicharrones fried pork rinds
– Frito-Lay Stacy’s pork rinds
Always check nutrition labels and aim for low-net-carb options under 5g per serving.
Keto Chip Dips and Toppings
Chips and crisps taste great on their own, but here are some keto-approved dips and toppings:
– Guacamole
– Salsa or pico de gallo
– Full-fat ranch dressing
– Jalapeño and artichoke dip
– Olive tapenade
– Tzatziki yogurt dip
– Almond butter
– Roasted red pepper hummus
– Classic onion dip with full-fat Greek yogurt
– Spinach and artichoke dip
Think high-fat, low-carb ingredients. You can also top chips with diced meats, cheeses, olives, pickles, etc. Get creative!
Potential Drawbacks of Keto Chips
While keto chips can fit into low-carb diets, there are a few potential drawbacks to keep in mind:
– Can stall weight loss if over-consumed
– Might trigger cravings for unhealthy snacks
– Often high in sodium content
– Not as nutritious as whole foods
– Can be easy to overeat
– More expensive than regular chips
Practice moderation and be mindful of portion sizes, ingredients, and carb counts. Make sure to stay hydrated as well to counterbalance the sodium content.
The Bottom Line
It is possible to incorporate keto-friendly chips and crisps into a very low-carb ketogenic diet. The key is focusing on low-net-carb options under 5 grams per serving and controlling portions carefully. Some of the best keto snack chip options include:
– Low-carb tortilla and corn chips
– Vegetable-based chips like jicama and zucchini
– Nut, seed, and seaweed chips
– Cheese crisps
– Meat chips like turkey, beef, and pork rinds
– Olives and pickles
Avoid regular tortilla, corn, potato, and pita chips as they are too high in carbs for keto. Read all labels and measure serving sizes. Making your own keto veggie chips, cheese crisps, and nut snacks can ensure quality ingredients. Pair crunchy snacks with dips and meat/cheese roll-ups to avoid overeating.
While satisfying crunchy cravings, keto-friendly chips and crackers can fit into a well-formulated low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet plan. Just be mindful of your total daily net carb intake.
