Keto Pumpkin Bars Recipe (Low-Carb!) - The Best Keto Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is pumpkin ok for a low carb diet? ›

Pumpkin puree is low in carbs and a good source of fiber,” says Maggie Michalczyk, MS, RD. Plus, it's a great ingredient for keto-compliant desserts when you want something sweet and satisfying, she says. There are 7 grams of net carbs per ½ cup serving.

A cup of fresh pumpkin, ¾ cup of pumpkin puree, or 1-2 servings of roasted pumpkin seeds per day should be no issue at all, as long as you account for carbs from other sources and stay under your daily limit — just make sure to avoid canned pumpkin filling, which contains tons of sugar.

Pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin is perfectly fine. Be sure to read your labels because there is a difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling. They stick them both in the same place in the grocery store. Pumpkin pie filling is not keto and it's full of sugar.

Canned Pumpkin (1 cup) contains 19.8g total carbs, 12.7g net carbs, 0.7g fat, 2.7g protein, and 83 calories.

The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein.

Starchy vegetables contain more digestible carbohydrates than fiber and should be limited when you're on the ketogenic diet. These include corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes and beets. Limit high-sugar fruits too, which spike your blood sugar more quickly than berries and have more carbohydrates.

Eating Vegetables on the Keto Diet

To eat vegetables in a keto diet, limit those that contain a lot of carbs, like potatoes, corn, and peas. 4 Instead, up your intake of non-starchy vegetables.

It's carbs where the difference lies. Potatoes have the most carbs at 20 grams per 100 gram serving. Sweet potato has 17-18 grams, and pumpkin has just shy of five, which is why it's so low-calorie.

While nuts are overall great to include on a keto diet, it's important to limit your portions to a serving or two (1–2 oz.) per day. For reference, one ounce of nuts is about the size of a small handful. Avoid nuts that have been treated and flavored with other ingredients, such as sugar and other glazes.

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

What is the lowest carb canned food? ›

Green beans, olives, sauerkraut, pickles, and tomatoes are all good low-carb canned vegetable choices. Carrots are slightly higher in carbs, but can also be a good choice. You can also find canned coconut flesh and canned broccoli and cauliflower at many international grocery stores.

Nutritionists and keto practitioners advise against eating sweet potatoes on a keto diet due to their high carbohydrate content. But you may be able to consume it in very small servings. If you limit your carb intake to 50 grams per day, you can only consume a little over one medium-sized sweet potato.

“Zucchini tops my list, as it's low in carbs, has a sweet, mild taste that's easy to like, and is versatile,” Fear says. Eat it raw, roast it, grill it, or try lightly cooked zucchini noodles topped with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

Hummus can definitely be part of your keto diet, but just one or two servings can quickly expend a significant portion of your daily carb allotment. If you do eat hummus, you'll want to limit yourself to a small amount — perhaps just 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 grams), which provide 4–8 grams of net carbs.

The bottom line. The ketogenic diet requires you to significantly cut back on carbs, which often means eliminating higher carb foods like fruit from your diet. Fortunately, compared with other fruits, watermelon is relatively low in carbs and can be enjoyed as part of a ketogenic diet.

Fat: 7 grams. Carbs: 19 grams. Fiber: 7 grams. Vitamin A: 209% of the Daily Value (DV)

Fast-acting carbs: Glucose tablets, glucose drinks, full-sugar soft drinks or squashes, jellies (not diet), sweets. Medium-acting carbs: Bread, pasta, potatoes, yams, breakfast cereal, couscous. Slow-acting carbs: Pearl barley, peas, beans, lentils, sweetcorn, pumpkin.