One of the most tempting and healthy treats for me is the boiled peanut. If you haven’t grown up in the southern part of the United States, you might not be super familiar with this food. However, I encourage you to try it.
If you’re here, I can safely assume it’s because you want the answer to the question: Are boiled peanuts keto? I have the answers. Let’s take a look at whether or not you can enjoy boiled peanuts on a keto diet.
Are Boiled Peanuts Keto Friendly?
For the most part, yes! A serving of boiled peanuts is a keto-friendly food. With that said, it’s always good to check the label of any boiled peanuts you’re buying. It’s not uncommon for some companies to add sweeteners to their boiled peanuts, boosting the number of net carbs per serving.
Typically, one serving of boiled peanuts is perfectly suitable for a low-carb diet. With that said, you will consume a few carbs when you eat boiled peanuts. So, as delicious as this food is, consuming too much of it can kick you out of ketosis.
How Many Net Carbs Do Boiled Peanuts Contain?
On average, there are about four grams of net carbs in a single serving of boiled peanuts. Personally, I recommend getting Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts. I’m not endorsed by this company or anything, it’s just that I confirm Peanut Patch has only a few net carbs per serving. In fact, Peanut Patch uses green boiled peanuts.
Why is this important? Because green boiled peanuts are carb-free! But, Alex, it shows that this company’s boiled peanuts do have net carbs. I hear you barking, big dog! However, green boiled peanuts also have four grams of fiber per net serving.
In a keto diet, you can substitute grabs of net carbs for grams of fiber. If we subtract the four grams of fiber from the four grams of net carbs in boiled peanuts, they cancel each other out!
If you can’t find green peanuts, that’s okay! Most boiled peanuts will be low-carb foods. Just keep a close eye on the net carbs per serving. Almost any food is bad for a keto lifestyle and can cause weight gain if you eat a lot of it.
Other Ways to Enjoy Peanuts
If you don’t want to deal with the time-consuming process of boiling peanuts, I totally understand! Fortunately, there are several other ways to prepare peanuts. Check out the ways below to enjoy this highly keto-friendly nut.
Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts
Do you have one of those incredibly popular Instant Pots in your home? If so, you might not know that you can boil peanuts in your Instant Pot. Best of all, making boiled peanuts this way is fast, easy, and only requires three ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this salty snack:
- 1 lb of shelled peanuts
- Water
- 1/3 cup of sea salt
Once you have these ingredients, you’re ready to get started!
- First, rinse your peanuts (but leave them in the shell).
- Next, throw your rinsed peanuts into your Instant Pot.
- After that, add your salt and enough water to fully cover the peanuts.
- To keep the peanuts in the water (they float), place the trivet that came with your Instant Pot on top of the peanuts. To weigh down the trivet, I recommend using a small Pyrex bowl that can fit in your Instant Pot.
- Now, with the lid valve locked and set to seal, cook your peanuts on the Instant Pot’s high pressure setting for about 80-90 minutes.
- Don’t touch the valve, instead letting the pressure naturally release. After about 20-30 minutes, use a utensil and grab the valve to let any leftover steam release.
After the steam releases and it’s safe to do so, pour out the water into a strainer and you’ll have delicious boiled peanuts.
Want to give your Instant Pot boiled peanuts kick? Add cajun seasoning or a blend of your own seasonings after your peanuts come out of the Instant Pot!
Dry Roasting Peanuts
Another popular way to enjoy peanuts is by roasting them. I’m a big fan of dry-roasted peanuts. Unfortunately, it’s generally best to avoid roasted peanuts because this food is high in net carbs. The net carbs in roasted peanuts tend to come from sugar, which isn’t part of a keto-friendly diet.
Eating Peanuts Raw
Lastly, you can skip all the prep time and just eat raw peanuts. When talking about raw peanuts the same rule applies: watch your intake and peanuts can be a (small) part of your ketogenic diet.
What Are the Health Benefits of Boiled Peanuts?
While boiled peanuts aren’t the most keto-friendly food in the world, there are some favorable health effects of this delicious snack. With that in mind, here are a few good reasons why you should eat more peanuts.
Can Help With Inflammation
Something else you might be unaware of is that peanuts can help with inflammation. That’s because peanuts contain linoleic acid, which acts as an anti-inflammatory.
Contains Protein
Research suggests that high-protein foods help with increasing satiety, which makes you feel full longer. If you eat peanuts as part of a balanced diet, you shouldn’t run into any problems involving excessive weight gain. Combine peanuts as a snack with an exercise program, and this food can even help you lose weight.
What Are the Drawbacks of Eating Boiled Peanuts?
We’ve spent a lot of time answering the question “Are boiled peanuts keto?” Now, let’s also look at the potential drawbacks of eating too many boiled peanuts.
High Fat Content
They say that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. That’s certainly the case if you eat too many peanuts. One cup of peanuts contains about 10 grams of saturated fats. That’s one reason why peanut butter can make you gain weight if you eat too much of it.
When compared to other high-fat foods, peanuts aren’t the worst thing in the world. However, it is wise to make sure you’re not eating peanuts all day if you’re trying to keep your total carbs low.
Too Much Carbs for Strict Keto Diets
If you’re enjoying a low-carb lifestyle, you can eat peanuts. However, too much of this low-carb food can increase your intake of total carbs per day. As mentioned earlier, look for green peanuts if you want to enjoy boiled peanuts that contain zero net carbs.
On average, boiled peanuts contain about four net carbs per serving.
Are There Other Keto-Friendly Nuts?
Peanuts aren’t that bad for a ketogenic diet. However, this food is far from the most keto-friendly nut. If you want a more keto-friendly solution, check out these nuts.
Pecans
Another favorite nut to find along a roadside stand or in a store is the pecan. If you need a great nut for keto recipes, you’ll love cooking with pecans. That’s because an ounce of pecans is only four total carbs!
Macadamia Nuts
Looking for another low-carb nut? Check out macadamia nuts, which only contain one net carb in each 28-gram serving. With that said, macadamia nuts do contain a decent amount of fat so watch out there.
Walnuts
Besides the peanut, another popular nut for you keto heads is the walnut. An ounce of walnuts only contains two net carbs per serving. Like peanuts, walnuts can also be a decent food for weight loss.
Are boiled peanuts keto friendly? If eaten carefully, yes they are! Keep an eye out for peanut brands that specialize in offering high-fiber boiled peanuts. You can also check the other nuts like macadamia nuts and walnuts for other types of low-carb, keto-friendly treats.