Those bread cravings can be quite overwhelming! If you are on the keto diet, low-carb flours can be a life savior! But is Carbquik keto?
Carbquik is a low-carb baking mix that is made using fibrous carbohydrates. It is moderately keto-friendly since it contains just 2g net carbs per serving of 32g (half-cup).
Think of Carbquik as a keto-adaptation of the ever-so-famous Bisquick! You get almost the same taste but with 80% fewer carbs.
In a diet where each gram of carbs matter, Carbquik comes as a blessing!
In this article, we’ll find out whether you can use Carbquik on the keto diet. Let’s dive deeper into the world of low carb flours!
What is Carbquik?
Carbquik is a complete biscuit and baking mix specially designed for the carb-conscious people (yes, I’m talking about keto-ers!)
You can use it to replace your regular baking mix in most traditional dishes like pancakes, bread, biscuits, cookies, etc.
Surprisingly enough, a single serving (32 grams) of Carbquik has only 2g net carbs. Compare it with the 19g net carbs per serving of your regular flour baking mix! (Source)
You can now embrace your love for chicken and biscuits thanks to this low-carb baking mix! Don’t expect them to be as soft as the original ones. But they are still pretty good for the job!
When I first started keto, I tried a lot of stuff to replicate the baking flour. Think of almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, etc. But the end result is often a crumbly texture with a completely different taste!
Carbquik offers a complete solution for baking needs on the keto diet. It is quite similar to the Bisquick, which is a baking mix used for biscuits, bread, pizza crusts, etc.
They have an endless number of low-carb recipes on their official website!
Carbquik makes some awesome low-carb tortillas! I’ve also had success which keto chicken dumplings made using Carbquik.
But what’s the secret ingredient behind this revolutionary baking mix? How can you possibly make a biscuit with under 2g of net carbs?
The answer is Carbalose™!
(Suggested: Keto Guide for Bojangles’ Chicken and Biscuits)
What is Carbalose?
Carbalose from Tova Industries is a wheat-based flour majorly made of fibrous carbs. In simpler terms, most of the carbs present in Carbalose are in the form of fiber!
It is great news for keto peeps because we don’t consider fiber as real carbs. We always deduct the fiber amount from total carbohydrates to determine the net carbs in an item.
Here’s an example:
Carbalose is the secret ingredient in Carbquik baking mix that helps cut down net carbs.
According to the company, most low-carb flours are made of poor non-wheat components like soy, that don’t taste as good.
But Carbalose consists of wheat and lacks non-fiber carbohydrates that make it really keto-friendly. Using carbalose in a baking mix can help eliminate 80% of net carbs!
The company supplies Carbalose in bulk to various other manufacturers that make their own low-carb mixes.
Now that we know what Carbquik is really made of, let’s talk about it’s nutrition profile.
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Carbquik Nutrition
Carbquik consists of enzyme-modified wheat along with plant fiber wheat protein. It is a processed flour that also contains conditioners, enzymes, and several emulsifiers.
These terms may sound alien to you, but your friend here will explain everything!
Enzyme-modified wheat is what makes Carbquik and Carbalose so keto-friendly! It is the company’s secret process that uses enzymes to turn wheat into a flour-like substance.
The result? You get the closest baking mix substitute with minimum net carbs!
Check out the complete nutrition profile for Carbquik:
Did you notice something strange? The label says 16g of carbs per serving! That’s a complete disaster for keto!
But wait, the next row says it has 14g of dietary fiber per serving.
That means you are only left with 2g net carbs per serving (yay!)
Surprisingly, Carbquik also contains a good amount of protein.
Is Carbquik Keto?
It’s time to address the elephant in the room! Can you really have Carbuik on keto?
You can use Carbquik baking mix in moderation on the keto diet. A single serving of 32g (equivalent to one biscuit) contains just 2g net carbs.
Your daily carb allowance in a keto diet ranges from 20-25 grams of net carbs. With a few modifications, you can easily accommodate a single serving of Carbquik.
Sometimes its all you need to bypass those bread cravings without jumping off the keto wagon!
With Carbuik, you can create hundreds of recipes including pizza crust, bagels, biscuits, bread, etc. Simply use it to replace the regular baking mix in the recipe instructions.
For example, throw in some butter and herbs to make the perfect keto-friendly pizza crust with Carbquik.
Just keep one thing in mind, a lot of Carbquik recipes end up tasting like Bisquick! And you may occasionally feel a synthetic after taste.
That’s something very common in most fiber-based products such as the Quest Keto Pizzas.
As you can guess, Carbquik and Carbalose both fall under the “dirty keto” category! If you are on a strict keto diet, this isn’t the right product for you.
However, more than 80% of people follow the dirty keto diet today. The convenience of packaged foods and ease of availability is just too tempting to avoid!
You must strive for a balance between natural foods and processed foods, because the ultimate goal is to stay healthy!
Also keep in mind that Carbquik doesn’t even come close to the nutritional health benefits you get with other nut flours.
Here are some of my personal tips to make the most out of Carbuik on the keto diet!
MORE: Is Sabra Hummus Keto?
Tips for Using Carbquik on Keto
First of all, this pre-mix is best suited for making biscuits. Carbquik biscuits taste the best as compared to most biscuits made using low-carb flours.
Don’t use it on a daily basis as it can easily trigger additional sugar and cravings! I personally use it as a way to bypass the most intense sugar cravings!
But if you’ve got that self control, feel free to use it frequently in smaller portions.
Being able to enjoy baked flour goods on the keto diet is the biggest flex I can think of! Plus, it keeps you from cheating with sinful carbs!
Always pair Carbquik bread with a flavorsome dish to blend with the taste. Eating these biscuits all alone is a bland endeavor and they leave a distinct aftertaste!
I love making low-carb pasta with Carbquik but I also make sure to use a strong sauce such as Alfredo to mask that taste.
With a little practice, you can make some decent keto-friendly bakes. The batter can dry out pretty quickly so you need to know when to take it off the heat!
The company says you should replace it with regular flour in a 1:1 ratio. But my experience says you should add more liquid while using Carbquik. Due to its properties, Carbquik can be a great binding agent for meatballs, sausages, etc.
Adding a bit of this mix to your keto cookies can be a game-changer! You can even use it to make breading for fried chicken, but keep your expectations low, or else you’ll be disappointed with the texture!
Caution: 14g of fiber per serving is a lot to digest! You may not be used to such high amounts of fiber in your regular diet. It can even mess with your gut and make you spend hours in the toilet!
I highly recommend that you try with smaller portions and work your way up comfortably.
If you’ve every had gastric issues with other keto sweeteners such as Swerve, Carbquik may cause the same effects.
READ: Are Crab Sticks Keto?
Does Carbquik Raise Blood Sugar?
While most of you will do fine with Carbquik, a small percentage of people can experience a spike in blood sugar.
This is something very common in most fiber-based keto foods! Processed fiber is a tricky element and doesn’t behave the same in everyone’s gut.
When it comes to the keto diet, not all carbs are created equal! Carbohydrates coming from fiber are excluded while counting net carbs.
That’s how we keto dieters can enjoy lots of sweet and creamy stuff while staying within the daily carb limit! Manufacturers are now exploiting this concept for their own marketing.
The whole concept of “net carb” is based on a claim that not all carbs impact your body in the same way.
Refined flours and table sugar have a very high glycemic index value i.e. they are quickly digested in your system. On the other hand, complex carbs like whole wheat and brown bread release energy much slower.
The latter leads to a smaller spike in your blood sugar.
But now let’s look at the case of dietary fiber.
Fiber present in natural foods like fruits, grains, and vegetables moves very slowly through your digestive tract. The insoluble fiber isn’t even digested by your body. Hence, there is no blood sugar spike most of the time.
Notice how I said “most of the time” instead of “always”. You see, everybody is different and their capacity to digest fiber also varies!
Carbquik contains enzyme-modified wheat which can act like real carbs in some people. It may even kick them out of ketosis!
To be on the safer side, experiment with a smaller portion at first. Measure your ketones after having it to see if its compatible with your body!
Conclusion
Is Carbquik keto-friendly?
Carbquik is keto-friendly baking mix when used in moderation. A single serving of 32g (1 biscuit) contains just 2g net carbs.
However, some people can experience an upset stomach with all that fiber! It can also impact blood sugar in a few people, kicking them out of ketosis.
Carbquik is the keto adaptation of the famous biscuit mix “Bisquick”. Use it to replace the regular baking mix in your favorite recipes.
PS: Frequent consumption can lead to more cravings for real sugar! So it’s best to use it occasionally.