Are Boiled Peanuts Keto? [TRUTH And Nothing Else!]

Boiled peanuts are one of the most underrated GEMS of life! All that salty goodness packed inside a jar! But are boiled peanuts keto?

Growing up in the South, I never knew that boiled peanuts are NOT a national food, lol! My girlfriend from North Carolina didn’t have the slightest idea that something like that exists!

I’m sure you might have bought these little bites of happiness at the roadside or at a ballgame. In fact, they are a pretty common sight at gas stations too!

If you’ve heard about boiled peanuts for the very first time, you may be wondering “Who the heck BOILS peanuts?”

Well, I understand your frustration! Peanuts are something you’d have always had roasted, or even fried. But why would someone boil them?

Boiled peanuts bring a lot of health benefits to the table. Other than that, they make for a terrific evening snack!

Ask any Southerner and they’ll tell you that boiled peanuts have an acquired taste. You probably won’t appreciate it the very first time you have it!

In this article, we’ll find out how boiled peanuts fit into the keto diet and also look at alternative nuts you can snack on!

Are Boiled Peanuts Keto Friendly?

Peanut Patch Green Boiled Peanuts are keto-friendly as they have ZERO net carbs per serving. However, “regular” boiled peanuts contain 3-4g of net carbs per serving. (Source: USDA)

While researching about boiled peanuts, I realized that there is a lot of misinformation online!

For example, consider this nutrition label from Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts:

As you can see, a single serving contains only 4 grams of carbs, all of which comes from fiber (hence no net carbs!)

And we know that raw peanuts have a significant number of net carbs ( at least 4g per serving). It just doesn’t make sense that simply boiling them would make it a zero-carb product?

How can just boiling a food convert all its carbs into fiber?

My mission here at Fitness Unicorn is to bring out the utter TRUTH about every food! So that you are not misled by false advertising and can get the MOST out of your dieting efforts!

I did some digging to find out the official figures released by the government, and voila! The truth is that boiled peanuts have roughly 4g of net carbs per serving (one-fourth cup).

But, the GREEN boiled peanuts are way different than the regular boiled peanuts!

The nutritional database website EatThisMuch confirms that a single serving of green boiled peanuts has 4g of carbs and 4g of fiber, leading to ZERO net carbs.

Green boiled peanuts are highly keto-friendly and you can easily enjoy this ballpark snack on the low carb diet!

And if you happen to boil them at home, make sure you pick the Green ones!

More about Boiled Peanuts

Boiled peanuts are a very common Southern snack! Do you know why?

It’s because they are made from “green peanuts” that are only found in the South.

And by “green” I do not mean that those peanuts actually look green (that would be quite a funny sight though!), but it means that the peanuts are completely fresh, unroasted, and not even dried.

They have a brown outer shell and look white on the inside (not green!).

The original recipe for boiled peanuts includes just two basic ingredients: salt and water. However, you should consider the net carbs while adding other flavorings to your boiled peanuts.

I personally love to enjoy a pack of boiled peanuts as-is, without any extra stuff!

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Net Carbs in Boiled Peanuts

Green Boiled Peanuts have ZERO net carbs because all of their carbohydrates come from fiber. On the other hand, a 1 Oz serving of unbranded boiled peanuts has around 3.5g of net carbs (USDA).

So the only boiled peanuts worth having on the keto diet are the GREEN ones!

Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts on Keto

Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts are definitely keto-friendly because they are rich in fats with minimal net carbs!

I have always enjoyed Peanut Patch’s boiled peanuts ever since my childhood! They have the perfect ratio of a variety of peanuts, ranging from extremely green to the normal ones.

They have plenty of salt which comes as a blessing for newbie keto-ers! You need those electrolytes to get through the keto-flu!

Sometimes the salt can be very overpowering and I have to drain out the water and rinse them.

They come in different ounces so you need to be careful while ordering online.

So many people miss the old and traditional boiled peanuts as they move out from the South. Thankfully, it is now a well-known snack and many brands have captured the market!

Are Peanuts Keto? [The REGULAR Ones]

Now we know that green boiled peanuts are the safest keto-friendly snacks! But what about the regular peanuts?

Peanut has the word “nut” in its name but technically it is a legume. Either way, it is a great addition to your keto diet because of the health benefits it brings to the table!

A 1-ounce serving (28 grams) of peanuts provides you with:

• Calories: 164
• Protein: 7 grams
• Fat: 14 grams
• Total carbs: 6 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Net carbs: 4 grams

With just 4g of net carbs, you’re getting an excellent addition of vegetarian protein to your diet!

If you are pumping iron at the gym, you’ll be happy to know that peanuts are also rich in leucine, which is an amino acid from the family of BCAAs.

Peanuts are packing a significant amount of fiber that’ll also keep your cravings at bay for longer!

Having said that, the peanut isn’t a “nut” in its true sense. It’s still a part of the legume family (which is feared upon in the keto community!)

Legumes are high in carbs and hence you are always advised against them!

The TRUE nuts are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids whereas peanuts majorly contain omega-6 fats. So in order to maintain a healthy ratio, you should also consume other nuts and seeds along with the peanuts.

As a bonus, peanuts are also packed with Folate, which has tons of health benefits ranging from a healthier heart to a lowered risk of depression.

(MORE: Keto for Vegetarians)

How Many Peanuts Can I Eat on Keto?

You should limit yourself to a one-ounce serving of peanuts on the keto diet. Stick to dry roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted.

It is sufficient enough to give you all the health benefits and satiate your hunger at the same time.

Peanuts are in fact the most common healthy snack option out there! It’s a gift from nature that fits well into almost any diet you can think of!

But since it is more of a legume, a peanut has way more carbs than a typical nut (such as the Pecans). So watch out for the portions you eat!

Let me remind you that peanuts are way easy to overeat! You can finish a HUGE pack within a few episodes of your favorite TV show!

So will peanuts kick you out of ketosis?

As long as you stick with the recommended serving size and adjust your overall carb intake, you’ll do just fine!

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Are Honey Roasted Peanuts Keto?

As a rule of thumb, you should stick with just the dry roasted salted peanuts on the keto diet.

Honey roasted peanuts are screaming the word “sugar” right in your face! They are far from keto-friendly as one cup contains more than 20g of net carbs.

Having said that, I’ve got a little surprise for you that is sure to satisfy all your cravings!

Can you guess?

Yup, it’s a keto-friendly version of your favorite honey roasted peanuts!

And the best part is that it is a completely beginner-friendly recipe requiring the LEAST amount of kitchen time!

Ingredients:

• Four cups of roasted peanuts 
• Half cup melted butter
• One cup Swerve or equivalent graulated sweetener
• One tsp ground cinnamon
• One tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 320 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter in a bowl. Now add half a cup of Swerve along with cinnamon and the vanilla extract.
3. Throw in your peanuts and coat them with the mixture.
4. Place the peanuts evenly on parchment paper and sprinkle the remaining half cup of sweetener.
5. Bake them for 10 minutes and pull them out before they start to burn!
6. Let it cool down for half an hour. Then you can break the clumps with your hands.

Voila! You just made a lip-smacking batch of low-carb honey roasted peanuts!

Nutrition:

Each serving of 1/4th cup contains:

• Calories: 260
• Fat: 25g
• Carbs: 6g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 9.5g
• Net Carbs: 3g

(Guide: Using Exogenous Ketones After a Cheat Meal)

Your Guide to Keto-Friendly Nuts

Keto is all about high-fat foods with minimum carbs! That’s why nuts and seeds are a blessing to the ketogenic diet!

Don’t even compare their health benefits with their actual size! Just like you don’t judge a book by its cover.

These tiny little pieces are loaded with a host of minerals, vitamins, protein, and antioxidants (all the good stuff!).

Whenever you are bored of the boiled peanuts on keto, here are a few alternatives worth trying!

Pecans

Pecans are the most keto-friendly nut on this planet!

You don’t believe me? See for yourself:

Pecans have a fat to net carb ratio of 20:1, which is considered excellent as per the keto standards!

You are getting 20g of high-quality natural fats for just 1g of net carbs.

Here’s what you get with a 28g (1 ounce) serving of Pecans:

• Calories: 196
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 20g
• Total carbs: 4g
• Fiber: 3g
• Net carbs: 1g

The raw pecans are free from any cholesterol and sodium. They are also super low in carbs!

These Southern nuts are loaded with monounsaturated fats that help lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL). On the other hand, eating foods high in saturated fats can lead to accumulation of LDL in your arteries.

That’s as bad as it sounds and increases the risk for various heart diseases!

Pecans make for a terrific snack on the keto diet as they are pretty rich in flavor with a bit of natural sweetness.

Forget about processed snacks and grab a bowl of natural pecans for your Netflix marathon.

What’s more, you can even crush them to make a crispy crust for your chicken recipes!

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Brazil Nuts

Native to South America, Brazil nuts are also super-low in carbs and have a rich micronutrient profile.

Each serving of 28 grams (or 1 ounce) provides you with:

• Calories: 185
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 19g
• Total carbs: 3g
• Fiber: 2g
• Net carbs: 1g

It has a similar fat-to-net carbs ratio as the Pecans, which is awesome news for the Keto-ers!

Research has found that those on a low carb diet may be selenium-deficient, a vital mineral for healthy body functioning.

Luckily, a single Brazil nut can fulfill 100% of your daily recommended Selenium requirement!

However, consuming too much of Selenium also comes with added risks! Make sure you eat no more than 2-3 Brazil nuts per day.

Adults can safely process up to 400 mcg of selenium per day. When buying brazil nut snacks, watch out for the Selenium present inside.

Macadamia Nuts

Coming third in the list, Macadamia nuts are native to Australia and are loaded with minerals and vitamins!

It even beats the Pecans in fat content because a single ounce of Macadamia contains a whopping 21g of fats.

Other macros in Macadamia include:

• Calories: 204
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 21g
• Total carbs: 4g
• Fiber: 2g
• Net carbs: 2g

With just 2g of net carbs, you are getting a lot of good stuff into your keto diet.

Studies have found that Macadamia works really well to lower your bad cholesterol, preventing you from various heart diseases.

It is quite rich in Manganese and fulfils up to 58% of your daily recommended requirement!

Macadamia nuts are also rich in Thiamine, Copper, Magnesium, Iron, and Vitamin B6.

Conclusion

So are boiled peanuts keto?

Green boiled peanuts are keto-friendly as they have good amounts of fats with negligible net carbs.

But the “regular” and fully ripened boiled peanuts have as many carbs as the dry ones.

If you make boiled peanuts at home, stick with the raw and greener ones as they have the least number of net carbs.