Red onions are often avoided on the keto diet due to the high content of natural sugars, with one cup containing almost 15g of carbs or 12g of net carbs. However, they are okay on Keto if used in a minimal amount.
Keto is not as easy to understand as many other diets. There are many foods out there that we believe to be a healthy option when really it isn’t ideal due to hidden contents we are unaware of. This article will provide you with everything you need to know about eating red onions while sticking to a clean keto diet and staying in ketosis.
Are Red Onions Keto?
Red onions contain a higher amount of natural sugar and carbs than most other farm-grown produce we all tend to turn to while taking on any type of healthy diet.
However, unlike corn or sweet peas, you may be able to add red onions to some keto recipes because you don’t need very much of them to enjoy the full flavor.
Now, we definitely do not recommend using red onions on your salad; you can take a few small slices and add them to your keto-friendly chicken burger or a few small cubes to a keto-taco and stay in ketosis.
Keto Substitute to Red Onions
If you are not willing to give up your precious allotted daily carbs to enjoy a few onion slices on a burger, you have the option of switching things up and still getting that taste you are craving – minus the carbs.
Scallions
Like onions, scallions are an allium vegetable and provide many great health benefits when consumed regularly.
Scallions have nearly half the amount of natural sugars in them while still providing that distinctive onion taste, making them perfect for salads, stir-fries, and just about anything else you wouldn’t be able to use red onion for.
Some of the health benefits associated with scallions include high fiber content to aid in digestion, compounds that help fight cancer, and antioxidants to help prevent infections and fight dangerous bacteria in your body.
Eating Red Onions On Keto
As mentioned above, there are 12g of net carbs in one cup of red onions. However, a cup of finely chopped red onions is a lot of onion. One small red onion consists of around seven net carbs in total. Which is definitely less than the cup we were just talking about.
If you are willing to eat seven of your allotted 20 net carbs a day, you can try some pretty great recipes where red onions are the star players.
Some recipes keto dieters should consider trying that require red onions include:
- Keto pickled red onion rings (4g of carbs per serving)
- Keto garlic chicken skillet (5.1g of carbs per serving)
- Keto French onion dip (3g of net carbs per serving)
Summing Things Up
Red onions are one of those borderline options. Some people choose to avoid them altogether, wanting to use their carb allowance elsewhere. Others are willing to sacrifice a few grams a day to get that distinctive red onion flavor.
