15 Foods You Can’t Eat on Keto (and What to Choose Instead)
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15 Foods You Can’t Eat on Keto (and What to Choose Instead)

These eats, some traditionally healthy and others not-so-nutritious, can stymie your keto success. Make the following swaps to stay on track.
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Updated on February 11, 2025
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foods you cant eat on keto and alternatives
Carrots are too starchy for keto, while cauliflower is more acceptable because of its low net carb count.

If you’re thinking about embarking on a ketogenic diet, you probably already know you’ll be avoiding processed grains and sugar like pizza and muffins. But many other foods you’ll nix on this extremely low-carb, high-fat diet aren’t necessarily unhealthy. Indeed, many “no” foods are packed with health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and fiber but also have too many carbs for the restrictive keto diet.

Many people following keto aim for 20 to 50 grams (g) of net carbohydrates per day. (Net carbs, though not a widely accepted nutrition term, can be calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates.

 The idea is to switch your body into ketosis, a state where it burns fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates (its preferred and easy-to-access source of energy). The plan may drastically limit many fruits, whole grains, and some vegetables.

Keto isn’t right for everyone. “For some people, the keto diet can be potentially harmful,” says Alyssa Burnison, RD, a regional registered dietitian for the supermarket chain Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That includes people who take insulin for type 2 diabetes or type 1 diabetes, she says. If you have any chronic health condition that you’re hoping to treat with a keto diet, talk to your doctor first or work with a registered dietitian; they can best advise if this is a safe diet for you.

If you do decide to try the diet, here are 15 foods that you should try to avoid on keto, and what to choose instead.

1

Skip Croutons and Sprinkle Hemp Hearts on Your Salad

croutons hemp hearts seeds
Croutons are one way to make a pile of lettuce more interesting, but the reality is that on a keto diet, every crumb counts. Just ⅓ cup of croutons contains almost 8 g of net carbs,

 which will severely limit the other veggies and add-ons you can include.
Instead, add crunch with hemp hearts, says Bonnie Nasar, RDN, a nutritionist based in Manalapan, New Jersey. Not only are these seeds more nutrient-dense than croutons, but you can pile on more for fewer carbs: 2 tablespoon (tbsp) of hemp hearts has less than 1 net carb.

 Bonus: Hemp hearts are a rich source of unsaturated fat that can help you meet your fat goals for the day in a healthy way.

10 Foods You Can’t Eat on Keto (and What to Choose Instead)

Discover 10 foods to avoid on a keto diet and their healthier alternatives to keep your carb count low and your health high!
10 Foods You Can’t Eat on Keto (and What to Choose Instead)

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Best Fats to Eat on the Keto Diet

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Worst Fats to Eat on the Keto Diet

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2

Bypass Starchy Peas and Opt for Broccoli as Your Veggie Side

green peas broccoli
Peas are a starchy vegetable you’ll want to avoid while on a keto diet. They have a higher amount of carbs than other green veggies — 12 g net carbs per cup.

Try to stick to nonstarchy veggies. According to the USDA, 1 cup of chopped broccoli contains 3.7 g net carbs,

 a cup of zucchini has 2.6 g of net carbs,

 and raw spinach has 0.4 g of net carbs per cup.

 While you’re cutting carbs, it’s important to use your carb allotment to eat high-fiber foods to help keep constipation, an unpleasant side effect of keto, at bay, says Nasar. Nonstarchy veggies are the best way to do this, as they offer the most fiber and the smallest amount of net carbs.
3

Low-Calorie Snacks May Still Be High-Carb — Choose Sunflower Seeds Instead

salted pretzels sunflower seeds

On keto, you’ll eat far more fresh foods than you do on the standard American diet. The days of focusing on fat-free — and carb-rich — snacks, like pretzels or 100-calorie packs of crackers, are over unless you’re noshing on keto-friendly packaged fare. That said, many people on a keto diet still eat foods high in saturated fat and sodium, which aren’t the healthiest choices, so when you do keto, you’ll want to choose snacks wisely.

“People are used to eating what’s easy and right in front of them, but there are just-as-easy snacks readily available,” says Nasar. Those include sunflower seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and nuts.

4

Potato Chips Aren’t Keto-Friendly, So Try This DIY Seaweed Snack

potato chips dried seaweed
Potato chips are another food to avoid on keto. A 1 ounce (oz) serving has 14.4 g of net carbs.

Here’s a worthy keto- and heart-friendly snack substitute to scratch that salty itch, says Nasar: Finely chop up your favorite nuts and seeds in a food processor, and add white vinegar and salt. Roll up the mixture in sheets of nori seaweed (like a cigar) and cook in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until crispy.

5

Bananas Are High Carb, but Berries Can Work on Keto

yellow bananas red raspberries fruit
According to the USDA, one banana has more than 21 g of net carbs,

 which means you may blow your entire allowance on a single one. “We advise people on a lower-carb diet to avoid bananas, particularly in the beginning and when they’re aiming to lose weight,” says Burnison. If you increase your carb goals once you’ve lost weight and are in maintenance mode, you may opt to eat bananas occasionally while on a keto diet.
If you want to eat fruit while on keto, berries are a good lower-carb choice. You still have to keep portions low, as fruits are naturally high in carbs. Raspberries are packed with fiber, making them a good go-to. They contain 1.7 g of net carbs per ¼ cup.

6

Honey-Baked Ham Is Glazed in Sugar, but Deli Meat Can Be Compliant

honey baked ham deli meat slices
While some processed meats are keto-friendly, they may not be the heart-healthiest choice (think bacon). Other processed meats may not have a place in the diet, so be sure to check the ingredients list first. One food you should avoid on the keto diet is glazed ham. It’s a processed meat that is also often cooked with a sugar coating. One serving (about 1.9 oz) contains 4 g of net carbs.

If you’re looking for ham, go for a traditional sliced deli ham, which has 0 g of carbs per slice.

 Still, you’ll want to read the ingredients list to make sure there’s no added sugar.
7

Margarine Isn’t Keto-Friendly, So Opt for EVOO

margarine butter knife extra virgin olive oil
Old-fashioned stick margarines were rich in trans fats, which increase the risk of heart disease.

 Today, many margarine spreads are made from oils like soybean, palm, or palm kernel, which are not recommended on a keto diet.
Nasar suggests using extra-virgin olive oil because research backs up olive oil’s heart-healthy properties. Olive oil is rich in chemical compounds called phenols, which reduce inflammation and protect from metabolic diseases, notes one review.

8

Piña Coladas Are Sugar Bombs — Sip on a Vodka Soda Instead

pina colada drink vodka soda
If you’re on the diet because you want to lose weight, Stephen Herrmann, PhD, the director of the University of Kansas Weight Management Program in Kansas City, advises skipping alcohol entirely. “The body chooses to metabolize alcohol first; that, along with a loss of water and micronutrients, increases the risk of dehydration,” he says. If you choose to drink, the worst choice you can make is a blended, frozen drink, which is usually packed with sugar — and thus carbohydrates. As an example, one 4.5 oz piña colada has 31.6 g of net carbs.

 For some people, that represents one and a half days of their carb allotment.
When you’re on keto, you can occasionally drink small amounts of alcohol. For the lowest number of carbs, choose a shot of hard liquor and pair it with unsweetened soda water. A vodka soda has zero carbs per drink.

9

Beer Is Packed With Carbs, but Light Beer in Moderation May Be Okay

dark beer light beer pale ale
Even light beers generally pack 5.8 g of carbohydrates per 12 oz can.

 In the context of keto, a beer means you’ll have to cut carbohydrates elsewhere in your diet.
10

Sweet Potatoes Aren’t Okay on Keto, but Cauliflower Is

sweet potatoes cauliflower
If you’ve tried Whole30 or a paleo diet, you may have eaten a lot of sweet potatoes. Although they’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, sweet potatoes are a starchy veggie, and you should think twice about them now that you’re on keto, says Dr. Herrmann. A medium sweet spud has about 20 g of carbs.

Cauliflower is a fine substitute for sweet potatoes, and it’s frequently used as a replacement for other starchy foods. (Mash them with olive oil and garlic, and voilà, a tasty side!) One cup of cauliflower florets contains only 3.2 g of net carbs.

11

Cow’s Milk Is a Major Source of Carbs; Reach for Almond Milk Instead

cow milk glass almond milk
Whole milk is richer in fat than reduced-fat or skim, but that doesn’t make it keto compliant. One cup of whole milk has 11.5 g of net carbs.

 If you’re making a smoothie, this can derail your goals.
If you really need a liquid base for a smoothie or want to sip on something, go for unsweetened almond milk. With about 1 net carb g per cup,

 this nondairy alternative can work in your keto diet. Soy milk is another great option, with 1.9 g net carb and 8 g of protein per cup.

 Just be sure to read the ingredients and choose an unsweetened variety.
12

Trail Mix Is a No-No; Raw or Salted Nuts Are a Go

trail mix salted peanuts
Check out what’s in your trail mix. Are there raisins and other dried fruit? Pretzel pieces? Chocolate candies? If so, that mix is off-limits on your keto diet. A standard 1 oz serving (a small amount, by the way) has 12.7 g of carbs.

You can’t beat plain or roasted, salted nuts as a snack. Nuts have carbs, but they’re a great source of fiber, which brings down their net carb count. An ounce of almonds has 2.6 g of net carbs.

13

Carrots, Though Healthy, Are Starchier Than, Say, Bell Peppers

orange carrots red bell peppers
They may be packed with vision-friendly vitamin A,

 but one medium carrot has 4.1 g of net carbs.

 If you eat more than a single carrot in one sitting, that small number of carbs can easily tip you over the edge of your keto limit.
You’re better off getting your A from nonstarchy sources like red bell peppers. These can be just as sweet as carrots but contain fewer carbohydrates. An entire small pepper has just 2.9 g of net carbs.

14

Soda Isn’t Allowed on Keto, but Unsweetened Sparkling Water Is a Great Choice

soda coke coca cola seltzer sparkling water
For many people, the keto diet involves a drastic shift in eating — and drinking — habits. If you are a soda drinker, in particular, you’ll want to avoid it while you’re on the keto diet, or potentially switch to a diet version, says Herrmann. It may be tough to do at first, but soda contains a lot of sugar, and ingesting less of the sweet stuff will benefit your health, whether or not you’re on keto, he says. (Cola has 36.8 g of sugar per 12 oz can.)

Soda — whether sweetened with sugar or artificial ingredients — was associated with risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality in one meta-analysis of studies, though the risks associated with artificially sweetened soda were lower.

 If you’re struggling to drink less soda, a registered dietitian who’s knowledgeable about the keto diet can help you figure out how to cut back on or replace these beverages in your diet.
Because it’s carb-free, diet soda is technically an okay option. But sparkling water is an even better choice when you want that fizz, since it doesn’t contain the artificial sweeteners present in diet drinks. Though technically sugar-free, these sweeteners may stimulate appetite and increase the risk of weight gain.

 Choose naturally flavored but unsweetened sparkling waters, which have zero carbs.
15

Butternut Squash Is Too Starchy, yet Spaghetti Squash Is Keto-Friendly

butternut squash spaghetti squash
Butternut squash is another nutrient-packed veggie that simply offers too many carbs for a keto diet. One cup of cubed squash has more than 13.6 g of net carbs.

 Spaghetti squash can fit into your diet as long as you use small amounts. For instance, as the USDA notes, a ½ cup of cooked spaghetti squash as “noodles” amounts to 3.9 g of net carbs

 (sans sauce).
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
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  12. Ham, Sliced, Pre-Packaged, Deli Meat (96% Fat Free, Water Added). U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
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  20. Milk, Whole, 3.25% Milkfat, With Added Vitamin D. U.S. Department of Agriculture. December 16, 2019.
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  29. Meng Y et al. Sugar- and Artificially Sweetened Beverages Consumption Linked to Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Nutrients. July 30, 2021.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.

In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.

Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.

She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

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Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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