Are Carrots Keto-Friendly? A Nutritionist Breaks It Down

The keto diet can get confusing when it comes to which foods you can eat and will keep you in ketosis. It requires you to have a good understanding of what are carbs, proteins, and fat are to help you stay within the diet’s parameters for macronutrients. And while you may assume that all veggies would be allowed on the keto diet (because, hello, vegetables!), not all are actually ideal picks on keto.

“Veggies are our most nutrient-dense food yet are composed mainly of carbohydrates, which the keto diet advises a person to limit,” says Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, a dietitian in Miami. “A keto diet may say no more than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, therefore a person following a keto diet may be confused on how much vegetables they can really consume.”

Nutrient Content In A Serving Of Carrots

In a little less than one cup of raw carrots (100 grams), this is the nutritional breakdown:

Calories: 41 calories
Fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 9.08 grams
Dietary Fiber: 2.7 grams
Protein: 0.8 grams

Health Benefits Of Carrots

1. They’re hydrating.

The veggies have a high water content, which will help keep you hydrated. “Carrots, like other veggies, contain roughly 88 percent water,” explains Ehsani. “Therefore, when we consume veggies, we are not only getting all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber from the veggie, we also can count the veggie as part of our daily fluid needs.”

If you’re on the keto diet, you are consuming mostly fat and protein, and low amounts of dietary fiber, which can easily cause constipation, Ehsani adds. So, “drinking enough water and eating fruits and veggies can help hydrate you and prevent constipation.”

2. They help protect eye and immune health.

Carrots are great for your vision, as well as your overall immune function.”You may have heard carrots are good for your eyes, and that’s thanks to them being a rich source of beta carotene,” says Ehsani. “So consuming carrots can benefit your eye health (vision), as well as immune function too.”

3. They’re loaded with dietary fiber.

Fiber is so good for your overall health, and carrots are an excellent source. “Like many other fruits and veggies, carrots contain dietary fiber, which supports healthy gut health, regular bowel movements, can prevent constipation, and keep one’s blood sugar stable,” says Ehsani.

4. They are nutrient-rich.

Not only do they contain beta-carotene, but carrots have so many other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. “Carrots also have lots of biotin, vitamin K, potassium and vitamin B6,” says Ehsani. “They also contain other antioxidants like lycopene and lutein, which are good for eye health as well, and can prevent risk of developing certain diseases like cancer or heart disease.”

Can you eat carrots on the keto diet?

So if you are on the keto diet, do carrots make the cut? According to Ehsani, the answer is yes. “Carrots contain mostly carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and water,” says Ehsani. “I think people might associate carrots with containing lots of sugar as they are sweet to taste, but overall, per cup, they are quite low in overall calories and sugar.”