Garlic and onion are the two most commonly used foods in the keto diet. Keto onions and garlic are mainly used for flavor.
They come in several types, however, they generally go together (especially if added to a broth for keto black pepper chicken recipe).
The garlic should always be finely chopped so you don’t have excess liquid floating around on your hands when eating it.
Almost all keto meal plan contains either garlic powder or onion powder.
This helps to keep you from going crazy trying more than one flavor at a time.
If you’re serious about your keto diet meat recipes, consider adding these into your recipes.
These low carb spices can be mixed into your recipe whenever or wherever you want without added sugar.
A small portion of each type is actually safe when eaten with keto foods but not in large amounts.
Thus, it would be best to use both or leave them out for maximum nutritional benefit.
Onions & Garlic have several nutritional benefits which include steady fat burning by speeding up metabolism.
Although these facts are very much neglected nowadays because people are chasing after costly supplements.
Garlic and onion are nutrient rich foods. One of them is that they are rich in potassium.
A low-calorie alternative to meat you can eat has been found here, though it’s probably not the way people ate during prehistoric times (and maybe even when humans lived elsewhere)!
They can be used to make soy-free, nut free, gluten free keto recipes. Also, you can use them as a replacement for harmful spices.
Health Benefits of Garlic on A Keto Diet
Garlic is highly nutrient and has several health benefits.
And one study shows that garlic may be quite effective at lowering blood pressure as well(8–10 mmHg systolic and by 5–6 mmHg diastolic) (1).
The same research has also shown that garlic improves cardiovascular health by reducing arterial stiffness.
Another data revealed that whole garlic can be a potential prebiotic and it is able to prevent HFD induced disturbance of the gut microbiome (2).
Garlic has also been touted by researchers as helpful in cancer treatment.
A study on mice showed that garlic can slow down breast cancer cell growth by 30 percent (3).
Garlic prevents cardiovascular diseases like stroke, heart failure, heart blockage, etc.
These diseases kill many people every day. Garlic consumption may provide benefits here.
This healthy food has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties (4).
They’ve been used to treat inflammatory disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), arthritis & other conditions.
Garlic also helps with muscle pain and inflammation, supports your immune system, and improves blood sugar levels.
Ketogenic garlic promotes weight loss by increasing energy production and reducing hunger.
In addition, it contains vitamins A, B2, B6, Vitamin K, and E (5) which are essential for living a healthy lifestyle.
Garlic is a powerful remedy used for a long time. It protects against infections of many bacteria, fungi, and viruses (6).
Morover, garlic is the most commonly used in anti nausea smoothies for pregnancy.
Garlic also fights infections such as ear infections, fungal skin diseases and most recently they are being investigated in cancer treatments!
A 2016 study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that supplementing the diet with aged garlic extract may enhance immune cell function (7).
When used in recipes, they produce a rich fragrance that helps to make food tasty and taste better for you.
We do not recommend using whole cloves, only crushed pieces can be consumed because most people will get it beneficial.
Also, crushed pieces will limit the high carb intake without breaking ketosis.
Garlic is being so prevalent these days. It’s time for many dieters who still rely on some non garlic food combinations should try garlic now.
Health Benefits of Onions on A Keto Diet
Onions are full of healthy nutrients which provides a long time health benefits.
One of them is a nutritionally dense source of minerals and antioxidants.
The onions are packed with iron, magnesium (it’s used to fight cavities), calcium, phosphorus, etc.
Onion also helps protect your digestive tract from microorganisms in food like bacteria and yeast (8).
Pubmed also reports on the nutritional value of an onion.
A study published earlier this year found that onion can be helpful in the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and obesity (9).
Onion contains several healthy components.
These may provide a range of health benefits like anticarcinogenic properties, antiplatelet activity, antithrombotic activity, antiasthmatic and antibiotic effects (10).
They are rich in folate, vitamin B6, B2(riboflavin), vitamin C and E, fiber, and antioxidants (11).
A lot of people believe that onions contain a substance called curcumin—a plant ingredient.
They are rich in magnesium, calcium (in particular), potassium, iron, cholesterol, essential fatty acids, and fiber.
Fiber is another important component of onions that may aid digestion.
If you eat a great variety of onions it can help improve your overall diet without changing the balance of other nutrients like vitamin A, sodium, fatty acids, fiber, etc.
Organic onions also contain arginine which improves heart and blood vessels health.
You need to know how good these foods taste before purchasing them. Some will be cooked too long for long-term use.
So if they don’t smell right then add 2 or 3 teaspoons of liquid cooking powder depending on whether you’re using fresh onion instead of dried onion powder.
How many carbs in onions?
There are three major types of onions. Carbs differ for each of these. The carbs breakup of these onions is given below.
Carbs per 100g serving:
White onion: 9.34 g (12)
Red onion: 9.93 g (13)
Yellow onion: 7.86 g(14)
Green onion: 7.34 g (15)
Keto onions and garlic nutrition
Nutritional values of keto onions and garlic are given below. Note this is against 100 g serving size.
Final Thoughts
Onions and garlic both are famous for their health and nutrient benefits.
It’s completely your choice to choose between these two super healthy spices.
Garlic & Onion both have anti-inflammatory properties which help to maintain the bowel’s lining.
This is a good point to note.
After all, that means both of these two foods work as an antiseptic or disinfectant too.
Also, these two are ketogenic i.e low in carbs(calculated as spices, excess consumption will reverse).
That’s why to be careful when eating a lot of those because they can break your daily carb intake level if you are on keto.
You should only consume them as spices.
So there is nothing like garlic vs onion. You should not worry about it. Fix your meal plan and eat these delicious spices come flavors.
The only downside of onions is they’re greasy, so if you don’t eat raw onions before cooking with them.
Also, make sure to stir occasionally as it will take some time for the salt to work through all your enzymes.
FAQ of Keto Onions and Garlic
Can you eat onions on a keto diet?
Yes. Onions are low in carbs and you can eat onions on a keto diet.
There is no bar for eating onions in the keto food plan.
Onions are mainly used as spices and you will get only 2g of net carbs per tbsp.
So, it is suitable for a keto diet.
Is onion keto friendly?
If you ask are onions keto? Of course yes. Onion is a low-carb vegetable.
This vegetable contains only 3.3 grams of net carbs against 100 grams of serving.
So, onion is keto friendly due to its low carb component.
Is onion powder keto?
Most organic foods that are low in net carbs are considered keto.
Onion powder is high in carbs so technically it is not keto.
However, onion powder is consumed as a spice. 1 tbsp of onion powder contains only 2g of net carbs.
That’s why we can say onion powder is keto.
Are green onions keto?
Yes, green onions are keto.
Green onions are not rich in carbohydrates and because of this, it is considered as keto.
Green onions have only 2.3 grams of net carbs per 100 grams of serving.
That’s why green onions are an excellent choice to include in the keto diet.
Are spring onions keto friendly?
Spring onion is another name for green onion.
As already discussed green onions or spring onions are low in net carbs and keto friendly.
Are yellow onions keto friendly?
Yellow onions contain a bit more carbs than white onions.
However, yellow onions are mainly used as a spice.
Yellow or brown onions provide 5 grams of net carbs per cup.
So, you can consider yellow onions keto friendly.
Are red onions keto?
Yes like green, yellow and white onions red onions are also keto.
This vegetable has only 2g of net carbs per 100g serving.
Can you eat fried onions on keto?
No, you can not eat fried onions on keto. Fried onions are carbohydrate-rich.
It contains approx 30 grams of carbs against 100 grams of serving.
Consumption of fried onion can kick you out of ketosis. It’s better to avoid fried onions on keto.
Are caramelized onions keto?
No caramelized onions are not keto.
You have to go through a frying process for caramelized onions.
Because of the procedure carbs of onions will be a lot higher than raw onions.
Which will make it a high-carb dish that is absolutely not keto.
Are onions and garlic keto friendly?
Onions and garlic both are used as spices.
You will get only 2-3 grams of net carbs from 1 tbsp of any of these spices.
Because of this, we can say that onions and garlic are keto friendly.
You can use these delicious spices with your keto meal.