Let’s face it: Nobody agrees on eggs! Certain types of diets will tell you to eat as many as you like, others restrict them altogether, and still others are in between. But when it comes to living low carb, are eggs keto friendly?
Let’s talk about eggs on keto! We’ll discuss carbs in eggs, and recipes where you can enjoy eggs without added carbs.
(Wondering whether other foods are keto, too? Dive into this extensive keto food list, or keep these keto cheat sheets on hand.)
Are Eggs Keto Friendly?
Yes, eggs are keto! With high fat, high protein, and low carbs, they’re one of the most keto friendly foods you can find. The only keto followers who need to avoid eggs are those with egg allergies.
How Many Carbs In Eggs?
Do eggs have carbs? Yes — how many carbs do eggs have, if they’re so keto friendly? The data varies very slightly even within the USDA database – one large whole egg (approximately 50 grams) has between 0.36-0.48 grams of total carbs [*, *].
Net Carbs In Eggs
If you’re familiar with net carbs on keto, you know that fiber can alter the net carb count. However, since eggs have no fiber, their net carbs are the same as total carbs: Just 0.36-0.48 grams.
Carbs In Egg White
How many carbs in one egg if you skip the yolk? One large egg white (33 grams) yields 0.2 grams of total carbs and net carbs [*].
Carbs In Boiled Eggs
How many carbs in a hard boiled egg? If you make a hard boiled egg, the carb count in it will not change – it will still have 0.36-0.48 grams of total carbs and net carbs.
Carbs In Scrambled Eggs
How many carbs in scrambled eggs? While the carb count can change if you add other ingredients, an egg scrambled plain or with any fat will still have the same carb count – 0.36-0.48 grams of total carbs and net carbs.
Carbs In Fried Egg
Can you eat eggs on keto if you fry them? Absolutely. The carb count will be the same as above.
Carbs In An Omelette
The carbs in omelettes will depend on what you put in them! They are perfectly keto friendly as long as you use a keto approved milk and low carb fillings, such as meats and/or keto vegetables.
Use the perfect omelette formula to build a keto friendly omelette… or get the fluffiness of an omelette in handheld form with keto egg muffins.
Carbs In Frittatas & Quiches
Frittatas and quiche can be keto friendly, provided that they don’t have a crust OR use a low carb crust. If you like a crust, you can try making them with an almond flour pie crust or coconut flour pie crust.
To make it even easier, skip the crust! For some low carb recipe ideas, try a keto vegetable frittata, crustless quiche caprese, or quiche lorraine from the Easy Keto Cookbook.
Egg Noodles Carbs
Not everything that contains eggs is worth enjoying on a low carb diet… so, are egg noodles keto?
Although they have more egg content than regular noodles, they’ll still kick you out of ketosis: one cup of cooked egg noodles will set you back 40.3 grams of total carbs and 38.4 grams of net carbs [*].
With such a high carb count, you’ll need to avoid egg noodles on keto. Instead, try the many keto pasta alternatives that you can have instead.
Keto Recipes With Eggs
Wondering what kinds of food you can make with eggs on keto? There are so many possibilities! Find keto recipes where eggs play the starring role in this keto egg recipe index.
Get Keto Egg Recipes
Conclusion: Can You Have Eggs On Keto?
So, are eggs keto friendly? Definitely yes! As long as you don’t have an egg allergy, you can enjoy this food freely on keto.
Whether you are on a strict low-carbohydrate diet or just want to cut back a little on your calories, scrambled eggs with cheese and peppers make an ideal breakfast or a tasty, low-carb breakfast-for-dinner. The exact number of carbs in the meal varies with the size of your eggs, the kind of cheese you use and the number of peppers, but you can figure a ballpark number. The amount of sugar and fiber in your meal also makes a difference in the overall nutrition content.
The Eggs
With just 1 gram of carbohydrate in a large egg, scrambled eggs in any amount can be considered an extremely low-carbohydrate food. Although eggs don't contain fiber, with 6 grams of protein, including the nine essential amino acids that make up a complete protein, they are a nutritional powerhouse. Just as beneficial, eggs contain only a minuscule amount of sugar and a compound called choline, which helps your body process the nutrients from foods and contributes to a healthy liver.
The Cheese
All types of cheeses contain very low amounts of carbs and no fiber, but they all contain lots of protein. Cheddar, Swiss and goat cheese have between 19 and 27 grams of protein in each 1/2 cup. In each 1/2 cup, cheddar has the most carbohydrates, at 3 grams, while Swiss contains 2 grams, and soft goat cheese has 0 grams. Cheddar has about 1 gram of sugar, while the other cheeses contain no sugar at all.
The Peppers
Like many vegetables, peppers are a low-carb food. Different types of peppers have slightly different amounts of carbs, fiber and sugars. Choose from these varieties (nutrients listed in 1/2-cup amounts):
- Red chili peppers: 7 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber and 4 grams of sugar
- Red sweet peppers: 5 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of sugar
- Green sweet peppers: 4 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of sugar
Total Carbs
No matter which types of cheese or peppers you choose, scrambled eggs with these ingredients keeps you well within the daily limit for a low-carb diet of 20 to 60 grams, or about 2 ounces, of carbohydrates. A two-egg scramble with Swiss cheese and sweet green peppers totals about 8 grams of carbs. Add an extra gram of carbs for a total of 9 carbs for a three-egg scramble. A meal that low in carbs means you can afford to add a slice of low-carb toast for only 8 additional grams of carbs.