Eggs have been a staple in the ketogenic diet for nearly 100 years. They offer an excellent source of high-quality protein and healthy fats, as well as many essential vitamins and minerals.
But how many eggs can you eat on the keto diet? What type of eggs should you be eating? And what about the carbs in egg yolk – are they keto friendly or not?
In this article, we will discuss everything that is important to know about eating eggs whilst following the ketogenic diet.
Do Eggs Have Carbs? The Lowdown on Egg Macros:
One large egg has approximately:
6 grams of protein
up to 1 gram of carbs (slight size variations give slightly different results)
5 grams of fat
Eggs are also a source of sodium, potassium, vitamin A, calcium, Vitamin D, Cobalamin, Iron, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium.
Egg yolks are where the fat is stored, whilst egg whites contain high amounts of water and protein.
The most common egg on keto will be whole eggs – meaning both the white and the yolk.
How Many Eggs Can You Eat a Day on Keto?
As eggs are a keto staple and can be incorporated into the keto diet in so many ways, feel free to consume as many eggs that fit in with your own personal calorie and macronutrient ratios.
Keto egg fasts are also popular for getting into ketosis, or helping to kickstart keto weight loss after a plateau.
Are Egg Whites Keto?
Egg whites on their own are keto friendly, containing only 0.3 grams of net carbs per egg. The best eggs to eat on keto however are both the whites and the yolks.
Gone are the days when eating only the egg whites were encouraged as that was “low fat”.
Keto is all about healthy fats and that includes egg yolks. So don’t restrict yourself or your taste buds to egg whites only.
What are the Carbs in Egg Yolk?
One large egg yolk has approximately 0.6 grams of net carbs (source). So, don’t go separating your egg whites and egg yolks unless you are specifically trying to reduce cholesterol intake and have been advised to do so by a medical professional.
What are the Best Type of Eggs for Keto?
There are many keto recipes made from eggs. Whether you choose to eat your eggs on keto boiled, poached, scrambled, fried or made into an omelet, quiche or frittata is completely up to you.
You can eat eggs any way that you prefer. I also prefer to choose organic, free range eggs, you buy whatever eggs suit your budget and personal choices.
What about the Cholesterol in Eggs?
Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to limit cholesterol intake, the cholesterol in eggs should not be an issue for most people. It’s something that many cutting-edge nutritional experts have debunked.
Countless studies have since proven that the kind of cholesterol present in eggs only increases HDL (the good kind of cholesterol). Very rarely do eggs increase LDL (or the bad kind of cholesterol).
Can You Eat Fried Eggs on the Keto Diet?
Fried eggs can be incorporated into the keto diet as long as you use keto friendly oils. If you’re cooking bacon at the same time, fry your eggs in the bacon fat.
If you’re dining out at a restaurant, choose poached eggs instead and save the fried eggs for home. You can’t control what fats and oils may be used in the restaurant to fry your eggs, which may not be keto friendly.
Is Just Egg Keto Friendly?
Just Egg is an excellent choice for those following the vegan keto diet. Made from mung beans, one serving (3 tablespoons) of Just Egg has 1 gram of net carbs.
Feel free to enjoy Just Egg on the keto diet if you are vegetarian, vegan, or looking to consume less animal products.
Are Hard Boiled Eggs Keto?
Hard boiled eggs make an excellent keto snack. You can eat hard boiled eggs every day when following the keto diet if you want to.
There’s also some easy keto boiled egg recipes to switch up the flavor of your eggs and keep your diet interesting.
What is an Egg Fast?
An egg fast is when you eat only eggs and some extra fats for several days to kick start keto diet weight loss. A 3 day egg fast is usually all you need.
You won’t get all of your macronutrients by egg fasting, so make sure you go back to a balanced keto meal plan.
I’ve covered keto egg fasting, rules and recipes in another post.
How to Eat More Eggs on the Keto Diet
Eggs are versatile allowing you to make different dishes that suit your taste buds everyday. Add some variety into your daily egg intake by making an omelet or frittata with cheese, veggies and/or meat for added protein!
In addition to eating them whole as natural snacks throughout the week, be sure to try out hard boiled eggs too because they’re just as filling and delicious if not better!
