Mustard is a condiment with a tangy and spicy flavor. With almost negligible carbs, mustard makes a great addition to any keto diet. There’s more than just one type of mustard on the market however, and if you’re wondering is mustard keto friendly, it really depends on what you are buying.
Mustard provides a range of health benefits and has been a staple for thousands of years. It’s a great source of fiber, vitamin C, calcium, iron and manganese.
The only problem is, some manufacturers include ingredients not suitable for a keto diet including high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar and cane sugar. Obviously, these ingredients are not keto friendly.
The best types of mustard for keto are:
- Yellow Mustard (Heinz and French’s are two popular brands and both keto friendly)
- Dijon Mustard
- Wholegrain Mustard
- Brown Mustard
The Mustard’s to eat sparingly on keto are:
- Honey Mustard (French’s Honey Mustard has 1g of net carbs per teaspoon)
- Garlic Aioli Mustard – despite it’s 0 carb count per teaspoon, it contains canola oil and sugar. These carbs may be too small to be required to disclose, but they will add up if you eat too much.
- Horseradish Mustard – 1 gram of net carbs per serve
Mustards to Avoid on Keto are:
- Specialty alcohol mustards such as bourbon mustard, whiskey mustard, beer flavored mustards etc. Reading the nutrition facts you could be forgiven for thinking these were okay on the keto diet. Take a closer look at the ingredients – many contain sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, corn starch and other additives not usually consumed on the keto diet.
- Chipotle Mustard – the added sugar makes it 2 grams of carbs per teaspoon.
- Fruit based mustards – often contains additional sugars, fruit juice or fruit concentrates which increase the carb count.
- Maple Champagne Mustard – maple syrup, champagne, some brands also contain honey and white wine.
What is Mustard Made From?
Mustard is made from distilled vinegar, mustard seeds, water, salt, turmeric, paprika and spices.
Some brands may add different spices such as ginger, garlic and onion powder.
If you stick with your basic yellow mustard, wholegrain mustard, some Dijon mustards (check the label) and brown mustard you are generally safe to consume on the keto diet.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mustard:
Here are the most common questions and answers regarding the best mustard to eat on the keto diet.
Is Honey Mustard Keto?
Some honey mustard brands (such as French’s) have 1 gram of net carbs per teaspoon serving, making them keto friendly in small amounts.
Other brands have added ingredients not suitable for the keto diet. These include high fructose corn syrup, molasses and cane sugar to name a few. Make sure you read the ingredients label carefully before purchasing.
Is Dijon Mustard Keto Friendly?
Dijon mustard is keto friendly. There is generally 0-1 gram of net carbs per serving of dijon mustard. The slight increase in carbohydrates is due to the added white wine.
Please check the ingredients label before purchasing dijon mustard. Some brands have added ingredients that are not keto friendly – such as high fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch and added sugars. These are not suitable for the keto diet.
Is Honey Mustard Dressing Keto?
Traditional honey mustard dressings often contain high fructose corn syrup, added sugar and soybean oil, making them unsuitable for the keto diet. There are specific keto friendly honey mustard dressings such as G Hughes, Skinny Girl and Primal Kitchen.
Is Spicy Brown Mustard Keto?
Spicy Brown mustard is an excellent choice for keto. Read the ingredients label before buying and look for distilled white vinegar, mustard seeds, water, salt, spices, turmeric, garlic power and onion powder. Heinz Spicy Brown mustard is a good choice for keto.
Is Chinese Mustard Keto?
Chinese mustard is another good choice for keto. The basic ingredients should be the same as yellow mustard. With Chinese mustard you will often find extra spices and possibly ginger and/or licorice root.
As always, read the product labels of the brand you are considering to check for any ingredients that may not be suitable for the keto diet.
Is Curry Mustard Keto?
Curry mustard has between zero and 1 gram of net carbs per serve (depending on the brand), making it a good choice for the keto diet.
Be sure to read the nutrition label and check the ingredients for any additives you may prefer not to eat. Some curry mustards also contain soybean oil, which is not a preferred choice for keto.
Is Heinz Mustard Keto?
Heinz yellow mustard and spicy brown mustard are both excellent choices for the keto diet with 0 grams of net carbs per serving.
Is Chick Fil A Honey Mustard Keto?
Chick-Fil-A honey mustard has 7 grams of net carbs per tablespoon. Unfortunately, Chick-Fil-A Honey Mustard is much too high in carbs for the keto diet.
Conclusion – Is Mustard Keto?
We love mustard and there is such a variety of different mustards that you can choose from. Mustard is actually considered a low carb condiment because the net carbs are so low.
The best mustard for the keto diet is made with vinegar and contains only a few ingredients. If the ingredients include high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, or cane sugar it’s not keto friendly; choose another brand with cleaner ingredients for the best results on keto.
