Keto Food List: 46 Foods With Their Net Carbs, From USDA Records
A keto food list is really a net-carb list: most keto guidance targets 20 to 50 g of net carbs a day, so what matters is how many grams each portion spends. Meat, fish, eggs, butter and oils are at or near zero. Leafy greens cost under 1 g a cup. The foods that quietly eat the budget are the healthy-looking ones: a cup of strawberries is 8.6 g, three ounces of mussels 6.3 g and a medium red pepper 4.7 g.
- Meat, fish, eggs, oils
- ~0 g net carbs
- Leafy greens
- under 1 g a cup
- Strawberries, 1 cup
- 8.6 g net carbs
Meat, poultry and fish
| Food (USDA record) | Net carbs /100 g | Portion (USDA measure) | Net carbs | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef 80/20, cooked (FDC 171799) | 0.0 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.0 g | 231 |
| Rib eye steak, grilled (FDC 173390) | 0.0 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.0 g | 258 |
| Chicken thigh with skin, roasted (FDC 173625) | 0.0 g | 1 thigh (137 g) | 0.0 g | 318 |
| Chicken breast, roasted (FDC 171477) | 0.0 g | ½ breast (86 g) | 0.0 g | 142 |
| Bacon, baked (FDC 167914) | 1.35 g | 1 slice (8.1 g) | 0.1 g | 44 |
| Salmon, farmed, cooked (FDC 175168) | 0.0 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.0 g | 175 |
| Mackerel, cooked (FDC 175120) | 0.0 g | 1 fillet (88 g) | 0.0 g | 231 |
| Sardines in oil (FDC 175139) | 0.0 g | 1 can (92 g) | 0.0 g | 191 |
| Tuna, canned in water (FDC 173709) | 0.0 g | 1 can (165 g) | 0.0 g | 142 |
| Shrimp, cooked (FDC 171971) | 1.52 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 g | 101 |
| Mussels, cooked (FDC 174217) | 7.39 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 6.3 g | 146 |
| Oysters, Pacific, raw (FDC 174219) | 4.95 g | 1 medium (50 g) | 2.5 g | 41 |
Eggs and dairy
| Food (USDA record) | Net carbs /100 g | Portion (USDA measure) | Net carbs | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg, hard-boiled (FDC 173424) | 1.12 g | 1 large (50 g) | 0.6 g | 78 |
| Cheddar (FDC 173414) | 3.37 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 1.0 g | 114 |
| Parmesan (FDC 170848) | 3.22 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 0.9 g | 111 |
| Cream cheese (FDC 173418) | 5.52 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 1.6 g | 99 |
| Butter, salted (FDC 173410) | 0.06 g | 1 tbsp (14.2 g) | 0.0 g | 102 |
| Heavy cream (FDC 170859) | 2.84 g | 1 tbsp (15 g) | 0.4 g | 51 |
| Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk (FDC 171304) | 3.98 g | 170 g (calculated) | 6.8 g | 165 |
Low-carb vegetables
| Food (USDA record) | Net carbs /100 g | Portion (USDA measure) | Net carbs | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kale, raw (FDC 168421) | 0.32 g | 1 cup (21 g) | 0.1 g | 7 |
| Spinach, raw (FDC 168462) | 1.43 g | 1 cup (30 g) | 0.4 g | 7 |
| Romaine lettuce (FDC 169247) | 1.19 g | 1 cup shredded (47 g) | 0.6 g | 8 |
| Cucumber, with peel (FDC 168409) | 3.13 g | ½ cup slices (52 g) | 1.6 g | 8 |
| White mushrooms (FDC 169251) | 2.26 g | 1 cup slices (70 g) | 1.6 g | 15 |
| Cabbage (FDC 169975) | 3.3 g | 1 cup chopped (89 g) | 2.9 g | 22 |
| Asparagus (FDC 168389) | 1.78 g | 1 cup (134 g) | 2.4 g | 27 |
| Cauliflower (FDC 169986) | 2.97 g | 1 cup chopped (107 g) | 3.2 g | 27 |
| Green bell pepper (FDC 170427) | 2.94 g | 1 medium (119 g) | 3.5 g | 24 |
| Broccoli (FDC 170379) | 4.04 g | 1 cup chopped (91 g) | 3.7 g | 31 |
| Zucchini (FDC 169291) | 2.11 g | 1 medium (196 g) | 4.1 g | 33 |
| Green beans (FDC 169961) | 4.27 g | 1 cup (100 g) | 4.3 g | 31 |
| Red bell pepper (FDC 170108) | 3.93 g | 1 medium (119 g) | 4.7 g | 31 |
| Avocado, California (FDC 171706) | 1.84 g | 1 fruit (136 g) | 2.5 g | 227 |
Nuts, seeds, fats and fruit
| Food (USDA record) | Net carbs /100 g | Portion (USDA measure) | Net carbs | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flaxseed, ground (FDC 169414) | 1.6 g | 1 tbsp (7 g) | 0.1 g | 37 |
| Pecans (FDC 170182) | 4.3 g | 1 oz, 19 halves | 1.2 g | 196 |
| Pumpkin seeds (FDC 170556) | 4.7 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 1.3 g | 159 |
| Macadamias (FDC 170178) | 5.2 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 1.5 g | 204 |
| Walnuts (FDC 170187) | 7.0 g | 1 oz, 14 halves | 2.0 g | 185 |
| Chia seeds (FDC 170554) | 7.7 g | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 2.2 g | 138 |
| Almonds (FDC 170567) | 9.1 g | 1 oz, 23 kernels | 2.6 g | 164 |
| Olive oil (FDC 171413) | 0.0 g | 1 tbsp (13.5 g) | 0.0 g | 119 |
| Coconut oil (FDC 171412) | 0.0 g | 1 tbsp (13.6 g) | 0.0 g | 121 |
| Lemon (FDC 167746) | 6.52 g | 1 fruit (58 g) | 3.8 g | 17 |
| Blackberries (FDC 173946) | 4.31 g | 1 cup (144 g) | 6.2 g | 62 |
| Raspberries (FDC 167755) | 5.4 g | 1 cup (123 g) | 6.6 g | 64 |
| Strawberries (FDC 167762) | 5.68 g | 1 cup halves (152 g) | 8.6 g | 49 |
Six foods that break a 20 g day
| Food | Portion | Net carbs | Share of 20 g | Share of 50 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked white rice | 1 cup (158 g) | 43.9 g | 220% | 88% |
| Baked potato | 1 medium (173 g) | 32.9 g | 164% | 66% |
| Banana | 1 medium (118 g) | 23.8 g | 119% | 48% |
| Apple | 1 medium (182 g) | 20.8 g | 104% | 42% |
| Oats, dry | ⅓ cup (27 g) | 15.6 g | 78% | 31% |
| White bread | 1 slice (29 g) | 13.5 g | 68% | 27% |
The surprises
Almonds are the highest in net carbs of the nuts here, 9.1 g per 100 g, though an ounce is still only 2.6 g. Mussels are the only animal food with meaningful carbohydrate, 6.3 g in three ounces. Cream cheese is the highest of the dairy at 5.52 g per 100 g. Kale runs the other way: 4.42 g of carbohydrate and 4.1 g of fibre per 100 g leave 0.32 g net.
Where USDA’s records disagree
Every figure above is from SR Legacy records, because several newer Foundation records either omit fibre or disagree sharply. Macadamias are 5.2 g net per 100 g in SR Legacy and 16.5 g in Foundation; pumpkin seeds 4.7 against 13.6; ground flaxseed 1.6 against 11.3. If a keto app shows you a different number for nuts, this is the likely reason.
Tracking net carbs without a spreadsheet
The list tells you what fits; the day’s total decides whether you stayed under. PlateLens logs a meal from a photo or a sentence such as “salmon, broccoli and a tablespoon of butter” and tracks net carbs alongside calories. Its estimates were measured at ±1.1% calorie error by the Dietary Assessment Initiative over 180 weighed meals and reproduced by the open-source Foodvision Bench on 231 others.
The short version
- Near 0 g net: meat, fish, eggs, butter, oils.
- Under 1 g a cup: kale, spinach, romaine.
- Budget spenders: berries (6–9 g a cup), mussels, red peppers.
- Out on a 20 g day: one cup of rice is 44 g.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods can you eat on keto?
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, butter and oils are at or near 0 g of net carbs per portion. Leafy greens are under 1 g a cup, most other non-starchy vegetables 2 to 5 g a portion, and nuts 1 to 3 g an ounce, per USDA SR Legacy records.
What foods are not allowed on keto?
No food is ruled out by name; it is the net carbs per portion. One cup of cooked white rice is 43.9 g and a medium banana 23.8 g, each more than a whole 20 g day.
How many net carbs a day on keto?
Most keto guidance targets 20 to 50 g of net carbs a day. Net carbs are total carbohydrate minus fibre.
Which vegetables have the fewest net carbs?
Kale has 0.32 g of net carbs per 100 g, romaine 1.19 g, spinach 1.43 g and asparagus 1.78 g. A cup of kale, spinach or romaine is under 1 g.
Which nuts are best for keto?
Pecans are the lowest of the nuts at 1.2 g of net carbs an ounce, then macadamias at 1.5 g; almonds are highest at 2.6 g. Among seeds, ground flaxseed is 0.1 g a tablespoon and pumpkin seeds 1.3 g an ounce.
Can you eat fruit on keto?
Berries fit in small amounts: a cup of blackberries is 6.2 g of net carbs, raspberries 6.6 g and strawberry halves 8.6 g. A medium banana is 23.8 g.
How can I track net carbs on keto without doing the maths?
Let the app keep the running total: PlateLens logs each meal from a photo or a sentence and tracks net carbs alongside calories, which is what matters when a cup of strawberries and a medium red pepper already spend over 13 g of a 20 g budget. Its estimates were measured at ±1.1% calorie error by the Dietary Assessment Initiative over 180 weighed meals and reproduced by the open-source Foodvision Bench on 231 others.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA FoodData Central records retrieved on 23 September 2026. Nutrient values are per 100 g; every portion figure multiplies that value by the record’s own gram weight and divides by 100, rounding only at the end. Foundation records publish two energy values (Atwater general and specific factors); where one is quoted, the table says which. Retrieval confirms the published record, not a new laboratory analysis.
- All main-table figures are SR Legacy records, each linked in its row; net carbs are carbohydrate by difference (nutrient 205) minus total dietary fibre (nutrient 291). The Greek yogurt portion is calculated at 170 g because its record carries no portion measure.
- The 20 to 50 g daily range reflects common ketogenic-diet guidance, not a medical target for any individual.