Keto dairy foods, ranked by net carbs
Full-fat, unsweetened dairy fits; milk sugar (lactose) is the thing to watch.
Which dairy foods are keto?
Dairy carbs come from lactose (milk sugar). The more a product is fermented, aged or concentrated into fat, the less lactose remains — which is why hard cheese, butter, cream and cream cheese are keto staples while milk is not. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese sit in the middle and fit in measured portions.
Avoid "low-fat" and flavoured versions: removing fat usually means adding sugar or starch to restore texture.
Put them to work: cheese and eggs make crustless quiche, keto tortillas and egg muffins. If your progress stalls, cheese is often the first thing to measure.
Lowest: Eggs, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella, Heavy cream, Parmesan cheese. Highest: Milk (whole).
| Food | Verdict | Net carbs / 100 g | Typical serving | Net carbs / serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | Keto-friendly | 0.7 g | two large eggs | 0.7 g |
| Cheddar cheese | Keto-friendly | 1.3 g | one slice | 0.4 g |
| Mozzarella | Keto-friendly | 2.2 g | one ounce | 0.6 g |
| Heavy cream | Keto-friendly | 2.8 g | two tablespoons | 0.8 g |
| Parmesan cheese | Keto-friendly | 3.2 g | two tablespoons grated | 0.3 g |
| Cottage cheese | Keto in moderation | 3.4 g | half a cup | 3.8 g |
| Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat) | Keto in moderation | 4 g | half a 170 g pot | 3.4 g |
| Cream cheese | Keto-friendly | 4.1 g | two tablespoons | 1.2 g |
| Sour cream (full-fat) | Keto-friendly | 4.6 g | two tablespoons | 1.1 g |
| Milk (whole) | Not keto-friendly | 4.8 g | one cup | 11.7 g |
Verdicts use a typical serving against a 20 g net-carb day: under 10% is keto-friendly, 10–30% is moderation, over 30% is not keto-friendly. Data: USDA FoodData Central.
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