Keto starches, ranked by net carbs
The foods keto removes. Here is exactly how far over the budget each one goes.
Short answer: None of the starches in our database is keto-friendly at a typical serving.
Grains, legumes and starches
These are the foods keto removes. Even a small portion — one slice of bread, half a cup of beans — uses most of a 20 g day. The table shows exactly how far each one goes over, and each food page lists the swap that gets you closest to the original texture: cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, lettuce wraps or flax "oats".
Swaps that work: cauliflower rice for rice, zucchini noodles for pasta, keto tortillas for wraps, and keto bread for sandwiches. On a looser 50–100 g low-carb plan, small portions of lentils or chickpeas can fit.
Lowest: —. Highest: Oats, Bread (white), Pasta (cooked), White rice (cooked).
| Food | Verdict | Net carbs / 100 g | Typical serving | Net carbs / serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 12.2 g | half a cup | 12.1 g |
| Black beans (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 15 g | half a cup | 12.9 g |
| Quinoa (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 18.5 g | one cup cooked | 34.2 g |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 19.8 g | half a cup | 16.2 g |
| White rice (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 27.8 g | one cup cooked | 43.9 g |
| Pasta (cooked) | Not keto-friendly | 29.1 g | one cup cooked | 40.7 g |
| Bread (white) | Not keto-friendly | 46.7 g | one slice | 13.5 g |
| Oats | Not keto-friendly | 57.6 g | half a cup dry | 23 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which starches are keto?
None of the starches in our database is keto-friendly at a typical serving.
Which starches are not keto?
Oats, bread, pasta, white rice, chickpeas and quinoa use more than 30% of a 20 g keto day in one normal serving, so they do not fit strict keto. Each food page lists lower-carb swaps.
Turn this into a plan you can follow
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