Keto meats and fish, ranked by net carbs
Zero or near-zero carb — the real question is how much protein you need.
Meat, fish and eggs on keto
Unprocessed meat, fish and eggs contain little or no carbohydrate, so the question is not whether they are keto but how much protein you need and how much fat comes with it. Fattier cuts — chicken thighs, 80/20 beef, salmon — give a ratio closer to a keto plate than lean breast or white fish.
Check processed meats: some bacon, sausages and deli meats contain sugar, starch or breadcrumbs.
How much: most adults need about 1.2–1.7 g of protein per kg of goal weight. Set your own range with the keto protein calculator. Recipes built on these foods include creamy mushroom chicken thighs, lemon butter salmon and the cheeseburger casserole.
Lowest: Salmon, Chicken thighs (skin-on), Ground beef (80/20), Tuna (canned in water), Steak (ribeye).
| Food | Verdict | Net carbs / 100 g | Typical serving | Net carbs / serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon | Keto-friendly | 0 g | one fillet | 0 g |
| Chicken thighs (skin-on) | Keto-friendly | 0 g | one thigh | 0 g |
| Ground beef (80/20) | Keto-friendly | 0 g | a quarter pound raw | 0 g |
| Tuna (canned in water) | Keto-friendly | 0 g | one small can, drained | 0 g |
| Steak (ribeye) | Keto-friendly | 0.1 g | one 8 oz steak, raw | 0.2 g |
| Tofu (firm) | Keto-friendly | 0.5 g | a third of a block | 0.6 g |
| Bacon | Keto-friendly | 1.4 g | three slices cooked | 0.3 g |
| Hot dogs (beef) | Keto-friendly | 3 g | one beef hot dog, no bun | 1.4 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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