Ketogenic diets require some extra attention when it comes to what you eat. Find out whether shallots are keto-friendly or not.
Most people do not consume shallots in portions of 100 grams but this weight does make it easier to compare this option to other foods.
100 grams of shallots contain around 13.6 grams of net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber).
From this perspective, shallots are not that keto-friendly since they are relatively high in carbs.
On the other hand, one tablespoon (10 g) of chopped raw shallots is around 1.36 grams. Many people will be able to eat this amount while staying in ketosis.
So whether shallots are keto-friendly in your situation depends on what portion you have in mind, how many carbs your body can deal with, and what other foods you already ate.
Carbs in shallots
Ketogenic diets are low-carb diets so you definitely want to know how many carbs there are in different amounts of shallots.
100 grams of raw shallots contain the following amounts of carbs (1):
- Total carbs: 16.8 grams
- Of which fiber: 3.2 grams
- Net carbs: 13.6 grams
There are not many people who consume 100 grams of shallots in one sitting but this portion makes it easier to compare the carb concentration to other foods.
Shallots contain relatively high amounts of carbs. At least compared to many more keto-friendly options.
In turn, you can say that shallots are generally not that keto-friendly.
One tablespoon of chopped raw shallots is about 10 grams, and contains the following amounts of carbs:
- Total carbs: 1.68 grams
- Of which fiber: 0.32 grams
- Net carbs: 1.36 grams
As you can expect, consuming smaller amounts of shallots will also lower your carb intake. One tablespoon of raw shallot could potentially fit into your ketogenic diet.
Other nutrition information shallots
The number of carbs in shallots is important but to figure out whether you should implement it in small amounts, the other nutrients in it matter too.
Fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals still play a role in whether you stay in ketosis and more importantly your general health.
100 grams of raw shallots contains the following nutrients (1):
- Calories: 72
- Protein: 2.5 grams
- Carbs: 16.8 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 3.2 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Vitamin B6: 17% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Manganese: 15% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 13% of the DV
- Potassium: 10% of the DV
- Iron: 7% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
Again, you will likely not eat 100 grams of shallots in one sitting. Partly because of all the carbohydrates in them.
If you would do so anyway, you would consume nice amounts of a variety of helpful nutrients.
However, not to the extent where you absolutely have to implement shallots in your ketogenic diet. There are lower-carb foods that offer these nutrients in larger amounts.
Why shallots can be keto-friendly in small amounts
To understand why shallots can be keto-friendly in small amounts and to avoid overdoing it, it can be helpful to quickly go over the ketogenic diet fundamentals.
Any way of eating where you get and stay in ketosis can be considered to be a keto diet. Ketosis is a state where you mainly burn fat as fuel (2).
You get into this state by keeping your carbohydrate intake below certain levels. Exactly where these levels are depends on details like your body weight, body composition, exercise habits, etc.
This makes keto and how many grams of shallots you can eat somewhat more confusing. However, there are still some general guidelines.
A typical recommendation is to get 55%-60% of your macronutrients from fat, 30%-35% from protein, and 5%-10% from carbohydrates to stay in ketosis.
This typically means eating around 20 to 50 grams of carbs a day (not including fiber).
These keto stats are not perfect but they do help you get an idea of how many grams of shallots and carbs you can eat while staying in ketosis.
Shallots vs onions on keto
Shallots and onions are related foods with somewhat similar tastes. This could make you wonder what the better choice is on a ketogenic diet.
100 grams of raw onions contain about 9.3 grams of carbohydrates in total which includes 1.7 grams of fiber (3).
This comes down to about 7.6 grams of net carbs and makes onions somewhat keto-friendly.
If you compare this amount to the 13.6 grams of net carbs in shallots, it should become clear that onions are generally better on a keto diet.
Substitutes for shallots on keto
You typically use shallots in small amounts to add taste to dishes.
Luckily, there are also a few more keto-friendly substitutes for this purpose. If you like them as much or more than shallots, you may as well pick the option that makes it easier to stay in ketosis.
The numbers next to the foods are the amounts of net carbs per 100 grams (4, 5, 3, 6):
- Chives: 1.9 grams of net carbs
- Scallions: 4.7 grams of net carbs
- Onions: 7.6 grams of net carbs
- Leeks: 12.4 grams of net carbs
Something to highlight is that these shallot substitutes still contain carbohydrates. Many of them in somewhat high amounts.
That means you may still need to keep your portions of these foods small to stay in ketosis.
Getting out of ketosis is not always a big problem
Shallots are not that keto-friendly and can kick you out of ketosis if you already ate carbs in the form of other foods.
Whether and to what extent this is a problem depends on your reasons for following a keto diet.
For example, some people need/want to stay in ketosis 24/7. These individuals want to be very careful about how many carbohydrates they eat and likely want to stay away from shallots.
On the other hand, people who follow a ketogenic diet to lose weight and get healthier can still find shallots relatively helpful. Even if they get kicked out of ketosis.
A keto diet can be helpful for these health goals but it is often not the only way to see positive results.
