See that black-eyed pea curry in your spoon?
Don’t even think about eating it.
Trust us, you’re going to want to try to steer clear of these beautiful legumes if, like us, you’re also on the keto diet.
Although black-eyed peas are only used in limited meals, they tend to provide a unique flavor and carbohydrate base which you never knew existed!
We are here to explain to you the reasons behind the hidden nutrients and net carbs that may not be of any benefit to us on the keto diet.
So strap in, and continue to read through this comprehensive review to find out the hidden truth behind black-eyes peas!
What Makes a Food Keto-Friendly?
When undergoing the ketogenic diet, it is our goal to put our body into a state of ketosis. (*)This means that instead of using carbohydrates for energy, we trick our bodies into burning fat as a source of energy.
To reach the state of ketosis, we are expected to eat low card, high-fat food that also brings us a considerable source of protein. The essential ketogenic macronutrient profile for us to follow should be the following:
- 70% from fat
- 25% from protein
- 5% from carbs (20-50 grams of net carbs per day)
What Are The Carbs In Black Eyed Peas?
Looking at the nutritional value of one cup of black-eyed peas, we can see the following carb content in a serving size of 171 grams (*):
- Total Carbs: 35 grams
- Fiber: 11.2 grams
- Sugar: 5.6 grams
- Total net carbs per serving: 24.5 grams
So what does this all mean for you? Well, if you decide to incorporate one serving of black-eyed peas into your ketogenic diet, the total net carbs added with the other net carbs obtained from various vegetables you will consume that day will kick you out of ketosis.
Other Black Eyed Peas Nutrients
Now, black-eyed peas are not all bad as they do provide us with various other nutritional macronutrients that we simply have to include in this review. We can’t forget that the ketogenic diet is not all about carbs, as it also takes into account how we obtain other essential nutrients and minerals.
One serving size of 172 grams of black-eyed peas gives us these macronutrients:
- Calories: 200
- Total fat: 0.9 grams
- Protein: 13.3 grams
Also, we get to benefit from the following micronutrients (as a percentage of our recommended daily allowance (RDA):
- Folate: 89%
- Iron: 24%
- Magnesium: 23%
- Potassium 14%
- Thiamin: 23%
As well as smaller amounts of other vitamins and minerals which we need to consume daily.
Can You Eat Black Eyed Peas On The Keto Diet?
Now that we have established the macronutrient profile required to put into a state of ketosis, we can compare the macronutrient profile of black-eyed peas and see whether these beans suffice.
Total macronutrient composure per one serving of black-eyed peas:
- Carbohydrates: 73%
- Fats: 3.8%
- Protein: 23.2%
As we can see, this macronutrient profile is somewhat the opposite of our daily requirement for the ketogenic diet.
So, when asking the question “are black-eyed peas keto-friendly?”, our answer is, unfortunately, no, there are not.
I Love Black-Eyed Peas, Can I Fit Them In?
It should be clear to you that black-eyed peas are not keto-friendly. However, if these are one of your favorite foods and a staple in your diet, why don’t you try one of the following tips below to help you incorporate these in:
- Make a plan – One ounce of black-eyed peas contains only 4 grams of net carbs. You can comfortably use this in your diet.
- Limit yourself – Try not to buy black-eyed peas more than once every week or two to minimize consumption.
If you notice that you are slowly kicking yourself out of ketosis, it may be best for you to substitute black-eyed peas with an alternative legume.
Black-Eyed Pea Alternatives
When it comes to the ketogenic diet, we want to look for the best low-carb foods that will help keep us in ketosis and also give us those health benefits which we crave. Black-eyed peas are in fact, a bean, and not a pea.
What this means is that yes, they are also a protein-packed powerhouse that can provide us with a variety of essential vitamins and minerals. But, they contain a lot of carbs.
So what do you do? Well, you’re in luck. We’re going to give you a low down of our favorite black-eyed peas alternatives so that you don’t have to worry about finding the best substitute!
Black Soy Beans
These beans are a wonderful alternative to your typical black-eyed peas. Although some people think this is controversial due to the effects soy MAY has on hormones, this has not been proven and we can safely assume that these are a wonderful alternative. (*,*)
These soybeans have a net carb count of only 2 grams per cup, which is a much lower carb content in comparison to the higher carb black-eyed peas! So why not consider adding these versatile beauties?
Green Beans
Green beans are beans, but they do not come with the same properties as kidney and pinto beans as they are very low in carbs. In fact, one cup of green beans (145g) contains only 45 calories, 9.9 grams of total carbs, and only 5.4 grams of net carbs! (*)
The best way to prepare these delicious legumes is to simply sautee them in oil and season liberally with paprika, salt, pepper, and oregano to give you a beautiful Mediterranean flavor!
Beans To Avoid On The Keto Diet
As you can tell by now, the majority of beans and legumes found in the markets are completely off-limits for those doing the keto diet. They are high carb, and although they contain a considerable amount of fiber, their net carb content simply cannot be added into the ketogenic diet!
Below you’ll find a list of all the beans we deem unacceptable for the ketogenic diet simply due to their net carb content. Now, we’re not saying these are not healthy, we’re simply stating that they may kick you out of ketosis!
Beans to avoid on the keto diet include:
- Great Northern Beans – Although these beans act as a wonderful source of protein and other nutrients that may in fact help with weight loss, one cup of these bad boys contains a whopping 25 grams of net carbs! (*)
- Lima Beans – A serving size of 188 grams (one cup) of these beans can kick you out of ketosis with their 26 grams of net carbs, the same as one cup of black beans. (*), (*)
- Kidney Beans – 29 grams of net carbs in ONE cup – that can slow down your ketogenic diet even if you are being more lenient and allowing yourself 30 grams! (*)
To Summarise:
Green and black soybeans are the legumes that contain the lowest carbs and can therefore be incorporated into your keto diet with ease. However, as black-eyed peas contain a considerable amount of net carbs, they can easily knock you out of ketosis and are therefore not keto-friendly.
If you wish to incorporate black-eyed peas into your keto diet, you must only do so if you follow the cyclical or targetted keto diets and use them as a healthy bulking carb!
Up next: Is corn keto-friendly?
