Are Pretzels Keto-Friendly?

Pretzels cannot be considered keto because they contain too many carbs. For those who are on a diet, it’s important to limit your carb consumption to 25–35g daily to stay in ketosis.

Yes, pretzels are often used as a lower fat alternative in place of potato chips, but they’re also packed with too many carbs. Usually, most people eat pretzels with flavorings because of their bland taste, and this adds extra carbs – and calories – as well.

However, if your dieting journey doesn’t involve a low-carb diet but rather a low-fat plan, then you can eat pretzels in moderation as part of a well-balanced diet.

Pretzels literally have zero nutritional value. And yes, you might argue that they have a lower calorie level than potato chips; that, however, still doesn’t make it a healthy food choice.

Not Keto-Friendly

• Pretzels, like many other popular snacks – pita chips, popcorn, potato skins – are far from being keto-friendly due to the level of net carbs they contain. 
• 100g of pretzels contains 63.2g of net carbs, which is way more than your body’s required daily carb consumption, especially if you are on the keto diet.
• If you are trying to stay in ketosis, you need to opt for snacks with fewer carbohydrates and more good fats.

High in Net Carbs

• Pretzels are very high in net carbs, with 100g of pretzels containing about 69.4g of total carbohydrates.
• In essence, pretzels are refined carbohydrates that offer little nutritional benefits and an overdose of salt.

Low in Healthy Fats

• Pretzels are low in fats which is essential for people who are looking to get into ketosis.
• You should eat pretzels with caution so they don’t affect your sodium intake and lead to weight gain. 

High in Added Sugars

• The glycemic load of pretzels is 83, and that’s a high figure on the GI scale. This means that regular consumption of pretzels is likely to skyrocket your blood sugar.

One study compared individuals who ate mixed nuts and those who ate pretzels. At the end of the experiment, it was noted that the individuals who ate pretzels had high sugar levels, and the participants who ate mixed nuts didn’t notice any spike in their sugar levels.