Are Pork Rinds Keto

Can I eat pork rinds on keto? Are Pork Rinds Keto-friendly

So,

You are following a ketogenic diet and you love the food.

But the one thing you miss is the crunch of the carb-laden snacks you used to enjoy. And your crispy chicken!

So now you are asking whether you can snack on pork rinds?

The…

Short Answer

Yes!

Why?

The simple answer is that pork rinds are a low carb high fat snack with effectively zero carbs.

So yes, you can indulge.

But you may also be asking – How many pork rinds can I eat?

So, let’s talk pork rinds – what are they? What are the macros and what should you look out for when buying them?

Table of Contents

What to Look Out For?

Keto Stamp of Approval?

What are Pork Rinds?

A pork rind is made from the skin of a pig. The skin is either fried or roasted.

They can be enjoyed as a snack or ground up and used for breading.

Let's have a quick look at their macros before we look at how to make them or where to buy them.

Macros

The macros per 1/2 oz of unflavored pork rinds may vary from brand to brand, but in general this is what you can expect...

Calories - 80 to 90
Net Carbs - 0
Fat - 5 to 6
Protein - 8 to 9

Glycemic Index (GI)

Like with other fat and protein-based snacks, GI is not a factor when we consider whether we can add pork rinds to our ketogenic diet.

Yes, they make for a healthy no carb high fat snack. So, where can we get them?

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Best Sources

Make Them

They are not hard to make, you just need time. Some people find the skin gross, so prefer to buy them.

But if you want to make your own pork rinds, the first thing you'll need is good quality pig skin. If you can buy skin with the fat already removed, then it is easy to do.

If you can't - then the first step is to remove the fat from the skin. You can do this by either boiling the skin or use your knife skills to separate the fat from the skin.

Here are the basic steps once the fat is removed from the skin...

Cut the skin into bite size pieces.
Bake them in the oven at a very low heat until they are dehydrated.
Remove excess lard.
Deep fry the skin pieces, ideally in the excess lard.
Season to taste, let them cool down and enjoy.

If you want to make them yourself, then try this easy recipe.

Buy Them

As the ketogenic diet grows in popularity, I see more and more brands of pork rinds.

When you start looking for them, you'll find that the price differs very much between products.

If you are looking for well-priced pork rinds, then this is my favorite...

Utz Pork Rinds Barrel, 18 Ounce (Pack of 1)

These are excellent value especially if you use them for breading.

But, you can also buy them crumbed...

Pork Panko - 0 Carb Pork Rind Bread Crumbs - Keto and Paleo Friendly, Naturally Gluten-Free and Carb-Free (12oz Jar)

If you buy them crumbed, check carefully that they don't have added MSG or any other fillers.

Or if you'd like to have a look at gourmet pork rinds, then check out our best pork rinds review.

What to Look Out For?

There are lots of good quality pork skins on the market.

Here are a few things to look out for when you choose which product to buy...

Made from pastured or responsibly raised pigs.
Ideally fried in lard, you definitely don't want any that was fried in any vegetable oils.
Look for a product with only pig skin and minimal flavoring.
Contains no added sugars.
Contains no MSG or fillers.

How to Use Them

This is how we eat them...

Snacking

Pork rinds are the perfect crunchy snack. Replace your high carb snack food with this high fat zero carb alternative.

Breading/Breadcrumbs

Why not make chicken tenders with crumbed pork rinds?

Filler

They make for a good filler for meatloaf or meat balls.

Conclusion

In conclusion to the question - Are pork rinds keto?

The answer is yes.

However, you'd want to control how much you snack on keto, so you'd still want to keep your portions small and only eat them occasionally.

Keto Stamp of Approval?

Pork rinds are keto approved.

They are the perfect low carb high fat crunchy snack and the best keto-friendly breading when you make crispy chicken.

Noline

Noline is a therapeutic reflexologist who converted to the keto lifestyle after losing 55 pounds without counting calories or starving herself. She is a Professor Tim Noakes and the Nutrition Network student and feels compelled to share the low-carb lifestyle with as many people as possible. She does this at Essential Keto, where she shares resources, recipes, and experiences while working on losing that last 10 pounds.