These days, fats don’t always mean a bad thing when it comes to food. In fact, the ketogenic diet remains one of the most popular diets today, and it is comprised mainly of high-fat and low-carb food choices. Celebrities and fitness gurus swear by it, making it a household name all over the globe.
Below, we will take a look at the best mayo for keto diets to help you plan your meals ahead of time.
The Best Mayo for Keto Diets: Our Top Picks
BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise – Editor’s Pick
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The overall idea behind the BetterBody Foods mayo is to get rid of the tried and used up idea of boring mayo. Their avocado mayonnaise is created using 100% pure avocado oil. It’s ideal for health and fitness buffs because it is soy-free and canola-free.
You can use to give more life to your potato salad, sandwiches, and wraps. Use it for dipping or spreading! It goes well with salads, too. This mayo definitely has more “zing” to it than regular mayonnaise.
BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise is made with avocado oil, water, coconut palm sugar, egg yolk, distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, ground mustard, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and EDTA. It is keto-friendly!
You might be wondering… What’s the difference if I use this versus regular mayo? The main distinction lies in avocado oil, which is the main component of this product. While regular mayo uses canola oil, soy, and other oils, this Avocado Oil mayo only uses avocado oil. Another distinction is the actual texture and taste. Avocado Oil mayo is artisan-made in small batches, and not in corporate factories. This ensures you get the best quality each and every time.
Pros
- Keto-friendly
- Soy-free and canola-free
- Made with avocado oil, a healthier oil alternative.
Cons
- It is too expensive for some consumers.
Tessemae’s All Natural Organic Mayonnaise – Top Organic Choice
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This mayonnaise is not just keto-friendly, it is also gluten-free, organic, and Whole30-approved. All of Tessemae’s products are guaranteed to be natural, and are often sought out because of their tasty spices and herbs.
The company takes pride in using zero fillers, which are almost always chemicals made in a lab. Only pure and natural ingredients are used, such as organic oils, spices, and herbs, in making their products – such as this organic mayonnaise.
The company noticed how much mayo has been a staple in most people’s diets. It’s not just a condiment in the pantry. It’s something people actually enjoy having. However, it’s no secret that it is not the healthiest thing that we feed our bodies. So they came up with a solution that can keep us having pleasant, satisfying mayo without hurting our bodies.
Pros
- Gluten-free and organic
- Keto-friendly and Whole30-approved
- Uses only organic and natural oils, herbs, and spices.
Cons
- Because of the relatively small size of the company, they can only produce a certain amount at a time. Sometimes, customers will order a pack and receive all four bottles with only a few months’ allowance before it expires.
- Customer service can be improved.
Duke’s Real Mayonnaise – Best Tasting
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One thing that Duke’s is really proud of is how creamy and smooth they have made their mayonnaise. This original recipe dates back to 1917, and its unique texture and flavor has been kept a secret. No other brand tastes like it. A lot of homecooks and pro chefs alike use Duke’s Real Mayonnaise both for its flavor and nutritional value.
This mayo uses yolks and zero egg whites, giving it an extra layer of creaminess. It also has cider vinegar, an unlikely ingredient, that surprisingly adds a one-of-a-kind tanginess. And health nuts prefer it because it is 100% sugar-free.
Duke’s mayo is great on sandwiches, ideal for baking, and for tossing salads. It’s certified kosher, gluten-free, and a good source of Omega-3 ALA. It is also keto-friendly and compatible with other low-carb diets.
Pros
- Still uses the original Eugenia Duke recipe from 100 years ago
- Gluten-free and sugar-free
- Very tasty and creamy.
Cons
- Small-scale production causes limited stocks
- Some customers have received bottles with less than 3 months before the expiry date.
Primal Kitchen Mayo Avocado Oil – Runner Up
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Primal Kitchen comes back with its own Mayo, and once again gets true to our roots. Using only “real food” and zero chemicals, additives, or preservatives, it whips up natural ingredients to create this Avocado Oil Mayo.
This mayo is created using cage-free and organic eggs. It does not use any grains, and instead uses organic vinegar. The ingredients are whipped into a rich and creamy mayo that tastes flavorful, but is very healthy.
It is sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and canola-free. It has been verified as a Non-GMO product, so there is absolutely no guilt associated when enjoying this treat.
It’s not just keto-friendly, it is also Whole30-approved and paleo-approved.
Pros
- Sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and canola-free
- Verified Non-GMO
- Keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, Whole30-approved.
Cons
- Too expensive for some.
FRATELLI CARLI Mayonnaise with Olive Oil
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The one thing that sets Fratelli Carli Mayo from the others in this list is the fact that it uses only olive oil. Normally, seed oil is used to whip up a good mayo. Olive oil in mayo is the biggest part of their revolutionary stand.
Despite the out-of-the-ordinary oil, their mayonnaise actually follows a super traditional recipe. In addition to Carli olive oil, this mayo is made of wine vinegar, salt, sugar, pasteurized yolk from free-range chicken eggs, and lemon juice. And in keeping to the theme of health in this entire article, this mayo also does not use any kind of additives or preservatives: only homemade condiments using natural ingredients.
Its pale yellow color and creamy texture makes it stand out from the rest. A truly versatile mayonnaise, you can use it to add a classy touch to sandwiches, salads, and roast vegetables. You can even enjoy it on its own on a slice of bread. It goes great with grilled meat dishes, too.
Pros
- Gluten-free and keto-friendly
- No preservatives and additives
- Very creamy and flavorful.
Cons
- Persons allergic to fish, dairy, and nuts might need to take caution, as it contains trace amounts of these substances.
Learning More About the Keto Diet
What is a Ketogenic Diet?
The keto diet is quite popular, but what is it really about? The ketogenic diet is a kind of meal plan that comprises food low in carbs and high in fat. It is similar to the Atkins diet, however, the keto diet is low in sugars and protein, too. There are variations of the keto diet that eliminates carbohydrates entirely.
This way of eating was first practiced in 1921, where it was devised to treat kids suffering from epilepsy. However, it did not take long before they discovered its benefits in the weight loss field. The ability of keto meals to prevent weight gain, and even obesity, quickly caught on. By cutting carbs, ketones and fatty acids replace sugar (glucose) as the main source of energy for the body. This state is called ketosis, hence the term “ketogenic diet”.
Health Benefits of the Keto Diet
The keto diet is more than losing weight. Because of limited carbs in the diet, it also enhances the body’s natural insulin production and efficiency. This maintains blood glucose levels within normal ranges, and improves metabolic processes as a whole. If practiced right, the keto diet might be useful in preventing – or at least managing – diabetes and reducing the severity of its symptoms. Many agree that the keto diet is quite efficient in keeping blood sugar levels and body weight in check.
Obviously, another main health benefit of this diet is its original reason of conception: the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. In a study found in the 2018 Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience journal, researchers report that there are confirmed benefits from following a keto diet when treating this type of epilepsy.
A separate study found in the 2015 Oncology Letters report that this diet may also have a role in suppressing the growth of tumors and increase positive prognosis for cancer patients, because the keto diet “starves” cancer cells of sugar, known as their main source of fuel.
Finally, the keto diet proves to be useful in preventing and managing a handful of neurological conditions. People diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy can benefit from this meal plan. The dietary strategy can prevent loss of motor function, act as a protective agent for the brain, and lower the number of seizures.
Top Foods in the Keto Diet
Are you ready for your keto journey? Since you already got familiar with how the keto plan helps your body, it’s time to know which foods to include in your meal plans. The general idea is to avoid high-carb items, and opt for high-fat and moderate-protein choices.
Examples of such foods are meat, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, poultry, avocados, butter, fatty fish, and Brazil nuts. These are the all-time top keto-friendly foods.
If you do want to get technical, the keto diet plan follows these guidelines:
- 5-10% carbs
- 10-20 protein
- 70-80 fat.
This usually allows around 50 grams of carbs to be consumed per day. Others modify the plan and go up to 100 grams a day. The important thing is to keep the body in a state of ketosis.
Protein intake might get tricky. It’s easy to go overboard, so you should watch your intake. When the body is low on glycogen, it will begin breaking down protein (instead of fat) for fuel. This stops the ketosis process and, thus, stops fat loss. This is why keto-friendly food should be the bulk of your diet plan, if you want to reach your weight goals.
Eat a Lot of Fish!
Fish are great keto food. They are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and are a good source of protein. Examples are salmon, tuna, sardines, haddock, mackerel, and herring. The American Heart Association says that Omega-3 fats help create a healthier cardiovascular system and keep lipid levels in check. They prevent the buildup of fat plaques in the arteries, which may reduce the occurrence of heart diseases.
The recommended servings of fish for the keto diet is 2 per week. Keep yourself in check by avoiding fish that are high in mercury, such as king mackerel, bigeye tuna, shark, bluefish, swordfish, and halibut. Opt for herring, butterfish, crab, monkfish, crab, oysters, cod, and shrimps instead.
Go Loco with Avocados!
Now here’s something you can never eat too much of. Avocados are inherently rich in good fats. It’s the perfect keto food. One avocado has 14.7 g of fat, only 8.5 g of carbs, 2 g of protein, and 6.7 of fiber. You get 161 calories on average. This is a huge upgrade compared to most fruits, which are commonly high in sugar and carbohydrates.
Speaking of keto-friendly food, do check out my previous posts on keto-friendly butters and keto-friendly bacon!
Conclusion
The keto diet truly is a revolution both for the medical field and for people trying better ways to lose weight. Mayonnaise is too good of a treat to give up, so why not find a keto-friendly mayo option instead?
After much deliberation, I have concluded that my top pick is the BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise. This is based on the general factors of deliciousness, availability, nutritional value, safety, and keto-friendliness. Feel free to check out the other four as you please, they’re all pretty great mayo brands, too!
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Jen Lin-Liu is the founder of Black Sesame Kitchen. A Chinese-American writer and a nationally certified Chinese chef in Beijing. Jen is the author of two memoirs, Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China and On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome with Love and Pasta.