If you’re doing keto and constantly snacking on nuts, I need to say this clearly: just because something is low carb doesn’t mean it’s unlimited. After 10+ years coaching 700+ clients in Metro Manila, I keep seeing the same pattern. Clients stall their weight loss because they overeat nuts, especially peanuts fried in seed oils.
This article builds on what is a low carb diet and what is keto, and is it safe. If you haven’t read those yet, start there first.
For my clients, keto means 20 grams of net carbs a day or less, with blood ketones at or above 0.5 mmol/L to confirm it. Beginners can temporarily run 20-30g during the transition phase.
Anything beyond that ceiling is just low carb, not therapeutic keto. If nuts alone push you past 20g net carbs, you’re no longer in strict keto, no matter how clean the rest of your day looks.
Here’s the breakdown per 30g serving, the size of a small handful.
| Nut (30g) | Net carbs | Keto tier | Where to find it in PH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds | ~2-3g | Tier 1 | SM, S&R, Shopee |
| Macadamia | ~1.5-2g | Tier 1 | S&R, specialty stores |
| Pili nuts | ~1-2g | Tier 1 | Local markets, online |
| Walnuts | ~2g | Tier 2 | SM, imported packs |
| Peanuts | ~4-5g | Tier 2 | Everywhere |
| Cashews | ~8-9g | Tier 3, avoid | Everywhere |
Almonds, macadamia, and pili nuts top my list. All three run low on net carbs and high on fat, with almonds pulling ahead specifically for diabetic clients.
Almonds are the most accessible and safest choice in the Philippines. They’re low in net carbs, high in fiber, moderate in protein, and carry a better omega-6 profile than peanuts. In my diabetic clients, almonds rarely spike fasting blood sugar when kept to 30g and eaten with meals. A comprehensive 2021 review of 64 clinical trials in Nutrients found almonds were the only nut linked to a small but real decrease in body mass and fat mass compared to control diets, despite being calorie-dense.
Very low carb, high monounsaturated fat, and lower omega-6 than almonds or peanuts. The downside: expensive in Metro Manila, and the buttery texture makes it easy to overeat. Best for strict keto or a 60-day metabolic reset, still portion controlled.
Pili nuts are one of the most keto-friendly nuts globally, and we have them locally. Very low carb, high fat, and excellent for satiety. Being local doesn’t make them unlimited though, the same 30g cap applies.
Walnuts and steamed peanuts both work on a low carb plate, but neither is a free food the way almonds or macadamia can be.
Walnuts bring omega-3 (ALA) and anti-inflammatory benefits, but they’re easy to overconsume and still calorie-dense. Good in moderation, not something to snack on without limits.
Peanuts are technically a legume, not a nut, and they’re where I see the most stalls in Metro Manila clients. Street vendors fry them in canola, soybean, or corn oil, all heavily loaded with omega-6. Net carbs run higher too, around 4-5g per 30g, and it’s easy to eat 100g without realizing it.
I’ve had multiple clients follow keto strictly, stall for 3-4 weeks, remove peanuts, then lose 1-2kg within 14 days. That’s not coincidence. Omega-6 overload increases inflammation and may worsen insulin resistance in people who are already metabolically unhealthy. If you’re serious about fat loss, avoid street peanuts entirely. Steamed peanuts are the better call.
Cashews. They’re not keto-friendly at around 8-9g net carbs per 30g, and they’re extremely easy to overeat, one handful can wipe out half your daily carb limit. For strict keto at 20g net carbs or less, cashews are a genuine problem. For diabetic reversal specifically, I remove them completely during the 60-day strict phase.
Most nuts run high in omega-6 fats. In excess, omega-6 promotes inflammation, worsens insulin resistance, and may contribute to fatty liver progression over time. Peanuts and almonds carry more omega-6 than macadamia and pili. That doesn’t mean never eat them, it means portion control matters more with the higher-omega-6 options.
When eaten with meals rather than during a fast, nuts slow gastric emptying, stimulate the CCK hormone, and genuinely increase fullness while reducing hunger later. That part is real. For a broader list of foods that do this well, see what low carb foods fill you up.
Here’s the trap: satiety doesn’t cancel calories. A 30g handful feels small, but that’s 170 to 220 calories. Overeat that daily and it’s enough on its own to stall fat loss, even while you feel like you’re doing everything right.
I remove or severely limit nuts during an aggressive fat loss phase, the 60-day strict metabolic reversal protocol, or when a client hits a weight loss plateau. The pattern I see constantly: a client doing everything right, weight stuck for three weeks, eating “just nuts” as a daily snack. We remove nuts, and weight drops within 10 to 14 days. Nuts are fillers, not metabolic medicine.
No, and this is the most common keto myth I hear: “you can eat unlimited nuts because they’re low carb.” You can exceed 20g net carbs easily this way. You can exceed your calorie needs easily. You can drive your omega-6 load up easily. Keto works because carbs are low, insulin drops, and fat burning increases. If nuts prevent a calorie deficit or increase inflammation, they slow all three of those down.
| Tier | Nuts |
|---|---|
| Tier 1: best choice | Almonds, macadamia, pili |
| Tier 2: moderation only | Walnuts, steamed peanuts (not fried in seed oils) |
| Tier 3: avoid on strict keto | Cashews |
If you’re doing general low carb under 50g a day, nuts are more flexible across the board. If you’re doing therapeutic keto at 20g net carbs or less with ketones at 0.5 mmol/L or higher, precision matters more, and this ranking is where I’d start. For the mechanism behind why that ketone threshold matters, see how keto works in the body, and for how long to actually stay this strict, read how long should I stay on keto.
Nuts are tools, not cheat codes, and they’re not unlimited. Used properly, they support satiety. Used carelessly, they stall fat loss. If you’re plateauing on keto, don’t blame the diet before you check your nuts. For the full Filipino food list beyond just nuts, see the list of low carb foods for Filipinos, or grab organic almonds and other low carb staples through our produce store.
This article is for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice. If you have diabetes or a nut allergy, talk to your doctor or dietitian before making changes to your diet.
