Are Pomegranate Seeds Keto Friendly?
Answer: Fresh pomegranate seeds are keto friendly, but dried seeds are often loaded with sugar.
Pomegranate seeds are a tasty snack and a good source of antioxidants. Fresh pomegranate seeds contain around 3 g of net carbs per 1 oz serving. Note that this serving size is fairly small, so be careful not to overindulge.
Pomegranate seeds are a good source of punicic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, sometimes abbreviated as "PUFAs" are one of the healthy fats that experts recommend keto dieters consume. Early research on rodents suggest that punicic acid may aid in preventing obesity and cancer, though we'll need to wait until scientists complete human studies before we decide to pump ourselves with this PUFA.
If you buy packaged, dried pomegranate seeds, check the nutrition facts closely. Manufacturers often add sugar to keep them sweet, so dried pomegranate seeds tend to have an astronomical carb count.
For a more keto-friendly seed snack, consider sunflower seeds.
