How we rate foods: our methodology

Every food on KetoSwap gets one of three ratings, and every number comes from a named source. Here's exactly how we do it, so you can trust — and double-check — what you read.

Where our nutrition data comes from

799 of 979 foods use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central (SR Legacy) database, the long-standing reference behind most nutrition apps. Each food page names the exact USDA entry it uses. Serving sizes are based on USDA household measures (like "1 cup chopped").

The remaining 180 foods are specialty keto products that USDA doesn't cover — for example allulose, coconut flour, shirataki noodles and sugar-free chocolate chips. For these we use typical values from product labels, noted on each page:

Açaí (unsweetened purée) · Dragon fruit · Prosciutto · Beef bone broth · Crème fraîche · Ultra-filtered milk · Asiago · Manchego · Mascarpone · Havarti · Halloumi · Paneer · Powdered peanut butter · MCT oil · Duck fat · Shirataki noodles · Low-carb tortilla · Keto bread (store-bought) · Chickpea pasta · Gnocchi · Udon noodles · Veggie straws & chips · Protein chips · Black soybeans (canned) · Coconut flour · Lupin flour · Sunflower seed flour · Oat fiber · Psyllium husk powder · Xanthan gum · Sugar-free chocolate chips · Nutritional yeast · Collagen peptides · Cacao nibs · Cassava flour · Erythritol · Allulose · Monk fruit sweetener · Stevia (pure extract) · Liquid sucralose · Xylitol · Brown sugar substitute (keto) · Yacon syrup · Maltitol · Maltodextrin · Dextrose (glucose) · Coconut sugar · Simple syrup · Flavored coffee syrup · Date syrup & date sugar · Soy milk (unsweetened) · Coconut milk (carton, unsweetened) · Oat milk · Kombucha · Latte · Bubble tea · Protein shake (ready-to-drink) · Chai latte · Matcha latte · Café mocha · Bulletproof coffee (butter coffee) · Energy shot · Hard seltzer · Champagne & sparkling wine (brut) · Margarita · Martini · Bloody Mary · Mimosa · Sangria · Mojito · Moscow mule · Rice vinegar (unseasoned) · Guacamole · Sugar-free ketchup · Alfredo sauce (jarred) · Hollandaise sauce · Tzatziki · Chimichurri · Harissa · Thai curry paste · Ponzu sauce · Sambal oelek & chili garlic sauce · Chili crisp · Olive tapenade · Baba ganoush · French onion dip · Spinach artichoke dip · Coconut aminos · Gochujang · Asian sesame dressing · Vodka sauce (jarred) · Mirin · Sweet chili sauce · Mango chutney · Italian seasoning · Everything bagel seasoning · Sugar-free gelatin · Keto ice cream · Low-carb protein bar · Sugar-free chocolate candy (maltitol) · Tiramisu · Carrot cake · Scones · Biscotti · Churros · Cannoli · Baklava · Key lime pie · Peach cobbler · Crème brûlée · Panna cotta · Cheese omelet · Sashimi · Cobb salad · Greek salad · Chicken salad (mayo-based) · Egg salad · Hot dog (in a bun) · BLT sandwich · Club sandwich · Grilled cheese sandwich · Meatloaf · Chicken-fried steak · Cuban sandwich · Reuben sandwich · Tuna melt · Lobster roll · Eggs Benedict · Biscuits and gravy · Chicken and waffles · Huevos rancheros · Chilaquiles · Quiche · Deviled eggs · Cauliflower-crust pizza (store-bought) · Burrito bowl · Fajitas (meat & vegetables) · Carnitas · Mongolian beef · Shumai (siu mai) · Steamed pork buns (bao) · Sushi rolls · Nigiri sushi · Teriyaki chicken · Poke bowl · Ramen (noodle soup) · Pho · Pad thai · Thai curry (coconut) · Fresh spring rolls (summer rolls) · Bánh mì · Bibimbap · Bulgogi · Japanese curry with rice · Miso soup · Chicken tikka masala · Biryani · Gyro & shawarma wrap · Tandoori chicken · Saag paneer · Samosas · Souvlaki & kebab skewers · Moussaka · Caesar salad · Macaroni salad · Jalapeño poppers (breaded) · Fettuccine Alfredo · Spaghetti carbonara · Risotto · Shrimp scampi · Calzone · Shepherd's pie · Jambalaya · Gumbo · Stuffed peppers · Schnitzel & breaded cutlets · Poutine · Broccoli cheddar soup · French onion soup · Chicken tortilla soup

How we calculate net carbs

Net carbs = total carbohydrate − dietary fiber − non-impact sweeteners

We subtract erythritol and allulose completely, xylitol by half and maltitol by a quarter, reflecting their effects on blood sugar. Read more in our net carbs guide.

Our three ratings

Rating	What it means
Keto-friendly	Low in net carbs per typical serving (about 5 g or less). Fits easily into a 20–30 g daily limit.
Limit / small portions	Fits keto only in measured portions — roughly 5–10 g net carbs per serving, or easy to overeat.
Not keto	More than about 10 g net carbs per typical serving. Swap it for a low-carb alternative.

The starting point is net carbs per typical serving, measured against a strict 20 g daily limit. We then apply editorial judgment for a few situations:

• Foods people rarely eat in small amounts — like cashews or ketchup — are rated by how they're realistically eaten, so they may be marked "not keto" even if a tiny portion is low.
• Seasonings and condiments used by the teaspoon (garlic, spices, mustard) are rated on that small amount.
• Foods with added sugar or common sugary versions (jerky, marinara, bottled dressings) are marked "limit" with a note to read labels.

How recipe nutrition is calculated

Recipe macros are computed automatically by adding up every ingredient's weight in grams against the same food database, then dividing by the number of servings. Optional ingredients and garnishes are excluded. We use raw weights for meat and vegetables (cooking changes weight through water loss, not macros) and cooked weight for bacon, where much of the fat renders away.

Limitations

Nutrition varies with variety, ripeness, brand and preparation. Treat our numbers as good averages, check labels for packaged foods, and remember that individual responses to carbs differ. Nothing on this site is medical advice.

Spotted an error?

We review and update content regularly (last full review: October 2026). If something looks wrong, please let us know — we read every message.