What Seeds Are Low Carb? [Pine, Pecans, And..]

I’ve been trying to shed some body fat, and so I’ve been looking at how many carbs are in the foods I like to eat.

I generally like to eat nuts and seeds in a range of dishes and on their own, so I was curious what seeds are low in carbs.

I looked at the nutrient profile of nuts and seeds and here’s a list of the seeds that are low carb.

Seeds and nuts have a range of nutrients that are good for your health.

But, not all seeds and nuts have the same nutrients.

So, below I will explain what seeds are good for various things such as those that are rich in iron, which has the most calories, what seeds lower blood sugar, and what seeds are good for the ketogenic diet.

What Seeds Are Rich in Iron?

Iron is necessary for red cell production, and I’ve been looking to consume more iron in my diet.

Doing some research I found that some seeds are higher than others in iron.

So I compiled a list of the seeds that contain the most iron.

Some of the seeds are high in iron, but also high in other beneficial nutrients.

Some levels of the nutrients in these seeds can be so high that they can reach toxic levels if you eat a lot.

Sesame seeds, for example, are very high in copper, and copper in large doses can cause health issues.

I recently explained this fact in this article about what nutrients are in sesame seeds.

It’s ok to consume seeds in amounts that are normal in everyday cooking.

But, if you’re interested in consuming more.

Say, around half a cup or more a day, it’s important to look closely at the nutrients that are found in them to ensure you’re not getting toxic levels of certain nutrients.

Legumes and nuts are also considered seeds, and therefore below I’ve included a list of legumes and nuts that are are a good source of iron:

• Red kidney beans – 8.2 mg
• Chickpeas – 6.2 mg
• Soybeans – 2.5 mg
• Black-eyed peas – 2.5 mg
• Lima beans – 2.4 mg
• Navy beans – 2 mg
• White beans – 1.9 mg

*All values are per 100g (about half a cup).

As you can see there is a wide difference in the iron content of various beans.

Even beans that are quite similar such as red kidney beans and white beans.

Here’s a list of nuts with the most iron:

• Cashew nuts – 6.7 mg
• Pine nuts – 5.5 mg
• Hazelnuts – 4.7 mg
• Peanuts – 4.6 mg
• Pistachio nuts – 3.9 mg
• Almonds – 3.5 mg
• Walnuts – 2.9 mg

*All values are per 100g (about half a cup).

So, with all that here’s a list of the top 5 seeds that are high in iron whether they’re named a nut, a seed, or a bean.

1. Sesame seeds – 14.6 mg
2. Poppy seeds – 9.8 mg
3. Red kidney beans – 8.2 mg
4. Hemp seeds – 8 mg
5. Chia seeds – 7.7 mg

A low-carb diet is considered to be good for burning fat.

But, another way to burn fat is to consume fewer calories.

That causes your body to use up your fat stores.

So, then what seeds have the most calories?

All of the seeds on this list are nuts.

However, if you’re wondering what seeds that are called seeds have the highest calories here’s what they are:

• Sunflower seeds – 584 calories
• Sesame seeds – 573 calories
• Pumpkin seeds – 559 calories
• Flaxseeds – 534 calories
• Poppy seeds – 525 calories
• Safflower seeds – 517 calories
• Cotton seeds – 506 calories

All numbers are per 100g (about half a cup).

So, if you’re looking to put on weight, then these seeds are a good option.

Also, if you’re looking to limit your calorie intake here’s a list of seeds that have the lowest calorie density.

• Lima beans – 71 calories
• Peas – 81 calories
• Soybeans – 147 calories
• Chestnuts – 213 calories
• Pinto beans – 347 calories
• Chia seeds – 486 calories

For diabetics monitoring your blood sugar is very important.

So, I thought I’d provide a list of seeds that lower blood sugar. Here’s what they are:

Pumpkin seeds, for example, are high in beneficial nutrients and are good for lowering your blood sugar.

But, they contain high amounts of phosphorus, which is toxic to the body according to the National Kidney Foundation.

About half a cup of pumpkin seeds contains 167% of your recommended daily intake of phosphorus.

So, you should aim to consume less than half a cup, and it’s generally safe to eat about a quarter of a cup of pumpkin seeds per day.

I discussed the health benefits and potential risks of eating pumpkin seeds in this article about what vitamins are in pumpkin seeds.

The ketogenic diet is a bit unique in that the aim is to consume foods that are low carbs and also have a high-fat content.

Nuts and seeds, though, are high in fat so the main thing to look at is the number of carbs.

Here’s a list of seeds that are good for a ketogenic diet.

Other seeds that didn’t make the top ten, but are also considered good on the ketogenic diet are:

• Brazil nuts – 9.8 g of carbs
• Macadamia nuts – 10.5 g of carbs
• Chia seeds – 11.9 g of carbs
• Walnuts – 14 g of carbs
• Hazelnuts – 14 g of carbs
• Almonds – 18.2 g of carbs

I prefer roasted seeds to raw seeds.

But, I wanted to know whether raw seeds have more carbs than roasted seeds and whether it affects the nutritional qualities of seeds such as nuts and beans.

Some seeds are toxic when eaten raw.

The most notable example is beans.

Beans need to be soaked to remove toxins, as well as cooking at a high temperature.

Based on my research, seeds need to be treated on a case-by-case basis in regards to whether you can eat them raw.

So, you’re now aware of the seeds that are low carb and good for the ketogenic diet.

So, I thought I’d take a look at what seeds have the highest carbs and should be eaten in moderation or avoided on a low carb/keto diet.

Therefore, you should aim to eat these nuts in low amounts when consuming a low carb or keto diet.

Is Peanut Butter High in Carbs?

I love peanut butter and enjoy eating it with bananas, as well as, adding it to stir fry, and have eaten countless peanut butter sandwiches.

But, is peanut butter good for a low-carb diet?

It’s possible to buy pine nut butter – which sounds like peanut butter – as well as macadamia nut butter.

But, they can be quite rare in stores and are generally easier to find online from specialty producers such as on Amazon.