Can I eat pozole on keto?

In this article, we are going to discuss and answer the question “can I eat pozole on keto?’. I will also explain pozole, its nutritional information, and its ingredients with an analysis of the ingredients and their carbs content. I will also include some alternatives to some ingredients in a pozole and keto-friendly recipe.

Can I eat Pozole on keto?

No, you can not eat Pozole on keto. Pozole is rich in carbs. The Mexican soup contains 14 grams of carbs in just half a cup. You would be spending your limited carbs allowance on a soup only. If you are following a strict keto diet and aiming to lose weight, it is better to lose the soup. There are other alternatives to the soup as well.

What is Pozole?

Pozole is a Mexican soup dish. A major ingredient of the soup is processed corn known as hominy. This makes the dish carbs filled and not keto-friendly. 

What is keto again?

Keto limits carbs intake on the road to lose weight by burning fat, not carbs. Your macronutrient distribution is as follows 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs. This means you should not have more than 20 grams of carbs per day.

What are the ingredients of Pozole?

There are three main ingredients in the Pozole soup: pork, hominy,  and red chiles or dried guajillo. Some contain modified cornstarch. It is topped with avocado, limed, cilantro, radishes, and shredded cabbage.

Now let us break down the ingredients of the Pozole to see which is keto-approved and which is not. The only guilty ingredient is hominy. It is rich in carbs and makes the soup high in carbs content.

Pork 

Pork is a high protein ingredient having 21 grams per 100 grams serving. It has zero carbs in them. 

Hominy 

Hominy is a product of corn, a processed type. It is rich in carbs, a cup of canned hominy contains 14 grams of carbs in a 100 grams serving. It contains 11.5 net carbs in a serving. The high carbs content is so high that you would be spending your carbs allowance on a soup. 

Cornstarch 

Cornstarch is a major carb ingredient in some of the pozoles. One cup contains 117 grams of carbs. This makes it the highest carb ingredient among the others.

Dried guajillo

Dried guajillo or red chiles are used to make pozole. It is a superfood that packs no extra calories. It contains zero carbs, protein, fat, or any other nutrient.

Avocado 

Avocados are keto-friendly fruits that can be eaten without guilt. One fruit weighing 150 grams contains 2.8 grams of net carbs which is low.

Radish 

Raw radish is low in carbs. A 100 grams contains 3.4 grams of carbs and can be consumed while on the keto diet. 

Cabbage

Raw cabbage is low in carbs too. In a 100 grams serving, it contains 5.8 grams of carbs. This makes it keto friendly as well.

What is the nutritional information of Pozole?

The nutritional information I will provide is in half a cup of Pozole. It contains 100 calories, 2.5 grams of total fat, 14 grams of carbs, 4.03 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 569 milligrams of sodium.  

Can I switch pork with chicken while making Pozole?

Yes, you can. Switching from pork to chicken makes a lighter flavor and less saturated fat content. It makes a lighter flavor to the soup.

What can I switch hominy with?

There are other alternatives to hominy that are far less in carbs. You can use food that is similar in texture without the carbs. 

Ditch the carbs in hominy and replace them with cauliflower. Cauliflower can be cut down into small sizes and included in the soup. You can also add something like cauliflower rice that is low in carbs.

What are some recipes for keto Pozole?

Replacing pork with the chicken to make a lighter-tasting pozole. This recipe provides a delicious savory alternative to traditional Pozole. 

The hot flavor is still kept intact in this recipe. They used a pozole sauce that is low in carbs and keto friendly. You can find the recipe here. And another recipe here.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed and answered the question “can I eat pozole on keto?”. I  also explained pozole, its nutritional information, and its ingredients with an analysis of the ingredients and their carbs content. I also included some alternatives to some ingredients in a pozole and keto-friendly recipe.

References 

FoodData Central (usda.gov)

Keto Pozole, Spicy Mexican Soup Without the Carby Guilt! (healnourishgrow.com)

Is Hominy Keto Friendly? Everything you need to know! – Absolutely Keto (absolutely-keto.com)

Keto Pozole, Spicy Mexican Soup Without the Carby Guilt! (healnourishgrow.com)