Carbs in Mayo: Is It Keto?

Mayo | Caution | Carbs | Keto | Best Mayo | Recipe | FAQ | Studies

Mayonnaise is a high-fat food. Accordingly, it should be ideal for the ketogenic diet. But is the calculation that simple?

Unfortunately, not always. The supermarket’s Mayo can contain questionable additives and hidden carbs. In addition, the fat used is often not of advisable quality.

In this article, I check whether commercial mayonnaise varieties suit the keto diet. Also, I provide you with the best homemade keto mayo recipe.

Is Mayo Keto?

We can all agree that a world without mayonnaise would taste boring. Besides, we are all familiar with a mixture of ingredients.

Mayonnaise is always a combination of oil, egg yolk, and an acidic liquid, like vinegar or lemon juice. When you combine these ingredients, you get a thick and creamy substance.

How is this possible?

The egg yolk is an emulsifier, combining with the liquid to create the stable mass we all know and love.

However, when you buy mayonnaise in the supermarket, it gets tricky as soon as you look at the list of ingredients. You will often find highly processed vegetable oils, sugar or sweeteners, and potentially harmful preservatives.

Such food additives can affect carbohydrate and fat metabolism, so they are instrumental in developing obesity (Paula-Neto et al. 2017¹).

They have a detrimental effect on your health. In addition, food additives can kick you out of ketosis on a keto diet since their carbohydrate content is often overlooked.

But why can vegetable oils, in particular, become a problem?

Why Mayo Might Be Bad on Keto

Oil is the essential ingredient in mayonnaise and thus largely determines the health effects of the food.

Store-bought mayonnaise is often made with cheap soybean or canola oil, which is a health concern for the following reasons:

• Monocultures: Canola is to Europe what soy is to the U.S. – an over-subsidized non-oily crop used for things it is not suited for because of its yield. In addition, the cultivation of these monocultures is ecologically questionable.
• Genetic modification: The most commonly genetically modified crops (over 90% of the world’s crops) are corn, soybeans, and canola (USDA 2014²). Especially with refined oils, no one can trace where the plants came from or if they were GMO.
• Omega-6 fatty acids: The Western world is plagued by an imbalanced pro-inflammatory omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, which the two oils exacerbate (Singh et al. 2010³).
• Oxidation: These polyunsaturated fatty acids are very fragile. If damaged, trans fats and lipid peroxides can result.
• Processing: During complex chemical processing, omega-6 fatty acids oxidize due to heat, light, air, and pressure (DiNicolantonio et al. 2019⁴).
• Body function: Therefore, you are already eating broken fatty acids without frying, which the body then uses to build new brain cells, for example.
• Health impact: Consequently, refined vegetable oils promote inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in general (Ramsden et al. 2013⁵). Moreover, they can cause dysfunction in mitochondria (Moran 2001⁶).

The mayonnaises best suited for a healthy ketogenic diet are those made from cold-pressed oils. For example, these are olive, coconut, or avocado oils.

Not only because their fat content is lower, light mayonnaises generally fail the keto check.

Producers must add something else to maintain taste and consistency if a product contains less fat or calories. These additions fundamentally change the nutrient profile of the mayo.

Carbs in Mayo

Firstly, we must check if the net carbs in mayo can kick you out of ketosis. If not, the ingredients will determine if mayonnaise can be keto-friendly.

Does Mayo Have Carbs?

100 grams of conventional mayonnaise from the supermarket provide approximately the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 750 calories
• Protein: 0.0 grams
• Fat: 75.0 grams
• Carbs: 8.3 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net carbs: 8.3 grams

Thus, mayo has a fat-to-net carbohydrate ratio of about 9. Accordingly, mayonnaise is a low-carb food generally suitable for a ketogenic diet.

Nevertheless, for the reasons mentioned above, we must always check the ingredients to ensure that it is not harmful to our health.

For this reason, we will now look closely at common mayonnaise brands.

Is Mayo Keto-Friendly?

Low-fat mayos are not keto. They generally contain too many carbohydrates and additives.

Whether full-fat mayo is suitable for keto is derived, on the one hand, from the carbohydrate content and, on the other hand, from the list of ingredients.

Therefore, here are the most sought-after mayonnaises in the ultimate keto check.

Heinz Mayonnaise

100 grams of Heinz mayonnaise provide us with approximately the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 632.8 calories
• Protein: 0.8 grams
• Fat: 70.0 grams
• Carbs: 3.0 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net carbs: 3.0 grams

But again, the net carbs are low enough to make mayo suitable for the keto diet. But what do the ingredients tell us?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), you will find the following ingredients in Heinz mayonnaise (*):

• Soybean oil
• Eggs (whole eggs and egg yolks)
• Distilled white vinegar
• Water
• Salt
• Sugar
• Natural flavoring (contains mustard)
• Lemon juice concentrate
• Calcium disodium EDTA (preservative)

Thus, Heinz mayo is not suitable for a healthy ketogenic diet. Finally, it is wholly based on soybean oil and contains added sugar and preservatives.

In this case, soybean oil advises us against consuming it since it’s the primary ingredient of mayonnaise.

Thomy Mayonnaise

100 milliliters of Thomy mayonnaise provide us with approximately the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 728.0 calories
• Protein: 0.9 grams
• Fat: 80.0 grams
• Carbs: 1.0 gram
• Dietary fiber: 0.5 grams
• Net carbs: 0.5 grams

Thomy’s mayo has almost no carbohydrates, making it the best choice. But what about the ingredients list?

According to the packaging, Thomy Delikatess-Mayonnaise contains the following ingredients (*):

• Sunflower oil (80%)
• Spirit vinegar
• 6.2% egg yolk (from barn eggs)
• Mustard seeds
• Sugar
• Iodized salt
• Spices
• Aroma (with celery)

This mayonnaise is also not without flavoring and sugar, although the latter amount is negligible.

However, the sunflower oil in mayo is a significant source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Liu et al. 2017⁷).

At the same time, it often consists of up to about 70% omega-6 fatty acids, which already oxidize during production and can be pro-inflammatory in the body.

In addition, the ingredient list does not give us any information about whether the sunflower oil has been chemically hydrogenated. For this reason, trans fats could even be hiding in the mayonnaise.

All these arguments make mayonnaises based on sunflower oil questionable. Hence, I would not eat them.

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise

100 grams of Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise provide us with the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 718.1 calories
• Protein: 0.9 grams
• Fat: 79.4 grams
• Carbs: 3.2 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net carbs: 3.2 grams

Regarding carbohydrates, this mayonnaise doesn’t give us any particular headaches. They are present but manageable.

According to the USDA, you will find the following ingredients in Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise (*):

• Soybean oil
• Water
• Whole eggs and yolks
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Sugar
• Lemon juice concentrate
• Calcium disodium EDTA (preservative)
• Natural flavoring

In conclusion, Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is not without added sugar and preservatives. On top of that, the soybean oil base is not a good choice.

Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise

100 grams of Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise gives us approximately the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 600 calories
• Protein: 0.9 grams
• Fat: 64.4 grams
• Carbs: 2.9 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net carbs: 2.9 grams

As with all the other protagonists, the nutritional profile of Lady’s Choice Mayo is not exceptional. It is merely not entirely without sugar.

However, the ingredients are an exciting part of our investigation.

According to the packaging, Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise contains the following ingredients (*):

• Soybean oil
• Water
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Iodized salt
• Stabilizer (propylene glycol alginate)
• Spices
• Preservative (potassium sorbate)
• Nature identical flavor
• Colorant (beta-carotene)
• Calcium disodium EDTA (preservative)

With several preservatives, artificial flavors, stabilizers, and sugar, Lady’s Choice is mayo with many additives.

Since it’s also based on soybean oil, it’s certainly not a good choice for a healthy low-carb diet.

Duke’s Mayonnaise

100 grams of Duke’s Real Mayonnaise provides us with approximately the following nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 714.0 calories
• Protein: 0.0 grams
• Fat: 85.7 grams
• Carbs: 0.0 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net Carbs: 0.0 grams

Duke’s Real Mayonnaise makes an excellent impression at first glance. It comes entirely without carbohydrates and sugar. Can the ingredients match that impression?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you will find the following ingredients in Duke’s mayo (*):

• Soybean oil
• Eggs
• Water
• Distilled vinegar and apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Paprika oil
• Natural flavors
• Calcium disodium EDTA (preservative)

Consequently, Duke’s Real Mayonnaise comes without sugar and artificial flavors. Moreover, you will only find a single preservative in the mayo. Bottom line, a great result if it weren’t for soybean oil.

Unfortunately, refined vegetable oil also makes this mayonnaise an unhealthy choice.

Primal Kitchen Mayo

In contrast, I included the less common mayo from Paleo manufacturer Primal Kitchen in the comparison.

Can the stone age mayonnaise represent the natural food that the marketing promises?

100 grams of Primal Kitchen mayo provides the following average nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 667.0 calories
• Protein: 0.0 grams
• Fat: 80.0 grams
• Carbs: 0.0 grams
• Dietary fiber: 0.0 grams
• Net Carbs: 0.0 grams

This mayo is not only free of carbohydrates but also proteins. Therefore it’s ideal for a ketogenic diet and weight loss, as pure fat does not stimulate insulin secretion.

According to the USDA, the following ingredients are found in Primal Kitchen’s mayonnaise (*):

• Avocado oil
• Organic free-range eggs
• Organic egg yolk
• Sea salt
• Organic vinegar
• Organic rosemary extract

The first ingredient on the list already makes a big difference from other mayonnaises. Primal Kitchen Mayo is based on avocado oil.

On the one hand, avocado oil is cold-pressed, so it won’t already oxidize during production. On the other hand, it consists of 70% monounsaturated fatty acids, 15% saturated, and 15% polyunsaturated fatty acids (*).

Consequently, avocado oil is generally not as fragile as industrial vegetable oils. Therefore, heat, pressure, light, and air have comparatively little effect on the health goodness of this oil.

In addition, all Primal Kitchen Mayo With Avocado Oil ingredients is certified organic. Besides, the eggs are free-range.

Lastly, mayonnaise has no additives, colorants, or preservatives. Moreover, this mayo comes ultimately without sugar or sweeteners.

Therefore, Primal Kitchen Mayo is the only mayonnaise in our check suitable for the keto diet without hesitation.

Best Mayo for Keto

Although Primal Kitchen’s Mayo With Avocado Oil is the best mayonnaise in our check that you can buy in the supermarket or online, the best keto mayonnaise is still homemade.

Only in this way will you know what is inside and can you determine the taste. Finally, some people have an aversion to avocado oil.

For this reason, we also use extra virgin olive oil in the homemade keto mayonnaise instead. Both olive and avocado oil can create that creamy consistency we know and love from mayonnaise.

In contrast, the healthy option with virgin coconut oil has the disadvantage of solidifying the mayo in the refrigerator.

The bottom line is that making your mayonnaise with olive oil is not only the tastiest option, but it also comes with the following health benefits:

• Protects against cardiovascular disease: Both the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory polyphenols in olive oil and the vitamin E in mayo help prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol (Coni et al. 2000⁸; Yochum et al. 2000⁹).  This fact precisely counteracts the free radical damage that conventional vegetable oils cause.
• Provides vitamin K: Mayonnaise is also an excellent source of fat-soluble vitamin K, contributing to bone density and wound healing (Feskanich et al. 1999¹⁰).
• Promotes eye health: Egg yolk contains both lutein and zeaxanthin. Both are essential components of the macula – the area of sharp vision on the retina. According to studies, these substances are instrumental in preventing age-related blindness and visual impairment (Buscemi et al. 2018¹¹). Organic egg yolks also contain higher concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin (Filipiak-Florkiewicz et al. 2017¹²).

Low-Carb Keto Mayonnaise Recipe

This low-carb mayonnaise is effortlessly easy to prepare and terribly delicious.

For the DIY keto mayonnaise to succeed, you only need to ensure that the egg is at room temperature. This way, you allow all the ingredients to mix effortlessly during preparation.

Homemade Mayo Is a Keto Superfood

The ketogenic diet often comes with the unpleasant aftertaste of having to eliminate some of your favorite foods.

Fortunately, mayo isn’t one of them, as long as it’s made with the right ingredients and without questionable additives.

However, the best choice is to make homemade keto mayonnaise. It’s the only way to get a healthy superfood on your bottom line, which you can use for keto snacks.

The high-fat food provides healthy vitamins and fats, keeping you full longer and in ketosis.

Mayo Keto Carbs Nutrition FAQ

Is mayo and sour cream keto-friendly?

While store-bought mayo has the drawback of refined vegetable oil inhibiting weight loss, full-fat sour cream is keto-friendly. However, a few keto-friendly mayo choices are based on avocado or olive oil.

Is mayonnaise and mustard keto-friendly?

Most mustards contain too much added sugar to be keto-friendly. So, always check the ingredients. While mayonnaise is ok in carbs, most mayos have the drawback of refined vegetable oil inhibiting weight loss.

Does mayonnaise kick you out of ketosis?

Du kannst Mayonnaise mit gesunden Fetten wie z. B. Olivenöl selber machen. Dadurch While low-fat varieties might, full-fat mayo won’t kick you out of ketosis.

Studies Click to expand!

#1-7

¹Paula Neto HA, Ausina P, Gomez LS, Leandro JGB, Zancan P, Sola-Penna M. Effects of Food Additives on Immune Cells As Contributors to Body Weight Gain and Immune-Mediated Metabolic Dysregulation. Front Immunol. 2017;8:1478. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01478. eCollection 2017. Review. PubMed PMID: 29163542; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5672138.

²USDA. Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture, 2014. Retrieved 2021 May 10, from https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/45179/43668_err162.pdf.

³Singh RB, Demeester F, Wilczynska A. The tsim tsoum approaches for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cardiol Res Pract. 2010;2010:824938. doi: 10.4061/2010/824938. Epub 2010 Jun 29. PubMed PMID: 20671994; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2910415.

⁴DiNicolantonio J, Mercola J. Super Fuel: Ketogenic Keys to Unlock the Secrets of Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Great Health. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House Inc., 2019.

⁵Ramsden CE, Zamora D, Leelarthaepin B, Majchrzak-Hong SF, Faurot KR, Suchindran CM, Ringel A, Davis JM, Hibbeln JR. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013 Feb 4;346:e8707. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e8707. PubMed PMID: 23386268; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4688426.

⁶Moran JH, Mon T, Hendrickson TL, Mitchell LA, Grant DF. Defining mechanisms of toxicity for linoleic acid monoepoxides and diols in Sf-21 cells. Chem Res Toxicol. 2001 Apr;14(4):431-7. doi: 10.1021/tx000200o. PubMed PMID: 11304132.

⁷Liu AG, Ford NA, Hu FB, Zelman KM, Mozaffarian D, Kris-Etherton PM. A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutr J. 2017 Aug 30;16(1):53. doi: 10.1186/s12937-017-0271-4. Review. PubMed PMID: 28854932; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5577766.

#8-12

⁸Coni E, Di Benedetto R, Di Pasquale M, Masella R, Modesti D, Mattei R, Carlini EA. Protective effect of oleuropein, an olive oil biophenol, on low density lipoprotein oxidizability in rabbits. Lipids. 2000 Jan;35(1):45-54. doi: 10.1007/s11745-000-0493-2. PubMed PMID: 10695923.

⁹Yochum LA, Folsom AR, Kushi LH. Intake of antioxidant vitamins and risk of death from stroke in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2):476-83. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/72.2.476. PubMed PMID: 10919944.

¹⁰Feskanich D, Weber P, Willett WC, Rockett H, Booth SL, Colditz GA. Vitamin K intake and hip fractures in women: a prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jan;69(1):74-9. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/69.1.74. PubMed PMID: 9925126.

¹¹Buscemi S, Corleo D, Di Pace F, Petroni ML, Satriano A, Marchesini G. The Effect of Lutein on Eye and Extra-Eye Health. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 18;10(9). doi: 10.3390/nu10091321. Review. PubMed PMID: 30231532; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6164534.

¹²Filipiak-Florkiewicz A, Deren K, Florkiewicz A, Topolska K, Juszczak L, Cieslik E. The quality of eggs (organic and nutraceutical vs. conventional) and their technological properties. Poult Sci. 2017 Jul 1;96(7):2480-2490. doi: 10.3382/ps/pew488. PubMed PMID: 28339969.