Is Spam Keto Friendly? | Essential Keto

Are spam and all the different flavors that come in keto-friendly? What about spam lite?

And therefore,

You are looking for healthy fast food that is easy and quick to prepare or actually pre-cooked.

You might be going camping or living in a dorm and asking if you can still enjoy your old spam recipe on your ketogenic diet.

So…

short answer

Yeah!

why?

The simple answer is that spam is low in carbs, high in fat, and moderate in protein.

But this does not apply to all flavors.

And while the macro profile of most spam is keto, you might also ask – is spam healthy?

And then just because a macro profile is keto-friendly, doesn’t mean all ingredients are suitable.

So, whether or not you should spam depends on your keto philosophy.

Let’s take a look at what it is, the ingredients, how to make it, the macros, the variants and the best ways to eat it.

What is spam?

It’s canned luncheon meat.

The original is made of these Six ingredients:

Pork shoulder and pork (cured pork leg)
salt
Water
Potato starch (to retain and hold moisture together)
sugar
Sodium nitrate (as a preservative)

Looking at the ingredient list, you might agree that the product may not really be keto.

Scroll down to read more about macros versus components.

How was it made?

This is how the original spam is generated.

The first step is to separate the meat from the bone and then grind it.
Then all the other ingredients are mixed into the minced meat and cooled.
This cold, raw mixture is then pressed into cans and vacuum sealed.
The meat is cooked in cans and left to cool completely.
The cans are then sorted and packed, and the spam is ready to eat with a long shelf life.

Want to know more? Then go Here.

The benefit is that it has a long shelf life and is easy to carry for hikers or campers and can be eaten warm or cold.

So, let’s get a file Look at the macros…

Macros

classic

Macros per 2 oz

Calories – 180

net carbs – 1

Fat – 16

Protein – 7

Source

As you can see, these are very good macros for any keto meal.

There are now at least 15 types of spam. They all have approximately 7 to 9 grams of protein per serving.

How are they different?

The first difference is trying to make it “healthier” by making a light version and a low-sodium version.

The second is to offer a variety with added flavor. With this group of products, you want to carefully check the sugar and carbohydrate content.

low fat

Macros per 2 oz

Calories – 110

net carbs – 1

Fat – 8

Protein – 9

Source

To make a lighter version, chicken is added to the pork and pork. Since chicken meat is less fat than pork, it reduces the fat content.

If you’re on a ketogenic diet, you’re likely looking for food that’s high in fat, average protein, and low in carbs.

If so – then the classic option is the best option.

Another reason to stick with the classic is that it contains fewer preservatives.

Spam with added flavors

When you look at these newer products like Spam with Bacon, the macros are very similar to those of the Classic.

However, on the flip side, you get Tocino and Teriyaki with 7 grams and 5 grams of net carbs per serving.

Macros per 2 ounce serving Spam Tocino

Calories – 170

Net Carbs – 7

Fat – 13

Protein – 7

Source

As you can see, this is not keto friendly. The problem is not only the higher number of carbs per portion but the significantly higher amount of added sugar.

Glycemic Index (GI)

Spam contains very little sugar and carbs – so it shouldn’t have a huge impact on your blood glucose levels.

Macros vs Components

When you look at spam macros, you’ll find the “perfect” keto macros.

But when you look at the ingredients, you will find that they are not all keto.

Specifically, sugar and potato starch.

So, looking at the ingredient list, you might agree that despite the macros, spam may not really be keto.

And this is where you should decide what kind of keto diet to follow.

If you take a lazy keto approach, spam is keto-friendly.

However, if you are purer and avoid all “non-keto” ingredients from your diet, you won’t spam.

So, yes macros! No plug!

For many of us, there are other considerations, such as…

Availability and cost

Although we prefer fresh, low-carb foods, our favorite options may not always be available.

Sometimes our budget can be tight.

So there may be times when a junk mailbox may be the easiest and best low-carb option available.

This is especially the case for campers and college students who may find easy access to affordable, keto-friendly food a challenge.

Is spam healthy?

Macros are good, but are they healthy?

I suppose the question here is what do you define as healthy.

It’s a processed food with a long shelf life, so not really.

He added sugar and potato starch, so not really.

But it is a good source of fat and protein.

Therefore, it may have a place in a low-carb, high-fat diet even though it may not be the healthiest food for a ketogenic.

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Where do you buy it?

local supermarket

The great thing about spam is that you can buy it everywhere.

Amazon

Want to see all spam products together, then check them Here.

These single-portion bags are a great option for a quick meal.

Looking for a healthy meal or snack on the go? Then beef bacon is a great choice.

Want to know what our favorite is? Then check out our favorite bouncers here.

Or for more information on why it is suitable for a keto diet, read –

Is beef jerky keto?

how do you eat it

There are many ways to deal with spam.

raw

Eat them raw from the can if you don’t have a way to heat them or if you like them raw.

But you might want to fry it.

fried

Cut it into slices and make a sandwich with low-carb bread.

Or my favorite – chop it into sticks, make a low-carb ketchup and eat it like french fries.

Or cut it into small blocks and make it Spam coli rice Or make this delicious breakfast…

conclusion

At the conclusion of the question- Is Spam Keto?

Based on the macros, the answer is yes!

Based on the ingredients – not really!

And to the question – Is spam lite keto?

The overall profile is not as good as the classic and contains more unhealthy ingredients.

So, if you want to eat spam, go for classic food. The ingredients are the healthiest with the least added sugar.

Spam is pre-cooked convenience food with keto-friendly macros. So it is a good food to keep in your pantry even though you may not want to eat it regularly.

Keto Stamp Approval?

Low carb spam with excellent macros but high in sugar and processing.

So, it can support your low-carb or keto diet, but it’s not 100% keto-certified.

We need your help

If you have questions about any of your favorite foods, leave us a comment.

We would like to incorporate your suggestions into – “Can I include this in my keto diet?” a series.

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