Italian keto guide
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Keto friendliness
Italian cuisine is easily adaptable for keto dieters willing to make conscious substitutions and avoid traditional carb staples.
Top ingredients
Excellent traditional keto ingredients include olive oil, cured meats (prosciutto, salami), various cheeses (Parmesan, Pecorino, mozzarella), fresh fish, seafood, beef, chicken, eggs, and non-starchy vegetables like spinach, broccoli rabe, zucchini, and eggplant.
Danger zones
The biggest carb traps are pasta, pizza, risotto, bread products, sugary tomato sauces, flour-thickened sauces, and all traditional desserts.
Best for
This cuisine works best for adaptable keto dieters who can focus on meat, fish, cheese, and vegetable-based dishes, avoiding starches and sugars.
What to drink
Drinks you will see at Italian restaurants, cafés and stalls, rated the same way as the food.
Order these
- Ask firstCaffè con Panna · 3g net carbs as usually servedAsk for 'panna non zuccherata' (unsweetened cream) if they have it.
- Ask firstBarley Coffee caffè d'orzo · 4g net carbs as usually servedOrder it black, small ('in tazza piccola').
- Ask firstMarocchino · 5g net carbs as usually servedAsk for cocoa powder only, no chocolate sauce or Nutella.
- Ask firstCaffè Shakerato · 10g net carbs as usually servedAsk for it 'senza zucchero' (without sugar).
Skip these
- SkipNon-Alcoholic Bitter Aperitivo analcolico / aperitivo analcolico · 15g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order soda water with lemon and a dash of bitters instead.
- SkipAffogato affogato al caffè · 20g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order caffè con panna, unsweetened instead.
- SkipChinotto · 20g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order acqua frizzante with lemon instead.
- SkipItalian Orange or Lemon Soda aranciata / limonata · 20g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order acqua frizzante with lemon instead.
- SkipFresh-Squeezed Orange Juice spremuta d'arancia · 22g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order acqua frizzante with lemon instead.
- SkipCoffee Granita with Cream granita di caffè con panna · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order caffè shakerato senza zucchero instead.
- SkipItalian Hot Chocolate cioccolata calda · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order espresso with unsweetened cream instead.