So, you’re at a restaurant and you see something you want on the menu that you think is keto-friendly. But, when it arrives, it has a sweet, sugary sauce on top of the meat. What do you do? Do you send it back and wait for a new meal, holding up the rest of your table? Or, can you just wipe the sauce off? How big a deal is a non-keto sauce?
Is a Non-Keto Sauce a Big Deal?
Is it worth the hassle, or do you just eat the sauce? How many carbs can really be in a sauce anyway? You might be unpleasantly surprised! Store bought BBQ sauce can have as much sugar in it as chocolate sauce! There can be about 7 grams of net carbs in a tablespoon of BBQ sauce. Now, it’s not going to kick you out of ketosis on its own, but it’s a huge amount in a very small bit.
Let’s look at some of the other common sauces and condiments that can come with your meal. If you’re having breakfast, maple syrup often has up to 13 grams of net carbs in a tablespoon. One tablespoon of jam can have up to 14 net grams of carbs. Ketchup (for those who like it on the eggs) has 5 grams of net carbs in one tablespoon.
Is Chinese Food an Option for Keto?
Chinese food (the Western version) is all about its sugary sauces – and that’s why so many of us like it. It’s also one of the reasons why you’re hungry an hour after stuffing yourself with a buffet of this food. Sweet and sour sauce, which is on every kind of meat and fish you can imagine, has about 7 grams of net carbs in a tablespoon. Honey garlic sauce, not surprisingly, has about 13 grams of net carbs in a tablespoon.
Teriyaki sauce is a special noteworthy sauce when you’re keto. The good news is that it has about 3 grams of net carbs in a tablespoon, which isn’t great, but it’s not going to kick you out of ketosis all on its own. However, this sauce has a vinegar base, which breaks down the meat some. So, even if you wipe this sauce off, it’s not going to be very effective.
When You Can Wipe the Sauce Off
If you simply wipe the sugary sauce off, usually you will minimize the effect of having it on your plate. There will still be a taste of it there. Can can be okay, but if it prompts more sugar cravings, it’s going to be a problem for you. In most cases, it’s completely up to you whether you wipe it off or ask your server for another option.
When You Can’t Wipe the Non-Keto Sauce Off
If the food has a breaded coating, the sauce soaks into the breading, meaning that wiping the sauce off is not going to be very effective. So, wiping the sweet and sour sauce off a chicken ball is not going to work well for you. Besides, have you ever had a chicken ball without a sauce? It’s not that appetizing.
Chicken wings are one food that people often order at restaurants. Are they okay for keto? If they have a breaded coating, no. The carbs in the breading as well as the sauce on them is going to be a problem. If they aren’t breaded, you can wipe any sauce off and have a few. With chicken wings, you can often order a sauce on the side so they don’t come drenched in it. Many people prefer that anyway. And, a mild or hot wing sauce is usually a better option for keto.
The Effects of Non-Keto Sauce on Blood Sugar
If you are doing keto for weight loss, you can often wipe the sauce off and you will be fine. For example, most places have ketchup on their hamburgers. If you enjoy that, you can get it on your burger, and it’s not going to be a big deal. Just know that it’s going to up your carb count for the meal.
However, if you are doing keto because you are controlling insulin levels through your diet, a sugary sauce can be a big issue. The sugar will cause your body to create insulin, so your levels will increase. Even one gram of sugar will likely increase your blood glucose levels. In this case, you need to be a bit more strict with what you wipe off and what you eat.
Wendy
