Mayonnaise is one of the most versatile condiments on the market, but not all mayonnaise is created equal when it comes to the keto diet and your health.
Is mayo keto-friendly? Yes, mayo is keto-friendly because it’s high in fats and very low in carbs and therefore will not affect kick you out of ketosis. However, many mayonnaise brands contain soy and vegetable oils that many people may want to avoid on a keto diet.
Before you start incorporating mayo while on the keto diet, it’s important to understand what ingredients to avoid when selecting a keto-friendly mayo so that you’re getting the highest quality product.
After reading this article you’ll learn:
- What to look for in a keto-friendly mayo
- The top 5 brands of keto mayo
- How to make your own keto-friendly mayo
- What health benefits mayo could have for those on keto
What To Look For In A Keto-Friendly Mayo
In a keto mayo you should look for:
- Higher Quality Fats
- Less Sugar
Higher Quality Fats
One of the main features to look for in a keto mayo is the quality of the fat that the mayo contains because although the quality of fat won’t kick you out of ketosis, it will affect your overall health.
Some healthier sources of fat to look for in mayo are avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil because they’re lower in saturated or trans fat which are the types of fat that should be limited for improved health outcomes.
The main oils to avoid when selecting a keto-friendly mayo are vegetable oils, canola oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil because they’re lower in quality and therefore shouldn’t be consumed regularly on the keto diet or in general.
Be sure to check the ingredient list thoroughly because some mayo brands that say they’re made with olive oil or avocado oil are not made with just these oils. If you read the ingredient label you will quickly see that many brands still contain more vegetable oil than avocado or olive oil.
Less Sugar
With the keto diet, it’s best to minimize your carb intake to stay in ketosis and encourage weight loss, so it’s best to choose a mayo that is low in sugar.
Many great keto mayo products don’t contain any sugar or even sweetener but still taste great, these would be the best option. If you’re someone who does prefer a little sweetness in your mayo, then be sure to choose one with less than 1 gram of carb per serving.
It’s not worth wasting carbs on condiments like mayo because they won’t keep you full, and when you only have around 25 grams of net carbs per day, you’ll want the carbs that you do consume to help with controlling hunger.
The Top 5 Best Brands Of Keto Mayo
#1 Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayonnaise is fantastic because the first ingredient in this mayo is avocado oil, which is one of the healthiest fats and it gives this mayo a fantastic flavor.
Additionally, this mayo is a great option because it doesn’t contain any vegetable oils, sugars, or sweeteners. The attention to detail in this product is evident based on its use of free-range egg yolks.
They were intentional about using high-quality ingredients that you can feel good about eating when creating this keto mayo. In addition to the jar, they also make a keto-approved Sir Kensington’s Squeeze bottle which is my personal preference.
#2 Chosen Foods Keto Mayo
nnaise Varieties
Another great mayo for the keto diet is Chosen Foods Traditional Keto Mayo, which is made with coconut oil rather than avocado oil. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides that are a great source of fuel for the keto diet, but coconut oil does have a unique flavor that may not be for everyone.
For this reason, Chosen Foods does have other keto-approved mayo made with avocado oil which is a more neutral flavor. They have an avocado oil traditional mayo as well as a black garlic mayo for those who like a more flavorful mayo.
#3 Primal Kitchen Mayo
The Primal Kitchen Keto-Friendly Mayo is another great option for those on the keto diet because it’s made with avocado oil, its sugar-free, and has minimal ingredients.
the Primal Kitchen Keto Mayo comes in a variety of flavors with a Traditional Mayo, a Chipotle Lime Mayo as well as a very tasty Garlic Aioli Mayo. Primal Kitchen is the best keto mayo brand for those who enjoy different mayo flavor profiles.
#4 Better Body Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise 
The Better Body Foods Avocado Oil Mayonnaise is another popular keto-friendly mayo on the market because of its sweeter flavor which is more characteristic of regular mayonnaise.
It has a sweeter taste because it contains coconut palm sugar, even though the nutrition label says it has zero carbs per serving. This means that although it does contain coconut palm sugar, it has less than one carb per serving.
When a product contains less than 1 gram of a nutrient, the label can say that it has zero grams of that nutrient but we know that it isn’t zero grams of sugar because it’s listed on the ingredient list.
This is one of the tastiest keto-friendly mayo products on the market and is only in fourth place because it contains sugar. Though not enough to affect ketosis, I know some people do not like to eat anything that even has trace amounts of sugar in the ingredient list.
#5 Coconaise Real Mayonnaise
In 5th place is the Coconaise Mayo which is made with coconut oil and is lower in sugar. However, this mayo does contain sugar and sunflower oil.
Similar to Better Body Foods Mayo, the nutrition label of the Coconaise mayo claims it has zero carbs per serving despite having sugar on the ingredient list because it contains less than 1 gram of sugar per serving.
This mayo makes the top 5 list because it tastes phenomenal and is still better than traditional mayo for the keto diet, but it’s in 5th place because it does contain sunflower oil and sugar.
Homemade Keto Mayo Recipe
Another great way to incorporate mayo while doing the keto diet is to make your own keto mayo. By making it yourself, you can ensure that the mayo contains high-quality keto-friendly ingredients.
Homemade Keto Mayo Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 Cups of Avocado Oil
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 5 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tsp Redmond’s Real Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Paprika
- 1/2 to 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients except for the avocado oil into a food processor and blend for about one minute.
- While mixing, slowly add the oil into the food processor incrementally to let the oil emulsify with the egg yolks.
- Once it reaches the desired consistency, refrigerate the mayo.
- Consume within 5-7 days.
Other Health Benefits Of Mayo For Keto
The other health benefits of mayo are that it:
- Lower Risk Of Heart Disease
- Decreases Inflammation
Lowers Risk Of Heart Disease
Using a keto-friendly mayo with healthier fats like avocado oil or coconut oil can help to reduce your risk of heart disease because using healthier fats can lower your cholesterol
Choosing a high-quality keto-friendly mayo can help to provide you with the healthy fats that you need to help you achieve your weight loss goals and also improve your cardiovascular health.
Decreases Inflammation
Choosing a mayo with healthier fat can also help to reduce your overall inflammation which could improve your skin, joints, and digestion as you age.
Opting for healthier sources of fat like avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil can help to reduce inflammation whereas fats like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil could actually cause inflammation.
Final Thoughts
Mayo is a keto-friendly food but there are certain brands of mayo that are better than others for the keto diet and your overall health based on the quality of ingredients that are included.