The Best Keto Brands: Speciality Recommendations

BOB'S RED MILL SUPER-FINE ALMOND FLOUR

DELICIOUS, AESTHETIC, FINE-GRAIN

Since we can’t use all-purpose flour (or many other types of flour) on a ketogenic diet, we still need something that we can bake delicious cakes, cookies, and treats with. Almond flour is a fantastic alternative to regular flour, giving us much more fats, much fewer carbohydrates, and only a little bit of protein.

Two words on the bag matter more than the brand: blanched and super-fine. Blanched keeps your cakes from coming out grey and speckled, super-fine keeps the crumb from turning to sand. It takes some experimenting, but it’ll be a staple in all things baked.

BOB'S RED MILL COCONUT FLOUR

HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PRICE

Similar to almond flour, this will be a staple in our kitchen also. Many times a recipe will call for a mixture of the two, being that coconut flour has a much higher absorptive property than almond flour. They work extremely well together, but don’t be fooled; coconut flour can stand alone and taste fantastic all the while.

Here’s what catches everyone out: coconut flour drinks liquid, so you can’t swap it one for one with almond flour without ending up with a dry brick. Think a quarter of the amount, plus an extra egg. Trust me, this one’s not worth passing up!

NOW PSYLLIUM HUSK POWDER

FIBER WITH A DELICIOUS WHOLE-WHEAT TASTE

From taste to texture, psyllium husk can be a fantastic ingredient to have around the kitchen. It’s extremely absorptive, adds that flavor of whole-wheat, and even gives a texture similar to that of whole grain flour.

So, when you’re making bread, muffins, donuts, or tortillas, psyllium husk can really give you that extra texture and flavor you need. That taste that subtly comes through as a baked wheat effect, while giving the realistic texture of using real flour.

Go for the powder rather than the whole husks, which stay visible as flecks in bread and don’t take up water evenly. If it’s fiber you want rather than baking, the whole husks are the ones. Don’t leave this one out of your pantry!

NOW XANTHAN GUM POWDER

THICKENS ANYTHING WITH A TINY AMOUNT

This strange substance is widely used in molecular gastronomy (the science of physical and chemical changes of ingredients in cooking), but is also quite well known in the keto world too.

Mainly used as a thickener, this net-carb-free powder goes a long way. Most recipes want a quarter teaspoon or less, so one small bag lasts months and it’s well worth buying up-front. From thickening stews to making ice cream, xanthan gum will be irreplaceable in your low-carb kitchen. One warning: too much turns a sauce into slime, so start with less than you think.

NOW SPORTS EGG WHITE PROTEIN

REALISTIC TEXTURES WITH NO ADDED FLAVOR

From cakes to breads, protein powder can add a consistency that will complement most things you want flour in. Use egg white specifically, not whey, because whey bakes up gummy and egg white sets the way you want.

This one is unflavored, with no sweetener to fight with your own. Grab a pound and it’ll last you 6 months or more. It’s not an everyday ingredient, but when a recipe needs it, it’s good to have one waiting in the back of the cupboard. Quality protein is key, and this one leads iHerb’s egg protein category.

WHOLESOME ALLULOSE

TASTES AND BAKES CLOSEST TO SUGAR

Allulose is a rare sugar that occurs naturally in figs and raisins. Your body absorbs it and passes most of it straight back out, so it lands at zero net carbs.

Bakers switched to it for behavior, not numbers: it dissolves, it caramelizes, it browns a cookie, and it keeps things soft the next day. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar, so use a bit more. If you buy one sweetener, buy this one.

LAKANTO MONKFRUIT SWEETENER WITH ALLULOSE

EASY 1 TO 1 SUBSTITUTION TO SUGAR

Two ingredients and that’s it: allulose plus a little monk fruit extract. The monk fruit brings the sweetness up to where sugar sits, so there’s no conversion math, and the allulose does the texture and browning.

No sugar alcohols in it, so no cooling sensation. If you’re making something sweet and you’re not sure how much to put in, this is the one to reach for. It’s made for easy measurements and little confusion.

LAKANTO GOLDEN

DELICIOUS CARAMELIZED FLAVORS MADE LOW CARB

Brown sugar is one of the hardest things to replace while on a ketogenic diet. Well, now we can!

Same two ingredients as the classic, just made to stand in for raw cane sugar, so you get the caramel note and the deeper color. From French toast to coffee cake muffins, this will help you get the flavor profile you want so badly, without the carbs.

STEVIA CLEAR LIQUID EXTRACT

NATURAL SWEETNESS THAT PACKS A PUNCH

Stevia has been hailed as the greatest sugar substitute in the last decade. A few drops is all you need, and a bottle this size lasts most people the better part of a year. Zero calories, a glycemic index of 0, and best in drinks rather than baking.

NOW FOODS PURE ERYTHRITOL

CHEAP BULK SWEETENER, WITH CAVEATS

Not all erythritol is created equally. NOW uses non-GMO ingredients in this affordable bulk sweetener.

Nutrition labels count it as carbohydrate, but our bodies do not break most of it down, so about 90% passes through. It leaves a cooling bite, and observational research since 2023 has linked higher blood erythritol levels with cardiovascular events. That signal is unsettled, but it deserves a caveat.

MACADAMIA NUTS

FATS AND CRUNCH COME TOGETHER

As one of the highest fat nuts available to us, macadamias are the perfect way to get in fats while having a change in texture.

From sprinkling into cream cheese to baking them into brownies, macadamias will be an awesome addition to any nuts you already have.

WALNUT HALVES & PIECES

GREAT TOPPER FOR ANY SALAD

Close to macadamias in the fat content, walnuts will be the second nut we take a look at.

With a softer, more decadent texture, walnuts will be great for sprinkling on top of things that we want to add creaminess to. While these do have a small crunch factor, they are also extremely soft and creamy when you bite into them, which makes them the perfect substitution for macadamias for both price and fats.

RAW PECANS

PERFECT ADDITION FOR ANY BREAKFAST

Pairing well with almost any breakfast recipe, pecans offer a delicious, sweet and salty combination.

Almost buttery in flavor, you can sprinkle these over any baked good for a better final product.

Pecans go extremely well with maple, so if you’re thinking about pancakes, waffles, muffins, or cupcakes, pecans will be your friend when you whip out the low-carb maple syrup.

NATURAL RAW ALMONDS

AFFORDABLE WITH A GREAT CRUNCH FACTOR

Almonds are a delicious, crunchy way to add the texture you need to pretty much anything. Sprinkle them toasted over green beans or spinach salads, or turn them into your own almond butter.

Being able to flavor your own nut butter is something we all take for granted, but with a little experimentation, you’ll be making a specialty batch for a fraction of the store price.

BOB'S RED MILL FLAXSEED MEAL

GREAT TASTE FOR A GREAT PRICE

Flax is practically a fiber supplement that’s full of fats and delicious to boot.

Used in combination with, or as a substitution for almond flour, flaxseed can be used in pretty much any baked goods. Having a hearty and earthy flavor, this can complement any of the bread or muffins you want to make to taste “whole grain”. Definitely, something that’s a must-have in your cupboard.

MAMMA CHIA ORGANIC CHIA SEEDS

TURNS LIQUID INTO PUDDING OVERNIGHT

Like flaxseed, chia seeds are a high fat product that is practically carb-free. These seeds are small and hard when you begin (like sesame seeds), but can soak up liquids and become soft, gooey, and delicious.

They’re a genuinely useful source of fiber, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, with a little plant protein on top. Mostly though, they earn their place for what they do to liquid: leave a spoonful in cream or almond milk overnight and you wake up to pudding.

Made into puddings, brownies, and even cookies, chia seeds are something you should keep around for those times you’re in the mood for something softer and gooier than normal. Chia is chia, so buy on price. Bob’s Red Mill does the same size if you’d rather keep flax and chia on one brand.

ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

KITCHEN STAPLE AT A GOOD PRICE

Coconut oil tastes great and can be used in almost every recipe you try. It’s solid at room temperature, it carries a natural sweetness, and it goes into fat bombs, curries and baked goods without a fight.

Virgin coconut oil is a medium heat oil rather than a high heat one, so use the ghee below when the pan needs to be properly hot. Coconut oil is a staple in most people’s households, and it should be one in yours, too!

GRASSFED GHEE

BUTTER FLAVOR, HIGHER SMOKE POINT

Also known as clarified butter, ghee can withstand higher temperatures than butter, with the label putting the smoke point at 485°F. It has the same nutritional qualities as butter, but most of the lactose and casein goes with the milk solids, which is why people sensitive to dairy often do fine with it.

It is still a dairy product, so traces remain. Used in many traditional Indian recipes, ghee is a great addition to your kitchen pantry, but if you don’t need the extra heat, then grass-fed butter will do the trick.

ORGANIC MCT OIL

OPTIONAL FAST FUEL, START SMALL

MCTs are shorter fat chains than the ones in most oils and the body handles them differently, which is why people stir a spoonful into coffee or take some before training. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have.

It’s unflavored, so it disappears into a smoothie or a dressing too, but it won’t put you into ketosis on its own. Start with a teaspoon: a tablespoon out of the gate is a well-known way to spend your morning near a bathroom.

SIMPLY ORGANIC PURE MADAGASCAR VANILLA

QUALITY FLAVOR WITH AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

Quality vanilla is something that all of us should have in our kitchen.

It makes the final flavor of all baked goods just that much better. This one is a non-alcoholic flavoring made from real Madagascar vanilla, used exactly like extract. Don’t waste your time with the imitation vanilla that leaves a chemical taste when you take the food out of the oven.