We all love crispy fried chicken, pork, or other meats and even vegetables. The crunchy coating gives a special taste and texture to anything it is added to. Unfortunately, the crunchy, crispy goodness is most commonly due to breadcrumbs.
When you are on the keto diet, both bread and breadcrumbs are one of the most obvious things that are not allowed, and with that goes all that tasty, breaded food.
Naturally, you might not want to give up the fried chicken so easily, so looking for a breading substitute that is keto-friendly is the next step. In the list below we have the 8 best keto-friendly and low-carb breadcrumbs substitutes that you can replace the regular breading with.
#1. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is one of the best breadcrumbs alternatives because of their texture, as well as their taste and their nutritional benefits. Coconut flour has a crumb-like texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that goes well with chicken or vegetables.
For best results dip your meat or veggies in an egg or coconut oil before coating them in coconut flour and then bake them or fry them until done.
What makes coconut flour one of the best choices to use as a breadcrumbs substitution is its nutritional benefits- it is low in net carbs, but it is high in fiber- which may help in keeping you full for longer, it is also high in MCTs- healthy fats that can help you create ketones and it is also sufficient in protein.
In 100 grams of coconut flour, there are 400 calories, 20 grams of protein, 13.33 grams of fat, 60 grams of carbs out of which 46.7 grams are fiber, and 13.3 grams of net carbs. (*)
See more: Coconut on keto diet
#2. Almond Meal
Almond meal or also known as almond flour is one of the best keto-friendly flour options available out there that you can also use as a breadcrumb replacement.
Almond meal is easily available in almost any grocery store, but it is also very easy to make your own, especially if you make almond milk yourself. You can make almond milk by blending previously soaked almonds in a blender with fresh water and then straining the milk through a nut milk bag.
What is left in the bag after straining is almond meal, which you can dehydrate in a dehydrator or you can dry it in a low-heat oven. This should give you a breadcrumb-size almond meal, but you can use a food processor to grind it as finely as you’d like. You can then use it to coat your food and then bake it or fry it.
Almond meal is also very nutritious as it is high in fat and protein and low in carbs. In 100 grams of almond flour there are 600 calories, 20 grams of protein, 53.23 grams of fat, 20 grams of total carbs out of which 6.7 grams are fiber, and 13.3 grams of net carbs. (*)
#3. Pork Rinds
If you want a zero carb breadcrumbs substitute, then pork rinds might be for you. Pork rinds are fried pork skin. They are light, airy, and flavourful and you can find them in most grocery stores in the chips section.
To use them as a breadcrumbs substitute you need to crush them. Instead of putting them in the food processor, you can get a bag and just use something heavy to crush them up to create some varieties in their texture.
Then dip the food in oil or egg and coat with the crushed pork rinds. After that, they are ready for baking or frying.
Nutrition-wise, 100 grams of pork rinds have 544 calories, 61.3 grams of protein, and 31.3 grams of fat. As said above, they are carb-free. (*)
#4. Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese is another favorite as a breadcrumbs alternative. It sticks well to meats and veggies, it bakes nicely and it gives any meat or vegetable an amazing cheesy taste.
You can dip your meat or vegetables in egg or oil and then coat them with Parmesan cheese and then bake them. You can also combine Parmesan cheese with other breading substitutes to create different textures and flavors.
We recommend mixing it with almond meal to create a slightly nutty and cheesy taste.
Parmesan cheese is very low in carbs but high in fats. In 100 grams of parmesan cheese, there are 420 calories, 28.42 grams of protein, 27.84 grams of fat, and 13.91 grams of net carbs. It doesn’t contain any fiber.
#5. Flaxseeds
Flaxseed is another keto-friendly breading replacement that has many nutritional benefits. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
There are numerous studies that show that flaxseed can be beneficial to human health, such as cardiovascular health, digestive health, as well as help lower the risk of some types of cancer. (*)
We recommend that you grind flax seeds into flaxseed meal (flaxseed flour). This makes it easier to stick to meats and vegetables. Flaxseed can be helpful to use as a breadcrumb substitute in meatballs, as well as for frying and baking.
In 100 grams of flaxseed, there are 534 calories, 18.29 grams of protein, 42.16 grams of fat, 28.88 grams of carbs out of which 27.3 grams of fiber and 1.58 grams of net carbs. (*)
#6. Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are also used as a breadcrumb substitute because of their texture, taste, and nutritional value- they are high in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber.
They tend to be harder to use for coating food when they are whole, but if you grind them up- make sesame seed powder, it might solve that problem. Before coating your meat or vegetables with sesame seed flour, we recommend that you coat them with butter, oil, ghee or eggs as they might help the sesame seeds stick to the food.
You can then fry or bake your food to enjoy a crunchy goodness.
In 100 grams of sesame seeds, there are 567 calories, 16.96 grams of protein, 48 grams of fat, 26.04 grams of carbs out of which 16.9 grams are fiber, and 9.14 grams of net carbs. (*)
#7. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are the undiscovered treasure of the keto-friendly breadcrumbs substitutes. They are small, round seeds that offer a great nutritional value- they are rich in fiber, fat and they are low in carbs.
They can be used to add a little crunch to your meat or veggies, and we recommend mixing them along with the almond meal and/or coconut flour to enhance their texture and taste. Dip your meat or veggies in egg, oil, or butter before coating them with chia seeds or with the chia seed, almond meal, and coconut flour mix.
In 100 grams of chia seeds there are 534 calories, 18.29 grams of protein, 42.16 grams of fat, 28.88 grams of total carbs out of which 27.3 grams are fiber, and 1.58 grams of net carbs. (*)
#8. Psyllium Husk Powder
Psyllium husk powder is another undiscovered treasure. The powder is mainly made out of fiber, so it is low-carb and you only need a little bit to make it work. It’s also a great keto thickener.
Using it as a breadcrumbs substitute by itself might not be for anyone’s taste, but adding it to other keto-friendly bread crumbs replacements such as almond meal or coconut four might be a better idea. It is a great way to add some body and additional texture to the keto-friendly breadcrumbs substitutes.
Dip your veggies and meat into some butter, oil or egg before coating them with the psyllium husk powder mix and then bake them or fry them to taste.
In 100 grams of psyllium husk powder, there are 375 calories, 100 grams of carbs, 75 grams of fiber, 25 grams of net carbs. (*)
Conclusion
In the list above we have the 8 best keto-friendly breadcrumbs substitutes you can try out!
Now you don’t have to give up the crunchy fried chicken or veggies, without worrying if you are going to stay in ketosis!
See more: Store-bought Zero Net Carb Keto Bread You Can Buy
*Image by depositphotos.com/HandmadePicture
