Is Ginger Keto? A Nutritional Therapist Breaks Down the Carbs, Benefits & Hidden Traps

I get asked about ginger at least once a week. Usually, it's someone who's just started keto, they're standing in Tesco staring at a knob of ginger root, and they've fired off a panicked message: 

"Suzie, is ginger going to kick me out of ketosis?!"

I get it. When you're watching every gram of carbs, even a root vegetable can feel like a risk.

So let me put your mind at rest straight away. Ginger is keto friendly. Completely. I use it in my own cooking all the time and I've never once had it cause an issue with my ketone levels.

But there's a catch. Not all ginger products are created equal, and some of them will absolutely wreck your macros if you're not paying attention. Crystallised ginger, I'm looking at you. 

Let me walk you through everything I know about ginger and keto, based on my training as a Nutritional Therapist and years of running The Keto Collective.

Fresh ginger root contains approximately 1.8g total carbs per 10g serving. Subtract the fibre and you're looking at around 1.6g net carbs. For context, that 10g piece is about a thumb sized chunk, which is way more than most recipes call for.

One teaspoon of grated fresh ginger? That's roughly 0.4g net carbs.

To put that in perspective, you'd need to eat about 125g of fresh ginger (an entire large root) to hit 20g net carbs. Nobody is doing that. Your mouth would be on fire long before you got close.

Ginger is also very low in calories. Minimal fat, minimal protein. It's basically a flavour delivery system that happens to come packed with health benefits. Your macros won't even notice it.

As a nutritional therapist, I actually recommend ginger to many of my keto clients. It's one of those rare ingredients where the health benefits are just as impressive as the flavour.

This is where people get tripped up, so pay attention.

Fresh ginger root has the lowest carb impact. About 1.6g net carbs per 10g. The flavour is bright and peppery with a bit of heat. I grate mine directly into stir fries, soups, and my morning lemon and ginger water. Dead easy.

Ground ginger powder is more concentrated. One teaspoon sits at roughly 1g net carbs, but the flavour is much stronger so you use less. I keep a jar in my spice cupboard at all times. It's brilliant for keto baking and spice rubs.

Now here's the one that catches people out.

Crystallised ginger (also called candied ginger) is coated in sugar. Proper sugar. A 30g serving can contain 20g or more of carbs. That's potentially your entire daily keto allowance gone in a few pieces. I had a customer once who couldn't work out why she'd been knocked out of ketosis. Turned out she'd been snacking on crystallised ginger from the health food shop thinking it was a "healthy" choice. It wasn't.

The rule is simple. If it's fresh or plain ground powder, you're golden. If it's sticky, sweet, or coated in anything, check the label very carefully.

I studied the therapeutic properties of foods during my diploma, and ginger was one that kept coming up again and again in the research. It's not just a folk remedy. 

There's proper science behind it.

The main bioactive compound in ginger is called gingerol. A study published at Science Direct found that ginger supplementation reduced several markers of inflammation in participants over an 8 week period.

This matters for keto because many people come to the diet specifically to reduce chronic inflammation. Adding ginger is like giving your body a helping hand with something it's already trying to do.

This one is personal for me. When I first started keto years ago, the increase in dietary fat left me feeling pretty rough for the first few weeks. Bloated, uncomfortable, the works. Ginger tea became my go to remedy and it genuinely helped.

There's research to back this up too. Ginger has been shown to speed up gastric emptying, meaning food moves through your stomach more quickly. Less sitting around in your gut means less bloating and discomfort.

If you're in the early weeks of keto and your digestion is being a bit difficult, try grating some fresh ginger into hot water after meals. It's old school but it works.

The antioxidants in ginger contribute to immune function. Living in the UK, we get about six months of grey drizzle and cold season. I'd rather have something useful in my mug than just hot water.

Ginger tea with a squeeze of lemon is my winter staple. Has been for years.

This is interesting and worth knowing about. A study published found that 2g of ginger powder per day improved fasting blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Now, if you're already on keto, your blood sugar is probably in good shape. But ginger may offer additional support, especially if you're using keto to manage insulin resistance. I always mention this to clients who are following keto for metabolic health reasons.

Quick note: I'm a qualified nutritional therapist, not a doctor. If you're managing diabetes or taking medication for blood sugar, have a proper conversation with your GP before making changes to your diet.

I'm not going to give you a generic list here. These are things I actually make in my own kitchen.

I slice about 5g of fresh ginger into a mug, pour over boiling water, and let it sit while I get ready. Sometimes I add half a lemon. Takes about 30 seconds to prepare and it wakes up my digestion before breakfast. Barely any carbs to speak of.

My go to stir fry starts with coconut oil, a clove of garlic, and a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger. Add some coconut aminos and a splash of sesame oil and you've got a flavour base that makes any combination of meat and veg taste incredible. My family requests this at least twice a week.

Ground ginger mixed with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper makes a brilliant rub for chicken thighs or pork belly. I batch make this and keep it in a jar. Saves faffing about measuring spices every time I cook.

This is a cold weather favourite. Fry onion and garlic, add grated ginger, pour in coconut milk, and chuck in whatever keto veg you've got. Cauliflower works particularly well. Blitz it smooth and you've got something warming, filling, and properly low carb.

I'll level with you. I don't always want to cook. Some days I just want to reach into the cupboard and eat something that tastes like gingerbread without spending 45 minutes in the kitchen.

That frustration is actually why we developed our Spiced Ginger Keto Cookies. They're the newest flavour in our range and honestly, I'm a bit obsessed with them.

Each cookie has 1.5g net carbs and 148 calories. The flavour comes from real ginger combined with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. It tastes like proper gingerbread. Not a sad low carb imitation. The real deal.

What's actually in them:

• Almonds providing healthy fats and a satisfying nutty base
• British grass fed butter for richness and texture
• Chicory root fibre which adds natural sweetness and supports gut health
• Golden flaxseeds for fibre and omega 3 fatty acids
• Real ginger and warming spices for that authentic gingerbread kick

No maltitol. No erythritol. No artificial sweeteners whatsoever. Just real ingredients that your gran would recognise.

I eat mine with a cup of ginger tea in the afternoon. It's become a bit of a ritual.

This is something I bang on about constantly and I make no apologies for it.

The health food aisle is full of ginger products that look keto friendly but absolutely aren't. Ginger chews, ginger snaps, ginger kombucha, ginger energy balls. 

Most of them are loaded with sugar, honey, agave, or some other sweetener that'll send your blood glucose through the roof.

I've lost count of how many customers have told me they got knocked out of ketosis by something they assumed was fine because it had "ginger" or "natural" on the label.

My advice? Flip the packet over. Every single time. Read the ingredients list and check the carb count per serving. If sugar, glucose syrup, or honey appears anywhere in the first five ingredients, put it back.

Fresh ginger root and plain ground ginger powder are your safest options. Everything else needs proper scrutiny.

Ginger is safe for the vast majority of people, but a few things are worth mentioning.

Eating too much can cause heartburn, stomach discomfort, or loose stools. I'd suggest starting with small amounts if you're not used to it. A teaspoon of grated ginger in a meal or a few slices in tea is a sensible starting point.

Ginger has mild blood thinning properties. If you're taking anticoagulant medication such as warfarin, speak to your doctor before regularly consuming large amounts.

Allergic reactions are uncommon but not impossible. If you develop a rash, swelling, or itching after eating ginger, stop and see your GP.

For most people, a few grams per day is perfectly fine. I consume ginger almost daily and have done for years without any issues.

On a standard ketogenic diet you're aiming to stay under 20 to 50g of net carbs per day. A normal amount of ginger in cooking or tea barely registers against that allowance.

But here's where I see people occasionally slip up. If you're having ginger tea in the morning, ginger in your lunch stir fry, a ginger supplement in the afternoon, and ginger in your evening curry, those small amounts do accumulate. Probably still not enough to cause a problem, but it's worth being aware of.

I track my food in a simple app and I'd recommend doing the same, at least until you get a feel for how much ginger you're using across the day.

Ginger is one of the most keto friendly ingredients in your kitchen. At roughly 1.6g net carbs per 10g serving, it's never going to be the thing that derails your diet.

But it's the health benefits that really make it worth using regularly. Anti-inflammatory support from gingerol, better digestion, immune defence during the colder months, and potential blood sugar benefits. That's a lot of value from one little root.

Stick to fresh ginger and plain ground powder. Steer well clear of anything crystallised or sugar coated. And if you want that warming gingerbread taste without any hassle, our Spiced Ginger Keto Cookies were made for exactly that!

Now go put the kettle on and make yourself a ginger tea. You've earned it.

Suzie Walker is a qualified Nutritional Therapist (dipNT.CNM) from the College of Naturopathic Medicine London and co founder of The Keto Collective. She has been featured in The Express, The Telegraph, and numerous health publications.