If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best keto pork rinds for a healthy snack is, then we recommend Ole’ Uncle Porkers as the best one.
One of the most difficult parts of a ketogenic diet is figuring out which foods are appropriate for snacking.
There are a lot of resources available that deal with meal prep, but free time in between meals can be sparse, which is why many people have opted for eating a simple, delicious snack: pork rinds.
There are a lot of different brands out there and you might have a hard time figuring out which ones to go with, but don’t worry!
I’ve compiled a list of the best keto pork rinds on the market today.
Here are the top keto pork rinds we’ll be reviewing:
- Utz Pork Rinds
- Ole’ Uncle Porkers Pork Crisps
- Pork King Good Flavored Chicharrones
- 4505 Jalapeño Cheddar Pork Rinds
- Southern Recipe Classic Pork Rinds
Important Things to Consider When Going Keto
Ketogenic diets have gained tremendous popularity in recent years.
They were initially designed to help treat select medical conditions, such as epilepsy or diabetes, but the benefits of a low-carb, high fat diet have been found to impact people’s overall health in a positive way.
When paired with exercise, keto diets have the potential to completely transform physical and mental well-being.
Of course, going the keto route can sometimes be tricky.
In the modern world in which we live, finding affordable, ready-to-eat foods that aren’t laden with highly processed sugary ingredients can be a bit of a challenge.
That being said, it’s far from impossible and all it requires is a bit of research and planning to be successful.
How Ketogenic Diets Work
Ketogenic diets work by putting the body in a state of ketosis.
Most of the body’s cells use some type of sugar as their primary energy source, most typically glucose or a form of stored sugar called glycogen, which can be found in the liver and skeletal muscles.
When you eat carbohydrates, most of it ends up stored in fat cells or turns into easily usable sugar.
When your body runs out of sugar to use, it enters ketosis.
During ketosis, body fat is broken down in the liver to produce a form of energy called ketones. These ketones are then used to keep your cells functioning.
During a keto diet, a lack of carbohydrate consumption reduces the rate at which fat is stored and forces the body to use its fat reserves for energy.
This causes a significant degree of weight loss in addition to other effects such as lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.
This is also why a high level of fat consumption is important as it essentially becomes the body’s new preferred form of energy.
What Kind of Foods Are Compatible with Keto?
There are a lot of keto-friendly foods out there. Common sources of nutrition include:
- Cheese
- Butter
- Cooking oils (especially coconut oil)
- Eggs
- Fish
- Meat
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Non-starchy vegetables (spinach, cabbage, eggplant, cauliflower, etc.)
- Yogurt
- Sauerkraut
- Avocados
In addition to food, there are also quite a few drink options you can go with.
Obviously, sugary beverages are off the table, but that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for plain old water.
Some good drink choices are:
- Herbal tea
- Club soda
- Sparkling water
- Low carb vegetable Juices (celery and cucumber are common options)
- Almond Milk
- Coconut milk
- Flavored water
Things to Look Out for When Searching for Keto-Friendly Foods
Some brand foods that are marketed towards people going on a ketogenic diet can appear as if they’re a healthy option, but are full of ingredients that are definitely not good for you.
This issue can extend to supplements as well.
Many vitamin mixes and similar products are designed to deal with any potential nutritional deficiencies associated with ketogenic diets or to combat the effects of the keto flu, but might contain ingredients that are detrimental to health or are completely ineffective.
In addition, certain powder-based supplements use tricky language to cover the fact that they have some sugar in them to improve taste.
This added sugar, even if it’s a tiny amount, has the potential to kick your body out of ketosis.
Also, “sugar-free” items should be carefully watched.
Some companies market their products as sugar-free, but instead have sugar alcohols as a primary ingredient.
Sugar alcohols are less calorically dense than sugars and don’t raise blood sugar as much, but ultimately contain a ton of carbs that can easily put your ketogenic diet in jeopardy.
When searching for the ideal keto food, you should be on the lookout for something that has a decent amount of fat and protein and isn’t super processed, which is why pork rinds are an excellent food choice.
Why Pork Rinds are the Way to Go
Pork rinds, also known as chicharrones, are fried pieces of pig skin that are usually coated with some sort of seasoning.
They contain significant levels of protein and fat, with a very limited amount of carbohydrates, if any.
They’re also quite affordable, easy to find, and come in many different flavors that ensure you’ll never get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.
Of course, there are a lot of different pork rind varieties out there, some of which are really tasty and other ones that are not so much.
So, instead of having to go through a massive trial and error process to see which ones are worth snacking on, I compiled a list of the best keto pork rinds.
The Best Keto Pork Rinds Reviewed
Utz Pork Rinds
Made in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Utz Pork Rinds are a pretty versatile ingredient or standalone food. It comes in a large sized barrel and is very low in carbs.
The rinds are very lightly processed, containing only salt as an added ingredient and are marketed as a unique food addiction.
It can be used as a carb-free meat coating (great idea!), although there are other ways it can be utilized, such as in salads or in soups.
Pros
- Lots of value for your money (comes in huge tubs)
- Good breadcrumb substitute
- Has a neutral flavor, but still good
- Good mix of crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth pieces
- Crunchy pieces aren’t sharp or too hard
- Can be further seasoned with relative ease
- Container works well to prevent rinds from becoming stale
- Smells pretty good
Cons
- Rind pieces sometimes still have pig hair on them
- Sometimes comes without a safety seal
- Uninspired seasoning
- Comes in a huge container, but expires quickly
- Kind of greasy
- Fishy aftertaste
- Slightly overcooked
Ole’ Uncle Porkers Pork Crisps
Containing a limited array of ingredients, including pork skin, coconut oil, and cinnamon, Ole’ Uncle Porkers Pork Crisps has a poignant, all natural monk fruit flavor.
Despite its cinnamon coating, the rinds contain no sugar or sugar alcohols, making them keto compatible.
As most rinds are fried in lard, they develop a somewhat heavy and greasy quality, but Ole’ Uncle Porkers uses 100% coconut oil, which gives them a light, airy texture that’s easy on the stomach.
Its non-sugary, slightly sweet flavor profile makes it a good topping for yogurt.
Pros
- Light flavor and texture
- Overly large container prevents unwanted crushing
- Still somewhat sweet, but still sugar-free
- Can be used to easily scoop dips or similar foods
- No overbearing pork taste
- Good at sating cravings for sweet food
Cons
- Strong aftertaste
- A little on the expensive side
- Safety seal system is insufficient
- Coconut flavor can be a bit strong for some
- Needs more flavor coating
Pork King Good Flavored Chicharrones
Coming in multiple flavors, like Himalayan pink salt and vinegar, nacho cheddar, pizza, dill pickle, and salted butter, you’ll never be lacking in variety when it comes to Pork King Good Flavored Chicharrones.
Pork King is a woman-owned company and their products are designed with quality in mind. Their pork rinds have a salty taste and a light, but still crunchy texture.
Pros
- Flavor profiles are well put together
- Flavors are bold
- Nacho flavor has a very smooth heat
- Good for dipping
Cons
- Some flavors are slightly bitter
- Value for what you get is questionable
- Needs more seasoning
- Comes with a lot of hard pieces
- Too salty
4505 Jalapeño Cheddar Pork Rinds
Coming from pigs that are humanely raised from family farms without any antibiotics or hormones, the 4505 Jalapeño Cheddar Pork Rinds are made with a sharp cheddar flavor and salty undertones in mind.
4505’s business model is geared towards sustainability and is based around eliminating needless waste in the food industry.
Sourced pigs are fed a mixture of different feeds to ensure optimal nutrition is met, of which the health benefits are then passed on to consumers.
Pros
- Excellent food topping
- Not too salty
- Perfect amount of seasoning
- Grease taste isn’t overpowering
- Easy to eat (very melt-in-your-mouth)
Cons
- Spice is very underwhelming
- Cheddar taste feels a little processed
- Very expensive
- Greasy texture
Southern Recipe Classic Pork Rinds
Marketed as a good replacement for flour, Southern Recipe Classic Pork Rinds in multiple flavors, including sea salt and cracked black pepper, spicy dill, korean kimchi BBQ, and pineapple and chile ancho.
Southern Recipe is a family-owned company which has been operating for over 60 years and offers an array of different products that satisfy customer needs.
They offer regular pork rinds in addition to cracklins, with an option for purchasing baked rinds that have 35% less fat.
Pros
- Fresh feel
- Has lots of whole pieces, rather than chunks
- Very fluffy
- Unique flavors
- Doesn’t have a super strong pork taste
- Appropriate level of spice
Cons
- Little bit salty
- Flavor isn’t strong enough
- The rind smell tends to linger
- Not super keto friendly (has sugar/maltodextrin)
So, Which One Qualifies as the Best Keto Pork Rinds Brand?
The aforementioned snacks are all pretty good, but ultimately the best keto pork rinds are going to have to meet a few select criteria.
For starters, the brand has to be keto-friendly. As stated before, some brands will attempt to make themselves appear sugar-free, but actually aren’t.
Unfortunately, Southern Recipe has sugar as one of the main ingredients for some of its flavors, so that one is out.
Expense is an important consideration too. Eating keto shouldn’t have to break the bank, but some of these options are pretty high-priced.
Pork King and 505 are decent flavor-wise and have intriguing business models, but ultimately the cost is very prohibitive for the average person.
Even if it’s a good product, what you get isn’t worth what you pay for.
So, what are the best keto pork rinds?
My vote would have to go to Ole’ Uncle Porkers. They’re reasonably priced, have a highly palatable and unique flavor, are a very good addition to other foods, and aren’t overbearing in terms of grease or texture.
Utz comes in at a close second. The brand is better in terms of value, but ultimately is kind of bland and has some definite quality control issues.
