Nuts and seeds barely touch blood sugar. Most are mainly fat and protein with only a few grams of carbs per handful, so, like non-starchy vegetables, they have no GI. The three that have been tested, peanuts (14), cashews (22), and chestnuts (54), are all low. With nuts, the thing to watch is calories, not carbs.
Below are carbs and GI for 15 nuts and seeds, how each fits the major plans, the swaps that matter most, and a shopping list you can print.
Fewest carbs: flaxseed, chia, Brazil nuts, and pecans, 0–1 g per serving
Most carbs: chestnuts, 21 g. They’re starchy, more like a vegetable.
Worth knowing: a 30 g serving is a small handful, about 160–220 calories.
Nuts and seeds: carbs and GI for 15 compared
| Nut or seed | GI | Carbs | Serving | Fits these plans | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Flaxseed | No GI | 0 g | 1 tbsp (15 g) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Chia seeds | No GI | 1 g | 1 tbsp (15 g) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Brazil nuts | No GI | 1 g | 30 g (about 6 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Pecans Fewest carbs of the nuts |
No GI | 1 g | 30 g (about 19 halves) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Macadamias | No GI | 2 g | 30 g (10–12 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Hazelnuts | No GI | 2 g | 30 g (about 20 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Walnuts | No GI | 2 g | 30 g (about 14 halves) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Almonds | No GI | 3 g | 30 g (about 23 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Pumpkin seeds | No GI | 3 g | 30 g | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Sunflower seeds | No GI | 3 g | 30 g | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Peanuts A legume, tested like a nut |
14 | 4 g | 30 g | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Peanut butter, natural | 14 | 5 g | 2 tbsp (32 g) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Pistachios | No GI | 5 g | 30 g (about 49 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1 |
 |
Cashews Highest-carb nut except chestnuts |
22 | 8 g | 30 g (about 18 nuts) | All plans; portion-controlled on South Beach P1 and Atkins P1; smaller portions on keto |
 |
Chestnuts, roasted Starchy, unlike other nuts |
54 | 21 g | 50 g | Low-GI, Mediterranean; not keto, Atkins, or low carb |
Sorted by carbs per serving. “No GI” means too little carbohydrate to test; GL is effectively zero. Carbs are available carbohydrate (total carbs minus fiber). Peanuts, peanut butter, and cashews have a GL of 1–2 per serving; chestnuts, 11.
Why nuts are so low
Fat, protein, and fiber. A handful of almonds is mostly fat and protein, with fiber making up much of the remaining carbohydrate. There’s very little starch or sugar left to raise blood sugar.
They lower the meal around them. Studies have found that adding almonds to a meal of white bread lowered the blood sugar response to the bread. Nuts on oatmeal, in a salad, or alongside fruit pull the whole meal down.
Chestnuts are the exception. They’re low in fat and high in starch, closer to a potato than an almond. They still test low (54), but at 21 g of carbs per serving they belong in a different mental bucket.
Coatings change everything. Honey-roasted, candied, and chocolate-covered nuts add sugar. Plain raw or dry-roasted nuts are the versions this page describes.
Best picks
Lowest carbs (0–2 g)
- Flaxseed
- Chia seeds
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans
- Macadamias
- Hazelnuts
- Walnuts
Still low (3–5 g)
- Almonds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- Natural peanut butter
- Pistachios
Watch these
- Cashews (8 g)
- Chestnuts (21 g)
- Honey-roasted or candied nuts
- Trail mixes with candy or dried fruit
Smart swaps
| Instead of | Try | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| Pretzels | A handful of almonds | GL 17 → near zero |
| A chewy granola bar | Walnuts and a few berries | GL 12 → about 1 |
| Croutons on a salad | Toasted pumpkin seeds | Refined starch → 3 g carbs |
| Honey-roasted peanuts | Plain dry-roasted peanuts | No added sugar |
| Sweetened peanut butter | Natural peanut butter (peanuts and salt) | No added sugar |
Nuts and seeds shopping list
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Peanuts and natural peanut butter
- Pistachios in the shell
- Pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- Chia seeds and ground flaxseed
Reading the label:
- Natural peanut butter should list peanuts, and maybe salt. Some jars labeled “natural” still add sugar or palm oil.
- Skip honey-roasted, glazed, and candied nuts.
- Buy flaxseed ground, or grind it yourself. Whole flaxseeds tend to pass through undigested.
Tips to help you succeed
- Portion them out. I divide a bag of nuts into small containers when I get home. Eating straight from the bag is how a 30 g snack becomes 100 g.
- Buy pistachios in the shell. Shelling them slows you down, and the empty shells show you how many you’ve had.
- Add them to carb-heavy meals. Nuts on oatmeal, chia in yogurt, or seeds on a salad lower the blood sugar response to the whole meal.
- Use ground nuts as breading. Almond meal or crushed pecans make a crust for chicken or fish without the flour.
- Keep them cold. Walnuts and flaxseed go rancid at room temperature. Store them in the fridge or freezer.
How I eat nuts and seeds
A small handful of almonds or walnuts is my default afternoon snack, usually with an apple. Chia or ground flax goes into my oatmeal or yogurt, and I keep a jar of natural peanut butter for celery and apple slices.
Frequently asked questions
Do nuts raise blood sugar?
Very little. Most nuts have so few carbs that a GI can’t be measured, and a handful holds 0–5 g of carbohydrate. Eaten with other foods, they can lower the blood sugar response to the whole meal.
Which nuts are best for keto or low carb?
Pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, and walnuts have the fewest carbs, 1–2 g per serving. Almonds and seeds are close behind. Cashews (8 g) and pistachios (5 g) are higher, so keep those portions small.
Is peanut butter low glycemic?
Yes. Peanut butter tests at about 14, with a GL of 1 for two tablespoons. Choose one with no added sugar.
Are chestnuts low glycemic?
They test at 54, just inside the low range, but unlike other nuts they’re starchy: 21 g of carbs per 50 g. Treat them more like a starchy vegetable than a nut.
Can you eat nuts on South Beach or keto?
Yes to both. South Beach allows nuts from Phase 1 in measured portions, roughly a small handful a day. On keto, most nuts and seeds fit easily; just count cashews and pistachios more carefully.
Printable nuts and seeds list
A free one-page version of this list is coming soon. For the full printable set covering every food group, see the glycemic index food lists at Health List Now.
GI values vary between tests. This page is general information, not medical advice. Last reviewed October 2026.