Is Half and Half Keto? How to pick for the keto diet

Half and half is like its name implies, it is made from a combination of cream and milk. The fat content for half and half is commonly around 12%, but is also available in a range from 10% to 18%. This makes it suitable for improving the texture of liquids, making it more creamy and adding a light sweetness to it.

Half and half cannot be whipped so it cannot replace creams with higher fat content like heavy cream which is ideal for making desserts. It also cannot be used to thicken sauces as its fat content is not high enough.

Half and half is well suited to be used in drinks like coffee or tea, and can be added to light sauces to make it more creamy.

The best option for half & half in most cases and on keto the original half & half. Low fat half & half contains about half the amount of half compared to the original.

For people with lactose intolerance, you can try looking out for lactose free half & half.

Fat free half & half is usually made from skim milk, corn syrup, vegetable oil and thickeners which are not a healthy option and not recommended.

Also, some varieties have thickeners added such as carrageenan which are known to cause inflammation in the gut and may trigger inflammatory bowel disease (r). Check the ingredients label and avoid these.

Half & half can be simply made if you have milk and butter or milk and heavy cream.

With Milk and Butter

Mix together ⅞ cup (250ml) of milk with half a tablespoon of melted butter.

With Milk and Heavy Cream

Mix together ¼ cup of heavy cream with ¾ cup of milk for a cup of half & half.

Half & half is pasteurized and will have a long shelf life but should be stored in the refrigerator. The individual small containers for single servings are made to be shelf stable and don’t need to be stored in the fridge.

*A single individual container or the “mini-cups” each contain a 1 tablespoon serving.

* ”Keto Servings” calculates how many of the specified serving size can be taken per day to stay within 25 grams net carb limit.

Half & half is a good source of Vitamin B2, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus and zinc.

Half & half is a good option for the keto diet. However, don’t buy the fat free version as that is made from highly processed ingredients.

Use half & half to make sauces more creamy and add sweetness.

If you are looking for something to add to your coffee on a keto diet, other popular options include butter, coconut oil or MCT oil. You can also add some hydrolyzed collagen powder which will make the coffee smoother.