Is Chili Oil With Black Bean Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look at the label to tell the story. The standard ingredient list for Chili Oil With Black Bean usually includes soybean oil, soybean, chili, monosodium glutamate, salt, sugar, sulfur dioxide, and sodium sulfite. Here is why these ingredients matter for your diet.

The primary concern for the keto diet is the inclusion of sugar. Even small amounts of added sugar can spike insulin levels and disrupt ketosis. In many Asian-style condiments, sugar is used to balance the heat of the chili and the saltiness of the soybean. Additionally, the use of soybean oil is a red flag for those concerned about inflammatory seed oils. While keto focuses on macros (fat/protein/carbs), a high-quality keto diet also emphasizes healthy fats like olive or avocado oil, not highly processed seed oils.

Furthermore, the inclusion of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and preservatives like sulfur dioxide indicates a highly processed product. While MSG is technically carb-free, many clean-eating keto followers prefer to avoid artificial flavor enhancers. The black beans themselves also contribute a small amount of carbohydrates, adding to the total net carb count that pushes this product out of keto limits.

Nutritional Value

When analyzing the nutritional profile of this chili oil, the fat content is high, which initially looks good for keto. However, the carbohydrate content is the deciding factor. A single tablespoon of this condiment can contain 1 to 3 grams of net carbs, largely derived from the added sugar and the black bean sediment.

For a standard ketogenic diet limiting carbs to 20-50 grams per day, using a generous serving of this oil could consume 10% or more of your daily allowance instantly. Furthermore, the calorie density is high due to the soybean oil, but without significant micronutrients to show for it. It provides 'empty calories' in the context of a nutrient-dense diet. Therefore, while it fits the fat macros, the sugar content makes it incompatible with the metabolic state of ketosis.