Is Creamy spinash & artichoke dip Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look past the marketing on the front of the package and go straight to the ingredient list. For a product to be truly Keto, it must be virtually free of carbohydrates that convert to sugar. Unfortunately, this dip contains three major red flags that break Ketosis.

The most significant offender is Unbleached Enriched Flour. This is pure wheat starch. Manufacturers add flour to dips to act as a thickening agent—a cheaper and more shelf-stable alternative to relying solely on the fats and proteins from cheese and cream. On Keto, wheat flour is strictly forbidden because it is a high-glycemic carbohydrate that will immediately kick you out of Ketosis.

Next, we see Sugar listed explicitly in the ingredients. While spinach and artichokes are healthy vegetables, they do contain natural sugars. However, the addition of processed table sugar increases the carb count unnecessarily. Even a small amount of added sugar is enough to disrupt the metabolic state of Ketosis, which requires keeping daily carb intake typically under 20-50 grams.

Finally, we must look at the Cornstarch. This is another thickening agent derived from corn. Like flour, cornstarch is a pure carbohydrate. It is often used in processed foods to create that thick, gooey texture without using expensive cheese or heavy cream. In a Keto dip, the thickness should come from the cheese and cream solids, not from corn or wheat starches.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this dip is a paradox. It provides a decent amount of fat from the Half & Half, Sour Cream, and Cheese, which is the ideal energy source for a Keto dieter. However, the Net Carbs are the dealbreaker. Net carbs are calculated as Total Carbohydrates minus Fiber. Because this product uses flour and cornstarch, the 'Total Carbs' number is too high to fit within a daily Keto limit.

For context, a standard serving of a high-quality Keto dip should have less than 4-5 grams of net carbs. Based on the inclusion of wheat flour and sugar, this product likely exceeds that significantly per serving. Therefore, while it is high in calories, those calories are coming with a payload of carbohydrates that makes it incompatible with a low-carb lifestyle.