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Everything Keto at Cava

Eating out on a ketogenic diet can be tough! That’s why we’ve crunched the official data and put together this list of Cava keto options. This tool is interactive so you can change what counts 'keto-friendly' depending on your own dietary requirements.

As a default we're using 20g net carbohydrates as the maximum for keto-friendly options. When you are tracking your diet for keto, you'll want to keep track of your net carbohydrate intake, which equals total carbohydrates minus fiber.

For foods with slightly more carbs you might be interested in low-carb options at Cava.

Net Carbohydrate Limit

Proteins

1900g0g0g20g13gmg430mg0g
2801g1g0g19g23gmg540mg0g
2502g2g0g33g11gmg660mg0g
2202g2g0g21g14gmg510mg1g
2605g6g1g30g12gmg670mg3g
707g10g3g2g4gmg200mg3g
27025g31g6g9g12gmg690mg2g
19039g39g0g2g4gmg420mg0g

Extras

501g3g2g2g3gmg85mg0g
1007g9g2g2g7gmg440mg4g
3219g41g32g4g17gmg242mg27g
54013g17g4g36g36gmg1720mg4g
16018g19g1g2g9gmg65mg15g
11019g20g1g4g2gmg240mg2g
14022g22g0g2g6gmg45mg17g
19022g27g5g9g5gmg460mg3g
66026g31g5g50g37gmg1750mg5g
49031g38g7g50g38gmg1740mg5g
26044g46g2g7g5gmg190mg1g
81067g79g12g58g55gmg2190mg11g
57068g73g5g13g27gmg1060mg6g

Dips & Spreads

601g1g0g3g6gmg180mg0g
251g1g0g1g2gmg35mg0g
152g2g0g1g1gmg60mg1g
603g3g0g1g5gmg210mg2g
253g3g0g1g1gmg95mg1g

Bases

182g3g1g1g0gmg18mg1g
13219g21g2g5g4gmg221mg1g
11019g20g1g4g2gmg240mg2g
24736g39g3g8g7gmg423mg1g
23039g40g1g8g5gmg370mg3g
37053g53g0g18g10gmg510mg0g

Toppings

351g2g1g0g3gmg100mg1g
501g1g0g4g3gmg260mg1g
151g1g0g0g1gmg210mg1g
51g1g0g0g0gmg95mg1g
51g1g0g0g0gmg0mg0g
51g1g0g0g0gmg0mg0g
151g1g0g0g1gmg85mg1g
1602g9g7g2g15gmg10mg1g
452g2g0g0g4gmg230mg0g
103g3g0g0g0gmg0mg2g
404g5g1g1g3gmg0mg2g
12013g14g1g2g6gmg50mg1g

Drinks

11013g13g0g8g3gmg130mg12g
8021g21g0g0g0gmg0mg21g
15023g23g0g8g3gmg180mg22g
14234g36g2g1g0gmg24mg31g
16540g40g0g0g0gmg35mg40g

Dressings & Sauces

1700g0g0g0g19gmg65mg0g
1301g1g0g0g14gmg260mg0g
701g1g0g0g7gmg220mg1g
901g1g0g0g9gmg120mg0g
301g1g0g2g2gmg40mg0g
702g4g2g2g6gmg130mg0g
902g9g7g2g9gmg10mg1g

The basics of ordering Keto at Cava

  • Ketchup has a lot of sugar, so while it may not knock you out of ketosis, it is typically not recommended on a keto diet.

  • Water, coffee and tea are safe beverages for keto. You'll want to avoid soda completely. Diet sodas like Diet Coke, Coke Zero, and Diet Pepsi are all sugar free and keto-friendly. However, the artificial sweeteners in these drinks are known to increase sugar cravings, so we would not recommend them [Source].

What Counts as Keto?

Keto doesn’t necessarily mean zero carbs. A keto diet typically limits net carb intake to less than 50 grams per day—stricter versions of keto can be as low as 20 grams of net carbs a day. [Source]

What are net carbs and why do people doing keto count them instead of total carbs? Net carbs equal total carbs minus fiber, because the carbs in fiber are not digested and don’t cause the blood sugar increase that knocks you out of ketosis. [Source]

We’ve made a tool that lets you filter Cava menu items by net carbs. By default, this tool will show menu items under 20g of net carbs. Everybody has a different ketosis threshold, but most people will need to get under 50g net carbs to reach ketosis. General advice for people starting with this diet is to start with 50g, and go lower if your body is not reaching ketosis.

If you’re trying to eat a low-carb diet rather than a keto diet, we recommend you check out the list of low-carb menu items at Cava. How many carbs is low-carb? This depends on your weight, but is typically defined as less than 130g of carbohydrates per day [Source].

What Restaurants are Keto Friendly?

If you’re new to keto, you might be struggling with adjusting to this new way of eating. After all, it's not just a diet change, but an entire lifestyle change. Not only are your options more limited than ever, but sometimes you have to [explain what you're doing] to the people you're dining with!

Luckily in the few years alone, keto has gone from a niche diet a mainstream one. The spotlight has only grown on keto-friendly meals, with its proven track record of helping people with weight loss, as well as blood sugar control for type 2 diabetes [Source].

More and more restaurants are beginning to introduce low carb options to cater to those following a keto diet. Here are some our recommendations if you're looking for keto-friendly options at Salad restaurants.

Chipotle

One of the most popular fast-casual restaurants, Chipotle offers a variety of keto-friendly options. For your entrée, you can choose from a chicken, steak, or carnitas burrito bowl with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Just be sure to skip the rice and beans.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is another great option for those following a keto diet. For your main entrée, you can choose from a grilled chicken sandwich (without the bun of course), grilled nuggets, or a Cobb salad. And don’t forget to add a side of avocado ranch dressing – it’s delicious!

Panera Bread

Panera Bread is a great place to go for a quick and healthy meal. For your main entrée, you can choose from a variety of salads, including the popular Greek salad and the chicken Caesar salad. Just be sure to ask for no croutons and skip the bread.

P.F. Chang’s

P.F. Chang’s is a great option if you’re looking for something a little more filling. For your main entrée, you can choose from a variety of chicken, steak, and shrimp dishes. Just be sure to ask for no rice.

Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse is the classic place to go when you’re craving a steak. For your main entrée, you can choose from a variety of steak, chicken, and shrimp dishes. As long as you don’t get rice you are eating very keto-friendly!

These are just a few of the many keto-friendly restaurants that are out there. Next time you’re feeling hungry, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to find a delicious and keto-friendly meal.

On our Every Keto Option At Every Fast Food Chain Index, we have keto options at restaurant. Good luck, and happy ketosis!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know how many carbs to eat on a ketogenic diet?

This is a common question; the answer will vary from person to person. Some people can eat 50g net carbs and maintain ketosis. Other people can't go over 25 without breaking ketosis (however this is more rare).

The point of keeping net carbs lower (say around 25g) is to get you into ketosis faster and help you adapt faster.

Keep in mind that higher activity levels mean you can go higher without breaking ketosis. This is because highly active people will have higher muscle insulin sensitivity, which will help take up glucose from the blood instead of it interrupting ketosis.

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