Not Keto
Corn
16.70g net carbs per 1 ear
Corn packs 16.7 g net carbs into a single ear, which can use up most of a strict keto day in one side dish. Save it for a higher-carb day, since even a small portion adds up fast.
Built by Barron Hansen · Last updated July 2026
Nutrition Facts
Fits My Daily Budget?
Set your daily net carb limit to see how one serving fits.
One serving uses 84% of your 20g daily budget.
Plan the rest of your day
Good to Know
The starch here is mostly fast sugar, and sweeter hybrids like Silver Queen or supersweet varieties land even higher than older field corn. Watch the processed forms too: canned kernels often have added sugar, creamed corn is loaded with it, and a single corn tortilla or a handful of tortilla chips carries its own carb load. If you want that grilled-corn flavor without the kernels, a small amount of roasted poblano or a sprinkle of cotija with lime gets you closer for far fewer carbs.
Is Corn Keto? The Full Answer
Corn contains 16.70g net carbs per 1 ear (18.90g total carbs minus 2.20g fiber). Corn packs 16.7 g net carbs into a single ear, which can use up most of a strict keto day in one side dish. Save it for a higher-carb day, since even a small portion adds up fast.
On a standard ketogenic diet, most people target 20-25g net carbs per day. A single serving uses 84% of a 20g daily carb limit. If you are following a strict ketogenic protocol, reach for a lower-carb option instead.
Better Keto Swaps
Skip the corn and reach for these instead. Baby corn (the canned spears, not the cob) runs about 2 g net carbs per 1/2 cup, so you get that crunch and mild sweetness without the sugar load. Cauliflower is your best all-rounder at roughly 3 g net carbs per cup, riced or roasted, and it soaks up flavor the way corn never could. Want something off the cob for grilling night? Try grilled zucchini at about 3 g net carbs per medium one, charred and brushed with butter. Each of these keeps you well under what a single ear (16.7 g net carbs) would cost you.
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