Keto Mediterranean Food: Your Low-Carb Guide

The shawarma meat itself is very keto-friendly -- it is grilled protein with fat and spices, essentially zero carbs. The carbs come from what you serve it with. A chicken shawarma pita sandwich has about 38g net carbs because of the bread. A chicken shawarma bowl on a greens base with no rice or bread has only about 8g net carbs. At Taza, you can order any shawarma as a bowl with a lettuce/greens base to keep it keto. Chicken shawarma bowls start at from $12.45.

Hummus contains roughly 4g of net carbs per 2-tablespoon (30g) serving. The carbs come from chickpeas, which are a legume. A full order of hummus at Taza ($4.95) contains several servings, so if you eat the whole dish, you could consume 15-20g of net carbs from the hummus alone. On a strict keto diet (under 20g net carbs per day), limit hummus to a few spoonfuls. Baba ghanoush ($4.95) is a lower-carb alternative at roughly 3g net carbs per serving.

Falafel is a borderline keto food. Each falafel piece contains roughly 5g of net carbs because it is made from ground chickpeas. Three pieces (about 15g net carbs) can fit into a keto day if the rest of your meals are very low carb. However, a full falafel pita sandwich with bread pushes well over 40g net carbs -- not keto-compatible. If you want falafel at Taza, order individual pieces (at $0.85 each) and eat them with tahini sauce instead of bread. Or order a falafel bowl on greens.

The lowest carb meal at Taza is a chicken shawarma plate with no rice, no bread, and a side salad -- roughly 5g net carbs, 42g protein, and 18g fat. The second lowest is a beef shawarma bowl on mixed greens with no rice -- roughly 6g net carbs and 38g protein. Both meals consist almost entirely of grilled meat and fresh vegetables with sauce. Add garlic sauce, tahini, and olive oil dressing for extra fat without adding carbs.

Yes. Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, which are high in fat and relatively low in carbs. A 2-tablespoon serving of tahini has about 2g of net carbs, 8g of fat, and 5g of protein. It is one of the most keto-compatible condiments at any Mediterranean restaurant. At Taza, tahini is included free with every order as one of our 14 toppings. Use it generously -- it adds healthy fats and flavor without spiking your carb count.

A Mediterranean-style keto diet is considered one of the more sustainable approaches to low-carb eating. It combines the carb restriction of keto with the healthy fat emphasis of the Mediterranean diet -- olive oil, tahini, nuts, and avocado instead of bacon and butter. Multiple studies suggest that Mediterranean keto may be easier to maintain than standard keto because the food is more varied and flavorful. At Taza, you can eat keto-friendly meals several times a week without repeating the same order, thanks to the combination of different proteins, sauces, and toppings available.