When it comes to convenient, high protein snacks that satisfy your sugar cravings, you can’t go past protein balls. They’ve evolved so much since they first bounced onto the scene and they were these dry, chewy snacks that tasted like cardboard. Now, health brands have well and truly fine-tuned the protein ball, rolling them out in delicious flavours like salted caramel, cookie dough and, of course, cacao.
But it seems another bite-sized snack has arrived and it may be about to give the humble protein ball a run for its money. Enter, the ‘fat ball’ — a mouthful of high-fat, low-carb goodness delivered in spherical form. The snack trend is popular in the ketogenic diet community, where hitting a certain target for good fats is essential for accelerating fat loss and maintaining your energy levels. The idea is that on days where you haven’t had enough fat through other sources like avocado, eggs or fatty fish, you can simply pop a fat ball.
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While the name ‘fat ball’ may make you think of a lump of lard, they actually taste a lot like protein balls. But while traditional protein balls rely on ingredients like dates and fruit for sweetness, fat balls use high-fat, low-carb ones like nut butters and coconut. They also tend to incorporate things like MCT and collagen oil to bump up the energy-boosting fat content.
So, should you be munching on fat balls all day long in order to sustain energy and burn fat? Probably not. While the snacks contain good-for-you ingredients, the fat content tends to make them rather calorie-dense. Eating them on top of your normal diet is likely to send your calorie intake through the roof which can lead to weight gain. Even within the keto community, fat balls are contentious — as many people believe you should stick to ‘real foods,’ not ‘Frankenfoods’ that try to replicate high-carb foods.
That said, they’re certainly a much better alternative to many other, heavily processed snack foods. Having them as an occasional snack to help you power through the afternoon without the energy rollercoaster isn’t likely to do you any harm. Scroll through the gallery for 5 of our fave ketogenic fat ball recipes.
Coconut Matcha Fat Balls
See the recipe from Root and Revel here.
Nutty Coconut Fat Bombs
See the recipe from Bake Rita here.
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
See the recipe from Keto Krate here.
Ketosis Bites
See the recipe from Lee From America here.
Keto Paleo Bliss Balls
See the recipe from My PCOS Kitchen here.
