Pound cake

baked-goods

Pound cake

1/ 10Poor
Controversy: 2.6

Rated by 11 diets

0 approve1 caution10 avoid

How the diets react

Caution1
Disapproves10
Is Pound cake Healthy?

Mostly no — Pound cake is avoided by the majority of diets reviewed. 10 out of 11 diets recommend against it.

Nutrition Facts
Per 100g
Calories
402kcal
Protein
5.6g
Carbs
51g
Fat
20g
Fiber
0.5g
Sugar
32g
Sodium
310mg

Diet Ratings

KetoAvoid

Traditional pound cake contains 20-30g net carbs per slice from refined flour and added sugars. Incompatible with ketogenic diet despite higher fat content.

VeganAvoid

Pound cake is defined by high butter and egg content. Inherently non-vegan.

PaleoAvoid

Pound cake is made from wheat flour (grain), refined sugar, and contains dairy (butter, eggs). It violates multiple core paleo rules.

Pound cake is a highly processed dessert made with refined flour, butter, eggs, and added sugars. It provides minimal nutritional value and directly contradicts Mediterranean principles.

CarnivoreAvoid

Pound cake is made from grain flour and sugar. Both are explicitly excluded from carnivore diet. While it may contain eggs and butter, the grain and sugar content disqualifies it.

Whole30Avoid

Pound cake is explicitly prohibited as a baked good on Whole30. It contains grains, added sugar, and dairy. Violates both ingredient rules and spirit of program.

Low-FODMAPCaution

Traditional pound cake contains wheat flour (fructans) and may contain high-FODMAP ingredients. Some recipes use alternative flours. Monash data on standard pound cake is limited; portion size and recipe significantly affect FODMAP content.

Debated

Monash University has limited specific testing on pound cake. Clinical practitioners note that standard wheat-based pound cake is high-FODMAP, but gluten-free or almond flour versions may be low-FODMAP at restricted portions (1 small slice, ~30g).

DASHAvoid

Pound cake is high in saturated fat (butter-based), added sugars, and refined flour. Minimal nutritional value. Directly contradicts DASH guidelines on saturated fat and sweets.

ZoneAvoid

Pound cake is refined flour + sugar + saturated fat (butter). ~30g carbs, 15g saturated fat per slice, minimal protein. High glycemic load with no nutritional density. Impossible to balance in Zone meal.

Pound cake is defined by high butter and sugar content. Refined flour, minimal fiber, high saturated fat, and high added sugars. No meaningful anti-inflammatory nutrients. Highly pro-inflammatory.

Pound cake is high in fat (butter-based), sugar, and refined flour with zero protein and minimal fiber. Extremely calorie-dense with no nutritional benefit. Difficult to digest and highly likely to trigger nausea, bloating, and reflux on GLP-1s.

Controversy Index

Score range: 15/10. Higher controversy = more disagreement between diets.

Consensus2.6Divisive

Diet-Specific Tips for Pound cake

Low-FODMAP 5/10
  • Wheat flour varieties are high-FODMAP
  • Recipe variation significantly affects FODMAP content
  • Gluten-free or almond flour versions may be acceptable at small portions
  • Butter and eggs are low-FODMAP