Fruits for Keto diet get you some energy and satisfy your cravings. These fruits contain less than 5 grams of carbs per serving and should be eaten in abundance. Below are the best fruits for the keto diet that you should eat when following the keto diet plan. List of fruits for keto diet .Nowadays, there are numerous viable approaches so as to tackle the ketosis subject. This is a list of not just vegetables and fruits, but also other products which can make your mission a little bit easier!
Nutritious Keto-Friendly Fruits
The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a very low carb, high fat eating plan on which carb intake is often restricted to less than 20–50 grams per day.
As such, many high carb foods are considered off-limits on this diet, including certain types of grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruits.
However, some fruits are low in carbs and can fit into a well-rounded keto diet.
Some are also high in fiber, an indigestible type of carb that doesn’t count toward your total daily carb count. That means they contain fewer net, or digestible, carbs. This is calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbs.
Here are 9 nutritious, tasty, and keto-friendly fruits.
1. Avocados
Though avocados are often referred to and used as a vegetable, they’re biologically considered a fruit.
Thanks to their high content of heart-healthy fats, avocados make a great addition to a ketogenic diet.
They’re also low in net carbs, with around 8.5 grams of carbs and nearly 7 grams of fiber in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving
Avocados provide an array of other important nutrients as well, including vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, and potassium
SUMMARY
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of avocado contains around 1.5 grams of net carbs. They’re also high in vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, and potassium.
2. Watermelon
Watermelon is a flavorful and hydrating fruit that’s easy to add to a ketogenic diet.
Compared with other fruits, watermelon is relatively low in net carbs, with around 11.5 grams of carbs and 0.5 grams of fiber in a 1-cup (152-gram) serving
That said, depending on your daily carb allotment, you may need to adjust your portion sizes to fit watermelon into your diet.
Watermelon is likewise rich in a variety of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, and copper
Plus, it contains lycopene, a plant compound that acts as an antioxidant to decrease cell damage and fight disease
SUMMARY
Watermelon is relatively low in net carbs, containing 11 grams of net carbs in a 1-cup (152-gram) serving. It also contains several other nutrients and is a good source of the antioxidant lycopene.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries are nutritious, delicious, and brimming with health benefits.
Low in carbs and high in fiber, strawberries can fit seamlessly into a low carb or ketogenic diet.
In fact, a 1-cup (152-gram) serving of strawberries provides just 11.7 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber
Strawberries are an excellent source of other micronutrients as well, including vitamin C, manganese, and folate
Plus, like other types of berries, strawberries are loaded with antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and procyanidins
SUMMARY
Each cup (152 grams) of strawberries provides 8.7 grams of net carbs. They also contain a host of antioxidants, as well as vitamin C, manganese, and folate.
4. Lemons
Lemons are a popular citrus fruit used to flavor drinks, meals, and desserts.
Lemons can be a great addition to the ketogenic diet, with approximately 5.5 grams of carbs and 1.5 grams of dietary fiber in each fruit
They’re especially rich in pectin, a type of fiber that can help stabilize blood sugar levels, fight inflammation, and slow the growth of cancer cells
Lemons are also high in several other nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6
SUMMARY
Lemons can be a great addition to a ketogenic diet, with 4 grams of net carbs in each fruit. They also contain pectin, a type of fiber associated with several health benefits.
5. Tomatoes
Despite being used as a vegetable in many meals and recipes, tomatoes are botanically classified as a fruit.
With a significantly lower carb count than many other fruits, tomatoes are easy to fit into a balanced ketogenic diet.
One cup (180 grams) of raw tomatoes contains about 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber
What’s more, tomatoes are low in calories and high in beneficial plant compounds, including lycopene, beta carotene, and naringenin
SUMMARY
Tomatoes provide only 5 grams of net carbs per 1-cup (180-gram) serving. They also contain antioxidants like lycopene, beta carotene, and naringenin.
What Are the Best Low-Carb Fruits to Eat on a Keto Diet?
The keto diet can help increase your chances of weight loss. But if you don’t eat the right kinds of fruits, and in the right amount, you may kick yourself out of ketosis and stall your weight loss efforts.
Avocados, raspberries, and lemons are keto-friendly fruits when eaten in moderation.
Fruit is known to be high in carbs, so you might think nature’s candy is off-limits on the trendy, high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet.
Think again.
With the right picks, you can enjoy fruit on a keto diet. You just need to school yourself on which fruits are a good fit via a keto diet food list and then enjoy them in moderation.
A Primer on the Keto Diet and Ketosis
First, it’s important to understand how keto may help you lose weight. The purpose is to kick your body into ketosis, a natural metabolic state that forces your body to burn fat rather than carbs. This happens because, on the keto diet, you’re usually taking in 50 grams (g) or fewer of carbs per day, says Deborah Malkoff-Cohen, RD, CDCES, a nutritionist based in New York City. While several variations of the keto diet exist, the standard approach to this plan requires you to take in about 70 to 80 percent of your calories from fat, 20 percent from protein, and 5 percent from carbs, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Because some fruits have more carbs than others, knowing which ones to avoid is key for accelerating weight loss and reaping other possible benefits of keto. Just know that large, long-term, randomized controlled trials on the keto diet are limited, so it’s unclear whether keto is safe and effective to follow for the long haul, according to Harvard Medical School.
Also important before you jump on the bandwagon is to know that keto can pose health risks to some individuals, including people with type 1 diabetes and people with type 2 diabetes who are on medication, people who are at risk for heart disease, people with kidney disease, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to a recent review.
What Fruits to Eat on a Low-Carb Keto Diet
If you’ve decided keto is a good fit for your wellness goals, and you want to add fruit to your meal plan, choose fruits with the least amount of net carbs, which is the total amount of carbohydrate content in a fruit minus its fiber content (since the body can’t digest fiber), according to the website for the popular low-carb Atkins diet. The keto diet allows for about 25 g of net carbs per day, per the healthy-lifestyle website Ruled.me. Dietitians recommend reaching for the following fruits.
1
Avocados
Can’t get enough avocados? You now have a great excuse to eat more of the creamy green fruit. A ½ cup of sliced avocado has almost 11 g of fat and fewer than 3 g of net carbs, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. While they can be nutritionally dense because of their fat content (that same ½-cup serving contains 117 calories), a little goes a long way as a sandwich spread, salad topper, or dip. You’ll also get plenty of fiber (17.5 percent daily value, or DV) and potassium (354 milligrams [mg], or 7.5 percent DV).
2
Blackberries
Whether you’re adding them to a recipe or snacking on a handful of them raw, blackberries can make a great addition to your keto meal plan. A ½-cup serving barely contains any fat (less than half a gram) and is also low in net carbs, with just 3 g, according to USDA data. The same size serving offers nearly 4 g of fiber (13 percent of your DV) and 3.5 g of sugar. Blackberries also provide 117 mg of potassium, 15 mg of vitamin C, and 14 mg of vitamin K. This low-cal fruit is also a great snack for weight loss, containing about 31 calories per ½ cup.
3
Tomatoes
Some people group tomatoes with vegetables, but a tomato is actually a fruit. A cup of cherry tomatoes contains fewer than 30 calories and has around 4 g of net carbs, according to USDA data. Their lower calorie count is due to their high water content, but research shows that tomatoes also contain many antioxidants, including beta carotene, vitamin C, and lycopene. A June 2021 study published in the journal Molecules found that lycopene, a plant-based pigment, has anti-cancer properties and also may help prevent heart disease.
4
Rhubarb
This red-stalked fruit isn’t often seen outside of its growing season, from spring to mid-summer, according The Old Farmer’s Almanac, although it can be frozen or pickled. One diced cup of this tart produce delivers more than 2 g of fiber for 26 calories, according to USDA data. It’s also got some bonus protein, potassium, and vitamins C and A. The fruit’s tart flavor can be enjoyed raw, roasted, or pureed in a small, low-carb smoothie. Just remember to remove the leaves before eating, as they can be toxic in large amounts due to oxalic acid, according to MedlinePlus.
5
Star Fruit
Carambola, or star fruit, is native to Asia and more common there than in the United States, according to the USDA. It’s named for the shape it resembles when sliced and has a sweet and sour taste. And it’s worth a try if you’re on keto and want to add some variety to your diet. A cup of cubed star fruit contains about 5 g of net carbohydrates, with nearly 4 g of fiber, per the USDA. It’s also low in calories (around 40 per cup) and contains potassium and vitamin C.
6
Raspberries
These berries contain flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that can help reduce blood pressure and promote healthier arteries, lowering your risk of heart disease, according to an article published in June 2021 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. A cup of fresh raspberries has 64 calories but a whopping 8 g of fiber. With a little more than 5 g of sugar, the net carbs of that serving comes to under 7 g, according to USDA data. They’re great eaten as a snack or as a topping for oatmeal or yogurt.
Fruits and berries: A keto guide
Most fruits and berries contain quite a lot of carbs. That’s why they taste sweet. They can be seen as nature’s candy.
In general, the sweeter or larger the fruit, the more sugar it contains. On a keto diet, while berries are fine in moderation, it’s best to avoid other fruits.
Below is a visual guide. On the left are the best keto choices.
Each number represents the net carbs in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of each berry.
So, for example, 100 grams of blueberries (approximately 3 handfuls) would have 12 grams of net carbs.
Carbs list
See the complete carbs list for berries
On a keto diet, small amounts of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries are okay.
Be careful with blueberries, because their carbs can rapidly add up. Eat only small portions infrequently, or not at all.
Fruits
Because other kinds of fruit are fairly high in carbs, they’re not a great fit for a keto diet. Again, each number represents the net carbs in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of each fruit. See the complete carbs list for fruits:
Carbs list
See the complete carbs list for fruits
For example, one medium-sized orange (weighing approximately 130 grams) has about 12 grams of carbs.
If you eat a large apple (about 25 grams of carbs) or a medium-sized banana (24 grams of carbs), you will have exceeded your daily carb limit on a keto diet.
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Fruit = Nature’s candy
On a keto diet you can have some berries every so often and it won’t likely take you out of ketosis. You might even be able to eat a few cherries or a small plum. Be careful, however. And if in doubt, you may want to measure your ketones to learn how fruit affects you.
Don’t we need to eat fruit to get important vitamins and minerals? No, you can get those same nutrients from vegetables.
In fact, some vegetables, like bell peppers and kale, have more vitamin C than any of the citrus fruits — and a lot less carbs and sugar.
What fruits can I eat on a ketogenic diet?
From time to time you may be able indulge in a modest amount of fruit as a treat, while still staying in ketosis. Try topping it with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
Here is a list of the top 10 fruits you can eat on a ketogenic diet, along with the net carbs contained in one serving:
- Raspberries: Half a cup (60 grams) contains 3 grams of carbs.
- Blackberries: Half a cup (70 grams) contains 4 grams of carbs.
- Strawberries: Eight medium-sized (100 grams) contain 6 grams of carbs.
- Plum: One medium-sized (65 grams) contains 7 grams of carbs.
- Kiwi: One medium-sized (70 grams), contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Cherries: Half a cup (75 grams) contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Blueberries: Half a cup (75 grams) contains 9 grams of carbs.
- Clementine: One medium-sized (75 grams) contains 9 grams of carbs.
- Cantaloupe: One cup (160 grams) contains 11 grams of carbs.
- Peach: One medium-sized (150 grams) contains 13 grams of carbs.
The 16 Lowest-Carb Fruits You Can Actually Eat On The Keto Diet, According To Dietitians
If you’re on the keto diet, you know it requires you to pay attention to the nutrition label on everything you eat. On this high-fat plan, you’re only getting five to 10 percent of your calories from carbs in order to stay in ketosis, a.k.a. a state where your body is burning fat rather than carbs for energy. And while fruit is normally considered a healthy food, it’s also pretty high in carbs since it has natural sugars. That doesn’t mean this refreshing snack is completely off the table—you just need to pick keto fruits.
TBH, a lot of fruits that are low-cal and a staple in other weight loss diets are not keto-friendly. Take blueberries, for example: One cup contains about 18 grams of net carbs (that’s total carbs minus fiber), which accounts for pretty much an entire day’s worth of carbs on the keto diet since you’re supposed to eat fewer than 20 grams of net carbs a day.
But you should still try to incorporate it because you definitely want the fiber that fruit provides. “Fiber can help keep us full, keep the bowels regular, and helps manage cholesterol levels,” says Melissa Majumdar, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Fiber needs are 25 grams for most.”
“Often fruit is mostly or completely excluded from the keto diet, which removes many options for high-fiber, -vitamin, -mineral, and antioxidant foods,” says Seattle-based registered dietitian Ginger Hultin, who is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the owner of ChampagneNutrition.
Knowing the carb content of your fruit is crucial to making sure it can fit in. “Most fruits provide about 15 grams of carbohydrates per 1/2-cup serving, or about the size of a tennis ball,” says Majumdar. “Choosing fruit as your source of carbohydrates is a good choice because of the nutrient punch they pack and the overall lack of fiber on the keto diet.”
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What fruits are off-limits on keto?
Fruits to avoid while on keto due to their high net carb include the following, according to Jonathan Valdez, RDN, the owner of Genki Nutrition and a spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Mango. One cup = 22 grams of net carbs
- Banana. One medium banana = 24 grams of net carbs
- Pineapple. One cup = 19 grams of net carbs
- Dried fruits (like pitted dates). Half cup = 60 grams of net carbs
To incorporate fruits into a keto diet, Valdez recommends creating a list of fruits with the lowest net carb. “Then, try to think about creative ways that these fruits can be combined into your meals, such as using them as an ingredient for low-carb smoothies, breakfast spreads, or muffins,” he says.
1. Avocados
Yep, this creamy delight is actually a fruit—and it’s a keto diet godsend. Not only does half of an avocado contain a glorious 15 grams of heart-healthy fat, but it has less than two grams of net carbs, per the USDA’s National Nutrient Database. They’ve also been studied to lower levels of LDL cholesterol.
These make great additions to smoothies, says Sarah Jadin, RD, who specializes in keto diets. Still, even with avocado you need to be mindful of how much you’re eating in relation to your carb allowance, she notes.
2. Olives
Olives are another fruit you definitely didn’t think were a fruit—so they totally count. Not only are they known for their anti-inflammatory effects, they’re also great for heart health.
Ten small olives pack about three grams of fat and about 1.5 grams of net carbs. Bonus: they’re salty, and getting enough sodium is important when following a keto diet, says Jadin.
3. Coconut
Coconut is loaded with fiber (one cup has 7.2 grams), which is super healthy for your gut. Plus, it’s also been studied for its MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil content that may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s.
One-half cup of shredded coconut meat yields 13 grams of fat, and a respectable 2.5 grams of net carbs. Sugar is often added to coconut, so make sure you’re buying unsweetened—or buy an entire coconut and scoop the meat out yourself.
4. Blackberries
Blackberries have an impressive amount of fiber—nearly two grams in a quarter cup. Plus, they have a ton of vitamin C. (Step aside, oranges.) One cup has 30.2 mg, which is half of your daily recommended amount. They’re also known for their antioxidants, and have been found to have anti-inflammatory effects. That serving size also includes 1.5 grams of net carbs, so you can definitely add these to your morning yogurt.
5. Raspberries
Stick with a quarter cup raspberries and you’ll get about 1.5 grams of net carbs. Raspberries have been recently studied for their health benefits thanks to their fiber and antioxidant content, including reduced inflammation and lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Toss them in a salad, or, even better, make some heavy whipping cream and toss a few berries on top for a keto-friendly dessert, recommends Jadin.
5. Strawberries
A quarter-cup of strawberry halves contains a little more than two grams of net carbs—or about 10 percent of your daily limit if you’re aiming for 20 grams of net carbs a day.
It offers other perks as well—a 2016 study found that eating strawberries reduced insulin resistance, and they’ve been found to reduce heart disease risk.
6. Tomatoes
Yet another should-be veggie that’s actually a fruit. They’re also great for heart health—a tomato-rich diet was linked to lower levels of inflammatory stress markers associated with the development of cardiovascular disease in one study. At two grams of net carbs per half-cup, cherry tomatoes are a great addition to your keto diet, either as a snack or salad add-on.
7. Lemons
No one’s asking you to bite into a lemon—though, if you’re into that, you do you—but when you need to dress up unsweetened seltzer water or plain tea, this sour citrus fruit has your back. A squeeze from a wedge has less than a half of a gram of net carbs. That’s a negligible amount of carbs, so honestly, squeeze as many lemons as you want, says Jadin.
Lemons may also do wonders for your cholesterol levels, according to one study where participants experienced lower lipid levels in their blood after drinking a garlic and lemon mixture for eight weeks.
8. Pears
“A medium pear is 25 grams of carbohydrates, but has the most fiber of any fruit—six grams—and tastes great with a nutty dip like almond butter, also adding one gram of fiber (and three grams of carbs) per tablespoon to the snack,” says Majumdar. “Almond butter is a great way to meet fat goals too, with six grams of total fat and only 0.5 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon.”
Pears are rich in a plant compounds called anthocyanins, which have been studied to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 23 percent when eating five servings of anthocyanin-rich fruits, like pears