What fruits are allowed on keto diet

If you’re following a Keto diet, you may be wondering if you’re allowed to eat fruit. After all, we’ve been told they’re packed with essential minerals and nutrients. So they must be healthy right? 

This may be true, but be warned. Most fruits are high in sugar and carbs, so they’re not recommended on Keto. They don’t call fruits the “earth’s candies” for nothing.

Fortunately, there are a select few types of fruits that are lower-carb and Keto-approved. 

In this article, we’re giving you the inside scoop on fruit and the best options to include in your Keto diet. 

WHY MODERN-DAY FRUITS ARE LOADED WITH SUGAR

Ever noticed fruits seem bigger and brighter these days? The reality is that fruits aren’t the same as they used to be. That’s because using selective breeding techniques and - in some cases - genetic modification, fruits have been made to grow bigger, taste sweeter, look nicer and last longer on a grocery store shelf. [*][*]

Over the years, the food industry has bred fruit in increasingly artificial conditions. In doing so, fruits have increased in sugar content, meaning many varieties are unsuitable for a low-carb diet.

FRUITS TO AVOID ON KETO

If you’re following a Keto diet, we recommend steering clear of fruits with a high carbohydrate content. Think of any fruit you’ve had that almost tasted like candy; there’s a good chance it was high in sugar. 

Of course, your decision about what fruit to include on your Keto diet will depend on your individual macro requirements. However, as a rule, we suggest avoiding the following: 

  • Lychees
  • Pomegranate
  • Mangos
  • Cherries
  • Bananas
  • Kiwifruit
  • Grapes
  • Guavas
  • Pears
  • Apples
  • Papaya
  • Nectarines
  • Tangerines
  • Dates

Now that you know what fruits to avoid on Keto, let’s talk about what fruits you can enjoy on your low carb, high-fat journey.

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

KETO FRUIT LIST: TOP 20 LOW-CARB FRUITS 

So what fruit can you eat on Keto? Check out the list below for our top 20 Keto-friendly fruits and their net carb count per 100g. Although these fruits may be the best options for a low-carb diet, remember moderation is still key.

  • Avocados - 2g
  • Fresh Cranberries - 8g
  • Star Fruit - 4g
  • Strawberries - 5g
  • Lemons - 6g
  • Lime - 8g
  • Tomatoes - 3g
  • Blueberries - 12g
  • Blackberries - 6g
  • Raspberries - 5g
  • Peaches -8g
  • Watermelon - 7g
  • Zucchini - 2g
  • Coconut - 6g
  • Plum - 9g
  • Cucumber - 2g
  • Cantaloupe - 7g
  • Prickly Pears - 6g
  • Mulberries - 8g
  • Orange - 9g

HOW MUCH FRUIT CAN YOU EAT ON KETO?

In general, you’ll want to keep your fruit consumption relatively low on Keto. 

Even if you’re incorporating the low-carb fruits we mentioned above into your Keto diet, the carb content can still creep up on you. 

As a general rule, we recommend spending your daily 25g - 50g carb budget on low-carb vegetables instead. 

However, if you’re craving sweets, select one or two of the low-carb fruits above – with berries being our Keto fruit of choice. Just like all Keto-approved foods, staying low-carb is the name of the game. And fruits are no exception. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

Our Top Keto Fruit Recipes

Looking for healthy and tasty, Keto fruit options? We’ve got you covered! Here is a list of our favorite Keto fruit recipes: 

Keto Coconut Cacao Raspberry Popsicles

Keto Fruity Breakfast Omelette

Low Carb Fruit Roll Ups

Keto Tomato Feta Frittata

Keto Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Keto Upside Down Almond Plum Cake

IN CONCLUSION 

Fruit is not off-limits on a Keto diet as long as you are mindful of the type and quantity you consume. If you are resorting to fruit to load up of vitamins and minerals, it is worth remembering you can obtain equal amounts, if not more nutrients with healthier low-carb alternatives like vegetables or even grass-fed beef. 

Reserve fruits for occasional treats as opposed to making them a regular part of your routine. By enjoying sparingly as a snack or low-carb dessert, fruit can still be enjoyed as part of a balanced and healthy Keto diet.

Fruit is naturally high in sugars - aka carbs - leading many to believe this food group is forbidden on a keto diet. But there is such a thing as low carb fruit and it is possible to lose weight and enjoy this nutrient dense food group without kicking your body out of ketosis. 

Get hundreds of keto approved foods to help you cut carbs and still eat tasty meals. Download our free Keto Shopping List today!

 

Is Fruit Bad for You?

Fruits are whole foods, high in natural nutrition and contain no added ingredients. Like most plant based foods, fruits can provide a lot of essential nutrition to your diet - nearly all fruits are high in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. Plus they are naturally low calorie, low sodium, and low fat, making them a great food for weight loss.

Fruit intake is also associated with a wide range of health benefits including improved digestive health, heart health, mental health, and weight management, along with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (1,2,3,4,5). 

Fruits also make a great natural sugar substitute for those that have a sweet tooth or are looking to cut added sugars from their diet. A small piece of fruit can often hit the spot and provide significantly more nutritional value than other “sweets”. 

Can You Eat Fruit on the Keto Diet?

A ketogenic diet is a very low carb diet designed to help you minimize carb intake and support a metabolic state known as ketosis - a nutritional state thought to promote increased fat burning and utilization. 

No food is truly forbidden on a keto meal plan - as long as you hit your daily keto macro goals. However, certain high carbohydrate foods can make achieving this a real challenge, including some fruits and vegetables. 

You can absolutely enjoy the taste and health benefits of fruit on keto, it just depends on which fruits you choose and your serving size. 

Sugar Content in Fruit Explained 

Fruit is highly nutritious, but it's also a source of carbohydrates. In fact, fruits are some of the most naturally carb rich, whole foods you can choose. 

It is commonly dinged for its naturally high sugar content, but the sugars found in fruits are not quite the same as the refined and added sugars that we commonly demonize. 

Like many other plant based foods, fruit is also loaded with fiber, a type of carbohydrate that is thought to not impact blood sugar levels in the same way.

Fiber is not easily digested and absorbed by the body - which can help push things through. It also helps draw out some unwanted compounds along the way, like cholesterol. For these reasons a high fiber diet is associated with better digestive and heart health (6,7). It is also part of the reason why fruit falls lower on the glycemic index scale (8). 

Moreover, for your keto meal plan, this means you can enjoy fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, and stay in ketosis. Even though fiber shows up on the nutrition facts label in total carb content, the grams of fiber are often subtracted to give you a net carb count for the food. 

What Fruits are High in Sugar?

To get into ketosis, most people need to eat less than 50 grams of net carbs per day. Considering some fruits have over 25 grams of total carbs per serving which can eat up more than half of your daily carb limit, the type of fruit you choose matters! 

The fruits highest in sugar include tropical fruits, dried fruits, fruit juice, and certain whole fruits. These include the following common options and their associated net carb count per serving: 

  1. Dates - 36 g per ¼ cup
  2. Cranberry Juice - 34 g per cup
  3. Raisins - 31 g per ¼ cup
  4. Dried Figs - 28 g per serving
  5. Bananas - 24 g per fruit
  6. Mango - 23 g per cup
  7. Pears - 22 g per fruit
  8. Grapes - 19 g per ½ cup
  9. Apples - 17 g per fruit

What Fruits are Low in Sugar? 

The fruits lowest in sugar tend to be high in water content or fiber - allowing you to enjoy a larger serving size with fewer carbohydrates. These include many citrus fruits, berries, and some melon. 

Best Fruits to Eat On Keto 

Very few fruits can actually be considered low carb when you take into account a typical serving size. However, if you enjoy them in smaller quantities, they can fit into your daily macro goals and still provide meaningful nutrition. 

Here are the best keto friendly fruits with less than 15 grams of net carb per standard serving. 

1. Unsweetened Acai Puree

Net Carb Count: 1 g per 100g serving

Unlike its sugar filled, popular counterpart the acai bowl, acai as a solo fruit is actually not very sweet. Look for unsweetened puree or acai powder to enjoy this famous "superfruit" as part of a healthy low carb breakfast bowl or morning smoothie. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

2. Starfruit

Net Carb Count: 3.5 g per fruit

This unique and visually appealing fruit, Starfruit or Carambola, is one of the lowest sugar options you can find. Unlike other tropical fruits which tend to be very carb heavy, one medium sized fruit has only 30 calories, 3 grams of fiber and less than 4 grams of net carbs total. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

3. Shredded Coconut

Net Carb Count: 5 g per cup

Coconut, either fresh or dried, is also a unique low carb tropical fruit and it is very popular among keto dieters because it contains high amounts of MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides), a type of fat thought to support ketosis (9).

However, if you are looking to lose weight, just be mindful of your portion size as a single cup packs almost 300 calories. And avoid coconut products with added sugars.

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

4. Lemon 

Net Carb Count: 5 g per fruit

Lemons are very rarely consumed whole, but they are in fact very low carb and low calorie. They also provide a notable source of vitamin C - 51% of the daily value.  

You can enjoy lemon juice as a garnish or in various recipes to capture their desirable essence, flavor, and nutrients. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

5. Lime

Net Carb Count: 5 g per fruit

Similar to lemon, limes are not eaten as a whole fruit, but their juice is low sugar and worth considering. They also contain 32% of your daily value for vitamin C. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

6. Blackberries

Net Carb Count: 6 g per cup

Blackberries are packed with fiber (almost 8 grams per serving!) and naturally lower in sweetness making them the top low carb berry to reach for. They also provide 50% of your vitamin C are linked to many positive health benefits due to their deep rich color (10). 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

7. Plums

Net Carb Count: 6.5 g per fruit

Naturally small in size, a fresh plum is a satisfying way to enjoy a sweeter fruit without overdoing it. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

8. Raspberries

Net Carb Count: 7 g per cup

Similar to blackberries, raspberries are high in fiber and can be more tangy than sweet. One cup has eight grams of fiber and 53% of your vitamin C needs. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

9. Strawberries

Net Carb Count: 8 g per cup

A favorite fruit among many low carb eaters, strawberries are enjoyed on their own or commonly paired with various recipes, ranging from savory to sweet. Grab a handful as a snack, toss them in a salad, or blend them into your morning keto shake. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

10. Fresh Figs

Net Carb Count: 8.5 g per medium fig

While dried figs can pack a punch of sugar, fresh figs contain significantly less. In fact, one small fresh fig has only 6.5 grams of net carbohydrate. 

Slice up fresh figs for a slightly sweet and guilt-free fruit topping on your keto bread - try this with goat cheese!

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

11. Cantaloupe 

Net Carb Count: 11 g per cup

While not the highest fiber fruit, one cup of cantaloupe has only 50 calories and provides nearly 100% of your daily needs for vitamin C and vitamin A, making it worth making room for every net carb. 

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

12. Watermelon

Net Carb Count: 11 g per cup

Falling higher on the glycemic index scale due to low fiber content, watermelon is a misunderstood fruit. Although naturally very sweet, it contains mostly water helping to bring down its total carb content. 

Watermelon is also rich in nutrition containing a recognizable amount of vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. Watermelon also contains more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. 

So there is no need to fear this popular melon, just adjust your portion and dig in! 

Pro tip: Pair with feta cheese to slow your sugar absorption.

What fruits are allowed on keto diet

Special mention: While not technically fruit, jicama, avocados, and tomatoes are all commonly enjoyed as such and make for great additional low carb choices to consider. 

Stop guessing when it comes to your keto food choices and make cutting carbs feel like a breeze with this free comprehensive Keto Shopping List. Complete with net carb counts for hundreds of foods, not just fruits! 

What fruits should be avoided on keto?

Here's a list of fruits to avoid on a Keto diet:.
Apples (don't be surprise).
Grapes..
Bananas..
Dates..
Mangoes..
Peaches..
Pineapples..
Raisins..

Can you eat apple on keto?

Apples. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it really has no place in a keto diet. One medium apple has more than 22 g of net carbs, according to USDA data — enough to blow someone's entire carb allotment for the day.

Can I eat a banana in keto?

Despite the many health benefits of fruit, there is an issue with some fruits on the keto diet. Grapes and bananas, for instance, contain high quantities of carbs. 1 cup of grapes has approximately 26 grams and a medium banana, 24 grams of carbohydrate. As a rule, these fruits should be avoided.

Which fruits and vegetables are allowed on keto?

Keto-Friendly Vegetables.
Kale: 0g net carbs per 1 cup (21g).
Spinach: 0g net carbs per 1 cup (30g).
Bok Choy: 1g net carbs per 1 cup (170g).
Celery: 1g net carb per 1 cup (101g).
Cucumber: 2g net carbs per 1 cup (104g).
Zucchini: 3g net carbs per 1 cup (180g).
Cauliflower: 3g net carbs per 1 cup (107g).