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Learn which low carb fruits are best for the keto diet. Sometimes we all want a treat. Low carb fruit with a dollop of whipped cream is allowed on the keto diet.
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Low Carb Fruit for the Keto Diet
Being on the keto diet means we are willing to give up the foods, like fruit, that we love so we can lose the weight and inches we don’t love. But: do you have to give up all fruit on the keto diet?
Life takes us in all directions and once we realize what we really want in this case, to lose weight, we will do whatever it takes to make this happen. The keto diet is a vehicle, a way to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Part of the plan is staying in ketosis and burning fat, and although we love certain foods like fruit, this type of food if eaten in excess can halt weight loss.
Keto Fruits Allowed
Most fruit has too high a sugar content for the keto diet, and this will knock us out of ketosis and halt weight loss, at least temporarily.
Now:
there is always an exception to the rule, like for instance berries.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries contain polyphenols and other substances which have been studied and found to improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose response.
So eating a few berries may be acceptable on the keto diet.
Sometimes it's better if a treat or reward is not a food, but rather is something we desire.
To determine net carbs in the following fruits, I compared 100 grams of weight of each fruit. This eliminates the variance seen when trying to measure by cups.
For reference, I consulted the USDA Food Composition Database. This is a searchable food database, where you can check the nutrient content of the foods you would like to eat while on the keto diet.
For the chart below I chose lower carbohydrate fruits but also included a few higher carbohydrate options for comparison.
The keto low carb fruit list is not inclusive and you can easily check the USDA database to confirm carbohydrate content, as well as other nutrition for vegetables and fruits you would like to eat on the keto diet.
I found the best way to search in the database, is to type in the fruit name and then list raw for this comparison. For example type: blueberries, raw.
You will quickly see that this database includes a huge variety of manufacturers products as well as the simple produce foods.
To repeat the search for a different food, click on Return to Search Results, under Basic Report.
Something to consider:
Measuring portions to accurately track macronutrients.
So to compare fruits with a reasonable "apples to apples" way, you really need to have a food scale on hand that can weigh your portions. Check out this Digital Food Scale at Target.
Fruit Carbohydrate Content Comparison
Keto Diet Fruit
Consuming berries in small servings on the keto diet should allow you to stay in ketosis.
They are a permitted keto fruit if you measure your serving size. For instance, one-quarter cup of blueberries probably amounts to about 10-15 blueberries and contains around 4.5 grams of carbohydrates. You can eat them with zero carb yogurt or with a couple of tablespoons of heavy whipped cream for a treat.
So 4.5 grams of carbohydrates. Not a lot right? Unless you consider that is about 20% of your daily carbohydrate limit of 20-25 grams per day when you are following the keto diet.
So it’s important to plan your meals so you can work in a treat so you don’t go over your daily carbohydrate limit. The ultimate goal is to stay in ketosis, by whatever means possible.
While we’re in ketosis we put our bodies in a fat burning state, this is how we continue to lose weight and inches.
Fruits, in general, are naturally full of sugar and just about every kind of fruit except berries have just too many carbs, to even consider eating on the keto diet.
They are awesome tasting this is true, but while you’re on the keto diet you simply want to stay away from fruit, they will definitely take you out of ketosis.
Now, of course, I could name every fruit and then say you cannot eat them. We are all smart enough to realize what we can eat and what we shouldn’t eat.
Why Fruit is Limited on Keto
But here’s why.
I will give a couple of examples of what some of the fruits we all think won’t affect us too terribly much, but may make you realize it just isn't worth it,
Take red grapes, for instance, a 100-gram serving size contains 18 grams of carbs and a whopping 15.4 grams of sugar with only 0.9 grams of fiber.
This serving of grapes equals 17.1 grams of net carbs, which would mean you're pretty much done with carbs for the day. Not to mention the amount of sugar in you are ingesting.
Compare this with strawberries, a 100-gram serving size contains 7.7 grams of carbs, 4.9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of fiber. This equals 5.7 grams of net carbs.
You can see an amazing difference between the grapes and strawberries. Check the Fruit Chart above for more comparisons.
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Is It a Keto Fruit or Is It a Vegetable?
Avocado is the one fruit that can be eaten generously. It has the absolute lowest number of carbs and has large amounts of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, and healthy fats. Many call it a super-food.
The avocado will be a food you will want to include in your keto diet. You can incorporate it in many various types of recipes on your meal plan.
What makes this fruit so great to eat on keto is the ratio of carbohydrate, fiber, fat, and protein along with all the other nutrients mentioned.
Plus it has been reported to have so many other potential benefits, like improved heart health and has been linked to protecting against insulin resistance and diabetes.
These positives among others such as better-looking skin, eyes, and hair, aids in weight loss, and helps with the digestive system, etc. make avocados important to include in your diet.
7 Days on the Keto Diet
To help you see what a typical week on the Keto Diet might look like, I put together a 7-Day Meal Plan and Grocery List Guide. The meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. I even estimated "net" carbs for each meal to help you track your macros.
Sign up for the Fit As a Fiddle Life Keto Diet Tips & Strategy Newsletter and I will send you PDF links to the Meal Plan and Grocery List guides. Click below to sign up.
Low Carb Fruit to Eat and Keep Losing Weight
In covering fruit and the keto diet there aren’t many choices. However, we are making a choice to lose weight and inches.
So we all know why we as individuals want to lose unwanted pounds.
And while we’re on this diet we want to lose as much weight as fast as we can. Although fruit is wonderful, it really isn’t in our best interest to indulge in it.
Bottom Line:
Enjoy a few berries, including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries once or twice a week. Include in a keto fruit smoothie, or with a dollop of whipped cream is acceptable on the keto diet.
Everyone is different and you will have to evaluate if eating berries will impact your weight loss. Then you can decide if berries will work for you on the keto diet.
Most fruit other than berries and Avocado has too much sugar for the keto diet. The bottom line it will just work against us in our journey to lose weight.
Keto Fruit Smoothie
I like to make a smoothie, with:
- Sugar -Free Vanilla Coconut Milk,
- Full Fat Greek Yogurt, and
- a few strawberries or blueberries.
Add ice and whirl in a blender for a few minutes and you are set. Enjoy! You can also add a sprinkle of sweetener to make it a little sweeter if you need it. See my post, Best Keto Diet Sugar Substitutes for the sweeteners that won't kick you out of ketosis.
Sources:
A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutr J. 2017; 16: 53.
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Medical Disclaimer
This site contains general information about diet, health, fitness, and nutrition. This information should not be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition. Please consult with your physician before using any dietary supplement or before beginning a diet or exercise program.
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