The gist of the ketogenic, or "keto," diet is that taking in fewer carbs sends your body into ketosis, which is a state of burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or sugars. The low-carb, high-fat keto diet is a popular option for managing weight.
While some fruits are high in carbs, here's what you need to know about nine keto-friendly fruits.
It varies, but a keto diet may indicate you can only consume 5% to 10% of your calories from carbohydrates and instead eat moderate amounts of protein and relatively high amounts of fat. That may amount to fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.
The keto diet might help promote weight loss, but this isn't necessarily true for everyone. In addition, it can have side effects and risks, and you may have to cut back on foods that are otherwise good for you. Thus, it's best to consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to decide whether a keto diet is right for you and, if so, how to follow it in a way that is good for your health.
While lightening up on the keto plan with fruit sounds like a good idea, fruit can be high in carbohydrates. A medium-sized apple, for example, has roughly 25 grams of carbs.
Fortunately, there are fruits with fewer carbs.
1) Lemon
If you used lemon to spice up your water or tea pre-keto, you can keep using it.Here is what to expect from one teaspoon of lemon juice:
- Calories: 1
- Carbohydrates: 0.3g
- Calcium: 9mg
- Vitamin C: 0.83mg
One teaspoon of lemon juice has less than half of a gram of carbs plus some vitamin C and calcium. Vitamin C helps the immune system, while calcium supports bone health.
Raspberries are a delightful addition to yogurt—and a variety of other meals and dishes—and they fit in well with a keto diet. 10 raspberries include:
- Calories: 9.88
- Carbohydrates: 2.26g
- Fiber: 1.24g
- Vitamin C: 4.98mg
- Vitamin K: 1.48mcg
10 raspberries contain about one gram of net carbs (total carbs minus grams of fiber). You'll also get vitamins C and K. Vitamin K helps protect bone health.
3) Olives
Olives are technically categorized as a fruit.Here's what to expect in a cup of green olives:
- Calories: 196
- Carbohydrates: 5.18g
- Calcium: 70.2mg
- Fiber: 4.46g
- Monounsaturated fatty acids: 15.3g
The healthy fats in olives are extracted to make extra virgin olive oil. Thus, it shouldn't be too surprising that those antioxidant-packed bites boast around 15 grams of healthy fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) in a cup.Monounsaturated fatty acids may reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease.
What's more, a cup of olives contains less than one gram of net carbohydrates.
One lime offers the following:
- Calories: 20
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Calcium: 22mg
- Fiber: 1.88g
- Vitamin C: 19.5mg
That equals around five grams of net carbohydrates—in a whole lime. Like lemons, a spritz of lime in your water provides few carbs but offers immune-boosting vitamin C and bone-supporting calcium.
5) Strawberries
One cup of whole strawberries contains the following:
- Calories: 46
- Carbohydrates: 11.1g
- Fiber: 2.88g
- Vitamin C: 84.7mg
Therefore, a cup of whole strawberries contains around eight net carbohydrates, which is fine for a keto diet. However, you may want to eat just half a cup of strawberries, depending on what other foods are on your menu for the day.
The best part about strawberries is their versatility. You can consume them in several creative ways. For example:
- Add them to Greek yogurt.
- Toss them in a salad.
- Throw them on top of a keto dessert.
- Use them to flavor water.
Not everyone is convinced coconuts are a fruit. Some view coconut as a nut or a seed. However, a coconut can be classified as all three. Here is some nutritional information for one cup of shredded coconut:
- Calories: 283
- Carbohydrates: 12.2g
- Fat: 26.8g
- Fiber: 7.2g
Therefore, a cup of coconut has about five grams of net carbs. You can enjoy just half a cup to be even more keto-friendly.
You can buy an entire coconut and scoop the meat out yourself or buy it dried or canned. Ensure no extra sugar has been added if you opt for the canned variety.
7) Avocados
Avocados(which botanists classify as a fruit) are a keto superstar. Not only do they pack healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but they are relatively low in carbs. Here are some key nutrition facts for one whole avocado:
- Calories: 240
- Carbohydrates: 12.8g
- Fiber: 10g
Therefore, a whole avocado has around three net grams of carbs. The recommended serving size of avocado is around one-third of a medium-sized fruit, so sticking to this recommendation will reduce carb intake even further.
10 Keto-Friendly Vegetables You Should Eat More Of
Keto diarrhea (andconstipation) is a real phenomenon. While there are a few possible culprits, insufficient fiber is one of them. That's why eating fiber-rich plant-based foods, like blackberries, is important.Key nutrition facts for one cup of blackberries include:
- Calories: 62
- Carbohydrates: 13.8g
- Fiber: 7.63g
One cup of blackberries has nearly eight grams of fiber. The recommended daily value for fiber is 25 to 38 grams.
A cup of blackberries also has six grams of net carbohydrates.
9) Blueberries
Blueberries offer fiber, which is good for digestion, and vitamin C and other antioxidants that might reduce the risk of cancer. Here are some nutrition facts for one cup of blueberries:
- Calories: 84
- Carbohydrates: 21.5g
- Fiber: 3.55g
A one-cup serving of blueberries is around 18 grams of net carbohydrates, much higher than the other berries on the list. However, you could most likely fit one-quarter to one-half of a cup into your daily menu while staying in ketosis.
Some fruits are relatively high in carbs, and therefore may not be suitable for a keto diet. Here are a few, along with their respective carb counts:
- Apples: 27g per medium fruit
- Grapes: 27g per cup
- Bananas: 26.9g per medium fruit
- Cherries: 24.6g per cup without pits
- Pineapples: 21g per cup of chunks
- Peaches: 15.2g per fruit
A Quick Review
Although it may seem difficult to incorporate fruit into your keto diet, options are available.
Lower-carb options include avocado, olives, lemons, limes, and coconut. Therefore, if you are on the keto diet and still want to eat fruit, there are plenty of choices.
