What Fruits Are Keto Friendly? Can you eat fruit on a low carb ketogenic diet? List of the best options and foods to avoid.
What Fruits Are Keto Friendly?
I’m often asked, what fruits are keto friendly? There’s a common misconception that no fruit is permitted when following a keto diet, but you’ll be pleased to discover that there are a limited number of keto-friendly fruits that are low in grams of net carbs.
All of the low-carb fruits still include natural sugars, so exercise portion control to help you keep your blood sugar levels low and be able to get the most out of the many health benefits. Helping you on your way to achieving your own personal health and weight loss goals.
These healthy low carb fruits are loaded with essential nutrients, it’s just important to know the best fruits you can consume and those to avoid when following a low carb high-fat diet.
Berries
All berries are a popular choice when choosing fruit as a sweet treat. You may choose from strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or any other berry you can find at your local grocery store.
You can enjoy fresh fruit or keep frozen fruit in your freezer to quickly turn into a low carb diet friendly milkshake, mousse or homemade jam with fewer carbs and keep your ketone bodies at ideal levels.
Small amounts of berries make a refreshing snack or treat which can mean the difference between staying on plan or being tempted to reach for a high carb food that may blow out your daily carb allowance.
I find that including a serving size with some healthy fats, for example a handful of berries with a generous swirl of whipped cream, can provide a treat that has a sweet taste, while being low in grams of carbs and high in fats.
You may prefer to have a portion of berries with cottage cheese or ricotta cheese as a low carb, high protein snack with your favorite fruits.
Here’s the nutrition information for a cup of strawberries:
- Calories – 53
- Fat – 0.5
- Protein – 1.11
- Grams of total carbs – 12.75
- Sugars – 7.72
- Grams of Fiber – 3.32
In a clinical trial that examined the potential health benefits of berries it was found berries may help lower the risk of heart disease, improve your metabolic state, reduce chronic inflammation and a delicious way of upping your fiber content.
Also, blueberries and blackberries contain vitamin K which indicate can be good for your vascular and heart health, as well as your bones.
The good news is that you can keep your carb intake as low as possible by only consuming around a quarter of a cup of berries.
Lemons and Limes
A keto fruit list wouldn’t be complete without the citrus fruits of lemons and limes, that make a great choice for enhancing meals, dressings or creating treats to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Apart from high levels of vitamin C to boost your immune system, lemons and lime contain many not so commonly known benefits to your overall health
These include helping in the treatment of constipation, gum and respiratory disorders and even help prevent gout.
Lemon juice, zest and limes are a smart way to add a tangy flavor to meals, snacks and treats without adding too many carbs.
Here’s the nutritional value for a whole lemon (84g)
- Calories 24
- Total Fat 0.3g
- Total Carbohydrates 7.8g
- Dietary Fiber 2.4g
- Sugars 2.1g
- Protein 0.9g
Below is the nutritional information of a lime (67g):
- Calories 20
- Total Fat 0.1g
- Total Carbohydrates 7.1g
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g
- Sugars 1.1g
- Protein 0.5g
Coconut
Despite containing “nut” in its name, coconuts are actually fruits and can be enjoyed on the keto diet as coconut milk, coconut oil, shredded coconut, coconut flour or simply chopping up the fresh coconut meat to snack on.
Coconut and coconut oil contain both lauric aid and oleic acid which are both medium-chain triglycerides (also known as medium-chain fatty acids) which can help lower total cholesterol levels and keep your insulin levels in check.
Furthermore, coconuts naturally high levels of monounsaturated fats have shown possible links to reducing or controlling diabetes suggesting more evidence in coconuts effectiveness in lowering insulin levels and a great way to help in your weight loss goals.
Coconut is low in carbs and naturally high in saturated fats, making it an excellent way and a great addition to add plenty of flavor and richness to meals and snacks without adding extra carbs.
The nutritional information of a tablespoon of coconut oil:
- Calories 121
- Total Fat 13g
- Saturated Fat 11g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.9g
- Total Carbohydrates 0g
- Dietary Fiber 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
Avocado
One of the most popular low-carb vegetables is actually a fruit. Avocado is loaded with essential vitamins and dietary fiber while being low in grams of carbohydrates, making it a great choice to include in a low carb diet.
Avocado may play a role in helping prevent cardiovascular diseases and may be used as a non-pharmacological approach in lowering blood pressure levels. In addition, avocados contain vitamin B particularly vitamin B6 which, helps improve immune and neurological function.
The nutritional value of a whole avocado (201g) are below:
- Calories 322
- Total Fat 29g
- Saturated Fat 4.3g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 3.7g
- Monounsaturated Fat 20g
- Total Carbohydrates 17g
- Dietary Fiber 13g 46% of a persons daily value
- Sugars 1.3g
- Protein 4g
Types Of Fruit To Avoid
Unfortunately, you’ll find that popular fruits like tropical fruit, star fruit, bananas and apples are high carb foods and have too high sugar content (even if you minus fiber content) to be included on a strict keto diet. When you’re trying to keep your amount of carbs as low as possible and get into or stay in a state of ketosis you are best to keep the list of fruits mentioned above
No matter the portion size, most fruits are simply nature’s candy and consume way too much sugars and therefore have too high a carb content to be considered low-carb foods..
For example, a medium-sized banana contains around 27g carbs, and a medium-sized apple contains 25g carbs.
It’s also a good idea to avoid fruit juice of any kind as they tend to be much too high in net carbohydrates, no matter the portion sizes.
The best keto fruits that are included in this list all have lower net carb counts than other high-fiber fruits such as a medium banana, and are best consumed in moderation to avoid consuming excess carbohydrates.
More Low-Carb Diet Inspiration
Easy Keto Snacks For Beginners
Is Dark Chocolate Keto Friendly?
Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.
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