Whether considering the keto diet for health benefits or just to shed a few pounds, the important thing to know is that the ketogenic diet is mostly about altering metabolism by changing the body’s fuel source. Instead of using glucose, the body uses fat as a fuel source.
The trickiest part about keto is maintaining ketosis – the state in which the body burns fat for fuel while it stops producing glucose. At this point, the body will use anything it can in order to burn fuel. So, since it desperately wants to use glucose as a fuel source, it will use whatever is available.
To start out, your biggest job will be to avoid any foods that would provide glucose, thereby putting you out of ketosis. This means avoiding some foods, including many fruits. This can be frustrating if you love eating fruits. It is not all gloom for fruit lovers though! Here are some fruits that you can still enjoy, even when you are on a keto diet.
Which fruit can you eat on keto?
Star fruit
It is not the most common type of fruit, hence most people are not familiar with it. It has low amounts of net carbs. To calculate the net carbohydrates, you can take the total carbohydrates and subtract both, the grams of fiber and the sugar alcohols. Star fruit does not only help with your keto diet, it also comes with many other health benefits.
It contains potassium and also vitamin C, which may come in handy when dealing with the side effects of keto.
Avocado
They have a high content of heart-friendly fats. They are low in carbs, netting around 8.5 g of carbs and 7 g of fiber per 100 g serving. They provide important nutrients like folate, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin D.
I can almost say authoritatively that avocado should be a must in your keto diet. It has low net carbs (1.8 g per 100 g serving) and is also rich in healthy fats, which are necessary for achieving ketosis.
The healthy fats contained in avocados are a key for keto. The availability of vitamin C and minerals like potassium can help you deal with a keto flu especially when you are starting on keto.
Watermelon
Water melon is very flavorful, good for hydrating, and a great addition to your ketogenic diet. It has relatively low levels of carbs compared to other fruits. A one cup serving, which is about 152 grams, contains 11. 5 grams of carbs.
Adjust the portions according to your carb allotment in a day. Water melon is also rich in minerals like potassium, copper, and vitamins like vitamin C, and contains lycopene, which is an antioxidant.
Lemons
Lemons are used to add flavor to desserts, meals, and drinks. With net carbs of 5.5 grams and 1.5 grams of fiber for every fruit, it is a good addition to your ketogenic diet.
Strawberries
They are delicious, healthy, and nutritious, contain low carbs and high fiber. Therefore, they are a great addition to your ketogenic diet. One 152 grams serving contains 3 g of fiber and 11.7 g of carbs. They are also rich in micronutrients, like folate, vitamin C, and manganese.
Peaches
They are sweet and juicy, and we love them! Peaches have relatively low net cabs, for example, a serving of 154 grams will contain 14.7 grams of carbs, 2.5 grams of fiber. The key thing is to moderate your portion sizes and also combine peaches with other foods that are low in carbs.
Peaches may be wonderfully sweet and juicy, but amazingly, they do not contain high carbs. they contain 8.0 g of net carbs in a 100 g serving size.
Raspberries
It is one of the healthiest options when it comes to berries. Raspberries a great option for berries in your low-carb diet. One cup of approximately 125 grams has just 7 grams of net carbs.
Tomatoes
They are mostly used as a vegetable but are botanically placed as a fruit. Tomatoes are easy to include in your keto diet. One cup (180 g) contains 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber. Tomatoes contain fewer calories and contain important plant compounds, like lycopene and beta carotene.
What fruits cannot be eaten on keto?
Most fruits are high in glucose, carbs, and fiber. This makes most of the fruits unsuitable for the ketogenic diet. There are still some fruits that can be eaten on a low-carb diet … like avocado, tomatoes, and olives, which are low in carbs and hence keto-friendly.
They are used in some of the most popular ingredients utilized in keto diets, for example in olive oil, avocado salad, and extra virgin olive oil. Berries like raspberries and strawberries have high nutrient content. They are rich in protein sources and also contain lots of healthy fats.
Fruits to avoid on keto:
- raisins
- grapes
- dates
- apples
- mangoes
- pineapples
- bananas
Fruits that are low in carbs
- watermelon
- berries – strawberries have the lowest carbs among berries, while blackberries have the lowest net carbs. 100 g of strawberries have a 7.89 g carb and 2 g fiber content, hence a net of 5.68 g. 100 g of blackberries have 9.6 g of carbs and 5.3 g of fiber, which nets about 4.3 g of carbs
- cantaloupe – is an orange colored melon, which has a net of 7.26 g of carbs. They are also low in fructose
- avocados – should be a must in your keto diet. They have low net carbs (1.8 g per 100 g serving), and are also rich in healthy fats, which are necessary for achieving ketosis
- honeydew – is a type of melon that nets about 8.29 g of carbs per 100 g serving
- peaches – contain 8.0 g of net carbs in a 100 g serving size
Is peanut butter keto?
Peanut butter has moderately low carbs. Two tbsps, which add up to about 32 g per serving, will net 2 g of carbs. The most important thing is to check on your consumption. Make a good plan regarding the other foods that you pick on your keto diet.
If it is hard to regulate your peanut butter intake, go for healthier options that are more keto-friendly – like hazelnut-, almond-, and macadamia nut butter. When it comes to nut butter, be mindful of the amount that you consume, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Are bananas keto?
Unfortunately, bananas are off the table when it comes to your ketogenic diet. Just one banana contains 31 g of carbs, which is more than ¼ of your daily allotment. Although bananas are great for hair and healthy skin, forget about bananas while on keto.
Are apples keto?
Contrary to the popular saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” … if you are on keto you need to stay away from apples. A medium-sized apple contains 20 g of carbs, which is a large enough amount – so high, that it will blow your carb allotment in a day. Instead of apples, opt for a veggie-rich diet.
Are oranges keto?
The orange is another healthy fruit that you, unfortunately, have to avoid when it comes to keto. One small orange contains 13 g of net carbs. Orange juice is also to be avoided, due to the high levels of sugar that it contains.
People think that you have to stay away from eating fruits if you are on keto, but from this article you can see that you do not have to give it all up. There are a variety of fruits that you can combine with other food options, in order to go on a succeesful keto diet.
Fact is, enjoying some of the above mentioned fruits will not ruin ketosis for you. The most important thing is to watch your portions for some of the fruits, like peaches. Actually, working various fruits into your diet is important for providing balanced meals, and these fruits also provide various other health benefits.