Fruit is delicious, no one can really argue that point… but, how do fruit and keto mix together? Can you eat fruit on keto? Well then, what fruits can I eat on keto? So many fruit-based questions! We’ve already talked about what vegetables you can eat on keto. Now we’re going to have a discussion about fruit.
Fruit? But there’s so much sugar in fruit! Are you trying to make me fat?
Calm down there, champ. Yes, there are many fruits that are pretty high in sugar, but there are also a bunch that aren’t really that bad. Fruit contains a lot of beneficial vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, and if you’re really craving some pomegranate this time of year, you might as well go for it. Just in moderation.
I like to add freeze dried fruits to baked goods in lieu of fresh fruit because they don’t go to waste, the portion is easy to control, and I find they pack in more flavor because they’re so concentrated. But, on to the questions!
So, what’s so great about fruits? They’re all sugar!
Okay, kind of true. Fruit does contain a lot of sugar. However, fruit also contains a lot of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber not only helps to keep our micro biome by acting as food for our gut bacteria (technically, called a prebiotic) healthy and well-fed, but it can also bind to excess cholesterol and hormones, and clear them from our guts. Fruit is also high in a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other polyphenols. As many of these compounds are destroyed with cooking, and we tend to cook our vegetables, fruit can be the best option for obtaining necessary vitamins, like vitamin C.
Well, what fruits are best on a keto or low carb diet?
Berries. I’m not even going to pretend like it’s a close call. Berries are loaded with nutrition, and tend to be lower in sugar than most fruits. It’s almost a no brainer. When I think of keto friendly fruit, I immediately think berries.
Berries and keto are no strangers. In fact, a whole cup of strawberries is only 7.2g of net carbs. So, eating a quarter cup on keto pancakes, or as a garnish for some avocado pudding, is pretty much nothing. If you’re really craving some fruit on keto, definitely try to find berries first.
How do I best eat fruit on keto?
You might be thinking, what does that question even mean? Basically, it means that if you’re going to eat fruit on keto, you should try to eat the fruit with some fat or protein to slow the digestion and help keep impact on blood sugar as minimal as possible. Yes, you will still be consuming the same amount of sugar, but it will be over time, so your blood sugar and insulin levels won’t spike. So, whipped cream with berries, or some sort of nut butter.
Okay, so, can I have a list of the best fruits to eat on keto?
Sure. These are the fruits on the lower end of the carb spectrum, per serving. Don’t see your favorite there? It’s probably super high in carbs. Sorry!
- Avocado .5g net carbs per
- Blackberries 2.1g net carbs per 1/4 cup (!!!)
- Blueberries 4.1g net carbs per 1/4 cup
- Cherries 4.2g net carbs per 1/4 cup
- Coconut 1.3g net carbs per 1/4 cup
- Pineapple 3.8g net carbs per 1/4 cup
- Raspberries 1.5g net carbs per 1/4 cup (!!!)
- Strawberries 1.8g net carbs per 1/4 cup (!!!)
- Watermelon 2.6g net carbs per 1/4 cup
