KETO FRUIT: THE 8 BEST LOW-CARB FRUITS TO ENJOY WHILE ON A KETO DIET

You've likely been told that fruit on a ketogenic diet is a massive no-no. A one-way ticket to ruining all your hard work.

But what if I told you that you can absolutely enjoy some of the best low-carb fruits and that they can actually be a brilliant part of your keto journey?

It's time to bust this myth. Knowing which fruits to eat on keto is the key.

Today, we will go through a list of keto-friendly fruits so you know exactly which options are safe. 

With a few clever swaps and a bit of attention to your portions, you can get all the goodness from fruit without waving goodbye to ketosis. This is how you eat on keto without feeling deprived!

The main job on keto is cutting your carb intake, so it’s easy to see why fruit gets a bad reputation. But here’s the thing, completely avoiding this colourful food group means you miss out on vital vitamins and minerals that support your health. You just need to know which low-carb fruits to choose!

While keeping your daily carb limit low is the key to staying in ketosis, you don’t want to miss out on the health benefits that fruits offer. Many options are also a good source of antioxidants.

Sure, many tropical fruit options are off the table. But choices like berries and avocados are great keto fruits that can make a great addition to your diet. When you eat some fruits, you get fibre, which is brilliant for your health. To work out the net grams of carbohydrates, you just subtract the fibre from the total.

But a word of warning: All fruit juice is bad news. It’s pure sugar without the fibre. Just stay away!

The key is choosing wisely. When planned right, fruit can provide balanced nutrition to complement your keto meal plan and even help you lose weight.

While keeping your carb intake low is super vital to staying in the blissful state of ketosis, it's also important not to miss out on all fruits out there (And their health benefits!). 

Though tropical fruit options, bananas and grapes are often off the table in anything more than micro servings at the start of a strict keto diet, fruits like berries and avocados are great keto fruits, and offer an array of benefits:

• Disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals like lycopene, anthocyanins, quercetin, and lutein. These help reduce inflammation and protect cells.
   
• Essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C for immunity and skin health, potassium for heart function, folate for cell growth, and magnesium for bone strength.
   
• Fibre to support satiety, healthy gut bacteria, digestion, and regularity. This promotes weight management.
   
• Flavour and sweetness to prevent burnout from overly restrictive dieting. The natural sugars add palatability.
   
• Versatility as ingredients in keto recipes like smoothies, chia puddings, muffins, savoury salads and more. They liven up meal prep.
   
• Low glycemic impact compared to processed sweets. Berries, for example, have a minimal effect on blood sugar.
   
• Hydration from the high water content in many fruits. This aids metabolic and brain health.

When appropriately planned, fruits can provide balanced nutrition to complement your keto diet and promote sustainable, long-term success.

RELATED: Beginners Guide to Keto

Honestly, when you're figuring out what to eat on the keto diet, the following fruits are the main ones you should really be consuming. Otherwise, you might find it a real struggle to keep your carb intake low enough.

Here are the only fruits you need to think about on keto. Let's go through each of these 'Keto allies'…

The Ultimate Keto Fruit! 

This is the undisputed king of keto fruit! An avocado is a high-fat superstar, very low in net carbs. It's perfect when you eat on a keto diet.

Avocados are full of healthy fats and are a fantastic good source of potassium. Being so rich in fat and fibre, they really help you feel full and keep your blood sugar steady. They contain far fewer carbs than other fruits, making them a top choice.

Strawberries are relatively low in carbs and can fit into your lifestyle in moderation. A surprise entry on the list of fruits to eat!

They won't send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster. You might be surprised that one cup of strawberry halves contains just about 8.5 grams of carbs, not bad at all! They're also rich in vitamin c and a good source of manganese.

Like strawberries, raspberries are fantastic low-carb fruits to eat. Their high fibre content is a huge plus, as it helps to slow down sugar absorption.

With only 5 g of net carbs per 100g, these are an easy choice. They are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients like potassium and vitamin c while being naturally low in calories. A handful is a perfect way to keep that carb count low.

Blackberries are incredibly high in fibre and are another one of the best fruits you can eat on keto.

The fibre helps keep you regular and feeling full. A small serving offers a huge punch of vitamin C. Because they are also low in net carbs, they can easily fit into your diet.

Don’t forget these citrus heroes! They fit perfectly into a keto diet. A squeeze in your water gives you a boost of vitamin C, and the amount of carbs is tiny.

Lemons shine on a ketogenic diet thanks to their low net carb count and high vitamin C content. One 100g serving provides over 50% of the RDI for vitamin C. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant and is essential for immune function and collagen production.

Like lemons, limes provide a nutritious, low-calorie, low-carb fruit option. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Limes are low in net carbs while providing good amounts of vitamin C - over 30% of the Daily Value in 100g. Lime juice contains potent antioxidants like hesperidin, quercetin, kaempferol, and limonene.

Coconut is loaded with fibre and a great source of the keto ‘wonder fats’, MCTs. For that reason alone, it can be a great addition to your keto meal plan.

Unlike other fats, MCTs are metabolized differently and are linked to health benefits related to energy, weight management, and cognition.

Although hard to find, star fruit (or carambola) is a tropical fruit that is an excellent low-carb choice for keto diets.

Although uncommon, star fruit (or carambola) is worth including in a ketogenic diet because it's low in net carbs while providing antioxidants and fibre.

When choosing fruit on keto, choose lower sugar, higher fiber options. Prioritize nutrition and enjoy fruits in moderation as part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet.

Blueberries don't quite qualify as a low-carb fruit at about 12 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. However, they still deserve consideration for inclusion in a well-formulated ketogenic diet due to their incredibly high antioxidant content.
 

Okay, I haven't included tomatoes on the list above, as most people see them as low-carb vegetables, not fruit! The same goes for olives. Both are fine in moderation.

This table shows why we are so specific about the fruits to eat on keto. You can see how the total carbs stack up:

Berries are clear winners, with raspberries at their lowest at just 3g net carbs per serving size.

Higher sugar options like bananas and grapes should be avoided. They can have over 15 grams of carbs per serving and will knock you out of ketosis. Your diet should focus on the 8 keto-friendly foods we talk about, not high-sugar fruits or starchy vegetables.

While some low-carb fruits can fit into a keto diet, portions must be controlled to avoid disrupting ketosis. With daily carbs ranging from 20-50g on keto, fruits can account for a significant percentage if you overindulge.

Remember to subtract the grams of fibre from the grams of carbs to get your net carbs!

Berries are great but stick to 1/2 cup or less daily. Spread intake throughout meals and snacks rather than consuming in one sitting. 

A 1/4 cup or less is a good guideline for moderate-sugar fruits like blueberries and starfruit. High-carb bananas and mangos should be avoided or limited to a few small bites.

That being said, with mindful portions and smart substitutions, even fruits with more natural sugars can be enjoyed occasionally on keto. The key is being diligent about carb counts so fruit can stay within your goals.

After you have been in Ketosis for some time, you become able to handle a few more carbs than when starting out. Use Ketone Strips or an Electronic Ketone Monitor to monitor your levels while testing your resilience to higher-carb foods. 

You may find that you can handle more carbs than someone else on the keto diet.

Everyone is different!

You can enjoy fruit by choosing low-sugar, high-fibre options and controlling portions. Focus on berries, avocados, and coconut. By paying attention to serving sizes, fruit can be your keto-friendly ally.

But please, never, ever, drink fruit juice!