These Low Carb Fruits Can Also Help Heal Your Gut

When you go low-carb, you already know that bread, pasta, and rice are off your dinner table. Instead, you might turn to snacks like string cheese or beef jerky to keep your hunger in check. But what about fruits and veggies? Starchy ones like potatoes, corn, peas, and yams are typically out. And if you're trying to keep your carb count low, fruits like bananas, mangoes, and grapes are usually off-limits too.

If you're not careful, a low-carb diet can leave you short on the fiber that your digestive system needs to stay regular. Fiber also helps feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, and the American Medical Association says a healthy gut microbiome plays a key role in your immune system, metabolism, and mental health.

Going low-carb doesn't mean you have to ditch fruit entirely, though. Lena Bakovic, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching, who specializes in gut health and weight management, recommends reaching for low-carb fruits like berries. Not only are they gut-friendly, but they also offer important nutrients.

"Berries are generally low in carbohydrate content and high in fiber," Bakovic said in a Health Digest interview. "The fiber, functioning as a prebiotic, helps to fuel our beneficial gut bacteria, in turn contributing to a healthier microbiome." The antioxidants in berries can also help reduce inflammation in the gut. Bakovic also has a few other low-carb fruit suggestions that can support your digestive health.

You may put tomatoes in the vegetable category, but they're considered botanically to be a fruit because the seeds are inside the flower of the plant. A tomato may not work as a low-carb snack, but it may give a little juiciness to your bunless burger or your favorite omelet. "Tomatoes are low in carbohydrate content, and naturally contain the antioxidants lycopene and vitamin C, which [have] anti-inflammatory properties, in turn optimizing and/or positively changing the gut lining," Bakovic said.

Avocados also fall into the fruit botanical category, and Bakovic says this low-carb fruit has fiber and plant-based fats that make it healthy. "The healthy fats in avocados are beneficial to gut health in that they support cellular membrane function(s) within the gut," she said. "The fiber in avocados, functioning as a prebiotic, helps to fuel beneficial gut bacteria and promote a healthy microbiome." A half cup of sliced avocado has 5 grams of fiber and 9 grams of healthy fats.

Bakovic also includes kiwi in her list, even though they have more carbs than other low-carb foods. A half cup of kiwi has more than 10 grams of net carbs, but they can improve your gut health. "Kiwis offer the benefits of fiber, vitamin C, and actinidin, which is an enzyme that aids digestion," she said. "This combination of nutrients can help maintain or improve the gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and last but not least contribute to the optimization of digestive processes."

While you can include some of these low-carb fruits in your diet, certain foods may not be great for your gut. Packaged foods may be low in carbs, but the artificial sweeteners may not be good for your gut health. A 2025 review in Diseases took a closer look at the possible impact of certain artificial sweeteners on your gut microbiome. Aspartame may increase gut bacteria linked to insulin response and weight gain. Sucralose, when combined with acesulfame K, has been found to promote inflammation and lead to an imbalance in gut bacteria in lab studies. Stevia has little effect on gut health in human studies.

A low-carb diet may improve your gut health if you stick to low-glycemic and high-protein foods, according to a 2024 study in Open Life Sciences. People followed a low-carb diet that limited their carb intake to 25% of their daily calories, eating eggs or other protein sources and non-starchy vegetables at each meal. They also included a fiber supplement as well as high-protein bars and shakes to boost their protein intake. After four weeks, not only did the people lose weight, but they had improved their gut microbiome to prevent weight gain and reduce inflammation.