Can You Eat Fruit On The Keto Diet?
The keto diet was introduced nearly a century ago, and in the last few years, it's become one of the most popular diet strategies around. A keto, or ketogenic, diet focuses on eating more fat and very few carbohydrates, but while cutting out donuts and cake sounds reasonable in a bid to lose weight, there are plenty of healthy carbohydrates that also get taken off the plate when someone starts a keto diet. Fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates, but are they allowed in a keto diet?
Luckily, not all fruits and vegetables are off-limits. Depending on the type of keto diet you're following — eating between 20 and 50 grams (80 to 200 calories) of carbohydrates per day — you may be able to pack your plate with low-carbohydrate fruits and vegetables. Because carbohydrates from fiber don't count towards your daily carbohydrate intake on the keto diet, aim for options that are higher in fiber (via Healthline). Vegetables like dark leafy greens are low in carbohydrates, but rarely are fruits low enough in their carbohydrate content to stay on the menu (via Atkins).
This can be tricky, particularly if you have a sweet tooth, since fruit is often used in diets as a sugary treat substitute (via Greatist). Luckily, there are a few fruits that still count as keto-friendly, as long as you pay attention to portion sizes and keep your carbohydrate intake low otherwise. Including these in your diet also helps keep your fiber and micronutrient intake high, which can be difficult to do when avoiding most fruits and vegetables.
What fruit can you have on the keto diet?
So what fruits are safe on the keto diet? Avocados are a keto dieter's best friend, since they're naturally high in fat as well as fiber, and can serve as a surprisingly smooth, creamy base for keto-friendly puddings and desserts as well as a side dish of guacamole. With only two grams of net carbohydrates (after taking out grams from fiber) plus 15 grams of healthy fats in half an avocado, it's an easy option for someone with a sweet tooth missing desserts (via Everyday Health).
For something a bit fruitier, go for strawberries and raspberries. Because they're high in fiber, strawberries are low in net carbohydrates — one cup is just 8.7 grams of net carbohydrate while providing a daily dose of vitamin C. The same is true of raspberries, which are only seven grams of net carbohydrate while being high in antioxidants (via Healthline).
Lemon and lime may not be fruits you want to eat on their own, but their juice can be keto-friendly as an addition to guacamole and other dips, smoothies, or drinks. Skip oranges, as they're too high in carbohydrates, but these juices will only add a couple of carbohydrate grams to your cooking (via My Recipes).
For a sweet treat, cantaloupe is a great keto-friendly option compared to other fruits and melons. A one-cup serving has just 12.7 grams of carbohydrate and 1.5 grams of fiber for a net 11.2 carbohydrates, while providing folate, potassium, and vitamin K (via Healthline).