7 Best Fruits To Eat On Keto

<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context":"http://schema.org", "@type":"BlogPosting", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate Sullivan, MS" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Warrior Made", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.warriormade.com", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2019/10/keto-fruit-thumbnail-0002.jpg" } }, "headline":"The Best Fruit To Eat On Keto", "datePublished":"2018-09-10", "dateModified": "2019-10-23", "description":"On the ketogenic diet, not all fruits are created equal. Here are the 7 best keto fruits, and why each made the list.", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2019/10/keto-fruit-thumbnail-0002.jpg" } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What fruits can you eat on keto?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Technically, no fruits (or vegetables, for that matter) are “banned” on the ketogenic diet. But due to carb count, many fruits aren’t ideal. Here’s a rough guide of which fruits are best on a low carb diet.<br />Low-carb, fibrous fruits like berries can be consumed regularly. Because they’re high in fiber and low in carbs, they have a low glycemic index(GI). This means eating berries won’t impact your blood sugar in a negative way. Strawberries, for example, have only 11.7 grams of carbs and 3g of fiber per cup. <br />Some fruits, like apples, can be consumed, but probably shouldn’t be eaten regularly if you want to achieve ketosis. According to SELFNutritiondata, one medium apple has 25 grams of carbs (half a day’s worth of carbs). Apples also contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber—all good for you—but that many carbs probably isn’t practical if you’re trying to get into ketosis.<br />Keto dieters should avoid (or limit) fruit with a high GI like pineapple. Pineapple’s high GI rating means it’s quickly absorbed by your gut, which causes your blood sugar to spike." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What fruits are the lowest in carbs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Here are the 7 best fruits you can eat on the ketogenic diet. For easy reference, “one serving” refers to 100 grams, or a little less than a quarter of a pound: Watermelon, Berries, Cantaloupe, Avocados, Honeydew, Peaches, Olives" } }] } </script> <article> <div> <ul> <li><a href="#section1">What Fruits Can You Eat On Keto?</a></li> <li><a href="#section2">What Fruits Are The Lowest In Carbs?</a></li> <li><a href="#section3">Best Fruit To Eat On Keto: Wrap-Up</a></li> </ul> </div> <section> <p>One common question about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/keto-101-a-beginners-guide-to-keto" rel="noreferrer">ketogenic diet</a> is: “<i>You can’t eat fruit? Isn’t fruit healthy?</i>”</p> <p>Fruit <i>is</i> healthy—it’s full of fiber and essential micronutrients—and you <i>can</i> eat it on keto ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649719/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a>}. </p> <p>However, there’s more to consider than if a certain fruit is healthy.</p> <p>The best keto fruits are full of fiber and low in carbs—and many fruits don’t fit that description. Fibrous, low carb fruits can still help you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/87-things-to-avoid-on-the-keto-diet" rel="noreferrer">get into ketosis</a>, a natural state where your body burns fat as its primary fuel source instead of burning sugar.</p> <p>Getting into ketosis <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-into-ketosis" rel="noreferrer">takes time</a>, and usually requires that you eat only about 5 percent of your daily calories in the form of carbs—between 20 and 50 grams ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a>}. </p> <p>Basically, you should be diligent about the types and amount of fruit you include in your diet. In this article, you’ll learn the 7 best fruits to eat on keto, and which to avoid if you’re trying to get into ketosis.</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section1"> <h2>What fruits can you eat on keto?</h2> <p>Technically, no fruits (or vegetables, for that matter) are “banned” on the ketogenic diet. But due to carb count, many fruits aren’t ideal. Here’s a rough guide of which fruits are best on a low carb diet.</p> <ul> <li>Low-carb, fibrous fruits like berries can be consumed regularly. Because they’re high in fiber and low in carbs, they have a low glycemic index(GI). This means eating berries won’t impact your blood sugar in a negative way*^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3</a>}. Strawberries, for example, have only 11.7 grams of carbs and 3g of fiber per cup ^{<a target="_blank" href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">4</a>}. </li> <li>Some fruits, like apples, can be consumed, but probably shouldn’t be eaten regularly if you want to achieve ketosis. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><i>SELFNutritiondata</i></a>, one medium apple has 25 grams of carbs (half a day’s worth of carbs). Apples also contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber—all good for you—but that many carbs probably isn’t practical if you’re trying to get into ketosis.</li> <li>Keto dieters should avoid (or limit) fruit with a high GI like pineapple ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24394507" rel="nofollow noreferrer">5</a>}. Pineapple’s high GI rating means it’s quickly absorbed by your gut, which causes your blood sugar to spike.*</li> </ul> <p><i>(*Think about it this way: a food’s glycemic index (GI) is classified as its potential to elevate blood sugar ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4994556/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">6</a>}. Sugary foods have a high GI, meaning they are more likely to spike blood sugar, due to the rapid absoprtion of glucose. This requires the body to produce more insulin. This contradicts the goal of a ketogenic diet, which is to rely on ketones, not glucose in the blood, to fuel the body.)</i></p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section2"> <h2>What fruits are the lowest in carbs? </h2> <p>Here are the 7 best fruits you can eat on the ketogenic diet. For easy reference, “one serving” refers to 100 grams, or a little less than a quarter of a pound.</p> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/watermelon-keto-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/watermelon-keto-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/watermelon-keto-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/watermelon-keto-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="watermelon-keto-fruit"> </picture> <h3>1. Watermelon</h3> <p>A summer favorite, watermelon has the lowest amount of carbs per serving. But unlike berries, it has very little fiber. It will digest quickly, so eating large amounts may knock you out of ketosis.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2072/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">7</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Watermelon has 7.5 grams of carbs but less than half a gram of fiber per serving.</li> <li>Contains vitamins A and C, along with other minerals like folate, potassium, and copper.</li> <li>91 percent of your serving is water—so it’s good for staying hydrated!</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/berries-keto-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/berries-keto-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/berries-keto-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/berries-keto-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="berries-keto-fruit"> </picture> <h3>2. Berries</h3> <p>Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries—all are welcome if you’re going low-carb.</p> <p>It might help at first to measure or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/why-you-should-be-calculating-your-macros" rel="noreferrer">calculate your macros</a> so you get a feel for how much a serving is (of any fruit, not just berries). But because berries have a lot of fiber, they can be a staple of your diet if you’re on keto.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights:</strong></p> <ul> <li>100 grams of <strong>raspberries</strong> contains 11.9 grams of carbs, 6.5 grams of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2053/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">8</a>}. If you’re counting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/what-are-net-carbs-how-do-you-calculate" rel="noreferrer">net carbs</a>, that carb-to-fiber ratio is awesome.</li> <li>100 grams of <strong>blackberries</strong> contains 10.2 grams of carbs, 5.3 grams of fiber, and similar vitamin and mineral amounts to raspberries ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1848/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">9</a>}.</li> <li>100 grams of <strong>blueberries</strong> contains 14.5 grams of carbs, 2.4 grams of fiber, and small amounts of over ten essential <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/macronutrients-vs-micronutrients/" rel="noreferrer">micronutrients</a> ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1851/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10</a>}.</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/cantaloupe-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/cantaloupe-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/cantaloupe-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/cantaloupe-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="cantaloupe-fruit"> </picture> <h3>3. Cantaloupe </h3> <p>Summer melons did surprisingly well for this list. Cantaloupe, like watermelon, doesn’t have as much fiber as berries do. Eating smaller amounts is probably good, especially if you’re just starting out with keto or another low carb diet.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1954/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">11</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Cantaloupe has 8.8 grams of carbs and about 1g of fiber per serving.</li> <li>It’s packed with vitamins A and C, potassium, and other micronutrients.</li> <li>Like watermelon, it’s over 90 percent water. The carbs may be low, but it will digest quicker than fibrous fruits like berries.</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/avocados-keto-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/avocados-keto-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/avocados-keto-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/avocados-keto-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="avocados-keto"> </picture> <h3>4. Avocados</h3> <p>We know what you’re thinking, andyes: <i><a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/carbs-in-avocados" rel="noreferrer">avocados</a> are technically fruits</i>. And for a fruit, they have a unique macronutrient profile. They are mostly fat—about 77 percent—and contain more calories per serving than any other fruit on this list.</p> <p>That said, they’re considered a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/what-are-superfoods-top-7-for-your-keto-diet" rel="noreferrer">keto superfood</a>; see below for why.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1844/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">12</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Avocados contain 8.6 grams of carbs and 6.8 grams of fiber.</li> <li>They are full of vitamin C, E, K, folate, and potassium. Actually, one serving contains over 15 different essential vitamins and minerals.</li> <li>From a carb-to-fiber ratio standpoint, avocados can’t be beat by any other fruit. It’s close to 1:1. But keep in mind they are much higher in calories than most fruits. Consider measuring to get a feel for the right serving for you.</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/honeydew-keto-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/honeydew-keto-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/honeydew-keto-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/honeydew-keto-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="honeydew-keto-fruit"> </picture> <h3>5. Honeydew</h3> <p>Like watermelon and cantaloupe, honeydew is low in carbs and low in fiber.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1956/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">13</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Honeydew contains 9.1 grams of carbs and less than a gram of fiber per serving.</li> <li>It contains vitamin C and small amounts of more than 10 essential minerals.</li> <li>In terms of makeup, honeydew is just under 90 percent water.</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/peaches-keto-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/peaches-keto-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/peaches-keto-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/peaches-keto-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="peaches-keto-fruit"> </picture> <h3>6. Peaches</h3> <p>Another summer fruit, peaches rank a little better than the melons, but below berries in terms of fiber. When they’re in season though, they’re a tasty, low-carb option for keto dieters.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1990/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">14</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Peaches contain 9.1 grams of carbs and 1.5 grams of fiber per serving.</li> <li>Contains small amount of trace nutrients needed for healthy functioning. Minerals like phosphorus, niacin, and copper are examples.</li> </ul> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/olives-keto-fruit-0002.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/olives-keto-fruit-0002.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/olives-keto-fruit-0002.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/olives-keto-fruit-LR-0002.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="olives-keto-fruit"> </picture> <h3>7. Olives</h3> <p>Like avocados, olives aren’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fruit. But if you’re staying low carb, olives offer a lot of variety. You can add them to salads, eat them for a snack, or cook with them. Plus, they have a lot of health benefits.</p> <p><strong>Health highlights^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/7338/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">15</a>}:</strong></p> <ul> <li>100 grams of canned green olives has only 3.8 grams of carbs and 3.3 grams of fiber.</li> <li>Contains small amounts of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and copper.</li> <li>Olives usually contain higher amounts of sodium than other fruits on this list.</li> </ul> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section3"> <h2>Best fruit to eat on keto: wrap-up</h2> <p>Generally speaking, fruits are quite healthy—especially when compared to processed or sugary foods. But if you’re trying to induce ketosis, it’s probably best to stay away from some fruits and limit your intake.</p> <p>The best keto fruits have lots of fiber (berries), are low in carbs (melon), or have healthy fats (avocado, olives). Building your low carb diet wisely with the 7 fruits listed above, you should have an easier time getting into ketosis.</p> <p>It might also help to weigh or measure your fruit intake to get a feel for carbs. With some practice, you’ll be able to eyeball how much fruit is right for you to stay in ketosis or reach your weight loss goals.</p>