The Keto diet is one of the most popular diets. The community of fitness enthusiasts keeps the keto diet in high regard. However famous, it is also one of the most challenging diet plans a person can follow.
One has to focus entirely on low-carb fruits and food items. It has to be in a particular quantity to gain maximum results. This diet plan is rigorous.
High-carb food items are among the foods to avoid in the keto diet. These items include starchy vegetables, legumes, and even some fruits.
This diet plan is so rigid that it even gets tough for a person to carry it forward. The reason is boring food consumption every day with no relief.
The majority of fruits are prohibited. Therefore, one could say that the keto diet is monotonous. This article will discuss some fruits one can consume to keep the keto diet enjoyable to a specific limit.
Fruits To Eat In Keto Diet
The Keto diet restricts carbs intake. The body tries to sustain itself on fats and limited proteins consumed. Restricting carbs intake starts a process called ketosis.
The body initiates the shifting of energy source to ketones from glucose. Ketone production takes place in the liver too. This shift helps to burn fat. It is beneficial[1] for fat loss.
Generally, fruits are high in carbs. They may prevent ketosis. Therefore, a large number of fruits are prohibited in the keto diet. Some exceptions do exist.
Not to miss, one can always consume keto-friendly foods to stay on the keto diet.
Having said all that, here are some fruits you may consume if you follow a keto diet.
Avocados
Avocados are a smart choice for your keto diet. Due to the high content of healthy fats it contains, it is good[2] for the heart. Besides being low on carbs, avocados provide nutrients.
Some of them are vitamin K, C, and potassium. It is also a source of folate. These nutrients are very important for a person’s diet.
Watermelon
This hydrating fruit keeps a person hydrated. It is a no-brainer to add it to your keto diet plan. It has a high presence of healthy fats, low carbs, and other nutrients.
Folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium make watermelon a must-add to your diet. The antioxidant properties of watermelon help in fighting diseases.
Watermelons are misjudged to be high in sugar and carbs. This is due to their natural sweetness. The truth, on the contrary, is that the major content of watermelon is water. It brings down the carb content of the fruit.
Watermelons also have higher amounts of lycopene than tomatoes. The best part is that watermelons are a good source[3] to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. They are not a threat to a strict keto diet regime.
Strawberries
Strawberries are another very good source of nutrition[4]. It is a good fruit to eat on a keto diet. Delicious strawberries are filled with health benefits.
Strawberries are well low in carbs and high in fiber. It aids in keeping you full for a longer time. It also adds very less carbs to your body.
Vitamin C, manganese, and folate are key nutrients offered by strawberries. The antioxidant properties keep your immune system great. It also helps in fighting diseases.
Olives
Olives are a popular add-on to pizza. It falls under the category of fruits. Moreover, it is great for your heart. Olives are high in salt content.
It adds a lot of sodium you may need in a keto diet to prevent the keto flu. An additional benefit[5] is fewer carbs are added to your diet.
Coconut
Fiber-rich fruit, coconut, is a prominent fruit. It can be consumed by people following any type of diet. Coconuts are super healthy for your gut.
Unsweetened coconut is a great addition[6] to your keto diet. It can add flavor to your diet schedule. Coconuts can be consumed fresh or dried.
The high amount of MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil present in coconut makes it a very popular fruit for a keto diet.
Even so, it is recommended not to consume too much coconut. It may increase the carb content of the fruit. Hence it can backfire on your diet.
Raspberries
Like all the major berries, a beneficial[7] member of the berry family is raspberries. It has a high antioxidant content. It aids in inflammation control to prevent one from obesity.
Eaten in a salad or with dessert, raspberries are a great addition to your keto diet. The tangy taste of raspberry makes it more of a flavourful choice for somebody on a strict keto diet.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are usually used in dishes, vegetables, and meals. You might be familiar with them as a vegetable. But tomatoes are ironically a member of the fruit family.
It has a low carb property and a balanced approach[8] to all dishes. The plant compounds present in tomatoes also help in keeping your immunity strong.
Lycopene present in it is a rejuvenating antioxidant. Tomatoes are an excellent fruit for your keto diet.
Peaches
This sweet juicy stone fruit with a little fuzzy look has low net carbs in it. If added with other low-carb food items, peaches can be a tasty element[9] in your keto diet.
Peaches are extremely rich in vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A and niacin. Peaches also improve cholesterol levels in one’s body.
Star Fruit
This vibrant star-shaped fruit is natively found in southeast Asia. Due to the low level of carb content in star fruit, it turns out to be a great addition to the keto diet.
Besides the main property[10] of carbs, vitamin C, potassium, and copper are also prominently present in star fruit. They help extensively in one’s health.
Star fruit has the lowest sugar content in it than the other keto diet fruits. It might be the one you wanna try.
Lemons
Very popular citrus fruit is lemon. It is used to add flavor to meals and drinks. In addition, lemons have a great amount of dietary fiber in them.
It can be a good reason[11] to add it to your keto diet. Due to its rich fiber content, specifically pectin, lemons tends to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Besides this lemons have vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C. They are very beneficial for overall strength. With being low on carbs, they are also low in calories.
Due to this, its consumption becomes a win-win situation for keto dietists.
Blackberries
Blackberries are another fruit that can be used in the keto diet. The presence of fiber content and vitamin C may help exponentially in the keto diet.
Besides these nutrients, blackberries also have antioxidants in them. They have anti-inflammatory effects on your body preventing[12] obesity.
Blackberries also help in strengthening your immune system. Blackberries hence are the top low-carb berries one can eat for the keto diet.
Apples
An apple is indeed a great fruit to keep yourself healthy. The skin of the apple, inclusive, has a high amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
These nutrients are great add-ons. Besides this, apples are also great for the heart. They tend to lower the cholesterol levels in your body, decreasing the risk of strokes and attacks, as per the research[13].
Plums
Plums are filled[14] with fiber and juice. It can help you to stay full for a longer duration. It is also low in carbs. It contains nutrients like phosphorus and potassium.
Plums are an excellent choice for snacking while on a keto diet.
Kiwifruit
Kiwis are slightly on the higher side when it comes to net carb content in the fruit. Even so, kiwi makes out to be a great choice to eat in a keto diet.
The fiber content of kiwi tends to help you eat less for longer times. It is recommended[15] to consume less kiwi in a keto diet. 75 grams of a kiwi contains 10.5 grams of carbs.
They can be consumed occasionally in moderation to avoid too much carb consumption for the diet.
Unsweetened Acai Puree
Acai bowls are very popular for their sweetness and sugar content. Although, the fruit of acai itself is not very sweet. Hence, raw acai fruit with no added sugar can be consumed for taste in the keto diet.
An unsweetened puree or powdered form of acai fruit can be eaten during the keto diet. It is a good option[16] for a person to keep it interesting.
Cantaloupe
Closely resembling a muskmelon, cantaloupes are a variety of melons. People can easily consume them on a keto diet.
It gives one a good dose of potassium, folate, and vitamin K. It also provides one with beta carotene. It is a key content for the improvement of the immune system and eyes.
It still is recommended to consume low amounts of cantaloupe on a keto diet to avoid carb accumulation.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say the keto diet is famous yet hard to follow. Ketosis is the scientific ground of the keto diet. The majority of fruits prevent ketosis. Hence they cannot be consumed.
It is observed that there are a good amount of fruits in existence which we can consume to support our diet. This breaks the myth of people that all fruits are high in carbs.
Fruits like acai fruit, avocados, lemons, and many more have fewer carbs in them. Some fruits like watermelon also contain a fair amount of sweetness without the presence of carbs and sugar in them.
Therefore, it is safe to say that a person on a keto diet can easily consume a fair amount of fruits. This makes the food intake interesting and balanced.
However, It is also vital to keep the consumption of fruits in moderation. Excessive consumption of fruits can ultimately disrupt your keto diet by accumulating the carb content in your diet.
References/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Wajeed Masood; Pavan Annamaraju; Kalyan R. Uppaluri Ketogenic Diet Last Update: November 26, 2021. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/
- Li Wang, Ling Tao, Lei Hao, et al. A Moderate-Fat Diet with One Avocado per Day Increases Plasma Antioxidants and Decreases the Oxidation of Small, Dense LDL in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial J Nutr. 2020 Feb 1;150(2):276-284. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz231. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31616932/
- Tiffany Lum, Megan Connolly, Amanda Marx, et al. Effects of Fresh Watermelon Consumption on the Acute Satiety Response and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults Nutrients. 2019 Mar; 11(3): 595. Published online 2019 Mar 12. doi: 10.3390/nu11030595
- Sadia Afrin, Massimiliano Gasparrini, Tamara Y Forbes-Hernandez, et al. Promising Health Benefits of the Strawberry: A Focus on Clinical Studies J Agric Food Chem. 2016 Jun 8;64(22):4435-49. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b00857. Epub 2016 May 31. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27172913/
- Giulia Accardi, Anna Aiello, Valeria Gargano, et al. Nutraceutical effects of table green olives: a pilot study with Nocellara del Belice olives Immun Ageing. 2016; 13: 11. Published online 2016 Apr 5. doi: 10.1186/s12979-016-0067-y
- Jakob Norgren, Shireen Sindi, Anna Sandebring-Matton, et al. Ketosis After Intake of Coconut Oil and Caprylic Acid—With and Without Glucose: A Cross-Over Study in Healthy Older Adults Front Nutr. 2020; 7: 40. Published online 2020 Apr 15. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00040
- Britt M Burton-Freeman, Amandeep K Sandhu, and Indika Edirisinghe Red Raspberries and Their Bioactive Polyphenols: Cardiometabolic and Neuronal Health Links Adv Nutr. 2016 Jan; 7(1): 44–65. Published online 2016 Jan 7. doi: 10.3945/an.115.009639
- Yu-Fen Li, Ya-Yuan Chang, Hui-Chi Huang, et al. Tomato juice supplementation in young women reduces inflammatory adipokine levels independently of body fat reduction Nutrition. 2015 May;31(5):691-6. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.11.008. Epub 2014 Dec 13. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25837214/
- Peaches, yellow, raw FDC Published:4/1/2019 Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169928/nutrients
- Kasun Lakmal, Pamodh Yasawardene, Umesh Jayarajah, et al. Nutritional and medicinal properties of Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola): A review Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Mar; 9(3): 1810–1823. Published online 2021 Jan 23. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2135
- Mi Joung Kim, Jung Hyun Hwang, Hyun Ji Ko, et al. Lemon detox diet reduced body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in overweight Korean women Nutr Res. 2015 May;35(5):409-20. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2015.04.001. Epub 2015 Apr 10. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25912765/
- Patrick M. Solverson, William V. Rumpler, Jayme L. Leger, et al. Blackberry Feeding Increases Fat Oxidation and Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight and Obese Males Nutrients. 2018 Aug; 10(8): 1048. Published online 2018 Aug 9. doi: 10.3390/nu10081048
- Jeanelle Boyer and Rui Hai Liu Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits Nutr J. 2004; 3: 5.Published online 2004 May 12. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-3-5
- Giuliana Noratto , Hercia S D Martino, Sunday Simbo, et al. Consumption of polyphenol-rich peach and plum juice prevents risk factors for obesity-related metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease in Zucker rats J Nutr Biochem. 2015 Jun;26(6):633-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.12.014. Epub 2015 Feb 26. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25801980/
- Hsin-Yi Yang, Wan-Hsuan Wang, Jun-Ye Zhan, et al. Beneficial Effects of Golden Kiwifruit Consumption in Overweight and Obese Young Adults J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2020;66(Supplement):S356-S360. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.66.S356. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33612624/
- Jay K Udani, Betsy B Singh, Vijay J Singh, et al. Effects of Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry preparation on metabolic parameters in a healthy overweight population: A pilot study Nutr J. 2011; 10: 45. Published online 2011 May 12. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-45
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Otella has an experience of around eight years of writing about health and nutrition-related topics. She is a full-time mother and a housewife, and the time she has left after doing her mother and household duties is spent writing for Working for Health as a full-time writer. Her life goal is to raise both her boys into a gentleman, and at the same time, she wants to educate people on how to keep themselves fit by tweaking their daily diet.