The Worst Fruits To Eat On A Keto Diet (+ 5 Keto Fruit You Can Safely Eat)
Imagine this: you wake up in the morning, head into your kitchen, and start blending up a super tasty breakfast smoothie.
You reach for a little bit of almond or coconut milk, some ice, maybe a bit of avocado, and your favorite fruit…
But wait! Be very careful which fruit you reach for.
Many fruits are loaded with carbohydrates. Putting them in your breakfast smoothie, or having them for a midday snack, or even for dessert, can spike your blood sugar, knock you out of ketosis, and stall your weight loss.
Fruit can be a part of a healthy low carb diet — you just have to pick the right Keto fruits.
Below is a list of the 5 worst fruits to eat on a Keto diet…and the 5 best fruits for you to eat instead.
The Worst Fruits For Keto:
Avoid these fruits as much as you can – they’re full of sugars and very high in carbs. And if you do eat them, you’ll need to make sure it’s only a very tiny amount.
1. Dates
The most common type of dates you’ll see are Medjool dates, which contain 33 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = two dates) (1). This means that just one serving of dates will put you over your daily carbohydrate limit of 25 grams!
Although dates come in different varieties, they all have a similar carb content.
2. Bananas
You might be tempted to add a banana or two to your morning smoothie… But that’s not as healthy as you think!
Bananas contain 24 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = one medium banana) (2). So leave them out of your recipes – and try making one of these delicious keto-friendly smoothies instead.
3. Pineapples
Pineapple is a tropical fruit with a high sugar content, which makes it a no-go on a low carb diet. It contains 19 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = one cup of pineapple chunks) (3).
Other tropical fruits, like mangoes and pomegranates, are similarly high in sugar. They should also be avoided.
4. Grapes
Grapes contain 15 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = one cup) (4).
They can be a refreshing snack, but you’ll need to limit the amount you eat to just one or two… Which can be hard to do!
5. Plantains
Plantains look similar to bananas, but they’re much greener. And just like bananas, they are also high in carbs. You’re most likely to come across them as fried or roasted chips.
Plantain chips contain 17 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = 1 oz) (5). So if you’re looking for an alternative to potato chips, steer clear of plantain chips and opt for kale chips instead.
Best Keto Fruit:
These are the low-carb fruits you can still safely enjoy as part of your Keto diet!
1. Avocado
Avocados contain only 1.87 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = ½ of an avocado) (6).
Avocados are chock-full of nutrients, like folate, potassium and vitamins K, C, E, B5 and B6. And avocados are also high in healthy fats, like oleic acid which is proven to decrease inflammation (7). This is why avocados are our favorite Keto fruit.
This versatile fruit is great for all kinds of Keto recipes.
One of our favorites is this quick and simple Keto Guacamole recipe. It’s much better for your body than store-bought guacamole, which often contains preservatives.
2. Blackberries
Blackberries contain 3.12 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = ½ cup) (8).
They’re a great source of vitamins C and K, and a mineral called manganese, which you may not have heard of before. It’s an important mineral, though! Your body needs manganese to support your bone development and keep your immune system healthy.
Wondering what to do with this Keto fruit? Try making this Blackberry Jello!
3. Strawberries
Strawberries contain 4.13 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = ½ cup) (9).
They’re full of vitamin C, manganese and folate. They also contain fiber, which is great for your gut health.
A great way to use strawberries is to make a big batch of Strawberry Matcha Chia Pudding and eat it for dessert (or breakfast!) throughout the week.
4. Raspberries
Raspberries contain 3.34 g of net carbs per serving (one serving = ½ cup) (10).
They’re rich in antioxidants, like Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid (11). Antioxidants protect your body against oxidative stress and unhealthy inflammation.
Raspberries are the the perfect topping for our Raspberry White Chocolate Fat Bombs – a delectable sweet treat with only 3 g of net carbs per serving.
5. Lemon
Lemon juice is a great garnish for a seafood dinner, and adds a wonderful tart flavor to desserts and beverages. The juice from one lemon contains 3.3 g of net carbs (12).
Lemons are a great source of vitamin C and they contain compounds called flavonoids, which may help fight cancer (13)(14).
You can use them to make this simple and thirst-quenching Keto Iced Lemon Coffee Recipe.
Low Carb Fruits – Nutritional Data
For good measure, we also included the calorie count, the amount of sugar, and the fiber amount for each of these fruits when it was available. We’ve organized the table alphabetically and we’ve added some extra details about what exactly the nutritional content includes (for example, we’ve included apple skins but not lime peels!).
If you’re looking for keto-friendly fruits, try focusing on berry-based recipes. With comparatively lower carbohydrates than many other fruits, they also can be great sources of antioxidants. Blueberries are a true superfood, packed with antioxidants, vitamins C & K, as well as manganese.
All the nutritional data is for raw fruits and the numbers are based of 100 grams of each item. Although not often thought of as fruits, we also included avocados in this list. Did you know they’re technically considered berries?
|
Fruit, raw, 100g |
Calories in 100g |
Total carbs in 100g |
Total fiber in 100g |
Total sugar in 100g |
Net Carbs in 100g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Avocado |
160 |
8.53 |
6.7 |
0.66 |
1.83 |
|
30 |
10.54 |
2.8 |
1.69 |
7.74 |
|
|
Lemon, without peel |
29 |
9.32 |
2.8 |
2.5 |
6.82 |
|
52 |
11.94 |
6.5 |
4.42 |
5.44 |
|
|
43 |
9.61 |
5.3 |
4.88 |
4.31 |
|
|
Strawberry |
32 |
7.68 |
2.0 |
4.89 |
5.68 |
|
Watermelon |
30 |
7.55 |
0.4 |
6.2 |
7.15 |
|
Grapefruit, pink & red |
42 |
10.66 |
1.6 |
6.89 |
9.06 |
|
Papaya |
43 |
10.82 |
1.7 |
7.82 |
9.12 |
|
34 |
8.16 |
0.9 |
7.86 |
7.26 |
|
|
36 |
9.09 |
0.8 |
8.12 |
8.29 |
|
|
39 |
9.54 |
1.5 |
8.39 |
8.04 |
|
|
Navel Orange |
49 |
12.54 |
2.2 |
8.50 |
10.34 |
|
57 |
15.23 |
3.1 |
9.75 |
12.13 |
|
|
Pineapple |
50 |
13.12 |
1.4 |
9.85 |
11.72 |
|
Blueberry |
57 |
14.49 |
2.4 |
9.96 |
12.09 |
|
52 |
13.81 |
2.4 |
10.39 |
11.41 |
|
|
Cherry |
63 |
16.01 |
2.1 |
12.82 |
13.91 |
|
67 |
17.15 |
0.9 |
16.25 |
16.25 |
Keto Recipes with Low Carb Fruits
Dark Chocolate Covered Fruit
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: blueberries, raspberries, almond butter, dark chocolate.
Berries and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven. Easy to make in under 2 minutes, this rich treat is a perfect occasional dessert. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of berries to discover your favorite!
Strawberry Matcha Chia Pudding Recipe
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: strawberries, matcha powder, coconut milk, chia seeds, Stevia or raw honey.
This recipe is perfect for breakfast or as an after-dinner treat and is so easily customizable. If you’re looking for a sweeter version of the pudding, add an extra dose of honey or Stevia to the mix. If not, leave out the sweeteners for a more potent punch of that delicious matcha tea and coconut milk.
Low Carb Green Smoothie – Dairy Free
– I Breathe, I’m Hungry
Photo Credit: Mellissa from I Breathe I’m Hungry
Ingredients: filtered water, romaine lettuce, fresh pineapple, fresh parsley, fresh ginger, raw cucumber, kiwi fruit, avocado, granulated sugar substitute.
We all need an extra dose of vitamins every once in a while and this smoothie packs a whallop! A powerful combination of fruits and veggies, this smoothie will start your day off right with pineapple, lettuce, parsley, ginger, and kiwi. Use it as an occasional detox drink or try it as part of your daily breakfast rotation.
Seared Duck Breast with Orange Sauce
– Keto Summit
Ingredients: duck breasts, salt, pepper, olive oil, onion, orange, orange zest, star anise, arrowroot flour, chicken broth, stevia.
Fruit doesn’t have to be just for breakfast or dessert. Made from orange strips and star anise, this recipe’s delicious sauce gives you the great taste of oranges without all the sugar. Served on top of rich duck breast, it makes for an impressive weeknight dinner.
Guacamole Recipe
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: avocados, tomato, cilantro, lime, salt, jalapeno, chili powder.
Although rarely considered as such, the avocado is a fruit (actually, it’s a berry!). This guacamole recipe is a classic and invites you to add your own twist. And why not up the fruit content? Throw a handful of pomegranate seeds on top to lend a burst of color and flavor.
Keto Ginger Coconut Cookies
– Keto Summit
Ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, coconut flakes, egg, ghee, Stevia, vanilla extract, ginger powder, baking soda, cinnamon (optional), nutmeg and cloves (optional).
This cookie recipe hits all the right buttons. Simple to look at, the cookie is full of flavor, packed with coconut, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Elegant but easy to make, it’s perfect for guests or an after-dinner treat!
Cherry Clafoutis – Low Carb and Gluten Free (Contains Dairy)
– I Breathe, I’m Hungry
Photo Credit: Mellissa from I Breathe I’m Hungry
Ingredients: butter, unsweetened almond milk, heavy whipping cream, granulated sugar substitute, cherry extract, vanilla extract, xanthan gum, kosher salt, eggs, almond flour, fresh cherries.
Cherries are very similar to berries from a nutritional standpoint: not much higher in sugar or in carbs. Which makes them great for keto-friendly recipes! Often a carb-heavy dish, this clafouti recipe is elegant and lighter than air thanks to its use of almond flour. Try it for dessert or a special weekend breakfast!
Keto Waldorf Salad
– Keto Summit
Ingredients:salad leaves of your choice, paleo mayo, salt, black pepper, Granny Smith apple (or other green apple), celery, grapes,walnuts
Now over a hundred years old, the original recipe for this salad was created in New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel in the late 19th century. We’ve kept the iconic ingredients of the original salad for this version, shrinking the fruit quantities slightly to make it more keto-friendly.
Conclusion:
Keto fruits are good for you – and they can be an important part of healthy Keto diet.
But you need to make sure you’re eating the right fruits. And you also need to be careful not to overeat them!
So avoid the high-carb fruits on this list, or limit your intake of them to very small quantities. Your best choice is making sure you stick mainly to the low-carb fruits in this article.
Pinterest Image For The Worst Fruits To Eat On A Keto Diet (+ 5 You Can Safely Eat)
Pin the image below to your keto foods board so that you never forget which fruits you should avoid on Keto (and which ones you can safely enjoy).
For tasty ways to prepare your favorite Keto fruits, check out our large list of Keto recipes here.
