You’re trying the keto diet on for size, but all that butter, cheese, and meat can be heavy. Lightening things up with some fruit seems like a solid choice, right?
Not so fast: On this high-fat plan, you’re only getting five to 10% of your kilojoules from carbs in order to stay in ketosis (a.k.a., a state where your body is burning fat for energy rather than carbs). And – newsflash – fruit is pretty high in carbs (it’s all those natural sugars).
Take blueberries, for example: One cup contains about 18g of net carbs (that’s total carbohydrates minus fibre), which accounts for pretty much an entire day’s worth of carbs on the keto diet (you’re supposed to eat fewer than 20g of net carbs a day).
So basically, “you cannot eat most fruits on keto,” says Kristen Mancinelli, registered dietician and author of The Ketogenic Diet: The Scientifically Proven Approach to Fast, Healthy Weight Loss. And, P.S., high-carb fruits are typically the tastiest (read: sweetest) ones like peaches and melons.
But you don’t have to go totally fruit-free on the keto diet. Here are a few keto-friendly fruits that pass the carb test.
1. Avocados
Yep, this creamy delight is actually a fruit – and it’s a keto diet godsend. Not only does a half of an avocado contain a glorious 15g of heart-healthy fat, but it has less than 2g of net carbs.
These make great additions to smoothies, says registered dietician Sarah Jadin, who specialises in keto diets. Still, even with avocado you need to be mindful of how much you’re eating in relation to your carb allowance, she notes.
2. Olives
Olives are another fruit you definitely didn’t think were a fruit – so they totally count.
Ten small olives pack about 3g of fat and about 1.5g of net carbs. Bonus: They’re salty, and getting enough sodium is important when following a keto diet, says Jadin.
3. Coconut
One-half cup of shredded coconut meat yields 13g of fat, and a respectable 2.5g of net carbs. Sugar is often added to coconut, so make sure you’re buying unsweetened – or buy an entire coconut and scoop the meat out yourself.
4. Blackberries
Blackberries have an impressive amount of fibre – nearly 2g in a quarter cup. That serving size also has 1.5g of net carbs, so you can definitely add these to your morning yogurt.
5. Raspberries
Stick with a quarter cup raspberries and you’ll get about 1.5g of net carbs.
Toss them in a salad, or, even better, whip up heavy whipping cream and toss a few berries on top for a keto-friendly dessert, recommends Jadin.
6. Strawberries
A quarter-cup of strawberry halves contains a little more than 2g of net carbs – or about 10% of your daily limit if you’re aiming for 20g of net carbs a day.
7. Tomatoes
Yet another should-be veggie that’s actually a fruit. At 2g of net carbs per half-cup, cherry tomatoes are a great addition to your keto diet.
8. Lemons
No one’s asking you to bite into a lemon – though, if you’re into that, you do you – but when you need to dress up unsweetened soda water or plain tea, the sour citrus fruit has your back.
A squeeze from a wedge has less than a half of a gram of net carbs. That’s a negligible amount of carbs, so honestly, squeeze as many lemons as you want, says Jadin.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
Image credit: iStock
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