Diet & Nutrition

What fruit can you eat on the keto diet, and which should you avoid?

Fruit is healthy and delicious, but if you’re trying to follow the ketogenic diet, not all fruit are on the menu.
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Controversial? Yes. Going anywhere anytime soon? Doesn’t look like it.

The ketogenic, or ‘keto’ diet is still going strong as one of the most popular diets to try this year with everyone from Halle Berry, Vanessa Hudgens and Kourtney Kardashian sharing their love for the diet which is said to cause rapid weight loss.

The keto diet is a very low-carbohydrate, medium protein and high-fat diet that aims to bring your body into a state of ketosis, which means your body shifts from running off glucose (sugar and carbs) as its main source of energy and instead using ketones (fat), which is how you can lose weight fast.

“This means all grains (bread, rice, cereals), starchy vegetables, fruit, dairy and processed foods are on the ‘not allowed’ list,” explains dietician and founder of @healthyhappyhabits, Rachel Scoular told Now To Love previously.

This means that foods we would usually call ‘healthy’ – think fruit and vegetables – aren’t necessarily a great choice if you’re trying keto because while they’re traditionally considered healthy, they’re also high in carbs, something you want to avoid when on keto. Most keto plans limit your daily carb intake to around 20-25 grams of net carbs (net carbs is the total carb content minus the fibre content).

While fruit is considered healthy traditionally, not all of them are suitable if you’re following the keto diet. (Image: Getty)

If you’ve been tossing up whether you should give keto a go but can’t go a day without fruit, it’s not all bad news.

Here we take a look at some low-carb fruit that you can still enjoy on a keto diet, and some you’re best to avoid.

What fruit can I eat on the keto diet?

Avocados

While you may have to forego the toast (or opt for a keto-friendly option), avocados are A-OK and a great staple on the keto diet.

Packed with healthy fats, avocados are also chock-full with vitamins, minerals and fibre and is thankfully, crazy low in carbs.

Health.com says the serving size of an avocado is a hotly debated topic, but one avocado is equivalent to about 2 net grams of carbs.

Blackberries

As you’ll soon discover, most berries have the tick of approval when it comes to the keto diet. They’re also super important for bringing much-needed fibre into the keto diet (apparently keto diarrhea and constipation are common).

Talking to Health.com, nutritionist Beth Warren, RDN, says: “One cup of blackberries has 6 grams of net carbohydrates, which fits into the diet. But I usually recommend that people consume ¼ cup, which is only 1.5 grams of net carbs.”

Blueberries

As mentioned above, berries are generally fine (in a limited amount) on the keto diet.

A good rule of thumb is that fruits that are sweeter are generally higher in carbs, therefore blueberries, which are sweeter than blackberries are higher in carbs. Warren suggests ¼ cup to ½ added to your daily menu to stay in ketosis.

Coconuts are refreshing, hydrating and low in carbs! (Image: Getty)

Coconut

Coconut flesh is super refreshing and hydrating and also low on carbs! ½ cup of coconut has 13 grams of healthy fat and about 2.5 grams of net carbs.

While it’s always best to try find yourself a fresh coconut, the canned variety can be ok too, as long as no extra sugar has been added.

Lemon

While you’re unlikely to chow down on a wedge of lemon, if you’re looking for a way to make your water more interesting, it’s nice to know lemon makes the cut, plus it’ll give you some vitamin C and calcium.

Olives

If you didn’t know olives were fruit, you do now.

These salty little morsels are low in carbs and high in fats and antioxidants making them the perfect addition to a keto diet and a great way to make your meals more interesting.

According to keto specialist Sarah Jadin, RD, a palm’s worth of olives has only 3 grams of net carbs.

Raspberries

Raspberries are a great way to get a good dose of vitamin C and K, with ¼ cup around 1.5 grams of net carbs.

Berries are generally A-OK on the keto diet – in limited amounts, of course. (Image: Getty)

Strawberries

Another favourite berry, strawberries are also keto-approved, despite their sweetness.

While they may have more net carbs than other berries (¼ cup is equivalent to about 2 grams of net carbs), it’s their versatility that makes them a tasty addition to a keto diet.

Tomatoes

This juicy fruit is bursting with flavour and thankfully low in carbs, meaning they’re they still make the ideal addition to a salad.

½ a cup of tomatoes is equivalent to just over 2 grams of net carbs.

What fruit should I avoid on a keto diet?

  • Apples

  • Bananas

  • Cherries

  • Grapefruit

  • Grapes

  • Mango

  • Melon

  • Oranges

  • Pears

  • Pineapple

  • Plums

While you could perhaps get away with still eating some of these fruit in tiny amounts – it could severely cut into your daily carb intake meaning you’ll be eating a lot less food, otherwise you’ll be kicking yourself out of ketosis.

Remember, the keto diet isn’t for everyone – and the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. (Image: Getty)

All-in-all, while the keto diet has been shown to bring rapid weight loss it should be noted that it isn’t for everyone, with many experts saying because of its highly restrictive nature it is incredibly hard to sustain for a long time amount of time.

If you give it a go but find you’re finding incredibly difficult to maintain, remember to listen to your body and instead focus on having a healthy and balanced diet and getting regular exercise.

As nutritionist Rachel Scoular says: “Regardless of the diet you choose, it’s always going to be a good idea to cut down on processed foods, particularly those high in refined sugars, fat and salt.

“In most cases, you’ll find that by simply cutting down on these foods and prioritising your fruit and vegetable intake, you’re already placing yourself at a good chance of weight loss if you are carrying extra weight, but weight loss aside, you’re sure to improve your health considerably.

The Ministry of Health recommends talking to your GP before undertaking any major changes to your diet.

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