Keto Fruits: The Complete Guide (Dos, Don’ts, Bonus Lists & Eating Tips)
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May 12, 2019Want to eat fruit on a keto diet? Here is the complete, one and only list of keto fruits you will ever need.
Just for the reminder, the main rule of thumb of a keto diet is carbohydrate and sugar restriction (click here to view the complete keto diet guide). Unfortunately, most fruits have quite a lot of sugar and carbs. Fruits are, after all, candy from nature. This makes them fall into the “grey-area” type of foods on a keto diet.
There are probably a few questions running in your mind now. Can you eat fruit on keto? If you can, then what are the keto approved fruits? How often can you eat these keto friendly fruits and in what amounts? What’s the best time to them? What’s the most keto friendly fruit of all?
I know these questions can go on and on. But I’m also sure that this guide will answer them all. Let’s get started.
Keto Friendly Fruits (You Can Have Daily)
The list of allowed keto fruits isn’t very long but it’s enough to let you have some healthy diversity and a variety of tastes without consuming tons of sugar.
Keto-Approved Fruits
| Fruit | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Olives | 2 |
| Avocado | 2 |
| Tomato | 3 |
| Rhubarb | 3 |
| Starfruit | 4 |
| Blackberry | 4 |
| Raspberry | 5 |
| Strawberry | 6 |
| Gooseberry | 6 |
| Coconut meat | 6 |
| Lemon | 6 |
Unless you are on a very strict keto weight loss program (and need to stay below 20 g of net carbs), you can eat a small portion of these keto fruits daily (about 100-150 g).
“Grey-Area” Keto Fruits (You Can Have Them Occasionally)
The list of “grey-area” keto fruits is a bit longer and more diverse. These fruits are OK to consume in small amounts, around your workouts or on your carb-up days.
Keep in mind that it’s quite easy to exceed the allowed 20 g of daily carbs if you eat these “grey-area” fruits. That’s why if you are on a strict keto diet plan and want huge weight loss, you need to count fruit carbs against your daily intake.
"Grey-Area" Keto Fruits
| Fruit | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Cantaloupe | 7 |
| Watermelon | 7 |
| Lime | 8 |
| Peach | 8 |
| Melon | 8 |
| Currant | 8 |
| Cranberry | 8 |
| Papaya | 8 |
| Nectarine | 9 |
| Cherries | 10 |
| Watermelon | 10 |
| Clementine | 10 |
| Orange | 10 |
| Apricot | 11 |
| Grapefruit | 11 |
| Pineapple | 12 |
| Apple | 12 |
| Pear | 12 |
| Kiwi | 12 |
| Blueberry | 12 |
| Mango | 13 |
| Passion-fruit | 13 |
In most cases you can have a very small portion (about 50 g or less) of these fruits almost every day.
Forbidden Keto Fruits & Fruit Products (Avoid Or Leave Them For Carb Refills)
The list of the forbidden keto fruits is a bit long. If you are serious about a keto diet, I recommend totally avoiding these fruits or having them once in a blue moon (on your carb-up days or before important races if you are an athlete).
In most cases even a very small amount of these fruits will exceed 20 g of carbs and probably kick you out of ketosis (and any fat burning).
Many of the processed types of fruits (dried, dehydrated or canned), in addition to be naturally high in sugar, often have added sugar as well.
When it comes to juices, almost any fruit juice (except for lemon juice) is simply the “worse” and less keto-friendly version of fruits it’s made from. Fruit juices always have more carbs and sugar than whole fruits (which also have fiber). They are in the liquid form so it’s quite easy to drink too much of them.
Forbidden Keto Fruits
| Fruit | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Grapes | 16 |
| Pomegranate | 17 |
| Prunes (dehydrated) | 89 |
| Apricots (dehydrated) | 81 |
| Apples (dehydrated) | 82 |
| Bananas (dehydrated) | 78 |
| Cherries (dried, sweetened) | 78 |
| Cranberries (dried, sweetened) | 77 |
| Raisins (seedless) | 75 |
| Raisins (seeded) | 71 |
| Dates (dried) | 68 |
| Goji berries (dried) | 64 |
| Plums (dried) | 57 |
| Apricots (dried) | 55 |
| Figs (dried) | 54 |
| Peaches (dried) | 53 |
| Apple juice | 11 |
| Grape juice | 15 |
| Grapefruit juice | 9 |
| Orange juice | 10 |
| Pineapple juice | 13 |
| Tangerine juice | 10 |
It’s recommended to avoid these fruits or fruit products on a daily basis. It’s best to leave them for your cheat day or carb-up days.
Bonus: Tips On Eating Fruit On A Keto Diet (To Stay Keto-Compliant)
Yes, it’s true that fruits have a lot of carbs and sugar (fructose) which can quickly knock you out of ketosis. However, many fruits are rich in various vitamins, minerals or fiber that is vital to your health. What’s more, fruits have been (at least seasonally) with humans for millions of years.
So is it possible to kill two birds with one stone when it comes to fruits on a keto diet? Yes, it is and here are the top tips that will help you do just that.
Keto Fruit Tip 1: Focus On Keto-Friendly Fruits
I always suggest focusing on the keto-approved fruits only and adding them to various meals and recipes. The keto-friendly fruits listed above are low in carbs so most of you can have 100-150 g (3.5 – 5.2 oz) of them every day.
You can add them to your shakes, desserts, keto cakes or just eat them separately. Mixing a handful of berries with heavy whipping cream (sweetened with stevia) will make a delicious dessert. You can add keto-approved fruits to your sweet keto waffles or omelette. There are so many ways to eat them that you will never feel limited or restricted.
Keto Fruit Tip 2: Always Count Carbs From Fruits
If you are doing the stricter version of a keto diet, I recommend counting fruit carbs against your daily intake. If you aim at below 50 g of net carbs, you obviously have more freedom. However, even if you do the 20-gram version, you can still have half an orange, grapefruit or apple (about 10 g) and be OK.
If you aren’t really into counting macros and calories (just like me), you don’t need to do this with every meal or piece of food you put into your mouth. Just make sure to count carbs from fruits and stay below 20-30 g daily and you will be in ketosis (and keep burning fat).
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, that’s no problem. There are lot of websites or apps that will show you the average weight of food items and their nutritional facts. I recommend FatSecret to quickly look up certain foods.
Keto Fruit Tip 2: Eat Some Only Occasionally & Strategically
If you want a lot of success with your keto diet, I suggest you become strategic about it. There are certain types of foods you should avoid on a daily basis but there are also certain times when it’s good to have… some of them. I am talking about the forbidden keto fruits, of course.
If you are an athlete a day before an important race (a marathon, for example), feel free to have a bunch of grapes or a banana to have more energy.
Have you been doing keto for many weeks in a row and feel fatigued? Maybe it’s time for a carb-up day and your favorite freshly squeezed orange juice.
Are some fruits available only seasonally where you live? Cherries, for example? If cherries are seasonal in your place and you like them, then don’t avoid them. Go to the nearest market, buy 2 pounds of them and eat all of them.
A keto diet is about eating real (and healthy foods) and listening to your body. This is what our ancestors used to do. They often lived for months without any fruits. But when fruits became available in summer months, our ancestors ate a lot of them and that’s what you can do as well.
Help ABC Keto Improve & Share This Keto Fruit List
Do you like this keto fruit list? Do you find it helpful? Do you want me to add some fruit or product to it?
Feel free to add your comments below or contact me directly. I would love to hear from you. If you find this list helpful, please share it with your friends and help spread the word.
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3 Comments
Finally a decent list of keto fruits and so many different types. Thanks, Olga.❤️
I made my best to make it as decent and as long as possible 🙂 If you think I should add some fruit to it, just let me know. And remember that more such lists are coming!
So many people are mistaken to believe that a keto diet means giving up fruits entirely and for ever. Nothing is further from the truth. A keto diet simply means watching your carbs and choosing the best fruits (making good, wise and well thought-over fruit choices). It’s enough to stick to the pieces of advice from this article and you’re gonna be OK.