Nature’s Health Candy: Can You Really Eat Fruit in The Keto Lifestyle?

Nature’s Health Candy: Can You Really Eat Fruit in The Keto Lifestyle?

 

 

Fruit, as the headline suggests is also known as nature’s candy. Packed with nutritional sugars that, in moderation, are extremely healthy and help you reduce weight. However, if not consumed in moderation these natural sugars can spike your blood sugar levels, in turn, prove to be harmful and can affect your Keto Diet.

The higher your blood sugar the more chances your body has of producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that sends signals to your brain ordering it to store fats and also avoids your body from burning any fats already stored.

 

Ketosis, on the other hand, helps you lose weight by burning fats and use them for energy.

 

So, simply put, the production of insulin in your body and the Keto Diet can never go hand in hand.

 

What Fruits Should I Avoid?

Most fruits are packed with sugar and carbohydrates, both of which you would want to avoid on a Keto Diet. Sugar consumption is one of the leading causes of excessive cravings which is yet another factor that you want to avoid on your journey.

 

In the United States, Bananas and Apples are the most popular fruits consumed on a daily basis because of them being readily available and easy to snack on. The table below shows the carbohydrate and sugar content in an average sized apple and banana:

 

Apple		Banana
25 Grams	Carbs	27 Grams
19 Grams	Sugar	14 Grams
4.5 Grams	Fiber	3 Grams
20.5 Grams	Net Carbs	24 Grams

 

 

It may be necessary to limit your fruit intake while on a Keto Diet, this does not in any way mean that you should not be eating any fruit.

 

The ultimate check that you can have in place is to ensure you do not exceed the allowed daily net carb consumption. For the Keto Diet to give you your desired results your daily carb count should be around 5 to 10% of your daily calorie intake, equating to about 25-30 grams of net carbs a day.

 

As mentioned in my previous post net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber from the total carbs

(Total Carbs – Fiber = Net Carbs).

 

Please do keep in mind that Fiber is non-digestible and does not affect your blood sugar level in any way. Thus, will not kick you out of Ketosis

 

The following fruits if incorporated correctly in your keto diet help you lose weight, our webpage has tons of great recipes using them as well:

Avocado

Contrary to common belief avocado is a fruit and not a vegetable. It is packed essential nutrients to the extent that it’s often termed as a SUPER FOOD.

Personally, I would recommend using avocado as a staple in any diet, which means this fruit would be amazing for your keto journey.

 

I recently came across an article that claimed avocados are high in carbs and thus should be avoided. Since I believe in facts and not just claims out of thin air, I decided to dig deep into this. I scheduled interviews with multiple renowned nutritionists to discuss this. Based on my meetings with them I found out that Avocados have the perfect ratio of carbs, fats, proteins, fiber, and nutrients. Simply put they are the perfect Keto Super Food.

Benefits of adding Avocados to your daily diet include….(and not limited to)

• Improved heart health
• Healthy skin, eye,  and hair
• Lower risk for metabolic syndrome
• Aid in weight loss
• Cancer prevention
• Better digestive health
• Hormonal balance
• Protection against insulin resistance and diabetes.

 

Based on research an average sized avocado cut into half i.e. 70 Grams has the following nutritional facts:

• 112 calories
• 10g fat
• 6g carbs
• 5g fiber
• 1g net carb
• 1.4g protein

 

Time to start piling up on those avocados. They are easy to store in the fridge without having to worry about them going bad for at least a few weeks.

 

 

Watermelon

The ultimate summer fruit that has the lowest carbohydrate content. Every 100grams of watermelon contains 7.55 grams of carbs. This fruit has a high water content and provides you with very few calories thus filling you up soon with no risks.

If you need a refreshing treat in the hot summer months, a little bit of watermelon could be a good idea as long as you can keep the serving sizes realistic.

When it comes to eating watermelon … is there any better way than a cold wedge right from the fridge on a hot summer day?

 

Strawberry

Strawberries are not only the most refreshing sight but also extremely refreshing to taste on a hot summer day.

They are a great source of potassium and vitamin C. Potassium helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure, maintains fluid balance and aids in muscle contraction. This is the answer to questions raised by many people that tend to cramp up while on the keto diet. While vitamin C acts as an antioxidant which also helps your immune system. This is what helps you looking radiant and fresh. These are great to add you your salads or to use within your breakfast recipes. 100 grams of strawberries only consist of a mere 6 grams of carbs.

 

Coconut

Coconut has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its highly researched health benefits. This fruit, specifically the meat (inside of the coconut) is incorporated in numerous Keto recipes and other healthy diets plans. One-half cup of shredded coconut meat yields 13g of fat, and a respectable 2.5g of net carbs. It’s best to buy organic coconut yourself and scoop out the meat in order to avoid the addition of sweeteners. Coconut helps with digestion, elimination and is considered to be excellent for weight loss since it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) which are considered to be the best fats to curb hunger. They are rich in fiber and are a great source of natural minerals.

 

The meat of coconuts is consumed in many ways. Some people choose to make coconut flakes, coconut flour, and coconut butter all of which have been shown to lower the risk for diabetes by decreasing blood glucose levels and preventing against intestinal cancers.

Grapefruit

Grapefruits are an all-natural source of important vitamins and minerals. According to a study, obese adults who consumed grapefruit regularly in addition to a low-calorie diet lost more weight than those who did not. Citrus fruits are usually considered one of the worst fruit choices on a ketogenic diet. However, grapefruits are a small exception and you may want to occasionally include them in your diet.

Here are the facts and tips about grapefruits and a keto diet you should know about:

PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS AND FAT BURNING: Grapefruit is probably the only fruit you can eat and get away with it if you are on any weight loss program. More and more research (both on humans and animals) shows that grapefruit helps to lose weight and burn fat. That’s thanks to the enzyme called AMPK that boosts metabolism and has an effect similar to exercise.

IMPROVES INSULIN RESISTANCE: One of the greatest benefits of a keto diet is that it improves insulin resistance which is a common problem among overweight people. It turns out that grapefruit also improves insulin resistance so in a way it works similar to a keto diet.

HIGH IN CARBS: We cannot deny the fact that grapefruit (just like most fruits) in high in carbs. A large pink grapefruit may have even 20 g of carbs (and 17 g of sugar), which is your daily allowed quantity on a keto diet. This, fortunately, doesn’t mean that eating grapefruit on a keto diet is forbidden (more about it below).

LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX: Even though it’s high in carbs, grapefruit has a glycemic index of 25, which is one of the lowest among fruits. Since a keto diet is more about keeping insulin levels low, grapefruit with a GI of 25 is OK to consume from time to time.

LOW IN CALORIES:  Grapefruit is really low in calories which we don’t want to totally neglect on a keto diet (this is not a smart thing to do). A really huge grapefruit which will literally stuff your stomach has only about 100 kcal. That’s a really good result.

EAT WHOLE & AVOID JUICE: Since a keto diet is about eating real and whole foods, you don’t want to drink grapefruit juice which is much higher in carbs and sometimes has added sugar. To stay as keto-friendly as possible, eat only whole grapefruit (together with fiber it contains).

 

I suggest eating it only on your carb-up days or around your workouts (ideally after your workout to restore glycogen). I recommend eating them not more often than 2-3 times a week.

Blackberries

70 grams of blackberries consist of around 4 grams of carbs making them a great fruit to consume on a Keto Diet. These tiny fruits are loaded with anti-oxidants that have been credited with reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system.

Blackberries have an impressive amount of fiber. So, adding a few to your morning yogurt would keep you supercharged till your next meal.

Remember: Always keep your fruit intake in moderation on your Keto Diet.

Lemons

Lemons are known to help with weight loss and provide protection against heart diseases, kidney stones, and digestive disorders. These fruits when incorporated into your recipe ensure a pleasurable taste and smell. When you are on a Keto diet your body is prone to losing electrolytes. Electrolytes ensure your muscles function properly and not cramp up. Lemons are popularly used in making lemon water which helps your immensely while you’re in ketosis.

 

Lemons further help your body to absorb iron which allows your bones and muscles to become stronger.

 

100 grams of lemons consist of 6.5 grams of Net Carbs.

 

Below, you’ll find a list of some of the lowest carb fruits, their respective carb counts per 100g, and the average size of that serving

Fruit Type	Net Carbs (per 100g)	Serving Equivalent
Avocado	1.84	About half a medium avocado
Tomato	2.69	One small vine tomato
Rhubarb	2.74	About 2 full stalks
Starfruit	3.93	About one medium
Blackberry	4.31	About 3/4 cup
Raspberry	5.44	About 3/4 cup
Strawberry	5.68	About 3/4 cup, whole
Honeydew Melon	5.68	About 8 honeydew balls
Coconut Meat	6.23	About 1 cup, shredded
Lemon	6.52	About 2 lemons
Watermelon	7.15	About 8 watermelon balls
Cantaloupe	7.26	About 7 cantaloupe balls
Peach	8.05	About 3/4 small peach
Cranberry	8.37	About 1 cup, whole
Apricot	9.12	About 3 apricots, pitted
Plum	10.02	About 1 1/2 plums
Clementine	10.32	About 1 medium
Granny Smith Apple	10.81	About 3/5 medium apple
Kiwi	11.66	About 1 1/2 kiwis
Blueberry	12.09	About 3/4 cup

 

 

Note: Most other fruits that are not listed in this table should be avoided as their sugar content will be too high. Always remember to check nutrition information prior to consuming fruits as they can quickly add up in carbs and can cause a halt in your weight loss progress.

 

 

As a final takeaway, always be cautious when approaching fruit on a ketogenic diet. You want to limit your intake of carbs, so it’s best to stick to berries and lower carb fruit. Try to keep fruit consumption to a moderate amount, only occasionally eating and not over-indulging. Remember that fruit is essentially the candy of nature so it does contain high amounts of fructose and can have negative consequences on ketone production when over consumed.

 

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