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Keto Fruit: What You Can vs. Cannot Eat On the Ketogenic Diet

By Rachel Link, RD, MS

November 18, 2021

What fruit can you eat on the keto diet? Some keto dieters think that you'd can't eat any fruit. Fortunately, fruit can be consumed in moderation as an occasional indulgence, but you'll need to pay close attention to the net carbs.

Net carbs means you subtract fiber grams from total carbohydrate grams, and most fruit is high in fiber — so while the carbs grams may seem high for some fruit, the net carbs are not excessive for certain fruits and will allow you to remain in ketosis.

So what fruits are low in carbs? Are bananas good for keto? Shzg foods make the cut on the low-carb keto fruit list?

Of course, you should always consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen.

Can You Eat Fruit on the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic diet focuses on cutting carbs down and increasing fat intake to reach ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body begins burning fat for energy rather than glucose/carbs.

One of the most common keto diet myths is that fruit must also be eliminated from the diet in order to effectively achieve a state of ketosis.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there are plenty of nutritious and delicious keto diet fruit options that can definitely be included in moderation as part of a healthy low-carb diet.

• Although fruits are typically high in carbohydrates, they’re also typically filled with fiber. Fiber moves through the body undigested and generally doesn’t affect blood sugar levels in the same way as carbohydrates, meaning it can typically be enjoyed when following the ketogenic diet without impacting ketosis.

• Instead of counting total carbs in your diet, it’s best to focus on net carbs. For example, if a fruit contains 10 grams of total carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, it would contain 8 grams of net carbs.

What Fruit Is Keto Friendly?

When it comes to having fruit on keto, it’s important to look at the number of net carbs per serving, which is calculated by subtracting the amount of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrates.

Below is a keto fruit list, including how many net carbs are found in each serving:

1. Avocado: 2 grams net carbs/cup

2. Lemons: 4 grams net carbs/fruit

3. Limes: 5 grams net carbs/fruit

4. Blackberries: 6 grams net carbs/cup

5. Raspberries: 7 grams net carbs/cup

6. Strawberries: 8 grams net carbs/cup

7. Watermelon: 10.5 grams net carbs/cup

8. Cantaloupe: 11.5 grams net carbs/cup

9. Nectarine: 12.5 grams net carbs/cup

10. Peaches: 12.5 grams net carbs/cup

Keto Fruit in Moderation

Keep in mind that, consumption of fruit on the keto diet should still be limited. Modified keto dieters aim for around 30–50 grams of net carbs per day to maintain ketosis and maximize results, and you could get there quickly with too fruit.

Instead, stick with healthy fats, protein foods, non-starchy veggies and limited fruit to keep those net carbs low. One serving of berries may be the only fruit you'll have that day, for example.

Fruits You Can't Eat on Keto

Before we discuss fruits you need to avoid, you definitely need to ditch dried fruits, fruit juices and fruit canned in syrup. All of those contain fa too much fruit sugar and not nearly enough fiber to make up for it.

Otherwise, here are a few varieties of fruit that contain net carbs that are too high for each serving:

1. Bananas: 30 grams net carbs/cup

2. Grapes: 25.5 grams net carbs/cup

3. Mango: 22.5 grams net carbs/cup

4. Grapefruit: 21 grams net carbs/cup

5. Pineapple: 19.5 grams net carbs/cup

6. Blueberries:17 grams net carbs/cup

7. Plums: 16.5 grams net carbs/cup

8. Oranges:16.5 grams net carbs/cup

9. Cherries: 16.5 grams net carbs/cup

10. Pears: 16.5 grams net carbs/cup

Conclusion

• Look for low-carb, high-fiber fruits that are low in net carbs.

• A few keto friendly fruits include: avocados, lemons, limes and berries such as blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

• Avoid dried fruits, fruit juices and high-sugar fruits like bananas, grapes and mangoes.

Rachael Link, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian based in New York City. She completed her undergraduate degree in Dietetics at the University of Central Missouri and later received her Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. Rachael is passionate about plant-based nutrition and enjoys providing easy-to-understand information to readers looking to support their health.