Fruits and berries: A keto guide
, medical review by Dr. Bret Scher, MD
Evidence basedMost fruits and berries contain quite a lot of carbs. That’s why they taste sweet. They can be seen as nature’s candy.
In general, the sweeter or larger the fruit, the more sugar it contains. On a keto diet, while berries are fine in moderation, it’s best to avoid other fruits.
Key takeaways
Tart is best: Small amounts of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are usually fine for a keto diet.View the best berries.
What about Vitamin C?: Does limiting fruit mean limiting nutrition? On keto, you’ll get those important vitamins and minerals elsewhere.
Find out where.
A treat, not a staple: Think of fruit as an occasional treat. Try it with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
See all fruit options.
Below is a visual guide. On the left are the best keto choices.
Berries
Carbs list
Fruits
Carbs list
If you eat a large apple (about 25 grams of carbs) or a medium-sized banana (24 grams of carbs), you will have exceeded your daily carb limit on a keto diet.
Fruit = Nature’s candy
On a keto diet you can have some berries every so often and it won’t likely take you out of ketosis. You might even be able to eat a few cherries or a small plum. Be careful, however. And if in doubt, you may want to measure your ketones to learn how fruit affects you.
Don’t we need to eat fruit to get important vitamins and minerals? No, you can get those same nutrients from vegetables.
What fruits can I eat on a ketogenic diet?
From time to time you may be able indulge in a modest amount of fruit as a treat, while still staying in ketosis. Try topping it with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
Here is a list of the top 10 fruits you can eat on a ketogenic diet, along with the net carbs contained in one serving:
- Raspberries: Half a cup (60 grams) contains 3 grams of carbs.
- Blackberries: Half a cup (70 grams) contains 4 grams of carbs.
- Strawberries: Eight medium-sized (100 grams) contain 6 grams of carbs.
- Plum: One medium-sized (65 grams) contains 7 grams of carbs.
- Kiwi: One medium-sized (70 grams), contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Cherries: Half a cup (75 grams) contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Blueberries: Half a cup (75 grams) contains 9 grams of carbs.
- Clementine: One medium-sized (75 grams) contains 9 grams of carbs.
- Cantaloupe: One cup (160 grams) contains 11 grams of carbs.
- Peach: One medium-sized (150 grams) contains 13 grams of carbs.
Fruit, then and now
Many people ask: “Isn’t eating fruit very natural from an evolutionary perspective?” That may be true, but modern fruit is different from the fruit of the past. Today’s fruit has been selectively bred to maximize yield, decrease fiber, and increase sweet taste.
What fruits and vegetables looked like before
In addition, for most of human history, fruit would have only been available seasonally. Just like primates in natural environments today, ancient humans could have gorged on fruit when available, using the excess carbs to pack on pounds to survive through lean times.
In short, in modern times some people might find that their bodies cannot handle the excess carbs and sugar in fruit that’s available 365 days a year.
Berry recipes
Here are some of our best keto recipes for berries, with the lowest amount of carbs per serving.
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