Fruits and veggies are limited on the keto diet, but there are many fruits you can eat while on this low-carb eating plan. Knowing the most keto-friendly fruit will help you build nutrition-rich snacks and meals—and give you some naturally sweet and refreshing bites to enjoy.
The gist of the ketogenic, or “keto,” diet is that consuming fewer carbohydrates sends your body into ketosis, a state of burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or sugars. This low-carb, high-fat keto diet is a popular option for managing weight, but the drawback is that you need to avoid eating many—but not all—fruits.
While some fruits are high in carbs, here’s what you need to know about nine keto-friendly fruits.
If you used lemon to spice up your water or tea pre-keto, you can keep using it. Here is what to expect from one teaspoon of lemon juice:
- Calories: 1
- Carbohydrates: 0.3g
- Calcium: .45mg
- Vitamin C: 0.83mg
One teaspoon of lemon juice has less than half of a gram of carbs, plus some vitamin C and calcium. Vitamin C helps the immune system, while calcium supports bone health.
Raspberries are a delightful addition to yogurt—and a variety of other meals and dishes—and they fit in well with a keto diet. Ten raspberries include:
- Calories: 9.88
- Carbohydrates: 2.26g
- Fiber: 1.24g
- Vitamin C: 4.98mg
- Vitamin K: 1.48mcg
Ten raspberries contain about one gram of net carbs (total carbs minus grams of fiber). You’ll also get vitamins C and K. Vitamin K helps protect bone health.
Olives are technically categorized as a fruit. Here’s what to expect in a cup of green olives:
- Calories: 196
- Carbohydrates: 5.18g
- Calcium: 70.2mg
- Fiber: 4.46g
- Monounsaturated fatty acids: 15.3g
The healthy fats in olives are extracted to make extra virgin olive oil. Thus, it shouldn’t be too surprising that those antioxidant-packed bites boast around 15 grams of healthy fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) in a cup. Monounsaturated fatty acids may reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease.
What’s more, a cup of olives contains less than one gram of net carbohydrates.
One lime offers the following:
- Calories: 20
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Calcium: 22mg
- Fiber: 1.88g
- Vitamin C: 19.5mg
That equals around five grams of net carbohydrates—in a whole lime. Like lemons, a spritz of lime in your water provides few carbs but offers immune-boosting vitamin C.
One cup of whole strawberries contains the following:
- Calories: 46
- Carbohydrates: 11.1g
- Fiber: 2.88g
- Vitamin C: 84.7mg
Therefore, a cup of whole strawberries contains around eight net carbohydrates, which is fine for a keto diet. However, you may want to eat just half a cup of strawberries, depending on what other foods are on your menu for the day.
The best part about strawberries is their versatility. You can consume them in several creative ways. For example:
- Add them to Greek yogurt
- Toss them in a salad
- Throw them on top of a keto dessert
- Use them to flavor water
Not everyone is convinced coconuts are a fruit. Some view coconut as a nut or a seed. However, a coconut can be classified as all three. Here is some nutritional information for one cup of shredded coconut:
- Calories: 283
- Carbohydrates: 12.2g
- Fat: 26.8g
- Fiber: 7.2g
Therefore, a cup of coconut has about five grams of net carbs.
You can buy an entire coconut and scoop the meat out yourself, or you can buy it dried or canned. If you opt for the canned variety, ensure no extra sugar has been added.
Avocados (which botanists classify as a fruit) are packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They’re also relatively low in carbs. Here are some key nutrition facts for one whole avocado:
- Calories: 240
- Carbohydrates: 12.8g
- Fiber: 10g
A whole avocado has around three net grams of carbs. The recommended serving size of avocado is around one-third of a medium-sized fruit, so sticking to this recommendation will reduce carb intake even further.
Some research has shown that you may experience diarrhea and constipation) while on the keto diet. While there are a few possible culprits, insufficient fiber is one of them. That’s why eating fiber-rich plant-based foods, like blackberries, is important. Key nutrition facts for one cup of blackberries include:
- Calories: 62
- Carbohydrates: 13.8g
- Fiber: 7.63g
One cup of blackberries has nearly eight grams of fiber. The recommended daily value for fiber is 25 to 38 grams.
A cup of blackberries also has six grams of net carbohydrates.
Blueberries offer fiber, which is good for digestion, and vitamin C and other antioxidants that might reduce the risk of cancer. Here are some nutrition facts for one cup of blueberries:
- Calories: 84
- Carbohydrates: 21.5g
- Fiber: 3.55g
A one-cup serving of blueberries is around 18 grams of net carbohydrates, much higher than the other berries on the list. However, you could most likely fit one-quarter to one-half of a cup into your daily menu while staying in ketosis.
Some fruits are relatively high in carbs and, therefore, may not be suitable for a keto diet. Here are a few, along with their respective carb counts:
- Apples: 27.6 g per medium fruit
- Grapes: 27.2 g per cup
- Bananas: 26.9 g per medium fruit
- Cherries: 24.6 g per cup without pits
- Pineapples: 21.6 g per cup of chunks
- Peaches: 15.2 g per fruit
It varies, but a keto diet may indicate you can only consume 5% to 10% of your calories from carbohydrates and instead eat moderate amounts of protein and relatively high amounts of fat. That may amount to fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.
The keto diet might help promote weight loss, but this isn’t necessarily true for everyone. Sticking to the plan and getting all your needed nutrients may be challenging. In addition, it can have side effects and risks, and you may have to cut back on foods like fruits and vegetables that are otherwise good for you. It’s best to consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to decide whether a keto diet is right for you and, if so, how to follow it in a way that is good for your health.
While lightening up on the keto plan with fruit sounds like a good idea, fruit can be high in carbohydrates. A medium-sized apple, for example, has roughly 25 grams of carbs.
Fortunately, there are keto-friendly fruits with fewer carbs to enjoy.
Although it may seem difficult to incorporate fruit into your keto diet, nutrient-packed, keto-friendly fruit options are available. These lower-carb fruits include avocado, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, olives, lemons, raspberries, limes, and coconut.
Despite the long list of fruits you’ll need to avoid if you are on the keto diet, there are plenty of keto-friendly fruits to enjoy. Consult with a healthcare provider or dietitian if you have questions or concerns about eating fruit on a keto diet.