Keto Friendly Fruit List: 12 Low Sugar Fruits You Can Eat Every Day
Fruits are whole foods, high in natural nutrition, and contain no added ingredients. Like most plant-based foods, fruits can provide a lot of essential nutrition to your diet – nearly all fruits are high in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. Plus they are naturally low calorie, low sodium, and low fat, making them a great food for weight loss. However, fruit is naturally high in sugars – aka carbs – leading many to believe this food group is forbidden on a keto diet. But there is such a thing as low-carb fruit and it is possible to lose weight and enjoy this nutrient-dense food group without allowing your body out of ketosis.
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Did you know??? Fruit intake is also associated with a wide range of health benefits including improved digestive health, heart health, mental health, and weight management, along with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (1,2,3,4,5).
Fruits also make a great natural sugar substitute for those that have a sweet tooth or are looking to cut added sugars from their diet. A small piece of fruit can satisfy that craving and can provide significantly more nutritional value than other “sweets”.
Can You Eat Fruit on the Keto Diet?
A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet designed to help you minimize carb intake and support a metabolic state known as ketosis – a nutritional state thought to promote increased fat burning and utilization.
No food is truly off the on a keto meal plan list – so long that you hit your daily keto macro goals. However, certain high-carbohydrate foods can make this a challenge, including some fruits and vegetables.
You can absolutely enjoy the taste and health benefits of fruit on keto, it depends on which fruits you choose and their respective serving size. If you are tired of thinking about what is allowed on keto, just order keto meal delivery!
Sugar Content in Fruit Explained
Fruit is highly nutritious, but it’s also a source of carbohydrates. In fact, fruits are some of the most naturally carb-rich, whole foods you can choose.
It is commonly dinged for its naturally high sugar content, but the sugars found in fruits are not quite the same as the refined and added sugars we commonly demonize.
Like many other plant-based foods, fruit is also loaded with fiber, a type of carbohydrate that does not to impact blood sugar levels in the same way.
Fiber is not easily digested and absorbed by the body – which can help push things through. It also helps draw out some unwanted compounds along the way, like cholesterol. For these reasons, a high-fiber diet is associated with better digestive and heart health (6,7). It is also part of the reason why fruit falls lower on the glycemic index scale (8).
For your keto meal plan, this means you can enjoy fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, and stay in ketosis. Even though fiber shows up on the nutrition facts label in total carb content, the grams of fiber is often subtracted to give you a net carb count for the ingredient.
What Fruits Are Low in Sugar?
Fruits lowest in sugar tend to be high in water content or fiber – allowing you to enjoy a larger serving size with fewer carbohydrates. These include many citrus fruits, berries, and some melon.
What fruits can you eat while following a keto diet plan?
Few fruits can actually be considered low carb when you take into account a typical serving size. However, if you enjoy them in smaller quantities, they can fit into your daily macro goals and still provide meaningful nutrition. Can you eat grapes on keto? Grapes are high in sugars and should be avoided. Here are the best keto-friendly fruits with less than 15 grams of net carb per standard serving.
1. Unsweetened Acai Puree
Net Carb Count: 1 g per 100g serving
Acai as a solo fruit is not very sweet. Look for unsweetened puree or acai powder to enjoy this famous “superfruit” as part of a healthy low-carb breakfast bowl or a morning smoothie.
2. Starfruit
Net Carb Count: 3.5 g per fruit
This keto fruit is one of the lowest sugar options out there. Unlike other tropical fruits which tend to be very carb-heavy, one medium-sized fruit has only 30 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and less than 4 grams of net carbs total.
3. Shredded Coconut
Net Carb Count: 5 g per cup
Coconut, either fresh or dried, is also a unique low-carb tropical fruit and it is very popular among keto dieters because it contains high amounts of MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides), a type of fat thought to support ketosis (9). However, if you are looking to lose weight, just be mindful of your portion size as a single cup packs almost 300 calories. And avoid coconut products with added sugar.
4. Lemon
Net Carb Count: 5 g per fruit
While lemons are not consumed whole they are low carb and low calorie. They also provide a notable source of vitamin C, one of the essential vitamins. You can enjoy lemon juice in various keto recipes to capture its desirable essence, flavor, and nutrients by squeezing some fresh lemon on your keto meal.
5. Lime
Net Carb Count: 5 g per fruit
Similar to lemons, lime juice is low sugar and can add a “pick me up” to your keto dish.
6. Blackberries
Blckberries are a keto fruit low in carbs.
Blckberries are a keto fruit low in carbs.
Net Carb Count: 6 g per cup
Blackberries are packed with fiber (almost 8 grams per serving!) and less sweet than other berries making them the top low-carb berry to reach for. They also provide 50% of your vitamin C and are linked to many positive health benefits due to their rich color (10).
7. Plums
Net Carb Count: 6.5 g per fruit
A fresh plum is a satisfying way to enjoy a sweeter fruit while still being low in carbs.
8. Raspberries
Raspberries are a keto fruit low in carbs.
Net Carb Count: 7 g per cup
Similar to blackberries, raspberries are high in fiber and can be more tangy than sweet. One cup has eight grams of fiber and 53% of your vitamin C needs.
9. Strawberries
Strawberries are a keto fruit low in carbs.
Net Carb Count: 8 g per cup
A favorite fruit among many low-carb eaters, strawberries are enjoyed on their own or commonly paired with various recipes, ranging from savory to sweet. Grab a handful as a snack, toss them in a salad, or blend them into your morning keto shake.
10. Fresh Figs
Net Carb Count: 8.5 g per medium fig
Dried figs can contain sugar and without the water content, more calories per equal weight. A small fresh figs contains only 6.5 grams of net carbohydrate.
Slice up fresh figs for a slightly sweet and guilt-free fruit topping on your keto bread!
11. Cantaloupe
Net Carb Count: 11 g per cup
While not the highest fiber fruit, one cup of cantaloupe has only 50 calories and provides nearly 100% of your daily needs for vitamin C and vitamin A, making it worth making room for every net carb.
12. Watermelon
Watermelon is a keto fruit low in carbs and sugar.
Net Carb Count: 11 g per cup
Falling higher on the glycemic index scale due to low fiber content, watermelon is a misunderstood fruit. Although naturally very sweet, it contains mostly water helping to bring down its total carb content. Watermelon is also rich in nutrition containing a recognizable amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. Watermelon also contains more lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
Pro tip: Pair with cottage cheese to slow your sugar absorption.
While not technically fruit, avocados and tomatoes are great low carb choices to consider
Special mention: While not technically fruit, jicama, avocados, and tomatoes are all commonly enjoyed as such and make for great additional low carb choices to consider.
What Fruits Are High in Sugar?
In order to achieve ketosis, most people need to consume fewer than 50 grams of net carbs per day. Considering some fruits have over 25 grams of total carbs per serving the type of fruit you consume can make a significant contribution to your keto diet plan success.
Fruits highest in sugar include tropical fruits, dried fruits, fruit juice (since sugar is often added), and certain whole fruits. These include the following:
Dates – 36 g per ¼ cup
Cranberry Juice – 34 g per cup
Raisins – 31 g per ¼ cup
Dried Figs – 28 g per serving
Bananas – 24 g per fruit
Mango – 23 g per cup
Pears – 22 g per fruit
Grapes – 19 g per ½ cup
Apples – 17 g per fruit
With a personal mission to spread the good name of nutrition through mouthwatering recipes, Chef Cindy's philosophy around cooking is deeply rooted in food as medicine. In the kitchen, she offers a conscious, restorative, and functional approach to cooking; an approach she has cultivated during her years working in farm-to-table restaurants.