Eating keto: Forbidden fruits revisited

One of the most common complaints (and criticisms) of the keto diet is the lack of fruit, which is traditionally thought to be a key component of a healthy diet.

Despite a daily carb allowance of just 25 grams, I eat fruit every day, usually berries, typically first thing in the morning, even before my morning coffee. I limit my fruit servings to 5g of carbs, which is 20% of my daily carb allowance, but definitely worth every bite. It’s the absolute highlight of my day.

HOW MUCH FRUIT DO YOU REALLY NEED?

When I was a kid, fruit was seasonal. Strawberries were only sold in the spring, apples and grapes in the fall, and citrus fruits only in winter. In many parts of the world, this is still the case. It wasn’t until very recently that you could get any fruit or vegetable, any time of the year. If humans needed a wide variety of fruits and veggies year-round, the caveman (and woman) likely would have died out a long time ago. Although food diversity intuitively makes sense, I doubt it’s essential to longevity.

Health Canada lumps fruits and vegetables together, and traditionally advocated for 10 servings a day (they have since abolished the concept of daily servings, and now just recommend “plenty” of fruits and veggies). Canadian health officials make no distinction between a mushroom and a mango, except to note that avocados are bad (despite being a fruit), and you should eat something orange each and every day. 

It’s a similar story south of the border. The USDA recommends 1 to 2 cups of fruit each day (including fruit juices). The U.S. government makes no distinction between a cup of strawberries and a cup of pineapple, despite enormously different sugar contents.

Although fruits do provide vitamins, minerals and fibre, they also come packaged with a lot of sugar, which is what makes them so addictive and hard to give up. Vegetables are way more nutrient dense, without the added sugar. That’s why you might crave a big bowl of cherries in the evening, but rarely yearn for a bowl of broccoli.

THE KETO FRUIT GUIDE

There is no forbidden fruit (or forbidden foods in general) when following a keto diet. It’s just a question of how much you can fit into your macros.

Despite being on the keto naughty-list, I always stock raisins, cranberries, dried figs and fruit jams in my pantry. I obviously don’t eat large quantities, but I can fit a few grams into my macros every day, even with a 25g carb limit.

If your carb limit is north of 50 grams, then fruit can comfortably fit into your diet. It may not be an entire pineapple, but a small apple might definitely work.

Here’s my simplified keto fruit guide …

• Fruits dressed up as vegetables: The most keto-friendly fruits are those we traditionally consider to be vegetables, specifically olives, avocados and tomatoes (yes, olives are fruits — who knew?). You can eat two small avocados, one large tomato or a kilo of green olives for just 5g of net carbs (olives are almost 15% fat by weight, by the way, so don’t go crazy).

• Coconuts: Another fruit staple in my house is coconuts (yes, coconuts are fruits, not nuts). Coconuts are very keto-friendly, and make a great on-the-go snack. As in the case of avocados and olives, coconuts are very high in fat, averaging about 33% by weight, so be mindful of those fat grams. Unsweetened dried coconut flakes are one my favourite snacks. I source mine from the Bulk Barn, the Whole Foods bulk bins or Trader Joe’s when travelling south of the border.

• Berries: Berries are by far the best bang for your buck, particularly blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, thanks to a high water and fibre content. You can get a generously sized bowl of berries for 5g of net carbs. Note that blueberries, cherries and grapes are the least-keto friendly berries, so you won’t get much for 5g of carbs.

• Single-serving fruits: One of Tony’s favourite fruits is cactus pears (or prickly pears), traditionally found throughout southern Mediterranean countries. They can be quite expensive in Canada (and hard to find on the West Coast), but cactus pears are packed with vitamins, and have about 4g net carbs for an average size fruit. Although much smaller in size, a 5g carb allowance will also cover one apricot, plum or even a dry fig.

Bananas and apples are by far the most consumed fruit in North America, and most likely to be found in every kid’s lunch box. These fruits tend to be much higher in sugar, and are therefore harder to fit into a low-carb diet. For 5g of net carbs, you can only eat a quarter of a banana or apple. Same goes for pears, mangoes and pomegranates.

EXTENDING YOUR FRUIT FIX

Although fruit portions are somewhat restricted on the keto diet, there are many ways to enjoy fruit every day, no matter what your carb limit. Here’s how I do it …

• A keto-friendly yogurt parfait: My morning berries are always served with sour cream, but you could use whipped cream, coconut cream, crème fraîche or even a low-carb yogurt. Add chopped mint, toasted almonds, chia seeds and/or shredded coconut for the perfect keto-friendly yogurt parfait. This works for almost any fruit, fresh or even frozen.

• Top a salad: Even in small quantities, most fruits are very concentrated in flavour, so you don’t need a huge quantity to get your fruit fix. Fruit also pairs very well with savoury foods and bitter greens. Love dried cranberries? Chop them up and sprinkle over your arugula salad. How about fresh figs? Slice thinly, mix with goat cheese, add seasonal greens and sliced cucumbers. Miss watermelon? Add a few melon-balls and fresh mint to your tomato and mozzarella salad. A perfect way to get a hint of sweetness without busting your carb budget.

• Add fruit to your baked goods: Bananas are probably one of the sweetest fruits you can eat, packing about 20 grams of carbs per fruit. Although an entire banana may not fit into your macros, a slice of banana bread might work. You can make keto-friendly apple turnovers, peach cobbler or lemon cheesecake. I also love baking with dry fruit. They’re very inexpensive and add a lot of flavour. You could easily add figs, raisins or cranberries into your keto cookies or muffins, for that hit of fruity flavour without too many carbs. 

• Use fruit extracts: For an added punch, you can add extracts to your baked goods or morning “parfait”. Most grocery stores carry lemon, banana, orange and coconut extracts. Adding vanilla, peppermint and/or caramel extract can also help intensify the fruity flavours. 

So there you have it. No need to deprive yourself of your favourite fruit. Just limit your quantities, add it to daily meal plans, and savour every bite.