The ketogenic diet—most commonly known as the keto diet—is a diet that focuses on decreasing carbs and increasing healthy fats. A typical day of calories on keto consists of 70-80% fat, 10-20% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates (1). Following these keto guidelines helps your body reach ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat for energy, rather than burning glucose and carbs.

Following a keto diet comes with a whole host of benefits: Easier weight loss, extra energy, decreased blood sugar, and more (2, 3, 4). Keto may even help manage or prevent cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease (5, 6).

All this to say…Can you still eat fruit on keto? Or will it mess up the results you’re wanting?

In this article, you’ll learn what happens when you eat fruit on keto, along with which fruits to eat and which fruits to avoid.

The short answer is yes and no. There are some fruits you can enjoy on keto, but you’ll want to eat them in moderation. In general, keto diet guidelines suggest avoiding most fruits. While keto-friendly fruits do exist, it’s advised that you keep them to a minimum.

What Happens When You Eat Fruit on Keto…

Most fruits are loaded with carbs. (A banana has 30 net carbs.) And because keto requires a low carb intake, even a small serving of fruit can take up much of your carb allotment for the day. If you eat fruits that are especially high in carbs or sugar (think: dried fruits and fruit juice), they can hinder your body from reaching ketosis. However, if you load up on low-carb fruits that are rich in healthy fats (like avocado), they can help you reach ketosis.

What Happens When You Don’t Eat Fruit on Keto…

When you keep your fruit intake to a minimum, you leave room for other, more nutritionally robust carbs (think: cauliflower, mushrooms, and macadamia nuts). And because you can only eat so many carbs each day, you want to make each one count.

If you opt for low-carb food options instead of fruit, you may reach ketosis more easily. This also helps keep your sugar intake down, which is another important step toward reaching ketosis.

The key to a keto-friendly fruit is having a low number of net carbs in each serving. You can calculate this by subtracting the fruit’s fiber content from its total carb content. Here are the best fruits to eat on keto (7)...

Fruits with a higher net carb count are best avoided on the keto diet. The following is a list of non-keto fruits to refrain from…

A ketogenic diet is a fantastic way to burn fat for fuel. With health benefits like easier weight loss, a boost in brain energy, lowered blood sugar, and more, it’s worth the sacrifice of some of your favorite fruits…

While the keto diet certainly has its guidelines, you can still enjoy over a dozen different fruits. It’s all about awareness and moderation, just like healthy eating in general. With each healthy choice you make, you’re putting your body first—and your body will thank you for that.