Although the common phrase is that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” when it comes to the keto diet an apple a day may keep your progress at bay.
Are apples keto-friendly? Apples are not keto-friendly because one apple has enough carbs to exceed the 25-gram daily limit that those of keto typically set for themselves. Apples could theoretically be eaten in smaller amounts on keto as long as you don’t exceed your daily carb allowance.
Although apples aren’t keto-friendly, there are certain types of apples that are better than others and ways that you can incorporate apples into your diet without ruining your progress.
After reading this article you’ll learn:
- If apples are keto-friendly
- How many grams of carbs are in each apple variety
- How to incorporate apples while on keto
Apples: Keto-Friendly Or Not?
Apples are not keto-friendly because they’re high in fructose, which is a naturally occurring sugar in fruit; so although apples are very nutritious, they’re too high in carbs to be consumed regularly on the keto diet.
A small apple has approximately 15 grams of total carbs and 3 grams of fiber, which means that a small apple has around 12 grams of net carbs.
A medium apple has approximately 19 grams of total carbs and 3.3 grams of fiber, giving it around 16.7 grams of net carbs.
A large apple has approximately 30 grams of total carbs and 5 grams of fiber, which equates to 25 grams of net carbs per serving.
The keto diet requires you to eat a very low amount of carbs to encourage a state of ketosis; in fact, most people on keto will try and keep their net carbs to 25 grams or less per day. So as you can see, regardless of the size of the apple, the number of carbs that you’re getting per serving is too many to be considered keto-friendly.
Carbs In Different Types Of Apples
There are many different types of apples that exist, and perhaps certain varieties could be better than others while on the keto diet based on the number of carbs they contain.
The net carbs per 100 grams of apple are:
- Granny Smith. 11.6g of net carbs
- Golden Delicious. 12.4g of net carbs
- Gala. 12.7g of net carbs
- Red Delicious. 12.8g of net carbs
- Honeycrisp. 13g of net carbs
- Fuji. 13.5g of net carbs
There isn’t much difference across the apple varieties but when you’re on keto and counting every carb, a 2-gram difference between the lowest and highest carb apple variety may matter more to you.
How To Eat Apples On The Keto Diet
There are ways that you can achieve the apple flavor while keeping your net carbs below 25 grams per day and staying in ketosis.
You can incorporate apples by adding them into baked goods to disperse the apple throughout the entire recipe which means that you’ll get fewer apples per serving and keep carbs low.
Another option is to use an apple extract, which has all the flavor of an apple but without the carbs that come along with it. Flavor extracts are a great option while you’re on keto to enhance the taste of your food without disrupting your progress.
Keto-Friendly Apple Recipes
The best keto-friendly apple recipes are:
- Easy Keto Apple Tart (7g of net carbs per serving)
- Keto Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars (4.5g of net carbs per serving)
- Keto Apple Crisp (6.8g of net carbs per serving)
- Low Carb Cinnamon Apple Spice Muffin (4g of net carbs per muffin)
Other Healthy Of Apples If You’re On Keto
The health benefits of apples are:
- Reduced risk of heart disease
- Reduced risk of stroke
- Improved gut health
Reduced Risk Of Heart Disease
Eating apples could help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease because of the flavonoids (a compound in fruit) that they contain. Studies have shown that those who consume flavonoids regularly may have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Reduced Risk Of Stroke
Studies also show that the flavonoids in apples may reduce your risk of stroke, which is currently one of the leading causes of death. Therefore including apples more regularly in your meals/snacks may actually be worth it to reduce your risk.
Improved Gut Health
Apples are also really helpful in improving your digestive health because apples are a source of prebiotic fiber, which helps to feed your healthy gut bacteria.
Many people on the keto diet struggle with digestive issues because they aren’t consuming enough fiber or getting enough variety in their diet to encourage gut health, but including apples here and there could help resolve some of these issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Green Apples Keto Friendly?
Green apples are not keto-friendly becomes they are higher in carbs due to their natural sugar; however, of the apple varieties green apples are the lowest in carbs with 11.6 net grams of carbs per 100 gram serving.
Are Honeycrisp Apples Keto?
Honeycrisp apples are not keto because they are high in fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, which should be limited while on keto because it can kick you out of ketosis if overconsumed.
Can You Eat Apples On The Keto Diet?
You can eat apples on the keto diet and still see progress as long as you’re not eating more than your daily carb allowance (generally 25g of net carbs). It’s best to be strategic about how you’re incorporating apples while on the keto diet so that you’re making the most of your daily carb allowance.
Is Apple Juice Keto Friendly?
Apple juice is not keto-friendly because one cup of apple juice exceeds the typical daily carb allowance for keto. Per cup of apple juice, there are 28grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of fiber, which is more sugar and less fiber than apples themselves.
Final Thoughts
Though apples are not keto-friendly, they can be consumed on the keto diet if they’re consumed in smaller amounts so as to not exceed your daily carb limit, which is important for staying in ketosis.