You want to eat low carb, but don't want to miss out on the vitamins and minerals of fruit? Here you will find a list of 35 low-carbohydrate fruits.
If you want to eat a low carb diet, you have to do without carbohydrates to a large extent. That means no pasta parties, no white bread, no sugar.
And little fruit. But fortunately there are quite a few Low carb fruitthat you can eat without hesitation. If you are interested in low carb dishes in general, our Program We Go Fit with lots of delicious dishes will be something for you!
You'll learn in this post,
- why fruits always contain carbohydrates,
- 21 low carb fruits with very few carbs,
- 14 fruit varieties with medium carb content and
- which fruits are taboo for low carb.
Why fruits are never low carb fruits
Nobody can do without carbohydrates as a source of energy. That is why it is called "low carb" and not "no carb". Even in strict ketogenic diets, up to 50 g of carbohydrates are allowed.
Important is the composition of carbohydrates and sugars contained. Fruit always contains some sugar and therefore carbohydrates. Of course, the sweet taste has to come from somewhere.
But with fruit, you don't have to worry as much about the dreaded carbohydrates. It's true that fruit contains fructose, a simple sugar. But it comes in healthy company. Vitamins, minerals and fiber balance out the negative effects of pure simple sugars.
The fiber in particular ensures that you get full faster than with pure sugar. Therefore, you automatically do not absorb as much fructose.
Tip: To maintain the beneficial properties of fruit with few carbohydrates, always eat the whole fruit. Fruit juice lacks fiber, so it contains significantly more sugar.
To keep track of carbohydrates, here's a handy list. It contains fruit with few carbohydrates. There is no exact limit above which fruits are considered to be Low carb fruit apply.
Tip: You can find the best low carb recipes in the Cookbook "222 Low Carb Recipes. Take a look :)
With maximum 20 g carbohydrates contained, we refer to the fruit recommended here as Low carb fruits.
35 Fruits with low carbohydrates
The following list gives you an overview of low-carbohydrate fruits. First, you will find fruit varieties with particularly low carbohydrates.
This is followed by a list of fruit varieties with slightly more carbohydrates, but which are still considered low carb. Finally, there is information on fruit varieties that are absolutely taboo in a low carb diet.
Low carb fruit with particularly few carbohydrates
This low carb fruit contains less than 10 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
Apricot - a pleasure not only in jams
100 g apricots contain 10 g carbohydrates
The fruits of the apricot tree, which are also called apricots in Austria, contain only few carbohydrates.
On the other hand, they are rich in vitamin C and contain iron, zinc and especially magnesium. This makes them the ideal fruit to maintain the mineral balance. The apricot is one of the fruits quite early in the year, rejoice From July on this Low carb fruit.
Processed into mush, the apricot fits into many delicious desserts.
Blackberry, a prickly delight
100 g blackberries contain 6.2 g carbohydrates
You can't go wrong with this deliciously dark fruit from the prickly bush. It contains a terrific amount of carbohydrates, but all the more vitamin C. Vitamin E is also present in significant quantities. Potassium, calcium and magnesium ensure that the low carb fruit is suitable for athletes.
You can buy blackberries fresh in the supermarket from the end of July. There, most of the berries come from cultures. Otherwise you can also find them wild on forest edges - just go and collect them yourself!
Breakfast without carbohydrates
Cantaloup melons are low carb
100 g cantaloup melons contain 4.2 g carbohydrates
This type of melon belongs to the sugar melons, but still contains sensationally few carbohydrates. With only 35 kcal, it is therefore a real Low carb fruit.
It is also an excellent source of potassium and contains provitamin A, which is important for skin renewal. It is grown mainly in the southeastern Mediterranean. Be sure to wash them well beforehand and eat them quickly, as the peel quickly accumulates bacteria.
Clementines - healthy snack on the go
100 g clementines contain 9 g carbohydrates
As a citrus fruit, the clementine contains a lot of vitamin C, but only a few carbohydrates. The fruit, also known to us as the tangerine, arrives in supermarkets in the early winter months - just at the time of year when colds are on the rise. Perfect!
The clementine is also practical: you can easily take the low carb fruit anywhere and eat it on the go. Meanwhile, there are varieties that contain hardly any seeds or none at all. Good news for the lazy ones.
Strawberries contain hardly any carbohydrates
100 g strawberries contain 5.4 g carbohydrates
Pick them yourself or buy them in the supermarket? This question arises with strawberries in the summer months. With children, picking your own in the field is great fun - and it doesn't get fresher than this.
Strawberries belong to the fruit with little carbohydrates, they are very rich in vitamin C. They contain more than some citrus fruits. Folic acid is also present in interesting quantities.
Strawberry iced tea make yourself
Grapefruit, the queen of citrus fruits
100 g of grapefruit contain 7.4 g of carbohydrates.
Grapefruit is a citrus fruit that was created from the cross between grapefruit and orange. For this reason, it is slightly lighter and less bitter than the grapefruit.
Grapefruits, with only 7.4 g of carbohydrates, are among the low carb fruits that score high in vitamins. It also contains antioxidants.
Important with this fruit: Some ingredients of grapefruit interact with medications and weaken their effect. Therefore, you should inform yourself exactly about possible interactions.
18 things you need to know about grapefruits
Blueberry: low carb from the forest
100 g blueberries contain 7.4 g carbohydrates
This superfood is not only a low carb fruit, but also a healing fruit. The blueberry owes its dark color to anthocyanins, which also darken the mouth. These substances are also anti-inflammatory and excellent antioxidants.
The cultivated blueberries available in the supermarket contain less of these substances, but are still healthy.
In the forest you can often find wild blueberries, they are particularly aromatic. By the way, blueberries are very good for digestion. They help to stimulate the metabolism.
Raspberries, healthy low carb
100 g raspberries contain 4.8 g carbohydrates
Raspberry is also one of the low-carbohydrate fruits. In addition to vitamin C, it also contains vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E. In terms of minerals, it is calcium, potassium and magnesium where the low carb fruit scores. The furry skin makes the raspberry a special taste experience.
A great recipe: Boil the fruit briefly and then eat it mixed with cottage cheese - a protein bomb that you can eat with a clear conscience.
Elderberries - good not only for syrup
100 g elderberries contain 6.5 g carbohydrates
As long as you don't make sugar-enriched syrup from elderberries, this fruit also counts as a low carb fruit.
Incidentally, leather manufacturers used to use the fruit's dye for coloring. The flavonoids are also known to scavenge free radicals - an excellent antioxidant, in other words.
Unfortunately, the fresh fruits are not very suitable for direct consumption, as they have a laxative effect. Rather make a compote from it, with which you refine desserts or your muesli.
Prickly pears contain little carbohydrates
100 g prickly pears contain 7.1 g carbohydrates
America contributes a special fruit to the list of low carb fruits with the prickly pear. In Mexico, the fruit can be found on every street corner. Here in Europe, however, it is still comparatively rare on the shelves. In Italy, it is somewhat more widespread.
While this low carb fruit comes without spines, watch out. Sometimes there is still a stray spine on the skin.
Currants - sour and healthy
100 g currants contain 4.1 g carbohydrates
Surely you've eaten currants plain before. Do you remember your face? Yes, it's true, currants are very sour and bitter.
But that is precisely their strength: they contain a lot of vitamin C and numerous secondary plant compounds and iron. This makes the fruit with little carbohydrates a healthy snack.
Currant (black): a good source of iron
100 g black currants contain 6.1 g carbohydrates
The black currant originates from Asia, but has long been native to us. In addition to many vitamins, the fruits also contain iron, which the body needs for blood formation.
This low carb fruit with few carbohydrates you may also know under the name Cassis. Processed into drinks, the spicy taste comes wonderfully to the fore.
Mulberries: unknown low carb miracle
100 g mulberries contain 10 g carbohydrates
Very well known mulberry is not in our country, but wrongly so. This low carb fruit looks like an elongated blackberry. It is only slowly coming to the attention of health-oriented food experts.
Yet it is a real superfood, and has been native to Europe for many centuries. You will rarely find the delicate berries fresh. But dried they are the ideal addition to mueslis.
Oranges are also low carb
100 g oranges contain 8.3 g carbohydrates
The low carb fruits that are so popular in winter are rightly known as vitamin bombs. With only two pieces you have covered your vitamin needs for the day. For this reason, it is one of the most widely grown citrus fruits.
Fancy an original smoothie recipe? Mix orange juice, pomegranate juice and a little milk - voilà.
13 foods with more vitamin C than oranges
Papaya - tropical medicine
100 g papayas contain 7.1 g carbohydrates
The tropical plant, which is at home in Central America, has a lot to offer, including low-carbohydrate fruit. However, it not only belongs to the low carb fruit, but also to the vitamin bombs. It also contains beta-carotene in considerable quantities, which has an antioxidant effect.
The fruits are very sensitive to pressure and cold, so the refrigerator is not for them. You can get the low carb fruit all year round as imported fruit. Usually it is still a little green - wait until the skin turns orange. Then it tastes best.
Peach, a furry low carb fruit
100 g peaches contain 8.9 g carbohydrates
You can enjoy the popular low carb fruits fresh from regional cultivation in summer. The furry skin is the hallmark of the stone fruit variety, which originally comes from China.
Since peaches belong to the low carb fruits that do not ripen, you will usually find somewhat harder fruits in the supermarket. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to get fresh peaches from the region, do not miss them. The aroma is much more pronounced.
Cranberries, also known as cranberry
100 g cranberries contain 6.2 g carbohydrates
Have you ever eaten cranberries raw or drunk pure juice from the low carb fruit? Then you surely remember the very, very sour taste.
The small berries are therefore hardly edible raw, they are more suitable as an addition to desserts or in muesli.
The red low carb fruits are rich not only in vitamin C, but also in potassium, copper and fluoride.
By the way, cranberries are the best home remedy for cystitis!
Rhubarb fresh from the garden
100 g rhubarb contains 1.4 g carbohydrates
Even less carb is hardly possible: With 1.4 g rhubarb can put itself on the winner's rostrum of the low carb fruits.
There is only one catch: rhubarb is incredibly sour. For this reason, most people process it into sugary jams or compotes. But if you use natural sweeteners like stevia, there's nothing wrong with this delicious snack from a low-carb perspective.
By the way, rhubarb contains a lot of oxalic acid, which you should not consume in large quantities. Dairy products bind the acid. If you have already had kidney stones, however, it is better to do without the low carb fruit altogether.
Gooseberries are also low carb
100 g gooseberries contain 7.1 g carbohydrates
Along with lemons, rhubarb and cranberries, gooseberries also belong to the rather sour fruit. Harvested when ripe, however, they taste excellently refreshing.
The low carb fruit has seeds, but you can just eat them. Gooseberries ripen early in the year and can be bought as early as June.
Gooseberries contain appreciable amounts of silicon. The important trace element is involved in bone and cartilage formation.
Watermelons, the ideal snack in summer
100 g contain 8.3 g carbohydrates
As the name suggests, this low carb fruit contains a lot of water, over 90 percent in fact. In summer, it is therefore the perfect thirst quencher. It's best to eat it on the same day, because melons spoil quickly once they've been cut.
Watermelon contains various vitamins, but it is not one of the vitamin bombs among the low carb fruits. But it contains all the more beta-carotene, which the body can convert into the important vitamin A.
Lemon: Sour makes fun
100 g contain 3.2 g carbohydrates
There is hardly any better low carb fruit for the immune system. With 100 g you have already covered half your daily requirement of vitamin C. Regularly a hot lemon in winter from several fruits therefore perfectly prevents colds.
You can find lemon trees mainly in the south of Europe. There the weather is warm enough for the heat-loving citrus fruit. By the way, did you know that the harvest of lemons takes place up to four times a year? This is because the fruits ripen at the same time as they bloom. But the main season is autumn and winter.
Low carb fruit with medium carbohydrate content
You can still include the following fruits in your low carb diet. However, you should not eat too much of them. They contain between 10 and 20 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
Pineapple - tropical anti-inflammatory
100 g contain 12.4 g carbohydrates
The tropical fruit from South America is an all-rounder. It contains many vitamins, minerals and the enzyme bromelain. It is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Do not store pineapple in the refrigerator, where it spoils quickly.
Apple, the most popular fruit with us
100 g apple contain 14.4 g carbohydrates
An apple a day keeps the doctor away - there's a lot to this saying. Apples contain many vitamins, fiber and minerals. Especially the flesh just under the skin is very nutritious, which is why it's best not to peel them.
If you're worried about pesticides or waxing, buy organic apples. You'll be on the safe side.
Pears inspire not only children
100 g pears contain 12, 4 g carbohydrates
If most apple varieties are too sour for you, then pears might be the right low carb fruit for you. They contain more fructose with a similar carbohydrate content. Pears can't be stored as long as apples, so it's best to eat them quickly.
Fig, the ideal source of fiber
100 g figs contain 12.9 g carbohydrates
The special thing about figs, in addition to countless vitamins, is the fiber content. This is particularly high in dried fruits. The small seeds are responsible for this. For people with irritable bowel syndrome, however, this low carb fruit is not favorable.
Pomegranate, all without mess
100 g pomegranate contains 16.1 g carbohydrates
Have you avoided pomegranates until now because the kitchen quickly becomes a bloody battlefield when you peel them apart? Here's a tip: simply peel them under water. Then clothes and kitchen stay stain-free.
Apart from the peeling challenge, the pomegranate is a very healthy low carb fruit. Besides vitamins and minerals, it contains many antioxidants.
Rose hips are a vitamin miracle
100 g rose hips contain 16.2 g carbohydrates
Rose hips belong to the fruit with low carbohydrates, which contains the most vitamin C. 100 g of the bright red berry contain more than ten times the daily requirement! Therefore, the low-carbohydrate fruits are still healthy even after canning.
Rose hips grow wild, you can just collect them yourself in the fall.
Persimmons: sweet, soft and low in carbohydrates
100 g persimmons contain 16 g carbohydrates
With this deliciously sweet fruit, you can add variety to your low carb fruit menu. The persimmon gives you quick energy thanks to the glucose - the ideal snack for in between.
Cherries, the popular summer snack
100 g cherries contain 13.3 g carbohydrates
What could be a nicer snack in summer than deliciously sweet cherries? Boiled down, they go wonderfully with cottage cheese - the perfect dessert.
Cherries belong to the fruit with low carbohydrates, but contain a lot of folic acid. This is especially important for pregnant women.
Low carb quark casserole with cherries
Lychee best eaten raw
100 g lychees contain 17 g carbohydrates
Litchis are no longer only at home in Asia. Here, too, you can regularly find the low-carbohydrate fruit in the market. B vitamins are just some of the healthy ingredients of the prickly fruit.
Kiwis: be careful with the green fruit
100 g contain 9.1 g carbohydrates
The kiwi also originates from China. The low carb fruit contains actinidain, an enzyme that helps with digestion, but can also trigger allergic reactions.
It is precisely this ingredient that makes kiwifruit taste bitter when combined with dairy products. Therefore, it is better to enjoy low-carbohydrate fruit in a yogurt-free fruit salad.
A little less sour taste the small relatives of the furry fruit, kiwi berries.
Tangerines are a hit in winter
100 g tangerines contain 10.1 g carbohydrates
Tangerines are not only practical low carb fruit for on the go, but has a lot of vitamin C. The citrus fruit also contains potassium, calcium and magnesium in interesting quantities.
Mango brings exotic variety to the menu
100 g mango contains 12.5 g carbohydrates
For over 4,000 years, the mango has been one of man's cultivated plants. No wonder, after all, it contains many vitamins and minerals.
Fresh mangos usually need to ripen a bit more, so it's best to wrap them in newspaper for a few days.
Plums - perfect low carb fruit for cakes
100 g plums contain 10.1 g carbohydrates
The low-carbohydrate fruit of the plum tree is one of the record holders for B vitamins: almost all of them are contained. In addition, the skin contains unsaturated fatty acids, which provide flexible cell membranes.
Nectarine, the smooth peach
100 g nectarines contain 12.4 g carbohydrates
Botanically, this stone fruit is actually a peach. Only this variation has smooth instead of furry skin. It's best to eat the delicate fruit raw, as this preserves the vitamins best.
Fruit, which is taboo for low carb
Some fruits contain so many carbohydrates that it is better to avoid them on a low carb diet. Fruits with more than 20 g of carbohydrates per 100 g include:
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Goij berries
- Plantains
- Net Cannon
- Persimmon
Dried and canned fruit also looks bad. The water content is missing and often the fiber-rich parts of the fruit have been removed. So it's better to do without.
Our conclusion
Only in a strict ketogenic diet is probably easier to do without even fruit with few carbohydrates. This is because all fruits contain some carbohydrates. You will then have to get your vitamins and minerals from raw vegetables.
Otherwise, however, there are many low carb fruits that won't ruin your diet. Low carb fruit supports a balanced diet rich in minerals, vitamins and fiber.
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