Pineapple, a popular tropical fruit known for its delightful sweetness, is available in many forms, including grilled, canned, or fresh. However, despite its versatility and flavor, pineapple should be strictly avoided on a keto meal plan.1
Truth be told, pineapple have a high number of carbs, a lot of sugar, and a higher rating on the glycemic scale making it a fruit that is not keto-approved. So even though pineapples are very healthy outside of keto, the carbs and natural sugars remove it entirely from a low carb meal plan.
Fortunately, there are a number of keto-friendly fruits someone could enjoy instead of pineapple so choose from the list below to replace pineapples with a lower carb, keto fruit.
Pineapple Nutritional Facts
Those on a keto diet may wonder if pineapple is keto-friendly, and a quick look at the nutrition label would show that unfortunately, pineapple has a very high sugar and carbohydrate content, knocking pineapple off the list of fruits that are approved for a keto diet.
Source: WebTechExperts from Pixabay2
Here is the nutrition breakdown for 1 cup of pineapple chunks (165 grams).
- Calories: 82
- Total Fat: 0.2 grams
- Saturated Fat: 0 grams
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 22 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 2.3 grams
- Net Carbs: 19.7 grams
- Sugar: 16 grams
- Protein: 0.9 grams
Net Carbs in Pineapple: What’s the Carbohydrate Content of Pineapples?
For 1 cup of fresh pineapple cut into chunks, there are 22 grams of carbohydrates. Because there are 2.3 grams of dietary fiber the net carbs are slightly lower at 19.7 grams for the same serving size.
These numbers are way too high for someone following keto as typically people aim to eat only 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Source: Pineapple Supply Co. from Pexels3
Net carbs are calculated by taking the food’s total carbohydrates and subtracting the total fiber. This is done because fiber is a carbohydrate the body can’t digest so they don’t count toward the carbs that can impact someone’s insulin and glucose levels.4
This is important to consider while following a keto diet because too much sugar and carbs can prevent the body from going into ketosis.
This is especially important to consider when looking at fruits that may be approved for a keto diet because fruit typically is high in fiber so while the total carbohydrate count may be high the net carbohydrates are lower and could fit into a keto diet.
What Are the Qualifications To Be Keto-Friendly?
Some of the most important things to keep in mind while following a keto diet are the amount of sugar and carbs in the food item. There are different variations of the diet, but all of the variations require the carbohydrate content to be under 50 grams per day.5
The recommended macros breakdown to follow while on a keto diet is 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates.6 For a 2000-calorie daily diet that estimates around 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates each day.
Based on this information, it’s clear that the answer to whether pineapple is compatible with a keto diet is a no due to the high number of carbs and sugar per serving.
Typically, carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy but when the body is deprived of carbohydrates, which happens when someone limits their carb content to under 50 grams a day, the body is forced into ketosis, and the body begins to burn fat for energy. (3)
Ketones then replace glucose as the primary energy source. By doing this, some people find it easier to lose weight and research has shown ketosis can have a huge impact on reducing BMI.7
Does Pineapple Fit into a Keto Diet? Is Pineapple Keto-Friendly?
Pineapples are not keto-friendly and should be strictly avoided because of the high number of carbohydrates and sugar in this fruit. Additionally, pineapple has a medium rate of glucose release.
The rate at which foods release glucose into the bloodstream (GI) is essential to keep in mind when following a keto diet because GI shows how quickly foods absorb into the bloodstream and how they may impact someone’s blood sugar levels.8
The blood sugar impact scale is broken into 3 ranges which are low (less than 55), medium (55 to 70), and high (anything more than 70).9
Pineapple has a GI rating of 66 so while it isn’t high it is at the medium level, meaning eating pineapple could quickly increase someone’s blood sugar levels.
It is crucial to enjoy pineapple in moderation and while following a keto diet, it’s best to avoid pineapple completely as pineapple is not suitable for a keto diet.
Are Pineapples Healthy? What Are the Health Benefits of Pineapple?
While pineapples are best avoided while following a keto diet they do have a lot of impressive health benefits. Due to their long list of health benefits, pineapples are healthy and are a great fruit to add to someone’s meal plan, if they are not following a keto diet.
They are pretty high in sugar though, so they should still be eaten in moderation.
Source: Trang Doan from Pexels10
Here are some of the top health benefits of eating pineapple.
- High Levels Of Bromelain: Bromelain has a wide range of benefits such as aiding in the treatment of bronchitis, sinusitis, and surgical trauma, enhancing the absorption of antibiotics and relieving osteoarthritis, diarrhea, and cardiovascular disorders.11
- Nutrient Dense: Pineapple has high levels of bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, minerals, and nutrients.12 These make pineapple a very nutrient-dense fruit making them a beneficial fruit to eat.
- Heart Health: Due to the nutrients and phytochemicals found in pineapple it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities. Daily pineapple consumption has been found to reduce weight gain and could potentially help the heart against hypercholesterolemia, which is a lipid disorder causing high bad cholesterol and is also a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.13
- Antiviral and Antibacterial: Research has shown that canned pineapple consumption lowered the presence of both viral and bacterial infections.14
- Favorable in Obesity Treatment: Due to the high levels of bromelain present in pineapple, it is often used in obesity treatment because of bromelain’s role in fat burning and reducing the severity of cardiovascular symptoms.15 Because of this, pineapple may be one of the answers to the question of how to jumpstart weight loss.
While someone may wonder if pineapple is compatible with a keto diet, it should be strictly avoided because pineapple has a very high number of carbs per serving.
Despite this, it is clear to see there are a wealth of health benefits that pineapple can provide.
Losing weight can be a frustrating process and it’s possible to be in ketosis without losing weight so instead of giving up on weight loss someone may want to slightly adjust their diet plans from a keto diet to something else such as intuitive eating or other weight loss solutions.
If this happens, pineapple could be added to someone’s meal plan to allow them to reap all the many benefits pineapple has to offer.
Along with this, dragon fruits also show impressive health benefits, but like pineapples, they are not keto-friendly. Therefore, the list below can also serve as dragon fruit keto friendly alternatives.
Pineapple Alternatives, Substitutes, & Keto-Friendly Fruit
When following a keto diet it’s important to keep sugar and carb consumption to a minimum. So it’s possible someone following a keto diet may wonder what are some keto-approved fruits.
Additionally, they may inquire about keto-approved alternatives if fresh pineapple is not suitable for a keto diet.
Often fruit is known for being high in carbs and sugars so at first glance it may seem like the options for keto-friendly fruit may be limited but here are 5 options that could be enjoyed while following keto.
- Avocado: These are an excellent fruit to enjoy while following a keto diet because for ½ cup there are 3 grams of net carbs and 22 grams of fat, specifically 19 grams of unsaturated fats. Not only it is important to have a diet high in fat when on the keto diet, but looking for foods high in unsaturated fats is recommended to promote heart health, making the avocado a great choice.16
- Blackberries: These berries are a sweet, low-fat, and low-carb treat. With a serving size of ½ cup, there are only 3 net carbs. Additionally, blackberries are very high in vitamins C and K and fiber.
- Tomatoes: A cup of cherry tomatoes contains 4 net carbs. They are full of vitamins C, E, and A. Tomatoes also have high levels of lycopene, which has been shown to possess anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic potential, in addition, to protect against heart, liver, bone, skin, and reproductive systems disease.17
- Rhubarb: While this fruit may be harder to find fresh outside of its growing season, rhubarb is bursting with vitamins and is low-carb at only 4 net carbs per 1 cup of diced rhubarb. This fruit does have a very tart flavor so while someone could enjoy it raw and on its own, it may be best enjoyed in a smoothie.
- Strawberries: Half a cup of sliced strawberries have 4 grams of net carbs, which again makes these a fruit that could easily fit into a keto diet plan. Strawberries also contain low sugar levels and have even been shown to improve knee pain and inflammation in those with knee osteoarthritis.18
Each fruit on this list offers a wide range of health benefits and a relatively low number of carbs per serving so they could fit into a keto meal plan.
Each diet and meal plan will look slightly different so it’s imperative to make personal adjustments and decide what would fit best for each individual.
Furthermore, while these fruits would be able to be added to a keto diet, it’s important to enjoy them in moderation as consuming more than the recommended serving size could quickly and significantly increase someone’s carb content for the day and potentially knock them out of ketosis.
Pineapple is a tropical, sweet, and tasty fruit that offers a wide range of health benefits. So while the answer to the question of whether pineapple fits into a keto diet is, unfortunately, a no, there are a variety of delicious alternatives that can be enjoyed on a keto diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pineapple Juice Keto-Friendly?
No, pineapple juice should be avoided while following keto because one cup of pineapple juice has 32 net carbs. Besides lemon or lime juice, most fruit juices should be avoided on keto because of their high sugar content.
Can I Have Dried Pineapple on Keto?
It is typically recommended to avoid dried fruit while on keto because most dried fruits are high in carbs and sugar. Dried pineapples are no exception as a serving size of ½ a cup has a whopping 37 total carbohydrates, which is more carbs than someone on keto would typically have in a day.
Is Grilled Pineapple Keto-Friendly?
No, grilled pineapple is not keto-approved. Changing the cooking method of pineapple will not alter the already high sugar and carb content.
Is Canned Pineapple Keto Friendly?
No, canned pineapple is not allowed on keto. For 1 serving size of ½ cup of canned pineapple in 100% fruit juice there are 17 total carbs, which is still too high for someone following keto.
What Other Fruits Can I Not Have On Keto?
The most important thing to look out for when searching for fruits to avoid while on a keto diet is the amount of sugar and the number of carbohydrates. Other fruits that someone on keto must avoid are apples, grapes, bananas, mangoes, and peaches.
Can I Eat Pineapple on Keto If I Only Have 1 Serving?
Unfortunately, no. Pineapple has a very high number of carbohydrates even for one serving size.
The CDC defines one serving size of fresh pineapple as ½ cup diced. This amount contains 9 grams of net carbs and even then, it’s full of natural sugar which means it has a high glycemic index and bad for keto.
How Much Sugar Does Pineapple Have? What Is the Glycemic Index of Pineapple?
For 1 cup of pineapple chunks, there are 16 grams of sugar. Additionally, pineapple has a glycemic index rating of 66.
References
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2WebTechExperts. Canva. Accessed 9 April 2023. <https://www.canva.com/photos/MAEPOvrBY3c/>
3Pineapple Supply Co. “4 Pineapples Photo.” Canva. Accessed 9 April 2023. <https://www.canva.com/photos/MADGxfheXCc-4-pineapples-photo/>
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8Esfahani, A., Wong, J. M. W., Mirrahimi, A., Srichaikul, K., Jenkins, D. J. A., & Kendall, C. W. C. (2009). The glycemic index: physiological significance. J Am Coll Nutr. <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20234030/>
9BetterHealth Channel. (2023). Carbohydrates and the glycemic index. Healthy Eating. <https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/carbohydrates-and-the-glycaemic-index>
10Trang Doan. “Assorted Sliced Fruits.” Canva. Accessed 9 April 2023. <https://www.canva.com/photos/MADGv7i3Jq4-assorted-sliced-fruits/>
11Pavan, R., Jain, S., Shraddha, & Kumar, A. (2012). Properties and Therapeutic Application of Bromelain: A Review. Biotechnol Res Int. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/>
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13Seenak, P., Kumphune, S., Malakul, W., Chotima, R., & Nernpermipisooth, N. (2021). Pineapple consumption reduced cardiac oxidative stress and inflammation in high cholesterol diet-fed rats. Nutr Metab (Lond). <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8028712/>
14Cervo, M. M. C., Llido, L. O., Barrios, E. B., & Panlasigui, L. N. (2014). Effects of Canned Pineapple Consumption on Nutritional Status, Immunomodulation, and Physical Health of Selected School Children. J Nutr Metab. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258310/>
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18Schell, J., Scofield, R. H., Barrett, J. R., Kurien, B. T., Betts, N., Lyons, T. J., Zhao, Y. D., & Basu, A. (2017). Strawberries Improve Pain and Inflammation in Obese Adults with Radiographic Evidence of Knee Osteoarthritis. Nutrients, 9(9), 949. <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28846633/>