Keto Means
Photo: Унайзат Юшаева
Botanically speaking, tomatoes are considered a fruit. However, unlike other fruit, they're considered keto-friendly. That's because tomatoes contain around 2–3 grams of net carbs per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) — or up to 10 times fewer net carbs than most fruit — regardless of their variety ( 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ).
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That's because this diet relies on your body staying in ketosis. To do so, you need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day. Eating more than...
Read More »The ketogenic diet is a high fat diet that drastically restricts your intake of carbs to around 50 grams per day. To achieve this, the diet requires you to cut out or severely limit your intake of carb-rich foods, including grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, and fruit. Though tomatoes are commonly considered a vegetable, they’re botanically a fruit, causing some to wonder whether they can be included on a ketogenic diet. This article discusses how keto-friendly tomatoes truly are. Share on Pinterest How to achieve ketosis on a ketogenic diet The ketogenic diet is designed to put your body in ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body starts burning fat for energy and producing ketones as a byproduct ( 1 ). A ketogenic diet is most commonly used to reduce seizures in people with epilepsy. However, it has also been linked to a range of additional health benefits, including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and perhaps even a healthier heart ( 2 , 3 , 4 ). To achieve ketosis, your body needs to switch from using carbs to using fat as its main fuel source. To make this possible, your daily carb intake needs to drop to less than 5–10% of your daily calories, typically adding up to less than 50 grams of carbs per day ( 2 ). Depending on the type of ketogenic diet you follow, the reduction in calories is partially offset by an increased intake of calories from fat or fat together with protein ( 2 ). Fruit, such as apples and pears, contain around 20–25 grams of carbs per serving. This groups them together with other carb-rich foods, such as grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, and sugary foods — all of which are restricted on a ketogenic diet ( 5 , 6 ). summary A ketogenic diet is designed to allow you to reach ketosis. For this to happen, you must severely restrict your intake of carb-rich foods, including fruit. Tomatoes are different from other fruit Botanically speaking, tomatoes are considered a fruit. However, unlike other fruit, they’re considered keto-friendly. That’s because tomatoes contain around 2–3 grams of net carbs per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) — or up to 10 times fewer net carbs than most fruit — regardless of their variety ( 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ). Net carbs are calculated by taking the carb content of a food and deducting its fiber content. Hence, tomatoes are much easier to fit within the daily carb limit than other fruit, which is what makes tomatoes keto-friendly. The same can be said of other low carb fruits, including zucchini, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and avocado. In addition to their low carb content, tomatoes are rich in fiber and contain a variety of beneficial plant compounds, which may be lacking on a strict ketogenic diet. There are two more reasons to include them on your keto diet. summary Although technically considered a fruit, tomatoes contain much fewer carbs than other fruits. Therefore, they’re considered keto-friendly, while most other fruits are not. Not all tomato-based foods are keto-friendly Although raw tomatoes are considered keto-friendly, not all tomato products are. For instance, many store-bought tomato products, such as tomato paste, tomato sauce, salsa, tomato juice, and even canned tomatoes, contain added sugars. This significantly raises their total carb content, making them more difficult to fit into a ketogenic diet. Therefore, be sure to check the ingredient label when purchasing a tomato-based product and avoid those containing extra sugar. Sundried tomatoes are another tomato-based food that may be considered less keto-friendly than raw tomatoes. Due to their low water content, they end up containing around 23.5 grams of net carbs per cup (54 grams), which is significantly more than the same serving of raw tomatoes ( 6 , 11 ). For this reason, you likely need to limit how many sundried tomatoes you eat while following a ketogenic diet. summary Tomato-based products, such as sauces, juices, and canned tomatoes, may contain added sugars, making them less suitable for a ketogenic diet. Sundried tomatoes may also be considered less keto-friendly than their raw counterparts.
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The lowdown. The keto diet changes the way your metabolism works by encouraging it to use ketone bodies instead of glucose for energy production....
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Water can be really helpful for weight loss. It is 100% calorie-free, helps you burn more calories and may even suppress your appetite if consumed...
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Signs That You Are Not In Ketosis You experience increased or continued cravings, especially for sugar or carbs. You notice hunger levels are high....
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At 9 grams of total carbs and 8 grams of net carbs per ounce, cashews may not be the best nut to eat while on keto. A small portion of cashews can...
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