It’s National Strawberry Day! #NationalStrawberryDay was created to celebrate those little red powerhouses of sweet perfection! Strawberries have grown in the wild for thousands of years, and it was the French who first cultivated this delicious red berry into their gardens as early as the 14th century.
It wasn’t until the late 1700’s that the strawberry we know and love today made its way to the to the Americas from Chile. By 1825 strawberry production was well-established in the United States.
Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.
17th century English writer Dr. William Butler
Can I eat fruit on a keto diet?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes, if it’s low-carb fruit eaten in moderation.
Fruits have a well-deserved reputation as a healthy food group for good reason, but when people switch to a ketogenic diet, many believe this entire food group is off-limits. You don’t technically need to eat fruit to get important vitamins and minerals. You can get those same vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals from vegetables with fewer carbs and sugar.
In most cases, the carbs in fruit will make up the majority of our daily carb intake on keto. Modern fruit has been cultivated and engineered to be higher in sugar and increasingly sweeter. Most fruits are naturally high in sugars (and therefore carbs), but there are numerous keto fruits that have a lower carb count. The best strategy to minimize fruit sugar intake is to stick with berries.
Are Strawberries Keto?
Some fruits, especially berries, are a way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying in ketosis and get a healthy dose of antioxidants. The carbs in strawberries are lower than most other fruits making it possible to lose weight and enjoy a tasty, nutrient-dense treat.
On a keto diet, you can have a moderate amount of strawberries every so often and it won’t kick you out of ketosis.
Strawberries are a colorful, juicy, antioxidant-rich, refreshing keto fruit with a well-earned reputation in terms of their health benefits and delicious taste. That’s why so many people love them, including keto dieters. If you can’t stop snacking on berries, relax! The strawberry is high on the list of keto-friendly fruits.
Strawberries are extremely rich in antioxidants. The redder the berry, the more antioxidants they pack. Strawberries also contain more Vitamin C than citrus fruit ounce per ounce.
In addition to being fat-free and low in calories, they have higher levels of folate, fiber, manganese, and other antioxidants than most other sugary fruits.
Every type of berry is full of phytochemicals like ellagic acid, a compound that is believed to prevent carcinogens from morphing into cancerous cells.
Strawberries have a very high water content, around 91%, and are a good source of potassium which makes them a hydrating treat as well.
The glycemic index (the measure of how much a food affects blood sugar levels) for a strawberry is 40, a low score, making this fruit appropriate for those who are following keto diet plans.
Nutrition info for one cup of strawberries:
Source: USDA
Strawberries are one of the healthiest foods on earth. There have been numerous studies on the health benefits of strawberries that show how they can:
- Reduce inflammation
- Protect against chronic diseases
- Improve blood sugar
- Reduce inflammation
- Lower cholesterol
- Reduce skin wrinkling
- Improve the function of arteries
- Increased mood
- Improve cognition
So the good news is that having strawberries on keto is still an option! Just remember, you want to keep them to a minimum to stay within your daily carb count.
Keto-Friendly Strawberry Recipe Ideas:
Here are a few delicious ways you can eat strawberries on keto!
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Strawberry Compote
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Strawberry Milkshake
If you have a favorite keto-friendly strawberry recipe leave a comment below!