How bad is natural fruit juice for keto?

keto
fruits
juice
#21

Yes, we should know if it’s a concern for us. I never worried about it as I simply can’t do high-carb for multiple days (or just with quite negative consequences and outside force would be needed). But we probably all read many stories where it wasn’t the case.
But amounts matter even if it’s a single occasion per year. It’s personal where is our sweet spot and tolerable range… And it understandably shocks our system if we suddenly pour a ton of sugar in it.
A gallon of ice cream would be way too much once a lifetime for me… But indeed, it probably doesn’t ruin more than a few days if one goes back to keto right away.

#22

I am so happy that I am finally feeling the benefits of keto after 2.5 months. I am actually not hungry again today. Its a miracle. Not craving chocolate or anything else carby - and lately even my sweet tooth has subsided. So no way would I drink any carb rich juices to ruin this wonderful effect. And actually - if I wanted to cheat at all, it would most likely be a pecan pie! LOL ALL of it !! But I used the word “cheat” and I mean it specifically. Drinking juice would be a form of cheating for me and I would be afraid it would knock me out of ketosis and more importantly- fat adaptation.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #23

Fruit juice is another name for sugar water.

I certainly wouldn’t do it. I do berries and an occasion slice of melon or half apple/ pear when it comes to fruits. They are treat foods for me. YMMV

(Jane) #24

Why would you want to drink fruit juice DAILY?

I could see every once in a while… but daily??? Why?

(Elian) #25

I hear all your concerns and I respect them. I had similar ones myself, which is exactly why I was seeking consultation from fellow ketovores; more to validate my own worries rather than anything else.

I did start on quite a strict keto but with time I’ve added a bit mote leeway. Right now, my personal keto diet is tailored around 35 net carbs a day, rarely 40 on the odd day. I am not overweight, never have been, I’ve actually always been on the skinny side of the spectrum with a normal BMI. My glucose levels, although quite high before keto, now hover somewhere around 5 mmol/L (90 mg/dL) regardless of what I eat (tried eating fruits and sweets just to test this and they didn’t have any significant impact).

So what I think I will do is still go ahead and incorporate the juice in my diet, but I’ll skip the pineapple (maybe keep it as an occasional treat?) and replace it with ginger.

#26

Sounds like you are metabolically capable Elian. Keep track of your biomarlers and at some stage consider a Kraft blood insulin test; tracking blood insulin after a meal (needs a lab, or a few hours at the phlebotomist)… The blood insulin response will be an interesting predictor for your health in the future.

(bulkbiker) #27

You haven’t really said why you want to have the juice rather than eating the fruit which may at least be slightly less harmful…

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #28

Simple answer. Look at the carb count. Fruit juices are pretty bad. I drink this stuff every morning with my breakfast. Love it. They have several different Cran mixes, and all are great. My favorite is probably cran-rasberry :slightly_smiling_face:

https://images.app.goo.gl/EgnU7bDHuijaHotw8

(mole person) #29

If weight isn’t a concern then I’d just keep an eye on this number as you move forward. If you see it creeping up again pull back on the carbs again.

If I were you though I’d have waited on relaxing keto until your glucose was even better. You look like a young guy, you should probably be seeing fasting glucose below 80 to indicate really good metabolic health.

(Vic) #30

I think it goes beyond just carbs but the type of carbs, This type of sugar will hit hard, I wouldnt want to try and see how it effects me, I am sure its a l lot worse then equal carbs in more reasonable sources

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #31

Something surprising (to me) that I have discovered: it may be that tastier things are “better” (in the keto sense of less carbs) than things which are less tasty and intuitively “healthier”.

Example: a fruit juice, especially from your comment, seems to be a reeeeeeeeeeeally healthy thing. But it is not, since you are getting rid from the fiber, and just keeping the sugars.

Instead, I eat some marmalade which is really low in calories and sugars. It has 13kcal per 100 grams! and it is extremely tasty and very sweet. For my taste, much better than any juice.

99.99% of people would believe a fruit juice HAS TO BE healthier than marmalade. But it is not (at least in the keto sense).

Rationally: you have a limited carb budget in keto. Play this budget intelligently (which means: do not drink fruit juices, for God’s sake!).

(Elian) #32

In the keto sense, yes, I agree with you. However, I’m trying to somehow make the best of both the keto and the SIBO diet, the latter being very restrictive of fiber thanks to the excess bacteria that will ferment it in the gut.

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #33

I am not a doctor. But just saying, from a keto perspective, that sugar is OK, but fiber is bad, is close to crazy. I really think fiber is good (there might be instances in which this does not hold, of course) and sugar is bad.

I agree one can think differently, but then it is not keto at all.

(bulkbiker) #34

If you want to reduce fibre to a minimum and stay in ketosis then why not try a carnivore way of eating for a while?

(Elian) #35

I just told you I am trying to find middle ground between keto and the SIBO low FODMAP diet.

(Elian) #36

Yes, that’s how my diet looks these days. :))

(bulkbiker) #37

But not with fruit juice obviously… that has no place on a carnivore diet…

(Allie) #38

But you won’t get the benefits of keto while taking that much pure sugar into your body. That’s what we are all trying to get across to you… your choice though.

(Elian) #39

I juice 3 celery sticks, 1 medium sized carrot, 1 ginger root and 1 sour apple. So far this hasn’t kicked me out of ketosis and my glucose and insulin levels are normal.

(bulkbiker) #40

You still haven’t really told us what you expect this to do for you?