Strawberries and blueberries

(wayne m bucknall) #1

Im eating 1oz of each with heavy cream for a net total of 5 carbs yet im reading that berries are not keto is this the case or am i ok

(Running from stupidity) #2

You’re looking for a binary solution when the reality is a spectrum.

Do they work for you as part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet? If so, great! If not, well, then no. Or use it as a reason to evaluate your diet overall.

(Robert C) #3

It is the dose that matters - a teaspoon of sugar is keto, but people think sugar is somehow not keto.

A regular serving of blueberries (first site that showed up on Google had that at “one cup raw”) has 15 grams of sugar - leaving very little room in your carb count for the rest of the day. This might lead some to say “blueberries aren’t keto” and put it on a list of “no go” foods.

(John) #4

Berries in small quantities are fine. Best are raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, in that order. Blueberries are OK once in a while, just keep an eye on portion size.

(Frank) #5

Berries work for me in maintenance. I typically have 3/4-1 cup of blackberries with hwc, rediwhip, cinnamon, and some pecans 3-4 nights a week for a dessert.

(Cindy) #6

I eat blueberries…<1/2 a cup at a time. Some strawberries, too. I like the “freshness” of the berries.

@RobC, a tsp of sugar is definitely NOT keto for me, because a tsp would never be enough…it’d quickly become a 1/4 cup or something. But I understand what you mean!

(Brian) #7

I use them but they’re more like condiments than food groups. Serving size matters. A cup of blueberries would typically be spread out over 6 to 12 servings of something here, not eaten at one sitting.

(Robert C) #8

Actually, I was thinking of use in a larger recipe.

My sweet sensitivity has increased so much that I never have a need for (and have grown to very much dislike) artificial sweeteners.

So, when making some “keto” chocolate mousse, I would rather use a much smaller amount of sugar rather than some (supposedly sweet) recommended chemical. Like a half-teaspoon in a 4 serving mixing bowl. It really just cuts back some of the bitterness - doesn’t really come out at a “triggering” sweetness level (and I know it is safe - I wish I never ever had artificial sweeteners in the past).

(Cindy) #9

That makes sense. I think whipped HWC with some unsweetened coconut and a few blueberries tastes almost sweet enough by itself (especially if the berries are sweet…which they are NOT lately). I could see preferring a small amount of sugar vs the artificial stuff.

#10

Most fruits are lower in net carbs than blueberries:

#11

I don’t eat strawberries or blueberries. They don’t pass in our books. I think the last time I had either was in 2017.

Also reduced the fat intake drastically in the last 3 months personally with consistent exercise and experienced more weight loss after plateauing. We eat more clean/simple and lean meats and eat one meal a day(every 24 hrs). I don’t recommend the high fat intake on a consistent basis if you’re looking at weight loss or past the initial 1-2 month stage.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #12

That’s because sugar is a glucose molecule bonded to a fructose molecule, and the fructose, once it’s unlinked, does nasty things in the liver. For one thing, it puts ketosis on hold, while the liver tries to metabolize it. For another, too much fructose causes fatty liver disease, the same as alcohol does. Insulin resistance in the liver is not a good thing, for many reasons.

The reason most people consider berries keto is that the sugar in them comes with enough fiber to slow down the absorption of the fructose to a rate that the liver can handle. Slow absorption of the glucose is also helpful, too, of course.

(Robert C) #13

I think we are in agreement - sugar in a teaspoon is not as good for you as sugar in a berry.
But, a teaspoon of sugar will not disturb ketosis - a couple of pounds of berries will.

#14

How many carbohydrates do you think you eat in maintenance?

(Frank) #15

Funny you should ask. I started tracking again just yesterday and I was at 26 net carbs and that was a fairly typical day I’d say. So I’d say under 30 net on a regular basis with higher 50+ days 3-4 times a month.

#16

A few weeks ago, I had a very strong craving for blueberries. I had a cup full in a cup of unsweetened almond milk. I’m usually very low in eaten carbs, so it fit right in. I haven’t had any since. And I didn’t recognize any problems from having them.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #17

Are you sure of that? Because a shot of whiskey will distub ketosis until the ethanol is metabolized, and the equivalent amount of fructose does the same, because it is metabolized by the same pathway. Apart from the absence of short-term toxicity from fructose, the two chemicals share basically all the same effects on the liver and brain.

(Robert C) #18

If you are at 0.5 - exactly at the borderline bottom of accepted ketosis - and ingest a teaspoon of sugar - you might see a difference for a few minutes I guess (depending on your size and how well your liver works) but, if you were up at 1.0 - nope, don’t think you’ll drop below 0.9.

I think a teaspoon would have a just about immeasurable small effect on your blood ketones but, I concede - I cannot be sure.