When it comes to following the popular keto diet, you should know some basic rules. Shortly known as keto, the keto diet is all about eating fat and protein, and cutting down on carbs and sugars.
Fruits are generally considered healthy, but they are a big NO when it comes to keto because of their sugar and carb content. So, this raises a big question: are tomatoes keto-friendly? Well, technically, tomatoes are fruits, but we often consider them a vegetable.
Registered Dietician Scott Keatley of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy said, “Tomatoes, which are technically a fruit, are keto-friendly.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), standard tomatoes have around four grams of carbs and two grams of sugar per half-cup serving. However, they may vary a little depending on the types of tomatoes you choose. For instance, per half-cup serving of grape tomatoes contain three grams of carbs, while cherry tomatoes contain six grams of carbs.
Keatley said, “If you’re on keto, you should not be on a zero carbohydrate diet. Tomatoes, which have carbohydrates, are low in sugar, have fiber, and, more importantly, have phytonutrients that you may be lacking on a strict keto diet.”
If you consider tomatoes while you are on the keto diet, Keatley advises choosing whole tomatoes and avoiding store-bought tomato sauce that is loaded with added sugar, which is certainly not a keto option. The dietician explained that there is no need to worry that you will completely screw up your ketosis by having you a couple of tomatoes on any given day. Keatley said, “You’d likely need to eat five to six medium tomatoes to upset the balance of carbohydrates.”
