Newcomers to the keto diet will often hear that fruits are not keto-friendly. This is true in most cases, but not all. Apples and oranges may be off-limits due to their high carb count, but many berries are allowed because they have fewer carbohydrates. While “no fruit” is generally a good guideline to have when starting the keto diet, there are always exceptions.
Tomatoes are a popular fruit that can enhance a lot of dishes. You may not have realized they even count as a fruit. They are often considered “culinary vegetables” because they’re prepared like vegetables and used primarily in savory dishes. So if they are a fruit, then are tomatoes keto-friendly?
Are Tomatoes Keto?
The answer is yes! It can be safe to eat tomatoes on keto. Relative to other fruits, tomatoes have a relatively low net carbohydrate count: there are typically about 3-4 carbs in tomatoes per 100 grams. This means it’s often possible to fit tomatoes into your daily carb count. So you can safely add raw tomato to your salads or other dishes without breaking from your diet plan on keto.
Please note, however, that these nutritional values only apply to raw tomatoes. When shopping in the grocery store, it is important to read the labels of any tomato-based products before assuming they are good for keto. Sun-dried tomatoes typically have a higher volume of carbohydrates than raw tomatoes, so they are less keto-friendly. Also, many store-bought tomato pastes, sauces, soups, and salsas will often have added sugars or other high-carb ingredients, which make them unfriendly to a keto diet. Even some canned tomatoes will have added sugars, so it’s always best to buy fresh, raw, and seasonal tomatoes.
That’s not to say you can’t enjoy tomato sauce or soup on keto. You will just want to make sure you’re following a good keto-friendly recipe if you want to do so.
Benefits of Eating Tomatoes on Keto
So now that we know you can eat tomatoes on keto, here are some reasons why you should.
Fiber
Tomatoes are a good source of fiber. Therefore, they are good for a keto diet because it helps to reduce one’s appetite. This, in turn, helps weight loss. Many keto dieters will subtract fiber from their daily carbohydrate count—because fiber is not digested, so some high-fiber items like tomatoes can be quite good for keto.
Antioxidants
Tomatoes are also a good source of antioxidants, which can have a wide range of health benefits. Antioxidants in tomatoes are believed to reduce the risk of some cancers and heart diseases. You don’t need to be on keto to appreciate those health benefits. But tomatoes are clearly a great way to add vital nutrients while on keto.
Other Vitamins
Like most fruits, tomatoes are a great source of several different vitamins. Tomatoes are good sources of Vitamins A, B, C, and K, as well as potassium, which all offer a range of health benefits; these include improved heart health, strengthened immune system, and even skin protection.
How to Use Tomatoes on Keto
There are a few ways you can work tomatoes into your diet on keto. As mentioned above, you can simply enjoy raw tomatoes as part of any fresh dish you would normally enjoy. But if this isn’t enough, or you don’t enjoy the taste of raw tomato, there are plenty of keto-friendly recipes that make use of tomatoes.
Most store-bought tomato products will not be keto-friendly, so many keto tomato recipes will need to be homemade or carefully selected. If you are interested in trying some great-tasting, nutritious tomato recipes, check out these three easy tomato recipes for delicious snacks or meals you can try for yourself at home. Get more recipes and keto diet help with Sugarless Crystals.