Carbs in Pineapple: Is It Keto Approved?

Pineapple | Carbs | Keto | Alternatives | Conclusion | FAQ

We all know pineapple as a delicious tropical fruit that adorns our drinks.

Since it is very sweet, there is a legitimate question of whether pineapple is suitable for low-carb and keto diets. In the end, there must be carbohydrates hiding in it.

Is Pineapple Keto?

The pineapple, or Ananas comosus, is a tropical plant with edible fruit. We all know it from fruit salads or trendy breakfast bowls.

But can the pineapple be suitable for keto and other low-carb diets because of its carbohydrates?

To find out, we need to look closely at their nutritional values.

Carbs in Pineapple

Pineapple is a tropical fruit that tastes particularly sweet. That is especially true when it comes from a canned product containing added sugar. So is this sweetness of nature full of carbohydrates?

How Many Carbohydrates Are in Pineapple?

100 grams of pineapple provide the following average nutritional values (*):

• Energy: 50 calories
• Protein: 0.5 grams
• Fat: 0.1 grams
• Carbohydrates: 13.1 grams
• Dietary fiber: 1.4 grams
• Net carbs: 11.7 grams

According to the nutrition facts, carbohydrates predominate in pineapple. It is also free of fat and protein.

In short, pineapple is a high-carbohydrate, low-fat food. Pineapple is not precisely what we are looking for in a ketogenic diet. It has a fat-to-net carbohydrate ratio of less than 0.001.

Is Pineapple Keto-Friendly?

In summary, pineapple is not suitable for the ketogenic diet.

You can eat a maximum of one cup of pineapple chunks (165 grams) daily on keto if you don’t consume any other carbs. It’s just under the 20-gram net carbs limit that can throw you out of ketosis.

It contains about 10 grams of sucrose plus over 3 grams of glucose as well as fructose (*).

Sucrose is what we think of as table sugar. This ordinary sugar consists of 50% glucose and fructose itself.

Hence, a cup of pineapple chunks provides about 16.5 grams of table sugar. 94% of the calories in a pineapple come from sugar.

Pineapple drives blood sugar, insulin levels, and fat gain (Teff et al. 2004¹; Meijssen et al. 2001²; Chandalia et al. 2000³).

Pineapple juices, shakes, and smoothies are fatteners that fewer people have on their radar.

Is Pineapple Healthy?

According to nutrition facts, pineapple is a sugar bomb. Therefore, is it perhaps the vitamins that

make pineapple healthy?

One cup of pineapple chunks (165 grams) can provide the entire vitamin C and ¾ of the daily manganese requirement, but that’s about it. Pineapples contain no other vitamins or minerals worth mentioning (*).

Pineapples are an excellent source of vitamin C, making them healthier than an apple, which contains no significant amount of vitamins. Nevertheless, it is by no means a natural multivitamin. This title is deserved by offal, particularly liver, and a few assorted vegetables.

Unfortunately, marketing is healthier than their consumption in the case of fruits.

Keto Alternatives to Pineapple

If you don’t want to miss the sweet freshness of pineapple on a ketogenic diet, it’s best to replace it with berries.

Raspberries, for example, contain far more fiber, fewer net carbohydrates, and significantly more vitamins and minerals than pineapple (*).

You can always enjoy them, even on a low-carb diet.

Due to Carbs, Pineapple Is Not Keto

Among the supposedly healthy tropical fruits, pineapple is not a good choice. Especially when separated from its fiber, it can stop ketosis immediately. Pineapple juices of any kind are, therefore, a no-go for keto.

Pineapple is not suitable for keto or any other low-carb diet. A few pieces are acceptable, but not much more. Strawberries or raspberries are better alternatives for keto.

Carbs in Pineapple: Keto FAQ

Is pineapple OK on a low-carb diet?

Pineapple contains tons of carbohydrates, which is why it is unsuitable for low-carb.

Is pineapple allowed in the keto diet?

Pineapple is not suitable for a ketogenic diet.

How many carbs does 1/2 cup of pineapple have?

½ cup of pineapple has about 11 grams of carbs.

What are the net carbs of pineapple?

100 grams of pineapple have about 12 grams of net carbs.

Studies

¹Teff KL, Elliott SS, Tschöp M, Kieffer TJ, Rader D, Heiman M, Townsend RR, Keim NL, D’Alessio D, Havel PJ. Dietary fructose reduces circulating insulin and leptin, attenuates postprandial suppression of ghrelin, and increases triglycerides in women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2963-72. doi: 10.1210/jc.2003-031855. PubMed PMID: 15181085.

²Meijssen S, Cabezas MC, Ballieux CG, Derksen RJ, Bilecen S, Erkelens DW. Insulin mediated inhibition of hormone sensitive lipase activity in vivo in relation to endogenous catecholamines in healthy subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Sep;86(9):4193-7. doi: 10.1210/jcem.86.9.7794. PubMed PMID: 11549649.

³Chandalia M, Garg A, Lutjohann D, von Bergmann K, Grundy SM, Brinkley LJ. Beneficial effects of high dietary fiber intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2000 May 11;342(19):1392-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200005113421903. PubMed PMID: 10805824.