Are Granny Smith Apples Keto-Friendly?

Are Granny Smith Apples Keto-Friendly?

‍Granny Smith apples aren’t keto-friendly because they contain 18 grams of net carbs per apple.

But that doesn’t mean that all fruits are off-limits on keto.

In this article, I’ll discuss why you should avoid apples on keto, even if it’s a Granny Smith apple, and some low-carb alternatives to apples.

How Many Carbs In a Granny Smith Apple?

A medium Granny Smith apple contains 23 grams of total carbs. But, since around 5 of those grams come from fiber, one medium Granny Smith apple contains 18 grams of net carbs.

We count net carbs instead of total carbs because net carbs don’t contain fiber.

And since fiber doesn’t affect your insulin, we just subtract it from the total carbs to get the net carbs.

Even though Granny Smith apples are more sour compared to red apples, sadly, they still contain a lot of sugar.

To help you better understand, here are the net carbs for the most common types of apples (medium):

  • Honeycrisp apples–17 net carbs
  • Gala apples–17 net carbs
  • Red Delicious apples–17 net carbs
  • Golden Delicious apples–19 net carbs
  • Fuji apples–20 net carbs
  • Green apples–21 net carbs
Photo by Scott Evans on Unsplash

Are Granny Smith Apples Keto-Friendly?

Since Granny Smith apples contain around 18 grams of net carbs per apple, they’re not keto-friendly. 

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but if you’re on a ketogenic diet, apples might not be your best friend.

Granny Smith apples aren’t good on keto because they contain a lot of sugar, so they would spike your insulin and kick you out of ketosis.

In addition to that, since most of the sugar in apples comes from fructose, most of it would go straight to your liver to get converted into sugar through lipogenesis.

However, that doesn’t mean that you have to abandon all of your favorite fruits on keto. 

Which Fruits Can You Eat on Keto?

The only fruits you should be eating on keto are the ones that are low in carbs. Here are all of the low-carb fruits that you can eat on keto:

  • Cactus — 1 gram of net carbs per cup
  • Avocado — 3 grams of net carbs per fruit
  • Lemons — 3 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Starfruit — 4 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Limes — 5 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Coconut — 5 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Blackberries — 6 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Raspberries — 7 grams of net carbs per cup 
  • Raspberries — 7 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Blackberries — 7 grams of net carbs per cup
  • Kiwi — 8 grams of net carbs per kiwi
  • Strawberries — 9 grams of net carbs per cup

FAQ

Now, I’ll answer some of the most common questions that people on keto have about apples.

Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash

Are Honeycrisp Apples Keto-Friendly?

Honeycrisp apples aren’t keto-friendly because one medium Honeycrisp apple contains 17 grams of net carbs, most of which come from sugar.

Are Fuji Apples Keto-Friendly?

Fuji apples aren’t keto-friendly because one medium Fuji apple contains 17 grams of net carbs, most of which comes from sugar.

Are Red Delicious Apples Keto-Friendly?

Unfortunately, Red Delicious apples are not keto-friendly. One medium Red Delicious apple contains 17 grams of net carbs, which can quickly add up to kick you out of ketosis.

Photo by Couleur on Pixabay

Conclusion

In conclusion, for those following a ketogenic diet, there are many different fruits to choose from, but apples should be avoided since they’re high in carbs.

And even though Granny Smith apples are sour, they should still be avoided since they still contain a lot of sugar and carbs.

Instead, you can replace apples with other low-carb fruits, like blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

If you’re interested in finding out a more detailed list of the fruits you can and can’t eat on keto, you can read my article here.

I hope this helped!