You will probably only ask this question if you are on the keto diet.
Because the answer to – Are grapes healthy? – is Yes, they are.
But if you ask – Are grapes keto?
Well, that’s another question altogether, even though they are so healthy.
The keto diet [1] is a very popular diet that millions of people follow.
But its principles are to eat low-carbs and high fat with no sugar basically. All this helps you to lose weight, and to benefit from the health benefits.
Another popular diet, the Atkins diet, and the ketogenic diet encourage their followers to cut out a lot of carbs from their diets.
And grapes, having carbs in them, as well as sugar, make them more a no than a yes on the keto diet, even though they are healthy [2].
Grapes: Are They Keto-Friendly?
The way of eating on the keto diet causes a depletion of glucose in the body
This depletion of glucose forces the body to burn fat.
It will start to produce an alternative source of fuel called ketones.
Basically, the keto diet will restrict carbs to less than 10% of your calorie intake, and limit protein to 20%. Fat makes up the rest.
The keto diet has become very popular amongst the celebrity crowd.
It has even been touted by them and on social media as being a panacea for various ailments.
And then on top of it, you lose weight too.
One doctor, Dr. Ethan Weiss, was, for a long time, skeptical of the keto diet.
So he decided to experiment with it, trying it out. He would skip breakfast and then eat mostly salads during the day.
He would also include cheese, nuts, grilled fish and chicken, roasted veggies, or tofu. His dessert would be dark chocolate.
What happened to him?
Well, he lost 20 pounds and bought a whole new wardrobe! He also went on to comment – “I haven’t felt this good since I was in high school.”
He went on to sell a $99 pen-size breathalyzer device, called a Keyto.
It allows people to measure their ketone levels and track how the diet is working for them.
Another plus about the keto diet is that doctors at Johns Hopkins and other hospitals have been using this diet for almost 100 years in order to reduce seizures in those patients who suffer from epilepsy [3].
Back to grapes
On the keto diet, you might have to avoid some fruits if you want to try and reach ketosis.
When your body is in ketosis, it burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose.
As we said above, even despite the health benefits of grapes, they are one of the fruits that are higher in sugar and carbs.
For instance, a single cup of grapes consists of around 26 grams of carbs.
If you love adding grapes to your salads, but want to keep it keto, then you could only use 3 grapes and then cut them in halves or in quarters.
You will still benefit from their delicious flavor and sweetness when you add them to your salad.
A lot of people’s favorite fruit is grapes
Grapes are a huge favorite when it comes to adding them to lunch boxes and enjoying them as a snack.
Biting into grapes, be they red or white grapes, is very delicious, satisfying, and thirst-quenching.
It’s just that the unfortunate thing about them is, as far as the keto diet goes – they are high in carbs.
That’s why some people say they are not suitable for the keto diet. A cup of grapes contains around 26 grams of net carbs.
And on the keto diet, only around 50 carbs are allowed each day. Because the carb limit is restricted, you’ve got to be careful with what you eat to ensure you are within the recommended limit.
You have to avoid foods that are high in sugar, too, because that can kick you out of ketosis [4].
Comparison between green and red grapes
½-cup of red grapes
- 9 net grams of carbs
- 24 grams fat
- 4 grams fiber, meeting 5% of your daily fiber intake
- 37 grams total sugar. The three main types of sugar in red seedless grapes are glucose, sucrose, and fructose. Of the 23.37 grams of total sugar in red seedless grapes, 0.23 grams come from sucrose and 10.87 grams from glucose. 12.28 grams comes from fructose.
1-cup of green grapes (92 grams)
- 6g of protein
- 16g of carbohydrates
- 3g fat
- 2 mg of sodium
- 1 g of fiber
- 15 g of sugar
- 6 g of protein
- 68 mg of vitamin C
- 4 mg of vitamin K
- 6 mg of vitamin A
Calories of grapes
All grapes are known to be equally as good for weight loss. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says of grapes and their calories, per 100 grams of each grape type:
- Red grapes: 70 calories per hundred grams
- Black grapes: 70 calories per 100 grams
- Green grapes: 71 calories in 100 grams
Health Benefits of Grapes
1) They help with blood clotting
The vitamin K in grapes makes them strong for bones and blood clotting.
2) Provide antioxidants
Grapes contain quite a lot of phytonutrients, especially flavonoids such as resveratrol [5].
Resveratrol has antioxidants in it that help to lower the risk of high cholesterol, blood clots, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
3) Protects cells from damage
Grapes contain the flavonoid, quercetin. These help to protect cells from damage.
Quercetin is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral agent.
4) Improves cognitive function
There is some research to indicate that consuming resveratrol in grapes can help to improve memory and cognitive function in older adults.
5) Regulate blood sugar
Some research has shown that resveratrol, again, can be helpful for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. Resveratrol may decrease insulin resistance and improve glycemic control.
There are some keto-friendly alternatives to grapes?
A few types of berries make a good keto-friendly substitute for grapes and have similar flavors and textures. The best whole fruit alternatives for grapes are:
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
Besides water, try some keto drinks
Try drinking grape-infused water.
It is really easy to make at home and tastes great. Look at these other keto water drinks that get some oomph to them just adding fruits and veggies.
Conclusion
An enduring buzzword that hit the diet world several years ago has been the word “keto.”
Keto refers to the low-carb, high-fat, and ketogenic diet.
It claims that you can eat all the fat you like, that you will never be hungry, and that it can even boost your athletic performance.
It’s got great promises for just about everyone!
The ketogenic diet is based on the principle that if you deplete the body of carbohydrates, from where it gets most of its energy, you can force your body to burn fat for fuel.
That way you maximize weight loss.
When you consume foods that contain carbs, the body will convert those carbs to glucose, or blood sugar.
That’s then used for energy.
But people have always wondered whether they are allowed to enjoy the sweet grape with its carbs on the keto diet.
So whether to eat grapes on the keto diet? – As you have learned, grapes are pretty healthful and have many health benefits.
But you just have to be careful with grapes on the keto diet, simply because they are so moreish, you might eat too many and that will ruin your carbs and sugar intake for the day.
That’s all – so they are a yes and no on the keto diet – you just have to be careful with the gorgeous grape!
If you’re looking for a good way to stay on the keto diet, here’s a list of the best keto diet supplements we’ve compiled.
References
- [1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101
- [2] https://www.wholesomeyum.com/carbs-in-grapes/
- [3] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/epilepsy/diet-therapy.html
- [4] https://www.theartofketo.com/how-much-sugar-will-kick-you-out-of-ketosis/
- [5] https://www.livestrong.com/article/345014-what-foods-are-high-in-resveratrol/