It’s time for breakfast, and there is nothing better than a mean, green piece of avo toast. You are toasting your favorite low-carb bread, but then you start to wonder, are avocados keto?
The good news is that, yes, avocados are keto-friendly and a great source of healthy fats.
In this article, you will learn all of the benefits found in avocado and why it is an excellent choice of dietary fat to include in your meals. Get to know how many carbs and fats it has, how many avocados you can eat, and what you can eat with them.
Many people consider them vegetables, and other people consider them fruits. So what are they?
Avocados are technically classified as a fruit, or more precisely, a berry. They are a part of the Lauraceae plant family (like the cinnamon tree). They are native to the Mexican and the Andean region, thriving in hot and warm places.
This fruit has green or yellow flesh, leathery skin, and a pit in the center. They have a buttery consistency. Often used in salads or mashed to create guacamole, this is a versatile food used in sweet or savory dishes.
So, what makes this fruit an incredible addition to your meals?
Avocados are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, potassium, vitamin B5, and folate. But what about the carb content? How many carbs does an avocado have?
Note: this fruit varies in size, which is why it’s helpful to measure out 1 cup to be consistent. 1 avocado will often give you slightly more than 1 cup of cubes, although some smaller ones may give you less.
Avocados are very low in carbs. There are only 2.8 g of net carbs in 1 cup of avocado.
They are also very high in fiber, which helps fight constipation (one of the most frequent drawbacks of a ketogenic diet).
Another advantage of this fruit is that it is also high in healthy monosaturated fats, decreasing the risk of heart disease when you use these to replace animal fats.
Keep in mind that they are low in protein. They only have 3 g of protein, which is not a significant amount.
Yes! You are allowed (and encouraged!) to eat them on a ketogenic diet.
On a keto diet, 70-80% of your calories need to come from fat to provide energy throughout the day. Since avocados are high in healthy fats and low in carbs, they are an excellent addition to help you achieve your total fats.
This fruit is high in unsaturated fats, which is the best type of fat that you can include in your diet. They help reduce the risk of heart disease when you choose them over saturated fats (found mainly in processed foods, but also in animal products).
Remember that you still need to track how many avocados you have to avoid having more carbs than you need and risk getting out of ketosis.
While they are great to include, keep in mind that variety is crucial for a healthy diet. Each food has its benefits. Add different fats like nuts, seeds, and oils to have a diverse range of nutrients.
Since avocados are low in carbs, you can have as many as you want. The amount depends on your total fat requirements (remember that while you want to consume fats, you need to have a caloric deficit to lose weight).
For example, having one cup of avocado gives you a very low carb intake, and it gives you a lot of fats for energy.
If you have a higher calorie requirement (2000-2500 kcal), having two cups can be enough to provide you with the fats and calories for an entire meal.
Any type of avocado you have is suitable to have on a ketogenic diet. This means that you can include them in different ways. Here is a list of all the ways to have avocado on a ketogenic diet.
Since avocados are low in carbs and high in fat, you can have anything along with them. Make sure if you are adding a higher-carb food (like refried beans) to track the portion size and avoid going overboard on your carbs.
Here is a list of things that you can eat with them.
Remember that while they are low in carbs, you still need to track the amount of avocado you are using to ensure you are within your calorie limit.
If you are not a big fan of avocados, there are other fat sources that you can add that are still low in carbs. Here are some keto-friendly alternatives that you can replace it with.
Any of these options are an excellent choice to increase your healthy fat intake. The only ones you need to be careful about are sour cream and butter, they are high in saturated fats. Make sure not to go overboard with these last ones.
If you still have questions about this fruit and the keto diet. Here are the most frequently asked questions.
One cup of avocado only has 2.8 g of net carbs, making it an ideal food to add to a ketogenic diet. This means that they are keto-approved and won’t get you out of ketosis.
It depends on your total calorie intake. A good portion size is having half to two avocados per day. With a higher energy requirement, you can have more avocados per day.
A calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than your body needs) is still required to lose weight on a keto diet.
Since avocados are high in fiber, they can help you increase your fullness levels throughout the day. This means that you are less likely to snack or have larger meals, allowing you to eat fewer calories throughout the day.
However, since they are calorie-dense, you need not go overboard on your calories.
Yes, they are an excellent source of healthy fats. However, variety is key to a healthy diet. Each food has its benefit, meaning it is better when you have a variety of foods throughout the day.
Instead of having an avocado every day, change it with olives, olive oil, nuts, or seeds.
Whatever option is great since it gives you the energy you need for the day. Whether you can use it at night or in the morning, remember to add a protein source and some veggies to help balance the dish.
Yes! It can help increase your fullness levels. To increase the nutritional value, make sure you add veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, or bell peppers.
On a ketogenic diet, make sure you choose low-carb bread to avoid getting out of ketosis.
