If you’re very fond of carbohydrates, you may have some trouble finding sweetness with the keto diet.
The ketogenic diet doesn’t really like fruit all that much. There are some fruit and veggies fit for the keto but most are too high in sugars for it.
On that note!
You may be asking yourself: are raisins keto friendly?
These dried grapes have always been a nice little snack with a sweet treat to them, and they are used by many consumers in just as many recipes.
So let’s dive in!
What makes some foods keto friendly?
The ketogenic diet has but one mission: to bring your body to ketosis, where you burn fat as energy and fuel.
This will mean getting:
- 50 to 60 percent of your macronutrients from fat (*)
- as less as 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates
- the rest from protein (30 to 35 percent)
All this amounts to consuming between 20 to 50 grams of carbs a day. This average is, however, not the standard for everyone.
But it doesn’t end here!
Depending on the level of exercise more carbs than the above mentioned can be consumed within a day.
This is why it’s important to know exactly where these carbs are coming from so that any added carbs are accounted for and do not exceed that limit.
Are raising keto friendly?
Very few fruits can be included in the keto diet, even if they were dried. To know whether raisins can be included on that short list, we need to look at their nutritional information. (*)
1.5 ounces of raisins will have:
- calories 129
- protein 1.3 g
- total carbs 34.0 g
- net carbs 32.5 g
- fat 0.2 g
- fiber 1.6 g
Can you eat raisins on keto?
With all the nutritional information in view, the question of whether you can eat raisins on the keto still remains. Surely a handful won’t completely end your diet, right?
In truth:
Raisins are not keto friendly and even a few are enough to stop your ketosis streak.
Although the sugar in raisins, in the form of fructose, is natural without any added refined sugars, the concentration is still too high in such a small bite-sized package. (*)
You might get away with eating a handful of them but the risk of being kicked out of ketosis is higher.
On the other hand!
The standard keto diet is not the only form it comes in, so you may be able to use raisins in either the targeted or cyclical keto diet versions.
What raisins substitutes are keto?
If you crave fruit while following the keto, your best bet would more likely be berries like:
- Strawberries- 5.7 grams of net carbs (*)
- Cranberries – 7.6 grams of net carbs (*)
- Blackberries – 4.9 grams of net carbs (*)
- Watermelon – 7.1 grams of net carbs (*)
- Raspberries – 5.4 grams of net carbs (*)
- Cantaloupe – 7.9 grams of net carbs (*)
If you follow the keto diet we encourage you to steer as much away from raisins as possible, as it can throw a wrench in your ketosis.
What are other suitable options to replace raisins?
Browsing for some ideas on what to use for snacking instead of raisins we may offer a few choice suggestions.
Nuts are filling and can be paired with many dishes even within the keto diet, especially with their low carbs and high fiber.
- almonds
- cashews
- macadamia nuts
- walnuts
- pecan nuts
- peanut butter
Seeds are very similar to nuts in versatility and keto readiness so they too are a better alternative.
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- chia seeds
Other optional choices can be just as beneficial for a variety of reasons like wanting a sweet treat, or some quick refreshing nibbles.
- chocolate 90% Lindt, 85% ALDI chocolate, or hand full of sugar free chocolate chips
- celery – one stick of celery is great as a crispy, quick crunchy snack
- cucumber – refreshing and with basically no carbs it fits right into the keto diet
- avocado with its high fat, creamy, low carb, and high fiber content
FAQs
- Are fresh grapes keto?
Raisins are basically dried grapes, and in drying them, both preserve them and somehow make them sweeter. Comparing the two we can see some differences.
Raisins per 100 grams have:
- total carbs – 78.5 grams
- fiber – 6.8 grams
- Net carbs – 71.7 grams
Raw grapes per 100 grams have:
- total carbs – 8.9 grams
- fiber – 0.4 grams
- Net carbs – 8.5 grams
There’s a significant difference between raw grapes and raisins, as it seems dried grapes not only make them sweeter it actually increases their carb count.
If you were to choose, raw grapes would be a more obvious choice if you want to maintain ketosis. Even so, raw grapes are still not the best for the keto either.
- Are raisins good for us?
Raisins are not lacking in vitamins, minerals, or any of that other good stuff that would make them undesirable, so in essence, they are okay.
The issues with the keto, however, come from the high sugar content, which is why it’s hard to find a place for raisins in the keto.
- What dried fruit is best for keto?
There are very few fruits that can be included with the keto, dry ones even less so.
The only dry fruit that is a sure win with the keto is coconut. Fresh or dry, coconut is a unique fruit for the keto, as it’s a tropical fruit with fewer carbs.
Not only that, but it also contains MCT oil, which studies show its ability to sustain ketosis. (*)
This, understandably, makes it very popular among the keto community.
Learn more: what fruits are keto-friendly
The bottom line
Are raisins keto friendly? Raisins are a part of many breakfast or baking recipes, and however sweet or chewy they may be, there is still a high concentration of carbs that render them non-keto.
So take the next step!
Supplement raisins with something else, some other keto fruit that will not kick you out of ketosis and maintain your keto streak.
Up Next:
- Are grapes keto friendly?
- Is mango keto friendly?
- Are bananas keto-friendly?
- Are strawberries keto?
