Is Grilled Pineapple Keto Friendly? (Keto Diet – All You Need to Know!)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend if grilled pineapple keto-friendly for your diet is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Pineapple is known as the queen of all fruits, and rightly so. It’s sweet, it’s sour, and has excellent antioxidant and serotonin-boosting properties.

So, is grilled pineapple keto friendly? Yes, but in very limited quantity as pineapple in and of itself is high in carbs and unsuitable for a keto diet if consumed too much. Also, you should be on a low-carb diet instead of strictly keto to include pineapples in your diet. An example of a good way to include grilled pineapple in a keto diet is adding a slice of grilled pineapple to a burger.

Read below to know more about how including pineapple in your keto diet is possible, whether it’s good to consume a lot of pineapples if you’re on a keto diet, the general health benefits of pineapples, and so on.

Is Pineapple Suitable For A Strict Keto Diet?

Pineapple is not suitable for a strict keto diet at all. Even one serving of it equals the amount of carbs you could pile up on in an entire day with low-carb foods.

No matter how much you slice it to tone down the amount of carbs, it’s still unsuitable for a strict keto diet.

Pineapple is rich in antioxidants, but it is high in sugar and is also a high glycemic food. It has a glycemic index (GI) of 55, which means that even a small consumption of it can cause your blood pressure to rise.

Can You Include Pineapple in A Keto Diet?

There are ways to get around with pineapples while still remaining in ketosis, but for that, you need to decide whether you want to be on a low carb diet or a strict keto diet.

In a low carb diet, you can manage to consume pineapples while keeping your portions within the 100-gram serving.

Can Grilled Pineapple Be Included in a Keto Diet?

Unlike raw pineapple, grilled pineapple can be included as a low carb dish in a keto diet.

1 serving of topped grilled pineapple has about 6g of carbs and 5g net carbs, as compared to 1 serving of fresh pineapple which contains a whopping 21.7 g of carbs.

Are There Any Substitutes to Pineapples in a Keto Diet?

Fresh pineapples, as we have covered, aren’t the most keto-friendly, but fortunately, we’ve prepared a list of various substitutes you can try to get the same flavor while still sticking true to your keto diet:

1.       Grilled Pineapple: Grilled pineapple slices can be added in small amount to another dish, such as a burger or sandwich. Avoid adding more than 2-3 slices.

2.       Pineapple Extract: You can enjoy the flavor of pineapples without even having to consume actual pineapples.

3.       Pina Colada Cheesecake Cupcakes: You can have a look at the recipe here. These cupcakes contain about 5 grams net carbs of pineapples, which is a very suitable amount for a low-carb diet.

4.       Other fruits: Maybe just consume keto-friendly fruits instead of forcing pineapple in your keto diet? You can eat berries, lemons, watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes etc.

5.       Keto Pineapple Chicken: Keto pineapple chicken contains chicken, vegetables, sauces and a limited amount of pineapple chunks suitable for a low-carb keto diet.

6.       Sweeteners: There are various keto-friendly, sugar-free sweeteners available in the market that you can use instead of pineapples if you just want to add more sweetness to your dish.

Table for Carb Quantities in Common Pineapple Dishes

Dish	Total Carbs	Net Carbs
Fresh Pineapple	21.7 g per slice	19.4 g per slice
Pineapple Juice	32.2 g per cup	31.7 g per cup
Pineapple Chunks	21.6 g per cup	19.3 g per cup
Crushed Pineapple	18 g per ½ cup	17 g per ½ cup
Grilled Pineapple Toppings	6 g per serving	5 g per serving

Are Pineapples Healthy For You?

Despite the fact that pineapples are generally not suitable for a keto diet, on their own, they have their fair share of properties that make them healthy for normal consumption.

You can always continue eating pineapples and enjoy their benefits when you’re not on a keto diet. They contain an enzyme called bromelain which has antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Pineapples are also rich in vitamin C, which gives them antioxidant properties and helps in the synthesis of collagen to promote a youthful appearance of the skin.

Daily consumption of pineapples can also treat depression as it is a natural serotonin booster.

Read also: Does Carbonated Water Make You Gain Weight (LaCroix, Obesity)

How Much of Grilled Pineapples Are Suitable in a Keto Diet?

For a strict keto diet, it’s best not to consume any pineapples at all as they contain 11 g net carbs per 100 g serving.

To stay in ketosis, you need to limit your carb consumption to about 20-50 g per day, which makes pineapples at least half of the amount of carb allowance in a strict keto diet.

For a low carb keto diet, any amount under 100-150 g of carbs is suitable. You have more room in a low carb diet for pineapples, keeping in mind you add only a small amount of them as a topping or sweetener in a dish.

References

https://www.wholesomeyum.com/carbs-in-pineapple/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-many-carbs-per-day-to-lose-weight