Low in sugar, nutritious, and flavorful, raw blueberries are an easy and healthy snack to enjoy on their own or as an ingredient in smoothies, desserts, or other tasty treats.
But what if you’re looking to eat blueberries as part of a low-carb, high-fat keto diet? You’re going to want to know how many carbs are in blueberries and whether blueberries are keto friendly.
» You might also be interested in Foods to Avoid on a Low-Carb or Keto Diet and How Many Carbs are in Popcorn?
In this article, we’ll go over the amount of carbs in blueberries, whether they are keto-friendly, mention some of the keto blueberry recipes on this site, and some other low-carb fruit options for you to consider on your journey to a healthy diet and a happy life.
How Many Carbs Are in Blueberries?
A half a cup of raw blueberries contains a total of 10.5 total grams of carbs. This total includes fiber, of which there is 1.7 grams in 1/2 cup, so there are 8.8 grams of net carbs in blueberries.
In case you’re wondering, 1/2 cup of blueberries also contains .5 grams of protein, .2 grams of fat, and 41 calories.
One thing to keep in mind is that the carb and nutritional content of blueberries is dramatically different between raw (fresh/frozen) and dried blueberries.
Dried blueberries, which are usually in trail mixes, granola, or garnishes are more concentrated and they often have been sweetened with sugar, so there are a whopping 47 total grams of carbs in just half a cup.
This total includes fiber, of which there is 3 grams, so there are 43.9 net carbs in 1/2 cup of dried blueberries. They also contains 1.5 grams of protein, 0 grams of fat, and 197 calories.
So as you can see, a raw blueberry, whether fresh or frozen, will have a much lower concentration of carbs than a dried blueberry, and is therefore the only version that is ideal for the keto diet.
Are Blueberries Keto Friendly?
Yes, raw or frozen blueberries are considered keto friendly. This is because they are low in sugar and low in carbs. They are one of the best berries to eat while on a keto diet, in fact.
As with all things, be mindful of portion sizes, especially if counting net carbs over total carbs. 1/2 cup per day is a good maximum portion size to stick to.
Dried blueberries and blueberry products, such as store-bought blueberry jams or juice, are unfortunately not ideal for a keto diet, due to their high sugar and high carb content, unless they explicitly state that the product is sugar-free.
Even then, be wary of sugar-substitutes that have been added to the blueberries in order to sweeten them up. In general, avoid processed blueberry products if you are following the keto-diet.
Keto-Friendly Recipes With Blueberries
On my website, you can find several delicious low-carb, keto-friendly recipes that use blueberries that you can try for your next meal or snack. Here are three of my favorites that I highly recommend for your next breakfast.
- Low-Carb Berry Smoothie – uses almond milk, heavy cream, and berries. This is a very versatile recipe, and easy and no-stress to make in the mornings.
- Keto Blueberry Muffins – delicious, fluffy, and moist. Sometimes it’s a real treat to find that you can enjoy simple things even when following a low-carb diet, and blueberry muffins are perfect for childhood nostalgia.
- Keto Blueberry Mug Cake – easy to make and ready in just one minute using a microwave. This mug cake also only has 4 grams of net carbs, so is not only filling and quick, but keto-friendly as well.
Other Low-Carb Berries
While I’ve discussed raw blueberries as a component of the keto diet, there are other members of the berry family that are as good (or even better) than blueberries for you to work into a low-carb, high-fat diet.
- Half cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, for one, only contains 6 grams of total carbs and 4 grams of net carbs.
- Half cup of fresh or frozen raspberries contains 7 grams of total carbs and 3 grams of net carbs.
- Half cup of fresh or frozen blackberries contains 7 grams of total carbs and 4 grams of net carbs.
All three of these choices have noticeably less total and net carbs in comparison to blueberries, which again have 10.5 grams of total carbs and 8.8 grams of net carbs, which may make it easier for you to work them into your regular daily diet.
CONCLUSION
Blueberries are really a perfect fruit for anyone who loves fruit but is trying to keep to a low-carb or keto diet plan. Not only are the low in carbs, they are easy to get at your local supermarket or to grow yourself, if you’re so inclined.
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Laura is dedicated to a low-carb lifestyle after losing 52 pounds on the keto diet. As many of us do, she struggles with her weight and has found that one of the only diet lifestyles that allows her to maintain a healthy weight is a low-carb diet. She shares her favorite low-carb recipes here that are both easy to make and full of flavor, so you don’t even miss the carbs.