Oranges on Keto: Assessing Their Suitability in a Low-Carb Diet

In the world of fruits, the orange would surely win the title of “temptress” with its vibrant color and sweet citrusy aroma. Oranges symbolize health and freshness, which is why many of us start our day with a tall glass of orange juice.

If you’ve set your mind to the ketogenic lifestyle, you may ask yourself, are oranges keto-friendly? To answer this question, you can start by checking orange carbs and the overall macronutrient ratio.

Will oranges boost your keto journey or tempt you out of ketosis? It’s time to embark on a juicy mission to discover what’s beneath the peels of this glorious fruit. 

Short answer: No. Oranges are not keto-friendly due to their high amounts of net carbohydrates and sugars.

Are oranges keto-friendly?

Let’s look at the nutritional values of oranges to determine if they are keto-friendly or not.

Can you eat oranges on keto?

Unfortunately, oranges are not keto-friendly, and we would not recommend eating them on a keto diet.

Oranges are packed with sugar, and consuming a single food with that much sugar can kick you out of ketosis. Even though they have many health benefits, you should avoid oranges on the keto diet.

The good news is that there are alternative fruits that you can explore if you want to follow the keto diet.

How many carbs are in an orange?

The average orange contains about 14.3g of net carbs per serving. Most keto dieters consume only about 20g of net carbs daily.

As mentioned above, oranges contain fiber, but there is not enough fiber to make this food keto due to the high amounts of sugar.

If you wonder how many carbs you can eat on keto, most people will try to stick to a goal of 20g of net carbs or less per day. A single orange would use almost all your daily net carb allowance. For more information on exactly how many carbs you should be eating, try our keto calculator.

What are the Benefits of Oranges?

We know that oranges are delicious, but do they have nutritional benefits for our diets? Often, fruits like the orange can be packed with vitamins and minerals essential to our bodies.

Here are some of the main benefits of oranges:

Excellent source of Vitamin C

As many people know, oranges are rich in Vitamin C, which can help boost your immune system. Studies have shown that Vitamin C can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

In addition to that, Vitamin C can reduce inflammation and even help with joint pain and swelling.

Vitamin C is also essential for producing collagen, a healthy protein that can promote healthy bones and skin.

Rich with fiber

The keto diet tends to be lower in fiber since you eliminate many fiber-containing grain-based foods. Replacing fiber is essential to help promote gut health.

Fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular and prevent constipation, which can be an issue on keto. In addition, eating fiber can help to lower cholesterol levels, control blood sugar, and maintain a healthy weight.

It can help lower cholesterol

Eating oranges can have a positive impact on cholesterol levels. This is mainly attributed to the soluble fiber found in oranges that prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the body.

Oranges have been shown to decrease LDL, which is considered to be the “bad” cholesterol.

Promotes heart health

Oranges are rich in heart-healthy nutrients such as folate, Vitamin C, and potassium. These nutrients have been linked to heart health benefits.

How many carbs are in orange juice?

Orange juice is even high in carbs since most sugar is extracted from the fruit’s fiber. It’s a more concentrated form.

A standard 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains a whopping 28.4 grams of net carbohydrates per serving. That is more than most people eat on an entire day of keto.

Plus, consuming that much sugar in a single drink will spike your blood sugar and kick you out of ketosis. The goal of the keto diet is to stay in ketosis.

How many carbs are in mandarin oranges?

Mandarin oranges are smaller, but they are still not keto. A medium-sized mandarin orange has about 10g of net carbohydrates per serving.

This is far too many sugar-based carbohydrates than you should eat in a single serving when you follow a keto diet. This is especially true when you are a beginner to the keto diet.

Alternatives to Oranges on a Keto Diet

Since oranges are not OK on the keto diet, are there any fruits you can eat? Fortunately, some fruits are more keto-friendly. This is great because you can get the added benefits of the vitamins in the fruit without kicking yourself out of ketosis.

Here are some popular keto-friendly fruits; these fruits can be consumed on the keto diet in moderation.

• Strawberries – 5.7 grams net carbs per 100 grams
• Raspberries – 6.7 grams net carbs per 100 grams
• Blackberries – 4.3 grams net carbs per 100 grams
• Blueberries – 12 grams net carbs per 100 grams

Conclusion

While oranges have many health benefits, we’ve discovered they are just too high in net carbohydrates to be eaten on the keto diet. You should avoid eating oranges if you want to stay in ketosis.

However, we identified some alternative fruits to replace oranges in your diet. These fruits can be eaten on keto in moderation, providing many health benefits.