Before jumping to the conclusion, whether to include watermelon or any particular fruit in the list of keto-friendly fruits, you need to have a basic understanding of what Ketogenic diet actually is and what we do it for!

Read through the article to get a clear picture of a ketogenic diet and the status of watermelon in it!

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

Similar to the Atkins diet, the term “ketogenic diet” is used for a low-carb diet. The idea behind it is to get the daily required calories more from protein and fat sources and a lesser amount from carbohydrates. You are supposed to mostly avoid the carbs like sugar, white bread, pastries, etc.

How does it work?

Since the above-mentioned examples of high-carb food are easily digestible, their absence makes the body run out of blood sugar. This initiates the breaking down of proteins and fats for the utilization of energy. The process usually takes 3 to 4 days to start, which eventually makes you lose weight, the activity termed as ketosis.

What we do it for?

The critical part to keep in mind is that the Ketogenic diet is “not” for the pursuit of health benefits; instead, it focuses on losing weight. It’s a short-term diet and supposed to be terminated after we get the desired results. The health side of it needs more research, and you need to consult your doctor if you want to seek help from this diet for specific medical conditions like epilepsy, brain disease, heart disease or diabetes.

Now that you have sufficient knowledge about the Ketogenic diet, let’s get straight to the question: Is watermelon keto-friendly fruit?

The point here is,

Would Watermelon knock you out of Ketosis?

There is a diet myth that to fully achieve ketosis, watermelon, and other fruits need to be totally cut back from the diet. However, there are certain keto-friendly fruits that would mean no harm in the process of ketosis.

You will eventually get to know how much truth this statement holds!

Daily Carb-Allotment for Ketogenic Diet

If you are on a ketogenic diet, you are supposed to reduce your carb-content to less than 50 grams/day, and it can even be as low as 20 grams/day.

The data collected from the popular ketogenic resources shows the following picture about the average percentages per day;

· Fat…………………………………..70–80%

· Protein…………………………….10–20%

· Carbohydrate……………………..5–10%

Carb Content of Watermelon

One cup serving of watermelon, that makes approximately 152-gram, contains around 11.5 grams of carbohydrates which is a relatively low amount. A 100-gram serving would make 7 grams of carb and 8.3 grams of sugar, making it suitable to be included in the list of keto-friendly fruits.

Careful Planning is the Key!

Watermelon can be keto-friendly if you are careful about the amount of content to consume. To efficiently achieve the desired results, you must stick to your daily carb allotment, which we have already discussed.

Now that we know that watermelon can be included in the keto-friendly fruits, how much is it suitable for you?

A ketogenic diet restricts the daily carbohydrate intake to only 5 to 10%. If you are mindful of what you are consuming, watermelon can make its place in your daily food intake to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings!

Watermelon, with its vibrant color and juicy sweetness, is one of the most crowd-pleasing fruits. You can still dig into this fruit while following your daily carb allotment for whatever reason you are following the ketogenic diet.

Here is one of the efficient ways to include Watermelon while following your ketogenic restrictions.

Decreased Portion Sizes of Watermelon

You can include watermelon in your salads, blend it in your cocktails or cut it into decreased portions for snacking while being on a ketogenic diet.

The reason I prefer decreased portion sizes is; you can satisfy your sweet tooth cravings and still limit its consumption.

Watermelon is low in calories but full of antioxidants and water making it suitable to be called a keto-friendly fruit with limited consumption. One hundred grams serving of watermelon would provide only 30 calories.

According to Dana Angelo White;

“Since watermelon has such a higher water content, it will fill you up and help keep you hydrated”

But keeping a tab on your portions is a must. If you go overboard, then it can certainly mess with your ketosis.

A Differing Opinion Regarding; Is Watermelon Keto-Friendly?

Registered dietitian Sarah Koenck says otherwise; when asked about her opinion whether to consider watermelon a keto-friendly fruit, she presented a different picture;

“For you to maintain a balanced nutritional ketosis, you must hang around 50 grams of carbs or less”,

says Sarah.

“Given the high carb content in watermelon, it is not a good option to include in your ketogenic diet plan”

High Glycemic Index (GI)

Keep in mind that all of the number of carbs watermelon contains is relatively high in GI (Glycemic Index) I.e., 72 and lesser in GL (Glycemic Low) I.e., 4, which means it is likely to spike your blood glucose level if you do not do not draw a fine line around the amount you are consuming.

Metabolism Speed also Matters!

According to Dr. Eric Berg, if you have a low metabolism speed, watermelon is a no-go for you while being on a ketogenic diet. Alternatively, if your metabolism speed is normal to high, which most people have, you can consume watermelon, and it won’t kick you out of ketosis.

To Conclude —

Keeping in view what the dietitians and the keto-experts have to say, I conclude here that what matters the most while consuming watermelon in a ketogenic diet is the portion of it you are taking in.

Despite of it being rich in carb-content, you don’t have to swear off watermelon from the family of keto-friendly fruits. It comes with its benefits and a limited consumption of it won’t throw you out of ketosis. Planning is the key. Also, you need to consult your doctor before starting this diet, especially if you have Type 1 Diabetes.

The final advice from my side would be that if you are consuming watermelon while being on a ketogenic diet, make sure that you don’t consume too much of it to induce a sugar shot to your blood and elicit a glucose and insulin response. However, while keeping the amount in check, with average metabolism speed, you are good to go!