Are Tomatoes Keto? Yes, but find out when they are not

Tomatoes are low in carbohydrates and are keto friendly. They don’t contain much fat or protein which is generally the focus macronutrient on the ketogenic diet. Interestingly, they naturally produce monosodium glutamate which gives its tasty flavor. On a ketogenic diet, use tomatoes as a side dish to add flavor and variety to your meals.

A single serving of tomatoes is a single Italian tomato weighing 62 grams. It is approximately 95% water and contains 11.2 kcal of calories making it very low calorie.

A single serving of tomatoes (62 grams) contains 1.7 grams net carbs and are keto friendly. Total carbohydrates are 2.4 grams with 0.7 grams of fiber and 1.63 grams of total sugar.

Whether you are making your own tomato sauce at home or buying prepackaged sauce, this is where it gets tricky. If you want to stay within the keto carb intake limit of 25 grams per day you may have to read the ingredient labels of the sauce you are buying. Some tomato sauces may have added sugars which will greatly increase the amount of sugar.

Tomato sauces can range from 3 grams of carbohydrates to up to 12 grams per half a cup.

Canned Diced Tomatoes usually contain around 6 grams per half a cup.

Tomato paste contains 6 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

As you can see from the above, tomato sauce whether you buy it made or you make it from the individual canned ingredients can really add up to alot of carbohydrates in a single sauce.

It is best to try to make your own sauce from homemade ingredients. Pick a recipe that only uses whole tomatoes and if there are onions, you may want to minimize the amount. Onions can add a significant amount of sugars to the sauce. A single onion depending on size can contain more than 10 grams of carbohydrates. Check out our onions article for ideals on how to get minimize the sugars from onions.

Tomatoes are in the nightshade family of plants and contain a high amount of a plant defense chemical / pesticide which is produced by the tomato plant protect it from pests and insects. The best way to minimize these chemicals is to peel the tomatoes before consumption since it is usually concentrated in the skin of the tomato.

Tomatoes contain Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin K1 and Folate, but in relatively smaller amounts compared to other foods.

In conclusion, tomatoes are good on a keto diet as they are quite low carb. However, not all tomato products are equally true. Tomato sauces generally will contain a lot of carbohydrates and should be minimized as it can easily use up your daily limit. It is best to eat your tomatoes whole, but peeled.