Berry Good...

Berries have a lot going for them. They’re colorful, sweet, delicious, and they’re like the people we envy who are comfortable in all different kinds of social circles—Paleo, low-carb, keto, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean. It’s hard to think of a dietary approach that doesn’t include berries, even if they need to be consumed in smaller quantities, such as on a ketogenic diet. Beyond just being flavorful, berries have several properties that make them worth including in the diet. Nature must’ve known what it was doing by making these little gems so eye-catching and enticing.

Whether someone’s diet consists primarily of animal foods or primarily plant foods, most people are aware of the need to keep sugar consumption low. Berries are a great way to get a sweet fix for surprisingly low total sugar. The table below provides select information on popular berries (per 100 gram serving/1/2 cup; percentages are % daily value), but keep in mind that this is a general ballpark. The type of berry cultivar, different growing conditions, and handling conditions during transport or storage can affect nutrient content.

As you can see, berries are very low in total sugar, and when you subtract the fiber, the “net carb” amount is even lower. For those concerned about the specific effects of fructose, berries are among the lowest fructose fruits.