Are Tomatoes Keto? Keto Recipes Using Tomatoes
Sweet and juicy, tomatoes are the crown jewel of many delicious recipes from salads to sauces. But are tomatoes Keto? This article answers that question and offers some incredible recipes that use them.
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If you’re on Keto or a low carb diet, you are probably always on the lookout for ways to add a variety of fruits and vegetables that will keep your menu planning interesting while aligning with your low carb goal. In this article, we’re taking a look at how you can easily add juicy and delicious tomatoes to your recipes that are not only Keto-approved, but that are also super healthy.
Can You Eat Tomatoes on a Keto Diet?
Yes, you can! Tomatoes are often thought of as a vegetable, but they’re actually fruit. And even though they do contain carbs, tomatoes are a very nutrient dense whole food. It’s important to remember that by including a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
The great thing about tomatoes is that they’re so full of flavor, it doesn’t take many added to any recipe to satisfy all your tomatoes cravings, without having much of a carb impact.
How Many Carbs in Tomatoes?
The carb in tomatoes will vary slightly based on the type. For instance:
- One large beefsteak tomato has approximately 4 net carbs.
- For a whole cup of cherry tomatoes, there are only 4 grams of net carbs.
- A medium sized roma tomato has about 3.3 net carbs each.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
On top of being low enough in carbs to enjoy on Keto, tomatoes are also packed with amazing nutrients like such as vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and folate.
These nutrients are associated with many health benefits! If you’d like to read more how incorporating tomatoes into your diet can be beneficial, check out this article on Healthline.
Tomatoes Nutrition
These values are one, fresh, raw, whole medium red tomato:
- Calories: 32
- Fat: 1 gram
- Carbs: 7 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Net carbs: 6 grams
Tips for Buying Tomatoes
- If possible, buy tomatoes in season from a local farmer’s market. They have been handled less during transport, plus it’s great knowing exactly where they’re grown.
- The first thing is to look for tomatoes that are mostly firm, with a only the slightest amount of give to them.
- Keep in mind that tomatoes continue to ripen after they are harvested. So, if you’re not going to eat them right away, you may want to consider buying slightly underripe tomatoes.
- Look for blemishes or small holes. Those small holes could be an indication that the tomato may have a fruit worm nestled inside.
- Keeping tomatoes in the fridge stops the ripening stage. So, unless your tomatoes are super ripe and ready to eat that day, it’s best to store them at room temperature.
Best Keto Recipes Using Tomatoes
Classic and elegant Caprese Salad with juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and basil drizzled with a sweet balsamic vinegar reduction.
Mediterranean Mahi Mahi features moist and perfectly seasoned pan-seared fillets with a robust sun-dried tomato and pine nut-based topping. It's perfect for a quick healthy meal any night of the week.
Packed with plenty of flavor, this marinara is so versatile! It goes perfectly with homemade low carb mozzarella sticks, pizza bites or Keto breadsticks!
This Shakshuka with Italian Sausage is loaded with robust seasoning, zesty tomatoes and a little kick from red pepper flakes. Though traditionally served for breakfast or brunch, adding sausage makes it the perfect meal for any time of the day.
Easy Grilled Bruschetta Chicken has never been better with amazing flavors from vine ripened tomatoes and tangy homemade balsamic reduction!
Deliciously fresh and low carb vegetables all come together in this quick and easy classic Greek salad topped with a homemade savory vinaigrette dressing!
Gluten Free meatballs baked in the oven with gooey mozzarella cheese on top! Enjoy these Italian style meatballs cooked in a low carb marinara sauce, that's great over zucchini noodles or Palmini noodles!
This meat sauce is packed with all the traditional Italian flavors, basil, Italian sausage, garlic, a little Pinot Grigio and of course tomato!
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