Summer Low Carb Fruits & Vegetables for Keto Diet

An assortment of summer fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are good for us and provide valuable nutrients to our bodies. Because of this, along with being relatively low carb, many fruits and vegetables are included in each phase of the Atkins diet.

While some people might think that keto diets don’t contain fruits or vegetables, experts recommend consuming plenty of non-starchy vegetables and some low glycemic fruits while on a keto diet. 1

During Atkins 20^® Phase 1 of the program, you’re encouraged to eat 12-15 grams of carbs from vegetables per day. Depending on what vegetable you are eating, this can be up to several servings. In Phase 2, low glycemic load fruits like melons, cherries, and berries are all on the approved food list. Phase 3 allows for a wider variety of fruits, as well as starchy vegetables, to be eaten.

Finally, during Phase 4, which is more of a permanent lifestyle, you are encouraged to be eating all of these fresh and healthy low carb vegetables and fruits.

8 Recommended Low Carb Fruit & Veggies for Summer

This is even easier during the summer when several of these great foods are in season. Check out this list of great summer fruits and vegetables:

Avocados: 3.68g Net Carbs Per Avocado 2

Not only are these approved for each phase of the program, but they are often considered a super food! Avocados are great because they are extremely versatile. You can use them in a dip like guacamole or use them as a substitute for butter or mayonnaise to add some flavor to a dish.

Bell Peppers: 4-6g Net Carbs Per Cup 3 4 5

Red, green, orange, and yellow, peppers are a great low carb snack and are approved for all phases of the program. Different peppers have different net carb counts. Green peppers are closer to four net carbs, while yellow and red are closer to six net carbs.

Cucumbers: 9.5g Net Carbs Per Large Cucumber 6

Nutrients provided by cucumbers include electrolytes, folate, vitamin C, and water. 7 The silica it contains is good for your hair and lignans in the vegetable have been linked to reducing the risk of cancer. 8

Cherries: 1.2g Net Carbs Per Cherry 9

In season from May until August, cherries are one of the sweetest low carb fruits nature has to offer. Cherries have been reported to help with arthritis pain, fight cancer, and aid with sleeping. 10

Cantaloupe: 5.9g Net Carbs Per ½ Cup 11

Approved for phases 2, 3, and 4 of the diet, cantaloupe is a great source of vitamin A and C. 11

Green Beans: 4.6g Net Carbs Per Cup (Raw) 12

You may consider this summer vegetable to be one of the healthiest foods in the world! 13 They’re in season during the summer and approved for each Atkins^® phase.

Strawberries: 8.2g Net Carbs Per Cup 14

While they are mostly grown in California and Florida, colder areas that grow strawberries come in season right in the middle of the summer.

Cherry Tomatoes: 4.84g Net Carbs Per Cup 15

While cherry tomatoes are typically planted in the spring—which means they’ll be ready in the summer, they can also be grown indoors so they can be enjoyed all year long.

List of 8 Low Carb Vegetables & Fruits