Are Cranberries Keto?

The goal of the ketogenic diet is to keep your carbohydrate intake as low as possible. The question is are cranberries keto friendly?

Cranberries are a red shrub berry that also happens to be a fruit. You can eat them raw, but most people consume them in the form of juice, dried cranberry jam, or cranberry sauce.

Now let's take a look at the carbs in cranberries, their benefits, and low carb ways to enjoy them during the holidays and beyond.

Nutritional Values of Cranberries

According to the USDA website, 1 cup (100 grams) of raw, unsweetened cranberries contains the following nutrients:

• 46 Calories
• 87% Water
• 0.4g Protein
• 12.2g Carbohydrates
• 4.6g Fiber
• 4g Sugar
• 0.1g Fat

What Are The Benefits Of Cranberries?

Cranberries are small, thick, spherical red fruits with a bitter and sour taste that are seldom consumed fresh. 

Cranberries are a well-known nutrient powerhouse that are commonly used in sauces and desserts. These berries are low in calories and sugar when compared to other fruits, with only 50 calories and 4 grams of sugar per cup.

Cranberries have numerous health benefits because they are high in vitamins and antioxidants. Here are a few reasons why you should incorporate these fruits into your diet:

• Prevents urinary tract infections – According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, proanthocyanidins, which are abundant in cranberries, have powerful anti-infection effects.
• Prevents tooth decay – When consumed on a regular basis, cranberries may help you combat the pathogenic effects of dental caries and improve your overall oral health.
• Cranberries are high in calcium, which helps to strengthen bones and teeth. It makes them stronger and healthier. 
• Cranberry extract for various cancers – Cranberries contain polyphenolic chemicals that have been shown to combat various cancer-related malignancies. 
• Cranberry Juice or Extract May Benefit Heart Health – Some studies indicate that cranberry juice or extract may be beneficial in some different heart disease risk factors. It may raise good HDL cholesterol levels while decreasing bad LDL cholesterol in diabetics.

Are Cranberries Keto Friendly?

Yes, actually. Fresh cranberries are keto friendly, so you can eat them plain or use them in a variety of recipes. Despite the fact that 1 cup of cranberries contains 7.6 grams of net carbs, they can still be consumed in moderation.

While sugar is often added to prepared cranberry products, cranberries are a naturally low-carb fruit.

Finally, choose fresh or frozen cranberries over sugary cranberry juice, canned or dried cranberries.

Are Dried Cranberries Keto?

Dried cranberries with added sugar or corn syrup are not keto friendly. Unsweetened dried cranberries, on the other hand, can be keto friendly.

How Many Carbs In Dried Cranberries?

Because of the sugar added to classic dried cranberries, they are also high in carbs. The total carbs in a quarter cup of dried cranberries are 33.1 grams, and the net carbs are 30.1 grams.

Is Cranberry Juice Keto Friendly?

Unfortunately, cranberry juice isn't keto friendly. Even unsweetened varieties have too many carbs to fit into a traditional keto macro.

Cranberry juice, like most fruit juices, is high in carbohydrates. Unsweetened cranberry juice has 30.9g total carbs and 30.6g net carbs in a 1-cup serving.

Keto Cranberries Recipes

When making cranberry recipes, fresh cranberries are preferred over sweet dried and canned varieties. Fresh or frozen cranberries, unlike dried cranberries and juices, are naturally low in sugar and nutrients and high in vitamins. 

We have gathered some all time favorite cranberry recipes for you which are keto friendly shared by Low Carb Sparks. Let's dive into it!

Keto Cranberry Sauce 

Ingredients:

• Cranberries, fresh or frozen.
• Sweetener
• Water 
• Orange zest

Recipe:

With only four ingredients, you can make this sugar-free cranberry sauce in less than 15 minutes. The process of making homemade cranberry sauce is incredibly simple. 

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook until the sauce begins to thicken.

1. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. 
2. Simmer until the cranberries pop open, about 15 minutes. 
3. Make sure to keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken. This procedure should take between 12 and 15 minutes. 
4. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve in a serving bowl.

Keto Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients:

• Eggs – When baking, always use room temperature eggs as it greatly reduces the eggy taste.
• Flour
• Cranberries 
• Orange Zest
• Orange extract 
• Butter
• Sweetener 
• Nuts

Recipe:

If you follow a few simple steps, you can make this keto low carb cranberry bread in no time.

1. Collect all of the ingredients, as well as a few bowls, and turn on your electric mixer.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and grease or line a 9-inch loaf pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs, add the sweetener, heavy cream, orange extract, and orange zest, and whisk for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer.
4. Add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and softened butter after the egg mixture has become frothy. Mix until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the batter has thickened slightly. 
5. Fold in the cranberries with a spatula and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Keto Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

The layers of shortbread crust, creamy vanilla cheesecake, tangy sugar-free cranberry sauce, and pecan crumble in these Keto Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect. And that's not even the most exciting part. These bars have 5 net carbs per serving for a substantial serving.

We have found this delicious recipe for you by The Best Keto Recipes.

Ingredients:

• Butter
• Almond Flour
• Confectioners Swerve or Monk Fruit
• Low-Carb Cranberry Sauce
• Cream Cheese
• Egg Yolk
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Pecans

Recipe:

• Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the edges to lift your entire batch of cranberry cheesecake bars out of the pan. 
• To make the crust, start with the following steps: To make a soft buttery crust, mix together melted butter, almond flour, and sweetener. 
• Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees F with the dough lightly pressed into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. 
• Layer the ingredients as follows: Cream cheese, an egg yolk, Swerve (or Monk Fruit) confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract make up the cheesecake layer. This is a step that is preferred complete with my small blender/food processor.
• To make the pecan crumble topping, in a small food processor, combine the butter, almond flour, and pecans and pulse until the mixture is coarse and the butter has broken up. 
• Assemble and bake the bars as follows: Remove the crust from the oven after 7 minutes and set aside to cool for a few minutes. 
• Place the cheesecake layer on top of the crust, followed by the low-carb cranberry sauce. 
• Bake for 20 minutes, then sprinkle the topping over the cranberry layer.

In The End

Cranberries are small, thick, round, red fruits with a bitter and sour flavor that are rarely eaten raw. With only 50 calories and 4 grams of sugar per cup, these nutritious berries are low in calories and sugar.

In a nutshell, Cranberries can definitely be enjoyed on keto with low carbs! To ensure that your keto cranberry recipes work with your macros, avoid added sugar.

Click on one of these links below to find out more about keto friendly foods!

• Is Bok Choy Keto Friendly?
• Is Rutabaga Keto Friendly?
• Is Pepperoni Keto?
• Are Whisps Keto Friendly?
• Are Protein Shakes Keto?
• Is Ranch Keto Friendly?

Frequently Asked Questions