You don't have to totally quit sugar on a keto diet, but you do have to cut back significantly. Most keto diets recommend you eat 20 to 30 net grams of carbs per day, and sugars are carbs. For reference, a Hershey's milk chocolate bar has 25g of net carbs. When eating foods like fruit that contain naturally occurring sugar, you subtract the fiber grams from the overall carbs to equal the net carbs. You can absolutely plan for some sugar in your day, particularly foods like fruit or dairy products that contain naturally occurring sugars. Instead of quitting sugar entirely, be very strategic about the sugar you eat, and eating very low carb the rest of the time. You may find, as you cut your carbs on a keto diet that you no longer have cravings for sugar and may not miss it at all.

Do I Have to Quit Sugar on Keto? Not Entirely and Here's Why

In this blog post we’ll explore:

The difference between naturally occurring sugar and added sugar.
What about artificial sweeteners?
Why quit sugar (or limit it) on a keto diet.
The benefits of quitting sugar.
What to do when you really, really want sweets.

Do I Have to Quit Sugar on Keto? Not Entirely and Here's Why

When you start a keto diet you learn about increasing your fat and lowering your carbs. But sometimes there are questions about sugar. Do you have to quit sugar entirely?

You might be surprised at the answer. No, you don’t have to quit all sugars.

Sticking to your keto macros (usually 20-30 net grams of carbs) will definitely lower the amount of sugar in your diet. And the less sugar you have, the less likely you are to crave it so it’s a win-win.

Some type of sugars are usually a no-no, like honey, white sugar, brown sugar, and agave syrup. But you still can have small amounts if you budget them in to your daily macros.

The difference between naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. It's important!

Naturally occurring sugars are those found in fruit (fructose) and milk products (lactose). Berries, for example, are low in sugar, have lots of health benefits such as fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and manganese, plus other micronutrients.

Naturally occurring sugars are not "bad," but you do have to take those carbs into account when eating a keto diet.

Veggies and some fruits are “sugars” you don’t have to quit on keto.

Let's use blackberries as an example…

One cup of blackberries has (source):

Calories: 62
Fat: 0.7g
Carbohydrates: 13.8g
Fiber: 7.6g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 2g

The sugar in blackberries is fructose and is normal and natural and not a bad thing at all. When you take the overall carbs (13.8 grams) and subtract the fiber (7.6 grams) you have just 6.2 grams of carbs for a cup of blackberries. Cut that serving size in half and it’s only 3.1 grams net carbs which is definitely acceptable on a keto diet.

So you do not need to quit naturally occurring sugar on a keto diet. Just be smart.

Even vegetables contain small amounts of naturally occurring sugars.

One-half cup of cooked asparagus has (source):

Calories: 20
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 3.7g
Fiber: 1.8g
Sugars: 1.2g
Protein: 2.2g

Asparagus is very low in carbs at only 1.9 net grams (3.7 grams carbs minus 1.8 grams fiber). Asparagus, like most veggies, is a powerhouse of nutrients so definitely include some on your keto diet. It has Vitamins A, C, E, and K and folate, amother other nutritional goodies.

“Ketosis helps keep the sugar cravings at bay but when you occasionally want a sweet, be smart and plan for it.”

— The Keto Minimalist

Dairy products contain sugars, but you don’t have to quit them all!

Dairy, such as milk, cream, and cheeses also contain naturally occurring sugars. Overall cheese has a low amount of sugar and fluid milk (whole, 2%, skim) have higher amounts of lactose and, therefore carbs. That's why cream and most cheeses are ok for keto diets, but milk is not recommended unless you budget into your daily carb total.

1 cup of Whole Milk:

Calories: 149
Fat: 8g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 12g
Protein: 8g

As you can see from the nutrition facts, all of the carbs in whole milk come from naturally occurring sugar. Because there is no fiber, the net grams are 12 for a cup of milk. This is why milk is not a smart carb spend on a keto diet.

Now let’s look at 1 ounce of cheddar cheese:

Calories: 113
Fat: 9.4g
Carbohydrates: 0.4g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0.1g
Protein: 7.1g

Cheddar is much lower in both carbs and naturally occurring sugars than milk, with only 0.4 grams of net carbs per one ounce.

If you make smart dairy choices, like cheeses, you don't have to quit sugar in the form of lactose on your keto diet!

Watch out for added sugars… quit these most of the time on a keto diet.

Added sugars are what you need to especially look out for on a keto diet. Sugar can be in many forms and it is added to many, if not most, processed foods.

Here are common names of sugars (source):

agave syrup
brown sugar
cane juice and cane syrup
confectioners’ sugar
corn sweetener and corn syrup
dextrose
fructose
fruit juice concentrates
glucose
granulated white sugar
high-fructose corn syrup
honey
invert sugar
lactose
maltose
malt syrup
molasses
raw sugar
sucrose
syrup

Ideally you'll keep the added sugars very low on a keto diet, but you can definitely budget them into your macros for the day. Just seek out the nutritional information and make a choice that feels right for you.

What about artificial sweeteners on keto? Do I have to quit those too?

To use (or quit) artificial sweeteners is a tricky subject.

The case for using artificial sweeteners on a keto diet.

Some people on keto diets use artificial sweeteners, like erythritol or stevia drops, that have only trace amounts of carbs. Likely you’ve seen zero carb pancake syrups and similar products which can be appealing since pure maple syrup is loaded with sugar and carbs.

Using artificial sweeteners on a keto diet allows you to enjoy keto versions of sweets like cookies, cakes, and pies.

Why some people quit artificial sweeteners, even on a keto diet.

Other people avoid artificial sweeteners out of a sense of caution. While the sweeteners on the market are generally regarded as safe, some people report health issues.

Artificial sweeteners may also encourage sugar cravings. Unlike when you quit sugar entirely you often lose your sweet tooth, artificial sweeteners are seen in the brain as “sweet” and so you usually want more of the same.

Some artificial sweeteners, like sugar alcohols mannitol, xylitol, or sorbitol, can cause stomach upset and diarrhea in sensitive individuals.

Ultimately you get to choose whether or not to quit artificial sweeteners.

Why quit sugar (or limit it) like on a keto diet?

Excessive sugar consumption has links to several harmful health conditions, including:

chronic inflammation
obesity and metabolic syndrome
heart disease
type 2 diabetes
high blood pressure
high cholesterol
dental plaque and cavities
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

What happens when I quit sugar?

When you quit sugar on a keto diet (or lower it significantly), your body might go through a period of rebellion known as the carb flu. It's not fun, but it's totally normal. And temporary.

Once you adjust to very little sugars (or carbs) in your keto diet, you will likely lose the cravings for sweets. This is one of my favorite benefits of a keto diet!

Benefits of quitting sugar.

You know those harmful health conditions excess sugar can cause? Your odd of having those decrease when you quit (or reduce) sugar. You may also lose weight and have reduced food cravings. Your tastes for sweets will likely change, in that fruit tastes very sweet. Some people report clearer skin and increased energy.

via GIPHY

What if “me want cookie”?

I find when I'm super strict with my keto diet I rarely have cravings for sugar, which is a very good thing. But there are times when we might want something sweet, and that's ok if it's an occasional thing. Here are some strategies you might try when your inner Cookie Monster makes an appearance.

have fruit instead (with or without some heavy cream and/or stevia)
eat a fat bomb
see if you can find a keto version of whatever sweet treat you are craving
try a keto dessert bar LINK
have only a few bites of the real deal
enjoy a cookie or scoop of ice cream or piece of pie or whatever and try to budget it into your macros (so eat almost zero carb the rest of the day)
do a carb up (I learned about carb ups in Happy Keto Body) and enjoy your sugary treat guilt free...then get back to keto eating your next meal

So do you have to quit sugar on keto?? You don't have to quit sugar entirely but you do have to (mostly) reduce added sugars. In keto, and in life, make a decision that is best for your body, mind, and soul.

If you choose to never eat added sugar and you're cool with your reason for it, that's great. If you choose to enjoy naturally occurring sugars in fruits (and ??), have at it. If you decide to mostly stick to your keto plan and have a treat now and then for a special occasion, don't let anyone make you feel guilty. Yourself included.

Being a keto minimalist is about choosing the parts of keto that work for you, and ditching the ideas and attitudes that don't. Having a strict NO SUGAR policy works for many. Having a few guilt-free treats occasionally, while still calling yourself keto, works for many too.

What about you? Have you totally quit sugar on keto, or do you indulge sometimes? Any strategies you’d like to share for handling sugar in your diet?

—The Keto Minimalist

Struggling with keto?

If you are not losing weight, or can't shake the keto flu, or are not getting the results you want, it might be time for a reset. To take the time to really LEARN not just what foods are keto (we all know bacon and avocados are keto foods), but how to choose foods that work best for you.

If you want to go back to the basics I highly recommend Happy Keto Body. It's a 12 week online course that you can take at your own pace to learn about keto and customize an eating plan that suits your tastes and your health issues. No crazy ass "must do this" rules. No restricting carbs to 20g a day. No jumping into intermittent fasting if you don't want to. It's all about healing your body and eating for good health.

You can check out the The Happy Keto Body program here: Happy Keto Body

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