Is Bartlett Pear Slices Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I always look at the ingredient list before the marketing claims. For Bartlett Pear Slices, the label tells a clear story of why this product fails the keto test. The primary ingredients are Pears and Water, which are fine on their own. However, the list quickly deteriorates with Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), and Sugar.

The inclusion of Corn Syrup and Sugar is the immediate red flag. On keto, the goal is to limit net carbs to roughly 20-50 grams per day. A single serving of these pears can consume a massive portion of that allowance purely due to added sweeteners. Even worse is High Fructose Corn Syrup. This ingredient is highly processed and has a high glycemic index, meaning it causes a rapid spike in blood glucose and insulin—exactly what the keto diet seeks to avoid.

Finally, the presence of Corn (in the form of corn syrup) is a double whammy. Corn is a starchy vegetable that is naturally high in carbohydrates. While the syrup is processed, it retains those carb-heavy properties, making it incompatible with a low-carb diet.

Nutritional Value

When analyzing the nutritional profile of canned pears in syrup, the math simply doesn't work for ketosis. The sugar content is the primary offender. Between the natural sugar in the fruit and the added sugar and corn syrup, a small serving can easily contain 20+ grams of sugar. Since there is virtually zero fat in this product, it provides no fuel for the keto dieter.

Regarding calories, the count is usually moderate, but empty calories from added sugar do not satiate hunger. For a diet that relies on fat for satiety, this product offers nothing but a sugar rush followed by a crash. It simply does not fit the strict macronutrient ratios required to maintain a state of nutritional ketosis.