Choosing the best snacks can be tricky. Potato chips, popcorn, muffins, and other treats are notorious for their high sugar and high fat content. Diet snacks aren’t better either. Packed with additives and empty calories, they add inches to your waistline. Fruit contains sugar, but it also delivers fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients. The question is: do fruits aid in weight loss? Are they a good choice for dieters?
Fruits: “Free” Diet Food or Fad?
Fruits are part of a balanced diet. They provide both simple and complex carbs as well as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and cancer-fighting compounds. The fiber in fruit slows sugar absorption into your body, which helps prevent blood glucose spikes. Considering these facts, fruits make a good snack between meals. However, they still contain calories and sugar, and can lead to weight gain when consumed in large amounts.
Contrary to popular belief, fruit is not “free” diet food. Even though some diet plans, such as Weight Watchers, allow fruit in unlimited amounts, the scale will go up if you eat too much. Fructose, the sugar in fruits, is processed by the liver and can not be used by your brain, muscles, and other organs for energy. If your liver glycogen stores are already full when you eat fruit, the extra sugar will be deposited as fat. Additionally, some fruits, especially dried varieties like raisins, figs, and dates, boast up to 450 calories per cup.
What Fruits Are Suitable for Dieters?
If your goal is to lose fat, avoid high-sugar fruits, such as prunes, apricots, mango, and dried fruit. Coconuts are rich in fat, so the calories add up. Berries, avocado, lemons, lime, rhubarb, oranges, and grapefruit are your best bet. These fruits have a low glycemic index and fewer calories.
Be aware that fructose is just as bad as sugar. Just because it’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Eating too much fructose can raise your risk of diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and digestive distress. Fruit is best as an occasional treat, so track your portions and don’t go overboard.
