Author: Angela Finn
PSA: Ditching fruits to lose weight is not necessary, nor is it encouraged. Seriously!
A while back, we busted the myth: You shouldn’t eat fruit because it’s high in sugar. Sure, fruits do contain carbohydrates (also known as naturally occurring sugars), but these carbohydrates are complex (literally and figuratively) and they are nutritious. Fruits are our allies on both our health journey and our weight-loss journey.
Let’s talk about the “complexity” of fruits, in simple terms while busting another myth: You shouldn’t eat fruit when you’re trying to lose weight.
False! Fruits are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and water, while also satisfying us with some sweetness. You don’t believe us? Check out these awesome fruit recipes that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth at a lower calorie cost!
While fruits do contain naturally occurring sugars, they’re less concentrated and less calorically dense than refined sugars such as cookies, donuts and syrups. In addition, they can provide the right amount of energy when you’re in need of a “pick me up” and can give you that satisfying boost to either hold off until your next meal or push you through a sweat sesh. Fruit’s strongest super power (other than nutrients, antioxidants and water)? Fiber. Again, seriously! We mean it with every “fiber” of our being! Fiber is what helps us feel fuller longer, preventing us from storming into a room wanting to eat anything and everything in sight.
With the current daily recommendation set at 25g a day for women and 38g for men, why not explore some refreshing and tasteful fruit options? You can pair fruit with a healthy protein choice like these nutritious post-workout munchies, grab a handful of your favorite colorful hydrating snack or substitute a smaller portion of your favorite sweet with some of nature’s candy for a nice treat. It’s a win-win-win-win (yes, 4x win) with these choices, especially when working toward healthy weight loss. Not only do you not have to give up sweets or carbs, but you can promote a balanced lifestyle while improving your digestive system, filling fueled and fulfilled and maintaining a healthy weight. Stick to the recommended portion size of 1 cup or 1 tennis ball, 2-3x a day, and start feeding your body properly with some of our favorite sweets fruits:
1. Raspberries
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories per serving: 65 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 8g
- Sugar per serving: 5g
Why & how we love it: In general, a high fiber food is 5g per serving. Need we say more? (You won’t have to pull our arm). Berries in general have a high fiber content with lower sugar content per serving; they also provide us with about half of our daily value needs for Vitamin C. There are so many to choose from so we welcome you to change it up and have fun! Berries in oatmeal? Sure! In yogurt? Yup! Smoothies? Yum! Salads & sandwiches? Heck yeah! Seriously, have you tried whole blueberries in place of jelly in a PBJ?!
Other berries:
- Blueberries: 85 kcal and 3.6g fiber
- Strawberries: 47 kcal and 2.9g fiber (1 cup whole)
2. Apples (with skin!)
- Serving size: 1 tennis ball
- Calories per serving: 95 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 4.4g
- Sugar per serving: 19g
Why & how we love it: Okay, so “an apple a day” won’t actually keep the doctor away. However, choosing an apple with cinnamon or with a tablespoon of sugar-free peanut butter (or dare I say nutella when you’re feeling extra rewarding) will most definitely make your body say “yes, thank you” more than a syrup-filled apple pie from a fast-food joint. Oh, and just in case you were wondering – food experts share that an apple is 3x more filling than a chocolate bar! How do you like them apples?
3. Pomegranate
- Serving size: ½ cup
- Calories per serving: 72 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 3.5g
- Sugar per serving: 12g
Why & how we love it: In addition to wearing the cape of an antioxidant superhero, protecting us from molecules that harm our body, pomegranates provide us with 14% of our daily value needs for both fiber and Vitamin C. We enjoy pomegranates as a topping on main dishes like salads and roasted squash, but there’s nothing ever wrong with popping them in your mouth just as you would with popcorn (it’s essentially the same thing, with more juiciness and nutrients).
4. Oranges
- Serving size: 1 tennis ball
- Calories per serving: 45 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 2.3g
- Sugar per serving: 9g
Why & how we love it: When life gives you citrus, you’re sure to get a refreshing dose of Vitamin C (more than 50% of our daily value needs) low in sugar and high fiber. While we enjoy citrus whole, we do like to get creative with using fresh-squeezed juice for dressings, marinades, rubs (hint: crushed pepitas) and water infusions. Oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit make water tastier; you’ll be sure to reach your water goals with confidence!
Other citrus fruits:
- Lemons: 17 kcal and 2.4g
- Grapefruit: 52 kcal and 2g (half of whole fruit)
5. Peaches
- Serving size: 1 tennis ball
- Calories per serving: 59 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 2.3 g
- Sugar per serving: 13 g
Why & how we love it: Like many of these fruits, stone fruits like peaches are a great option to eat quick, cold and raw and also stewed and grilled! Peaches are a nutrient-dense and fiber-filled seasonal option, providing almost 10% of our Vitamin A and fiber daily value needs and 16% of our Vitamin C needs.
6. Kiwi
- Serving size: 1 fruit
- Calories per serving: 42 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 2.1 g
- Sugar per serving: 6 g
Why & how we love it: This little guy can be easily forgotten, but we nudge you not to forget! They meet all the desires of someone wanting something sweet and tart while losing weight: low calorie, low sugar (and low glycemic index, meaning a slower release of the natural sugars into our bodies) and they meet 106% of our Vitamin C daily value needs. With kiwis, great things do come in small packages.
7. Avocado
- Serving size: ½ fruit
- Calories per serving: 161 kcal
- Fiber per serving: 8.5 g
- Sugar per serving: 0.7 g
Why & how we love it: Hold on tight because while this fruit (yes, avocado is a fruit!) is higher in calories there are loads of reasons to keep this nutrient-rich fruit as a staple on your grocery list. *Deep breath in* With significant amounts of Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate and fiber, you’ll be feeling energized and satisfied. Low in sugar and rich in healthy fats, this is a great choice for persons with diabetes or those looking to reduce their cholesterol with fat alternatives. We experiment with using avocado as a replacement for butter or margarine in addition to adding it to dressings, dips, smoothies and baked as veggie fries.
The bottom line? Fruits will always be our allies on our health journey – never let anyone tell you otherwise! And Noom will be there to support you if someone tries to tell you otherwise. See for yourself and kickstart your Noom trial today!
